Research Training in Vision Science- NEI T32 Trainees

Raela joined the Vision Science T32 in January 2023. Co-mentored by Cris Ildefonso and Clay Smith, Raela is elucidating the role of Stat3 and RelA in retinal microglia state transition in the presence of retinal stress as a means to control chronic inflammation that plays a role in neuronal cell death in the aging and degenerating retina.

Julia joined the Vision Science T32 in January 2023. Under the mentorship of Dr. Lisa Scott, Julia is focused on parent-infant joint attention during book reading. Specifically, she is using dual, head-mounted eye tracking to analyze the synchronized moment-to-moment visual fixations occurring between an infant and their caregiver during a 5-minute book reading task.

Jourdan joined the Vision Science T32 in January 2023. Under the mentorship of Dr. Andreas Keil, Jourdan uses time-frequency based methods in electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging to study the neural substrates of generalization learning in response to facial cues.

Valerie joined the Vision Science T32 in January 2023.  Under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye, Valerie is studying the role of various AAV interactions with AAVR (AAV receptor) in the retina for the development of improved gene therapies. AAVR is of interest as it has recently been identified as a nearly universal receptor for AAVs, but this still needs to be verified in specific tissues.

Dr. Ruddick graduated in May 2023 under the mentorship of Dr. Astra Dinculescu. He is now a field application scientist for Bruker Cellular.

Dr. Makal graduated in May 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. She is now an assistant professor in biochemistry University of Virginia-Wise.

Dr. Mellen graduated in May 2022 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. He is now a field application scientist for Lumicks.

Dr. Macoon graduated in May 2020 under the mentorship of Dr. W. Clay Smith. He is now a biomedical Engineer with the U.S. Food And Drug Administration.

Dr. Calabro graduated in December 2019 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. She is now a research scientist at Atsena Therapeutics.

Dr. McCullough graduated in May 2019 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. He is now a senior scientist at Life Edit Therapeutics.

Dr. McCullough graduated in May 2019 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. He is a Postdoctoral Associate in Molecular & Genetic Engineering at Duke University.

Dr. Hooper graduated in May 2018 under the mentorship of Dr. Ash. He is now a scientist for the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

Dr. Stupay graduated in December 2017 under the mentorship of Drs Astra Dinculescu & William Hauswirth. She is currently a senior research scientist in product development at Abeona Therapeutics.

Dr. Rossmiller graduated in August 2015 under the mentorship of Dr. Alfred Lewin. He is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Tokyo Medical Center, where he designs, produces & tests CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene correction

Dr. Scalabrino graduated in May 2016 under the mentorship of Dr. Shannon Boye. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Neurobiology Department at Duke University.

Dr. Dominguez graduated in December 2015 under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Grant. After his Postdoctoral training at Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis, he remained on staff as a Research Analyst.

Dr. Chastain-Gross graduated in May 2015 under the mentorship of Dr. Ann Progulske-Fox. He completed his Postdoctoral training at the University of Florida before becoming a freelance medical editor.

Dr. Ryals graduated in August 2014 under the mentorship of Dr. Hauswirth. After completing her Postdoctoral training in the Department of Ophthalmology at Oregon Health & Science University, she joined their staff as a Research Assistant Professor.

Dr. Seo graduated in August 2011 under the mentorship of Dr. Alfred Lewin. She completed her Postdoctoral training at the University of Florida in the Infectious Diseases & Immunology department. Now, Dr. Seo is a Medical Scientist in the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department at the University of Florida.

Dr. Gibson graduated in August 2011 under the mentorship of Drs Susan Frost & Gregory Schultz. After completing his Postdoctoral training at the University of Florida’s Wound Research Center, he joined the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department as a Research Assistant Professor.

Dr. Kielczewski graduated in May 2010 under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Grant. She completed her Postdoctoral training in Immunology & Immunoregulation at the NIH, then stayed on in the Biological Imaging Core Facility of the National Eye Institute as a Biological Scientist.

Dr. Ferguson completed his MD-PhD training in May 2010, under the mentorship of Drs William Hauswirth & Alfred Lewin. After his residency at the John A. Moran Eye Center, he became a practicing Ophthalmologist.

Dr. Orisme graduated in December 2008, under the mentorship of Dr. W. Clay Smith. She completed her Postdoctoral training at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and afterward stayed on as a Research Scientist in Pathology.

Dr. Alexander graduated in May 2007 under the mentorship of Dr. William Hauswirth. He completed his Postdoctoral training in Vision Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and is now an Assistant Professor of Human Genetics at Emory University.

Dr. Boye graduated in May 2006 under the mentorship of Dr. Sue Semple-Rowland. She completed her Postdoctoral training in the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Florida, and was recently promoted to Associate Professor in the Molecular Therapy Division of the Department of Pediatrics. She is also a mentor on this T32, and has mentored, to date, 5 of its fellows.

Dr. Caballero graduated in May 2005 under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Grant. She continued on as Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida, and is now a Professor & Department Chair for the Sciences for Health Programs at Santa Fe College.