Mentoring
Peer Mentoring Teams
Peer team meetups provide an opportunity for Scholars to practice their skills and solve real-life challenges. Peers offer fresh perspective and support. Meetups occur weekly during the foundational training and once monthly during the following 6 months.
Experienced Mentors
Sofiya Alhassan, PhD, FACSM
Professor
Director, Pediatric Physical Activity Laboratory
Graduate Program Director
Department of Kinesiology
School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts
My research focuses on implementing community-based health-behavior interventions in young children and their families. My favorite thing about science is creating effective interventions and mentoring future scientist. As a person, I enjoy spending time with my twin boys.
Megan Baldridge, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
My research explores the interactions between the microbiota, viral pathogens, and the host immune response. I enjoy the fun of gradually unraveling complex scientific mysteries with my trainees and collaborators. Outside of the lab, I like to spend my time traveling and playing with my two young kiddos.
Kevin P. Campbell, PhD
Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
My research focuses on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying various forms of muscular dystrophy. What I like most about science is having to be at the top of your game throughout your career and working with junior scientists. I enjoy spending time with family.
Patricia Champion, PhD
Professor of Biological Sciences
Associate Dean for Research, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
College of Science, University of Notre Dame
My research focuses on the mechanisms used by mycobacterial pathogens to interact with their hosts and cause disease. One of my favorite aspects of science is training postdocs, graduate, and undergraduate researchers. I love seeing them excel in science after they leave Notre Dame. Some of my favorite things are spending time with my family, running, and making homemade pasta.
Barak Cohen, PhD
Alvin J Goldfarb Professor of Computational Biology
Department of Genetics
Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
My lab studies how cis-regulatory elements specify genome-wide patterns of expression. The best part of science is the shared excitement among lab mates that comes from pursuing a new idea. When I am not in the lab I am usually birding, sailing, or trying to paint watercolors.
Gautam Dantas, PhD
Professor
Pathology & Immunology, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Microbiology, and the Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology
Interim Co-Chief, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine
Co-Director, PhD Program in Computational & Systems Biology
Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
My lab works at the interface of microbial genomics, ecology, synthetic biology, and systems biology, to understand, harness, and engineer the biochemical processing potential of microbial communities. I really enjoy brainstorming potential solutions to small and big scientific questions with members of my research team. My favorite activities are spending time with my family, long distance cycling, playing board games, building with Legos, and baking bread.
Enrique M. De La Cruz, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry
Head of Branford College
Yale University
My research focuses on the chemistry and physics of the actin cytoskeleton and ATPase enzymes that rearrange RNA and regulate bone calcification. I enjoy helping young scientists, including my laboratory trainees, navigate and achieve their long-term career goals. When not engaged with science, I enjoy searching for vintage vinyl records and spending time with my wife and kids (not necessarily in that order!).
James M. DuBois, DSc, PhD
Bander Professor of Medical Ethics and Executive Director
Bioethics Research Center, Division of General Medical Sciences
Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis
I do social science research on topics such as informed consent, data sharing, ethics education outcomes, and social issues surrounding novel biomedical technologies. I love asking new research questions and learning (much more than writing up findings—because unlike the reader, I already know how the story ends). I like to unwind by drumming or reading a book with my dog by my side.
Tammy English, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Director of the Emotion and Relationships Lab
Washington University in St. Louis
My research focuses on emotion regulation and how individuals can foster well-being across adulthood into old age. I enjoy exploring ideas with students and collaborators from different backgrounds and perspectives. Outside of work, I like to do jigsaw puzzles and spend time in nature with my family.
Benjamin Major, PhD
Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor
Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
We study how changes in protein-protein interactions impact signal transduction and human disease, with a particular focus on oxidative stress in cancer and neurodegeneration. I love discovery, working at the bench, sifting through large datasets, feeling the energy of science within our team, and contributing to research that improves the health of sick humans. Off campus, I love traveling and exploring, often to cities, and recently have joined my lab with a healthy golf addiction.
Sunny Shin, PhD
Professor of Microbiology
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
My research focuses on how the innate immune system recognizes bacterial pathogens and how bacterial pathogens evade innate immunity to cause disease. I love sharing the process of scientific discovery with my students and postdocs and helping them develop as scientists. Some of my favorite things include spending time with my family, cooking, and travel.
Christina Stallings, PhD
Professor
Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
My research focuses on the molecular basis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis, from the perspective of the pathogen and the host. There are so many things I love about science, including discovering things never known before, problem solving, and helping my trainees achieve their personal and professional goals. Outside of science, I love running, reading fiction, and cuddling with my dog.
Stephanie W Watts, PhD
Professor
Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University
I am a cardiovascular pharmacologist who studies blood vessel (dys)function in health and disease. I love being a scientist because I get to wear so many hats: I am a detective, a mentor, a teacher, a communicator, an artist, etc. As a person, I love exercise (sanity!) and baking; somehow, they balance one another off!
Craig Wilen, MD, PhD
Associate Professor in Laboratory Medicine and Immunobiology
Yale School of Medicine
My research focuses on how viruses interact with the immune system in the gut and airway to cause infection and disease. I love the freedom to work with others to pursue interesting questions and discover new knowledge. I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, cooking, and gardening.
Zhongsheng You, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Physiology
Washington University School of Medicine
Our lab studies the molecular mechanisms that safeguard the genome and transcriptome in human cells, with the overall goal to improve the understanding and treatment of cancer. I enjoy working with my trainees in the lab to make discoveries and watching them grow into independent scientists and thrive in their own careers. I like books, movies and exercise.