Christine O'Sullivan

Fellowship: Adele Lewis Grant Fellowship (Adele Lewis Grant + Nell Mondy)

Project Title: Determining the extent of depredation in Jamaica and identifying possible mitigation measures that will reduce conflicts between bottlenose dolphins and fishers

Project Abstract: Since at least 2000 fishers in Jamaica have complained about dolphins turning over their fish traps, or dragging them into deeper water, resulting in damage / loss of traps or the inability of the traps to continue to catch fish.  This has resulted in some fishers threatening to harm dolphins participating in this behavior. In 2015, bottlenose dolphins were recorded taking fish from fish traps in Bluefields, Westmoreland. This project aims to expand the research to 3 additional sites across Jamaica to determine how widespread the problem is, whether or not different methods are being employed by different groups of dolphins, why the dolphins may be engaging in this behavior, and to determine possible mitigation measures that can help reduce conflicts between dolphins and fishers. The project, which will be conducted in collaboration with Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute and the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, is slated to take place between July 2025 and June 2026.

Fellowship: Hartley Corporation Fellowship (Hartley Corporation + Nell Mondy + Ethel Allen)

Project Title: Investigating the Mechanisms of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Mediated Otoprotection

Project Abstract: Hearing loss results from various factors including exposure to loud noise, ototoxic drugs and anti-cancer drugs. However, the treatment options are limited and do not provide complete restoration of hearing. Ototoxicity associated with aminoglycoside antibiotics, which are commonly used to treat life-threatening infections, occurs in up to 41% of patients. Unfortunately, there are no drugs approved for the treatment of hearing loss caused by aminoglycosides. Therefore, it is important to protect the hair cells (cells for hearing) from death when they are exposed to a damaging insult. The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) has established roles in anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and protective functions in other organ systems. However, the expression of AhR and its role in stressed hair cells has not been studied. My research is the first evidence showing the expression pattern of AhR in the inner ear and that activation of AhR prevents hair cells from dying when exposed to neomycin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic. The proposed studies aim to understand how the activation of AhR, a natural biosensor, is inducing protective functions in the hair cells during stress. Understanding biological processes downstream of AhR will lead to protective therapeutics for hearing loss.

Bio:  Sujata Pandey, originally from Nepal, is a PhD student in the Pharmacology and Neuroscience program at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. She earned her Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Toledo.

Her PhD research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of damage in cochlear hair cells, cells responsible for hearing, caused by aminoglycoside antibiotics and noise exposure. She is particularly investigating the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling pathway as a potential novel mechanism for hair cell repair or protection during cellular stress.

With the support of the GWIS Fellowship, Sujata will expand her research to explore the cellular mechanisms involved in AhR-mediated hair cell survival. She is passionate about making education accessible to all and creating an environment that encourages learning and growth.

Manasi Shrikrishna Inamdar

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Vessa Notchev Fellowships

Project Title: Linking protein synthesis dysregulation to clinically relevant behavioral symptoms in genetically distinct rat models of autism.

Project Abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that arises from varied genetic and environmental factors. This complexity has hindered development of treatments that are effective across the heterogenous ASD population. Our research aims to determine if there are shared brain mechanisms across different genetic forms of ASD, as this would indicate there may be common treatments that are effective for autism of diverse causes. We address this question using atypical sensory processing, a common and debilitating ASD symptom reproducible in animal models. We have evidence that sound perception is altered in a similar manner in rat models of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), the two most common inherited forms of autism caused by distinct genetic mutations. This proposal will determine if these shared auditory symptoms in FXS and TSC arise from similar or different changes in neuronal function. Specifically, we will test the hypothesis that altered protein synthesis, a key process for maintaining proper neuronal function, is a convergent mechanism in FXS and TSC. By focusing on shared molecular aspects of a clinically relevant sensory symptom, we aim to contribute to therapies benefiting individuals and families affected by FXS, TSC, and other ASD forms.

