President: Alexis Adrian
I am a fifth-year PhD student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology program working in Dr. William Ricke’s lab. My project focuses on the role of aging and mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of lower urinary dysfunction in men. When not in lab, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading, and listening to music.

Vice President & Co-Communications Chair(Social Media) : Ira Tandon

I am a fifth year student in Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Training Program working in the lab of Dr. Weiping Tang. I study targeted protein degradation for therapeutic applications in oncology. My research involves drug discovery, screening and assay development, and biological mechanism research. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends, hiking, and trying new restaurants in Madison.
Treasurer: Fong Liew
I am a third-year PhD student in the Integrated Program in Biochemistry working in the Brian Fox Lab. My project is mainly about engineering a biochemical pathway to convert lignin into biofuels. Outside of research, I like to cook, travel, and being outdoors.

Scholarships/Fundraising: Monica Ridlon

I’m a fourth year student in the Molecular and Environmental Toxicology program working in Dr. Kimberly Keil-Stietz’s lab. My research focuses on how the pollutant polychlorinated biphenyl impacts bladder contraction and urinary function. Outside of the lab, I enjoy exploring Madison, reading, and spending time with friends.
Co-Communications Chair (Website/Newsletter): Anuoluwapo Mattix
I’m a third-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Mark Burkard’s lab. We employ a handful of molecular techniques to study the signaling pathways that drive chromosomal instability in cancer. My projects focus on understanding the mechanisms of the master regulator, Plk1 at the mitotic kinetochore to generate a molecular map of protein interactors at the centromere. Outside of the lab, I enjoy biking, baking, movies, yoga, and spending time with my family.

Co-3 Minute Thesis Coordinator: Brynn LeMasters

I am a third year Biophysics PhD student working in Dr. Martin Zanni’s lab in the Chemistry department. My thesis project uses multidimensional infrared spectroscopy to analyze oligomer populations of the amyloid protein amylin. Outside of lab, I enjoy taking ballet classes, biking, and running.
Co-Outreach: Cristina Paz
My name is Cristina Paz, I am a 5th year graduate student in the Kimple Lab as part of the Cancer Biology graduate program and I am one of the Outreach Chairs for GWIS. I earned my Bachelor of Science from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, IL and my Master’s from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. I am Colombian and Guatemalan, I love my 2 cats, and I am happily married. I look forward to meeting and becoming friends!

Co-Outreach: Jessica Hsu

My name is Jessica Hsu. I am a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Cai’s lab in the Departments of Radiology and Medical Physics and I am one of the Outreach Chairs for GWIS. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and my PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. I love to hike with my 2 dogs and play video games during my free time. I look forward to meeting new members and hosting events for GWIS!
Social: Jessamine Kuehn
I am a third year Ph.D. student in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology program. I work in Dr. Federico Rey’s lab, which focuses on the gut microbiome and disease. My projects investigate the effects of gut microbiome-targeted interventions on Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Outside of the lab I enjoy ballroom dancing, playing the trumpet, running, and spending time with friends.

Alex Fister: Professional Development

I’m a fifth-year Ph.D. student in Dr. Anna Huttenlocher’s lab. I am interested in the mechanisms involved in wound healing and regeneration – in my current project I am looking at a novel potential role of sensory neurons in regulating zebrafish tailfin regeneration. Outside of the lab, I like to indoor rock climb, garden, read, and hang out with my pup Auggie!