ECU Physiology - Current Doctoral Students

Currently we have 8 doctoral students working in a variety of areas of research and study. Each student's picture and a short biographical sketch are posted so our readers may get to know what high caliber students we have in our department. Each one is dedicated and focused on career in the medical community.

	Stefanie Burleson I graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. After graduation I worked at BRT, Inc., a contract research laboratory in Raleigh which piqued my scientific curiosity and compelled me to further my education in a graduate setting. I am now in my first year with the Physiology department, and I am enjoying it tremendously. Outside of classes and lab rotations, I enjoy painting, photography, and basketball.

	Fatiha Moukdar I graduated with a Bachelor degree in Biology from Université Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco. My interests in biomedical research took me to Canada where I got a master’s degree in Biology from L’Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada. I worked in the department of Physiology as a research associate for over a year and had the chance to learn about the Research and interact with the students, staff and Faculty of the department. Because of my interest in the cardiovascular research and more specifically the regulation of ischemic heart diseases at the molecular level, I decided to join the Ph.D program in Physiology and explore the involvement of the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in an ischemia/reperfusion model using the Ucp2 knockout mice. When I am not in the lab, I enjoy reading, movies and cooking.

	Joshua Stone I am currently a 3rd year graduate student in the department of physiology working for Dr. David Tulis. We study vascular smooth muscle growth as it pertains to vasculoproliferative disorders such as atherosclerosis and restenosis following injury or intervention. My particular interests involve the biophysics of cellular migration, in particular cytoskeleton and focal adhesion dynamics, as well as discrete signaling cascades that regulate cell cycle progression. Currently I am investigating the metabolic sensor AMPK and several novel mechanisms it employs to modulate VSMC migration and proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. When I am not at work I enjoy playing golf and fly fishing but most of all I love spending time with my wife and 3 year old little girl and anxiously await the birth of my son this June!

	Leslie Thompson After graduating from Lumberton Senior High School in 2000, I spent several years working in residential construction. Later, in the fall of 2005 I decided to go to school full time and I earned a BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in December 2008. I am now a first year student in the Physiology program here at ECU. I will be working with Dr. Wingard to explore altered vascular reactivity after acute, and possible chronic, pulmonary exposure to modified multi-wall carbon nanotubes. Now as a resident of Greenville, I am excited about watching some Pirate football! I enjoy watching the NFL and always pull for the Carolina Panthers. Also, in my spare time I write, compose, arrange, and record music, usually within the experimental rock/alternative genre.

	Achini Vidanapathirana My hometown is Colombo in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a beautiful island in the Indian Ocean and it is famous for its scenic beauty, ancient ruins, handicrafts and traditional dancers. I graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo with a MBBS in 2006. After completing my internship, I joined the Department of Physiology of the same university as a probationary lecturer. I have decided to spend my postgraduate study leave at ECU to work towards a PhD in Physiology. Now I am in my first year doing laboratory rotations which I find very exciting. I am interested in vascular physiology and nanotoxicology. When am not working I spend most of my time with my daughter. I also enjoy embroidery and reading.

	Shaun Reece I graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. in microbiology in 2001. From 2006 to 2010 I worked in Dr. Van Scott's lab assisting in the evaluation of candidate pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of asthma. During this time I became extremely interested in the pathological effects of the immune system on the cardio pulmonary systems. I desired to increase my understanding of physiology and contribute more to the field. I joined the Physiology PhD program in the summer of 2010. My current project focuses on preventing myocarditis using GMCSF covalently linked to cardiac peptides. I enjoy working with in vivo systems and large data sets. When not working I enjoy hiking, swimming, sailing, and camping.

	Cody Smith While working on my Master's degree in physiology and developmental biology at Brigham Young University, I realized that I wanted to make a career of research and teaching. My thesis work was on characterizing a protein complex integral to the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway in skeletal muscle. Upon graduating from BYU in December 2010, I came to ECU to work with Dr. Darrell Neufer studying the bioenergetics of skeletal muscle and how it relates to the onset of insulin resistance and diabetes. Aside from studying metabolism, I enjoy exercising my own metabolism. I am an avid sports and exercise enthusiast with an equal love for cooking and tasting new foods. I also enjoy reading a good novel and spending time with my wife and family.

	Rocio Jazmin Ellis I am originally from the coast of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. I moved to the United States with my husband, who is from Virginia. I started my career as a student in Carteret Community College. At the very beginning, I struggled with the English language, but with help from my new friends in the community college system it quickly went from a struggle to a lot of fun. I am still learning and improving. I triumphantly earned my Master's degree in Exercise Physiology at ECU. I found a strong interest in research while working as an undergraduate and my professor helped to put me on the right path. I found the area of cardiovascular physiology fascinating, and I am looking forward to exploring this area. During my free time, I enjoy cooking with my husband Carter, walking on the beach with my dogs, talking to my family and gun sports. I am delighted and it is an honor to be part of this team.

	Rick Alleman I graduated from the University of Memphis in 2012 with a M.S. in Health and Sport Science. My thesis work consisted of comparing two dietary restriction models on changes in blood lipids and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation. I am interested in cardiovascular function, metabolism, and how obesity related diseases can influence changes in these parameters. As a first year student I have decided to join Dr. Brown’s lab where we are investigating the mechanisms behind exercise induced cardioprotection. Outside of research I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, exercising, sports, and technology.

	Andrew Holt I graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 2007, where I earned a B.S. degree in Biology. Under the guidance of my Chemistry and Physiology professors, I developed a strong interest in scientific research. Following graduation, I was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army, earning a Ranger tab and continuing a range of experience from duty stations at Alaska and Iraq. Upon completion of my military commitment, I renewed my interest in science by pursuing my passion for research in ECU’s physiology doctorate program. I am currently studying in Dr. David Tulis’s lab where we are interested in identifying the various mechanisms that underlie aberrant vascular smooth muscle growth. When not studying or working, I enjoy exercising and spending time with my wife, Beth.

	Marley (Agnes) Jensen I graduated from East Stroudsburg University with my BS in 2007 and my MS in 2008 in Exercise Physiology. My interest in research brought me to the Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injuries where I worked as a research coordinator for 4 years. I knew early on that I wanted to spend my career studying and improving the lives of this population. The director of the center was very supportive of my desire to continue my education, and encouraged me to pursue my PhD here at ECU. My particular interests are in neuropathic pain experienced after spinal cord injury. I came here to ECU to work with Dr. Stefan Clemens to explore the organization and the functioning of the spinal cord. In my spare time I enjoy yoga, hiking, rock climbing, cooking and reading. I am excited to start this chapter of my life here in this department.