Where Are They Now?

Every year, college students at Minority Access to Research Careers and Minority Biomedical Research Support institutions receive training and lab experiences needed for careers in medical science. The following individuals were selected by their institutions as successful alumni who went on pursue scientific careers. We congratulate all former program participants on their accomplishments!

Lee Aggison, Ph.D.
http://homepages.uconn.edu/~aggison/

Lee Aggison was an MBRS program participant at Stillman College. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in the biological sciences and chemistry and went on to earn a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Wayne State University in 1997, followed by postdoctoral research in the department of human genetics at the Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Michigan. He is now an associate professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut. In addition, Aggison is also Director of the Professional Science Masters Program in Microbial Systems Analysis and Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

Silvia Bigatti, Ph.D.
http://www.psynt.iupui.edu/People/Faculty/Bigatti/

Silvia Bigatti was a MARC undergraduate student at San Diego State University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1995. She entered the San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, joint doctoral program in clinical psychology, where she received a Ph.D. in 2000. After a clinical internship at the Yale University School of Medicine, Bigatti is now an associate professor of psychology at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Trachette Jackson, Ph.D.
http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~tjacks

Trachette Jackson was a MARC undergraduate trainee at Arizona State University, where she graduated in 1994 with a degree in mathematics. She earned a Ph.D. in applied mathematics in 1998 at the University of Washington and performed postdoctoral research at both the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications at the University of Minnesota and at Duke University. She is now a professor of mathematics at the University of Michigan.

Nomeli Nunez, Ph.D.
http://www.he.utexas.edu/ntr/nunez.php

Nomeli Nunez earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1995 at the University of California-Santa Cruz, where he was an MBRS program participant. He finished his Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology at Washington State University in 1999, and in 2002, he earned an M.P.H from Johns Hopkins University with a focus on health policy and management, followed by postdoctoral training at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Cancer Institute. Nunez is now an Assistant Professor in Nutritional Sciences in the Department of Human Ecology of the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. Presently, Dr. Nunez's laboratory is determining how obesity and alcohol consumption affect breast cancer development, with the ultimate goal to better understand how these two risk factors for breast cancer predispose a woman to cancer. Dr. Nunez's studies are funded by substantial grants from the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute.

Omolola Eniola Adefeso, Ph.D.
Adefeso is an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Lee Aggison, Ph.D.
Aggison is an associate professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut.

Silvia Bigatti, Ph.D.
Bigatti is an associate professor of psychology at Indiana University Purdue University in Indianapolis.

Andrew G. Campbell, Ph.D.
Campbell is an associate professor of medical science at Brown University, where he also directs the Pathobiology Graduate Program.

Trachette Jackson, Ph.D.
Jackson is a professor of mathematics at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Nomeli Nuñez, Ph.D.
Nuñez is an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

Arlie O. Petters, Ph.D.
Petters is a professor of mathematics, physics, and business administration at Duke University.

José A. Torres-Ruiz, Ph.D.
Torres-Ruiz is chair of the biochemistry department and associate dean for research and graduate studies at the Ponce School of Medicine.

Ruth Washington, Ph.D.
Washington is an associate professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Connecticut.

Highlighted Profile: Diedra Wrighting, Ph.D.
Wrighting is a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

If you are a former MARC or MBRS participant, send us your update! E-mail a brief biographical sketch and photograph to info@nigms.nih.gov.