TL1 Trainees

Project: Establishing a DNA methylation-based smoking index that classifies cumulative tobacco smoke exposure and predicts lung function decline.

As a postdoctoral clinical fellow Dr. Eckhardt has developed strong working relationships with several research mentors in an effort to build an array of investigative skills. With their guidance, she has developed quantitative skills, learned to extract novel findings from a raw dataset, and learned to effectively relay those findings to a broader audience through abstracts, manuscripts and presentations on a formal stage. Dr. Eckhardt’s current research aims to construct a novel DNA methylation-based smoking score that indexes acute and long-term tobacco smoke exposure and predicts lung function decline.

Project: Extracellular Vesicles in Environmental Epidemiology Studies of Alzheimer’s Disease as it Relates to air Pollution and Lead Exposure 

Stacia Nicholson, PhD is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow examining the involvement of air pollution and lead exposure in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease and age-related cognitive disorders. Her goal is to identify and evaluate CNS-derived exosomes and their microRNA cargo linked to environmental toxicant exposure and cognitive decline for use as diagnostic and possible therapeutic agents. 

Project Title: Exploring decisional conflict and symptom phenotypes among bereaved ICU surrogate decision makers

Christine DeForge is a PhD student at Columbia University School of Nursing and a staff nurse in the medical ICU at NewYork-Presbyterian/CUIMC.  Her dissertation research aims to explore end-of-life decision making and symptom burden experienced by ICU family members.  Her long-term research objectives include developing interventions to improve outcomes after critical illness for patients and families.

Project: Genetic Interaction Screening within the Human DNA Damage Response Pathway

Samuel Hayward is a PhD Candidate and does research in Immunology, Genetics and Molecular Biology. Samuel joined Dr. Alberto Ciccia’s laboratory to conduct his doctoral research. His project focuses on dissecting genetic interaction networks within the DDR pathway. Samuel has built NGS pipelines for his lab and modified genetic interaction screening techniques from other labs.

Project Title: Characterization of Glycosylation Patterns of Single IgA Molecules Using PAINT

Joseph Rubin is a PhD Candidate studying Biomedical Engineering. His long-term research interests involve the development of Single Molecule Glycan Sequencing, and aiding in the development of a comprehensive understanding of IgA1 Nephropathy etiology.