Ph.D. Completions

MBRS-IMSD Alumni – Ph.D. or Other Advanced Degree Program Completions
(1995 – 2021)

2023

Samantha Crawford, Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus 

Juan Pena, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of New Mexico 

Seraphina Solders, Ph.D., Neuroscience, UCSD

Kristine Teppang, Ph.D., Chemistry, UCSD

2022

Eduardo DeLaToba, Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Amy Jackson, Ph.D., Chemistry, Baylor University

Joseph Mattocks, Ph.D., Chemistry, Penn State University

 Anna-Michelle McSorley, Ph.D., Community Health Sciences, UCLA

Theresa Morrison, Ph.D., Physical Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Jerrel Tisnado, Ph.D., Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology, UCLA

Duyen Trang, Ph.D., Developmental Psychology, University of California, Riverside

Robert Vasquez,  Ph.D., Materials Chemistry, University of Michigan

2021

Samvel Avagyan, Ph.D., Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Amanda Brambila, Ph.D., Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Alan Marquez-Razon, Ph.D., Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, UCLA

2020

Carlos Alvarez, Ph.D., Immunology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Alexandria Bauer, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City

*formerly Alexandria Booker

Tara Fetherolf, Ph.D., Physics, UC Riverside

Elizabeth Fortin, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Arizona State University

Kristen Frosio, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Oklahoma State University

Nadia Ott, Ph.D, Mathematics, University of Minnesota

Carlo Quintanilla, Ph.D., Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Sashary Ramos, Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, Indiana University at BloomingtonA

Efren Reyes, Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UCSF

Savanna Tierney, Ph.D., Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Houston

Mark Ben Turner, Ph.D., Chemistry, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program

Alicia Zamudio, Ph.D., Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

2019

Uzoagu Okonkwo, MD/PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine

Genaro Hernandez, Ph.D.,  Pharmacological Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

2018

Catherine Aivati, Ph.D., Chemistry, Joint Doctoral Program San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego

Karla Blanco, Ph.D., Psychology, Washington State University

Jorge Jimenez, Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California Santa Cruz

Omar Maximo, Ph.D., Psychology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Alexandra Mendoza, Ph.D., Materials Chemistry UCLA

Joe Torres, Ph.D., Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Danita Wynes, Ph.D., Psychology, Lousiana Tech

Alexis Zukowski, Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver

2017

Chris Fowler, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, University of Missouri, Kansas City

Cheyne Kurokawa, Ph.D., Virology and Gene Therapy, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

2016

Adrian Contreras, Ph.D., Cancer Research, UCSF

2014

Veleka Boyd Iwuaba, Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Diana Lozano, Ph.D., Physiological Optics, University of Houston, Texas

Karen Schuerenberg Fortmann, Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego

Jean Werle, Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz

Juana Vaquero, Ph.D, School Psychology, Texas A&M University

2013

Khanichi Charles, Ph.D., Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard University

Maricel Gozo, Ph.D., Translational Medicine and Biomedical Science, Cedar-Sinai Medical School

Victor Seguritan, Ph.D., Computational Science, SDSU/Clairemont College Joint Doctoral Program

Eric Vazquez, Ph.D., Physics, Columbia University

Erica Ellis, Ph.D, Language and Communicative Disorders, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program

2012

Christina Campbell, Ph.D., Ecological & Community Health Psychology, Michigan State University; Post doctoral fellow, Yale University

James Martinez, M.P.H., Epidemiology, San Diego State University; Ed.D., Health Behavior, Columbia University, Teacher’s College; Epidemiologist, Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health

Tara Martinez, Ph.D., Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Post-doctoral fellow, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Feion Villodas, M.A.; Psychology, M.S.; Clinical Psychology; M.P.H., Health Promotion; Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post doctoral fellow, San Diego VA Hospital

Richard Virgen, Ph.D., Virology, University of California, Irvine

2011

Danielle Augustin, M.S., Microbiology, San Francisco State University;  Ph.D., Microbiology, University of California, Berkeley; Research Scientist II, Clorox

Veronica Casas, M.S., Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program

Jason Daniel, M.P.H., Ph.D., Health Behavior, Public Health, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post doctoral fellow, Wake Forest University; Post doctoral fellow, University of Iowa

Karen Moreira, Ph.D., Cell Biology, UCSF – TETRAD; Research Staff, Stanford University, Bejerano Lab

Giang Pham, Ph.D., Speech Language Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Post doctoral fellow, University of Minnesota; Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Disorders, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Adriana Villasenor, Ph.D., Epidemiology, University of Washington; Post doctoral fellow, UCSD Moores Cancer Center

2010

Cecilia Browne, M.S., Cell and Molecular Biology, San Diego State University; Ph.D., Molecular Pathology/Biomedical Sciences University of California, San Diego, Post-doctoral fellow, UCSD/Burnham Institute; Research Scientist, Johnson & Johnson