Bio:  Manasi is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her current research in Dr. Benjamin Auerbach’s lab integrates operant behavioral paradigms, in-vivo multiregional electrophysiology, and translational profiling to investigate how molecular and circuit-level disruptions contribute to auditory hypersensitivity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The GWIS fellowship will support her development of a novel multimodal framework to examine the relationship between dysregulated protein synthesis and auditory processing deficits in two genetic models of ASD. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Manasi received a master’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2019. She subsequently held research positions at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Pacific Northwest Research Institute, where she studied gene and protein regulation in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders. Her interdisciplinary background helps guide her current research and supports her goal to identify convergent mechanisms underlying ASD and to contribute to targeted therapeutic strategies.

Joana Oliveira Carvalho

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Vessa Notchev Fellowships

Project Title: CircuitScope: Decoding the directionality of information flow in brain circuits from ultrafast resting-state layer fMRI

Project Abstract: Understanding the directionality of information flow within cortical circuits is critical for deciphering brain dynamics and the mechanisms underlying learning, sensory training, and neuroplasticity, particularly following brain injury. However, current non-invasive techniques cannot reliably distinguish feedforward (FF, bottom-up) from feedback (FB, top-down) neural signals across entire networks, including deep brain regions.

CircuitScope addresses this gap by leveraging the recently developed Layer-based Connective Field (lCF) model, which utilizes ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution fMRI signals (both task-based and resting-state) to dissociate FF and FB signals across critical spatiotemporal scales. Specifically, CircuitScope aims to develop advanced layer-specific CF models through Bayesian approaches and center-surround modeling (Objective 1). These models will be applied to ultrafast, layer-specific fMRI data acquired in humans (Objective 2), offering unprecedented insights into the balance and dynamics of FF and FB signals in cortical circuits.

By enhancing the ability to model the directionality of information flow in brain connectivity, CircuitScope will transform our understanding of FF and FB interactions, advancing the resolution of human neuroimaging and paving the way for novel applications in neuroscience research and personalized clinical interventions.

Bio:  Joana is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Coimbra, with a background that bridges engineering and neuroscience. After completing her degree in Biomedical Engineering in 2015, she pursued a PhD in Computational Visual Neuroscience at the University of Groningen. In 2020, Joana joined the Shemesh Lab as a postdoctoral researcher, where she expanded her expertise in advanced neuroimaging techniques. Her research is driven by a fascination with the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself, focusing on uncovering the neuronal mechanisms underlying brain plasticity and mapping the brain’s functional organization with high spatial and temporal precision. Over the past years, Joana has been awarded several competitive grants and distinctions, including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (2021–2024), the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Medal of Honor (2021), and an FCT Exploratory Research Project grant (2022). 

LAEL CARDINAL

Fellowship: Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: Uncovering the Distinct Differences in Crk and CrkL Binding of a Selective SH3 Binding Peptide Through the Use of Microcrystal Electron Diffraction

Project Abstract: In 2024, an estimated 2,001,140 new cancer cases and 611,720 deaths are projected to occur in the United States alone. Despite advancements in cancer research, technology, and therapeutics, identifying biologically relevant targets for treatment remains a critical challenge. As demonstrated through knockout and silencing studies, Crk and CrkL have emerged as key players in tumor biology. Structurally, Crk and CrkL contain modular Src Homology 2 (SH2) and Src Homology 3 (SH3) domains, which mediate interactions with diverse protein partners. Among these, the SH3N domain is pivotal for the proteins' functional activity, presenting a promising target for drug discovery in cancer treatment. Published structural data for Crk include both NMR and crystal structures of its SH3N domain while structural studies of CrkL have only reported NMR structures of the full-length protein. Still, no crystal data is available for its isolated SH3N domain. Resolving the crystal structure of its SH3N domain could provide critical insights into key binding residues and functional mechanisms. Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (MicroED), an emerging technology adept at elucidating structures of proteins that are challenging to crystallize, offers a promising avenue to uncover the SH3N domain structure of CrkL, paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies.

Bio:  Lael is a second-year Ph.D. student in Chemistry at the University of California, Riverside. She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Biola University and an M.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry, during which she conducted research in both chemical education and biochemistry. Her current work focuses on the structural analysis of adaptor proteins implicated in cancer-related signaling pathways. To study these challenging targets, Lael utilizes Microcrystal Electron Diffraction (MicroED), a cutting-edge technique that enables structure determination from nano- to micro-sized crystals, particularly useful for proteins that are difficult to crystallize. The GWIS fellowship will support her access to Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) facilities at UCLA and UCR, providing the extended instrument time and travel resources essential for advancing her MicroED research.

ASMA FALLAH

Fellowship: Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: Beyond Visibility: Synergy of Holography, Flat Optics, and Field Cancellation to Improve Imaging

Project Abstract: Imaging in complex environments often suffers from saturation and loss of valuable information caused by strong scatterers, which obscure critical details and limit visibility. This project proposes a novel and interdisciplinary approach combining holography and flat optics to overcome these challenges and enhance imaging clarity. By capturing and analyzing the scattering information of obstructing objects, we design customized metaholograms, to cancel the scattered fields of these obstructing objects through destructive interference. This effectively isolates the desired scene or substrate, enabling clearer visualization. Moreover, leveraging from flat optics ensures compatibility with standard imaging systems as a slide-in device, offering an accessible and energy-efficient solution. Our method begins with numerical simulations to design and optimize metaholograms for various scattering scenarios, gradually increasing complexity. Experimental validation will follow, which includes nanofabrication of  the metaholograms and setting up proper imaging system. The proposed approach addresses critical limitations in current imaging technologies, particularly in biomedical imaging and advanced microscopy, where precise visualization is crucial. By integrating advanced wavefront manipulation techniques, this research aims to enhance imaging systems, providing a foundation for further exploration in fields like augmented reality and material analysis.

Bio:  Asma Fallah is a postdoctoral associate at the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, where she conducts research on structured and singular optics, as well as nanoscale wave–matter interactions, in the group of Prof. Eileen Otte. She earned her Ph.D. in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 2025, under the supervision of Prof. Nader Engheta. Her doctoral dissertation was honored with the Joseph D’16 and Rosaline Wolf Award for Best Dissertation.

Her research during graduate studies focused on metamaterials, metasurfaces, plasmonic optics, wave–matter interactions, and time-varying electromagnetic structures. Prior to her Ph.D., Asma received her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tehran in 2016. She was selected as a Rising Star in EECS by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2024 and invited to present her work at the prestigious Plasmonics and Nanophotonics Gordon Research Seminar the same year. Her work has been published in leading journals, and she received an ONR/NSF grant to attend the Metamaterials 2021 Congress and the Euprometa School on Emerging Concepts and Anomalies in Light Scattering.

KRISTEN ROSAMOND

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Jean Langenheim + Elizabeth Weisburger Fellowships

Project Title: Impact of immune activation on the gut microbiome of wild nestling birds

Project Abstract: The gut microbiome and immune system influence each other bidirectionally, particularly during early life when organisms undergo rapid periods of development. Mounting an acute phase response is a key part of an organism’s immune response to invading pathogens, but it is both energetically and immunologically costly and can affect long-term health. The extent to which the acute phase response impacts the gut microbiome is not fully understood, and research is particularly lacking in wildlife. I propose to test whether initiating one or more acute phase responses alters gut microbiome colonization in developing House Sparrows, a globally distributed model species in ecology. I conducted fieldwork with wild House Sparrow nestlings in Saint Louis, Missouri during the 2024 breeding season. On days 4 and 8 of life, I injected nestlings with a noninfectious immune challenge, or handled but did not inject them, based on their treatment group. I collected fecal samples from nestlings throughout the experiment to measure gut microbiome composition and structure. I predict that nestlings faced with an immune challenge will exhibit gut dysbiosis, or bacterial imbalance. Understanding how immune activation influence the physiology of wild birds can provide insight into the ecological interactions impacting their health and survival.

Bio:  Kristen Rosamond is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biology Department at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a double major in Environmental Studies, as well as a Master’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, from Tulane University. Her research interests broadly include wildlife health, physiology, and disease ecology. Kristen’s dissertation research incorporates both field and laboratory experiments with wild sparrow nestlings to investigate how disruptions to the gut microbiome and immune system affect host physiology. Funding from GWIS will support her efforts to address a gap in the scientific literature of how inflammation caused by infection may influence wildlife health.

Jana Sipkova

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Ariel Hollinshead Fellowships

Project Title: The role of the cellular mechanical stress response in embryonic survival

Project Abstract: During embryonic development, cells must detect and respond to environmental changes in temperature, pH and osmolarity. For the organism to survive, cells activate evolutionarily conserved stress responses which lead to biochemical and mechanical changes. While biochemical changes have been extensively studied, how mechanical responses to stress can improve embryo survival is currently unclear due to a lack of in vivo studies.

To address this, I will investigate cell mechanical responses upon environmental stress using sea star embryos. This is a unique system in which cell mechanical properties can be measured, manipulated and directly related to organismal survival. Using live imaging, micropipette aspiration, gene editing and survival experiments, I will show, for the first time, whether cell mechanical properties change in vivo under stresses directly relevant to their natural environment, how mechanical and biochemical changes are integrated in a cellular stress response and embryonic survival, and what cellular mechanisms underlie developmental failure under stress conditions.

Understanding the cell- to tissue-level mechanochemical properties underlying environmental stress tolerance is essential to predicting how organisms will adapt to a changing climate. It will also pave the way to understanding how cells tolerate stressful environments in cancer, where the same stress response pathways are triggered.

Bio:  Dr. Jana Sipkova is a cell and developmental biologist who is passionate about how the environment shapes early embryogenesis. She received her PhD from the University of Cambridge and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. Her research explores how environmental stressors impact the early development of echinoderms, such as sea stars, across molecular, cellular, and organismal scales. With support from the GWIS fellowship, Jana will lead the first study to characterize how high temperature alters the mechanical and biochemical properties of cells over time in live sea star embryos, and how these changes affect embryonic survival. In the long-term, Jana aims to lead a laboratory at the intersection of developmental biology and ecology. Her aspiration is to draw on the natural variation found between marine invertebrate species, and individuals of the same species, to determine how environmental conditions influence developmental processes.

Marcela Pfaff Nash

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Monique Braude Fellowships

Project Title: Childhood energy expenditure and intestinal absorption among the Amazonian Shuar: An evolutionary investigation of children's energy requirements and balance

Project Abstract: This project investigates how children’s ability to absorb energy from food and how much energy they use impacts their overall energy needs. Environmental factors, such as poor living conditions and sanitation, can damage children’s guts and reduce the efficiency to absorb energy food. This may lead to higher energy requirements to compensate for the additional energy lost through feces and urine. Since children have very high energy needs, particularly for brain growth, understanding how well their guts function and absorb energy is essential for understanding how humans meet the energetic demands of childhood growth. 

This study will focus on Indigenous Shuar children in the Amazonian region of Ecuador living in both rural and more developed areas. Data collection in both contexts captures a wide range of variation in experienced diet, lifestyle, sanitation, and pathogen exposure. The project will address one key question: How does gut health affect children’s food requirements and overall energy balance in evolutionarily relevant contexts of adversity and unsanitary conditions? Using gold-standard techniques to measure energy loss and total energy expenditure, this research will offer valuable insights into human development and how our bodies have evolved to manage the energy demands of childhood.

Bio:  Marcela is a PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology at Baylor University. She holds a BA in Physical Anthropology from the University of Chile and an MS in Anthropology from Baylor. Her research examines how environmental, evolutionary, and cultural factors influence variation in children’s intestinal health around the world. Her work is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on biological anthropology, public health, nutrition, and human evolutionary biology. With support from the GWIS fellowship, she will apply gold-standard methods—including doubly labeled water and bomb calorimetry—to investigate fundamental questions about gut function, human energetics, and growth outcomes in marginalized populations.

Tolulope Kolapo

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Monique Braude Fellowships

Project Title: Understanding the molecular underpinnings of exercise in immunometabolism through the Drosophila fat body

Project Abstract: The immune system protects the body from infection by mounting a rapid innate response to neutralize the invading pathogen. This innate immune system in humans and in fruit flies shares many similarities in their activities to evade microorganisms. The fat body controls this activity in fruit flies, and its functions are analogous to the mammalian liver. Some of the activities in the fat body include fat storage and breakdown, energy production, and response to infection through antimicrobial peptide production. When fruit flies are infected, the process of fighting this invasion requires energy. Hence, the fat body allocates energy to this process, and this causes a breakdown of fat stored. Exercise training is also energy-consuming, which could mean that various sources in the body supply energy used during exercise. However, we do not know how the body responds and prioritizes resource allocation when physical activity and infection co-occur in a system. Since the fat body in fruit flies allocates resources and controls the innate immune system, we are interested in understanding the interaction between mechanisms of innate immunity and the mechanisms of energy production in the fat body when an external factor like exercise is present in infected flies.

Bio:  Tolulope Kolapo is a fifth-year doctoral candidate earning her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in the Reed Lab at the University of Alabama. For her doctoral research, she uses Drosophila melanogaster to study the interaction between exercise, innate immune system function, and aging. Her main goal is to uncover the genetic mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on metabolic disorders and lifespan extension.

GWIS Fellowship will fund the transcriptomics analysis in her ongoing research, which seeks to unravel the interconnectedness of the innate immune system, energy metabolism, and the role of exercise in Drosophila. She aims to identify the pathways regulating mechanisms of energy depletion, conservation, or trade-offs during infection in exercised flies.

2025-2026 Honorable Mentions

Graduate Students

Allyson M. Simon, Ohio State University

“Uncovering Patterns of Marginalization at the Harrison Township Cholera Cemetery”

Brenna Elizabeth Durand, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

“Intersectional Differences of Transwomen’s Help-Seeking Behaviors in Gender Identity Bias Crime Victimization”

Caterina Belle Azzarello, University of Northern Colorado

“Dyslexia and Design: Evaluating the Efficacy of the Font OpenDyslexia in Enhancing STEM Learning”

Clare Mulcahy, University of Iowa

“Sex ratio and reproductive fitness parameters in a species with reproductive polymorphism”

Elizabeth Wiles, North Carolina State University

“Wolbachia and Bed Bugs: Molecular Mechanisms of an Obligate Nutritional Mutualism”

Emily Locke, University of Alabama

“Examining the Integration of Doula Care into Hospital Settings”

Emily Rose Murray, Salk Institute for Biological Sciences

“Pangenome to Microbiome: Revealing the Secrets of Annual and Perennial Zostera marina for Enhanced Restoration”

Hang M Nguyen, Trustees of Dartmouth College

“Visualization Platform for Margin Assessment in Head and Neck Cancer Fluorescence-Guided Surgery”

Hannah Katherine Osland, Temple University

“Symbiont selection in the Siphamia-Photobacterium system across temperate habitats”

Hope Kathryn Nyarady, University of Buffalo

“Application of photobiomodulation therapy to promote recovery of functioning in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury”

Isabelle Castro, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

“Synergistic effects of xenobiotic-pathogen co-exposure in brain tissue in juvenile Sockeye salmon: accumulation, oxidative stress, and mortality”

Jieun Kim, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

“Advancing a gut-on-a-chip model to investigate Alpha-synuclein pathology and microbiome interactions in Parkinson’s disease”

Maggie Olga Shostak, East Carolina University

“The Evaluation of World War II Wrecks as Functional Artificial Reefs in Saipan Using Innovative eDNA Methodologies”

Nísia Borralho Martins, Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI)

“Embryo Clock-Dependent Epigenome Dynamics in Temporal Control of Cell Differentiation”

Rachel Nenstiel, Lehigh University

“Mechanisms and Roles of Chromosome Pairing Centers in Meiotic Quality Control”

Ruhani Agrawal, North Carolina State University

“Investigation of Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Withafrin A on Neutrophil Cytokine Expression”

Sara N Diller, Western Michigan University

“Ecological Community and Food-Web Responses to Dam Removal and Habitat Restoration on the Kalamazoo River”

Victoria Saltz, Columbia University

“Uncovering Neocortical-Independent Mechanisms of Attention”

Xiaoqin Zhu, University of Cincinnati / Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

“HNRNPL and CHAF1B interaction as a targetable axis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia”

Early Career