Antoniette Linton, Ed.D., Education, University of Southern California

Alina Montalbano, Ph.D., Biology, UT Southwestern Medical School; Post-doctoral fellow, Loma Linda; Post-doctoral fellow, UT Southwestern

Felizza Quinones Gunderson, Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCSD, Biological Sciences; Post doctoral fellow, Northwestern University

2009

Janet Abou, M.D., Yale University Medical School; Internal Medicine Physician, Kaiser Permanente Health Care

Marissa Aillaud, M.D., Stanford University; Pediatric Resident, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, June 2010 – present

Manuel Carranza, D.D.S., University of Michigan

Esmeralda Iniguez, Ph.D., Health Behavior, Graduate School of Public Health, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; Epidemiologist, Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance program, California Office of Binational Border Health –California Department of Public Health

Suzanna Martinez, Ph.D., Health Behavior, Graduate School of Public Health, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; Post doctoral fellow, UCSF

Gabriela Simon-Cerejido, Ph.D., Language and Communicative Disorders, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Assistant Professor, Communicative Disorders, University of California, Los Angeles, Department of Psychology

Paul Vasquez, Pharm D., University of Southern California

Michael Virata, M.S., Molecular Biology, San Diego State University; M.B.A., Business Administration, San Diego State University; Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Research Scientist II, Illumina

2008

Edwin Manuel, Ph.D., Virology, Harvard University; Post doctoral fellow, City of Hope, Los Angeles; Staff Scientist, City of Hope, Los Angeles

Gerardo Perez, Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post-doctoral program, UCSD Cancer Center; Research Scientist, Phage Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Errin Rider (Fontaine), Ph.D., Virology, Harvard University; Postdoctoral Fellow in Public Health and Clinical Microbiology at California Department of Public Health

2007

Gracielle Manipon, Pharm D.,University of California, San Francisco; Pharmacist, Fresno, CA

2006

Victoria Love, Ph.D., Immunology, Harvard University; Post doctoral fellow, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA; Senior Scientist, Pfizer

Jo-An Malahy, M.P.H., San Diego State University; D.P.T., University of Puget Sound; Physical Therapist, Sharp Rees-Stealy

2005

Jeffrey Alvarez, M.P.H., Ph.D., Psychology, Kansas State University

Senaida Fernandez, Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post doctoral program, Columbia; Community Initiatives and Public Health Sciences Program Officer, California Breast Cancer Research Program, University of California Office of the President

Jorge Millan, D.P.T., Physical Therapy, University of Southern California; Physical Therapist

Gilbert Pangilinan, D.P.T., Physical Therapy, University of Southern California

Carlo Quinonez, Ph.D., Biology, California Institute of Technology; Post doctoral fellow, UCSD (IRACDA); Principal Research Scientist, Autodesk Research

2004

Chemen Denny, M.D., Chicago Pritzker, School of Medicine; Assistant Professor, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University, School of Medicine

Mirna Lopez, M.A., Chemistry, SDSU; Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager, Illumina

Christian Renken, Ph.D., Biology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post-doctoral fellowship, Wadsworth; Vice President, Life Sciences at Applied BioPhysics, Inc

Kien Trinh, M.S., Molecular Biology, San Diego State University; Ph.D., University of Washington; Post doctoral fellowship Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington; Research scientist II, University of Washington.

2003

Janet Calderon, Ph.D., Speech Language Hearing Science; Post-doctoral fellowship University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Associate Professor, Registrar, Florida Hospital, College of Health Sciences

Marco Salazar, M.D./Ph.D., Yale University; Chief Resident, Urology, University of Washington

Lawrence Stitt, M.D., Meharry Medical School; Residency, Wayne State University; Obstetrician/Gynecologist, University of Maryland Medical Center


2002

Annalisa Co, D.P.M., California College of Podiatric Medicine, San Francisco

Helen Kemp, M.S., Chemistry, SDSU; Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; Senior Scientist, Proctor & Gamble

Adeunice Mata, M.D., Stanford University; Practicing Family Physician, Palo Alto, CA

Joel Mata, M.D., Stanford University; Professor, Stanford, Department of Pain Management

 

2001

Gina Moore, Ph.D., Molecular Biology, UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program; Post doctoral fellow, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Post doctoral fellow, University of Washington, Group Health Cooperative; Owner, Isle Sanctuary Creative Artists

 

2000

Samuel Waters, Ph.D., Immunology, University of Virginia; Post-doctoral fellowship, National Cancer Institute; Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Missouri, Columbia

 

1999

Vanjah Norman, M.D., Medical College of Ohio; General Surgery Chief Resident, Medical College of Virginia; Practicing Physician

 

1998

Barbie Boodram, M.D., Medical College of Ohio

Elaine DeVillena, M.D., University of California, Irvine; Pediatrician, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego