The Team

Dr. Kanglun(Michael) Yu  M.D. 
Assistant Research Scientist
Since 2015~

KYU@augusta.edu

 Caihong Dai  B.S.
Research Associate, Lab Manager
Since 2023~

CADAI@augusta.edu

Dr. Husam Bensreti  B.DS. M.S. Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Since 2020~

HBENSRETI@augusta.edu

Dr. Alok Tripathi  Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Since 2024~

ALTRIPATHI@augusta.edu

Jaeshia Lindsay
Graduate Student
Since 2024~

JALINDSAY@augusta.edu

Dylan Taylor
Research Assistant
Since 2024~

DYTAYLOR@augusta.edu

Shabiha Sultana
Graduate Student
Since 2022~

SSULTANA@augusta.edu

Lucas Yearwood
Graduate Student
Since 2023~

CYEARWOOD@augusta.edu

Colby Gross B.S.
Research Assistant 
Since 2021~

COGROSS@augusta.edu

Alumni

Graduate Students

1. Dima Alhamad: Fall 2021 – present
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences

Defense date: November 11, 2025  Graduation date: December 10, 2025

Dima Alhamad publication record:

    • First author manuscripts: 2
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 7
    • First author conference abstracts: 3
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 16

Dima Alhamad Awards:

  1. 2023: Appointed to the ASBMR Early-Stage Investigator Subcommittee
  2. 2023: Competitively selected for the 2023 ASBMR Student Cohort program
  3. 2022: Competitively selected for the 2022 ASBMR Student Cohort program

 

2. Jennifer Dorn: Fall 2020 – Spring 2025.
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences
Defense date: April 15, 2025  Graduation date: May 8, 2025

First position after graduation: Assistant Professor (educator track),
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Augusta University

Jennifer Dorn publication record:

    • First author manuscripts: 1
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 5
    • First author conference abstracts: 3
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 11

 

3. Husam Bensreti: Fall 2019 – Spring 2024
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences

Defense date: April 15, 2024.  Graduation date: May 9, 2024

First position after graduation: Postdoctoral fellow, Augusta University

  • Husam Bensreti publication record (as graduate student):
    • First author manuscripts: 2
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 3
    • First author conference abstracts: 6
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 9

Husam Bensreti Awards (as a graduate student):

  1. 2024: Virendra B. Mahesh Award for Research Excellence in Endocrinology, TGS, Augusta University Graduate Research Day
  2. 2023: Competitively selected for the Bone Marrow Adiposity Society Summer School
  3. 2023: Excellence in Research Award in Cellular Biology and Anatomy,
    TGS, Augusta University Graduate Research Day
  4. 2023: Competitively selected for the 2023 ASBMR Student Cohort program
  5. 2022: Travel Award, Bone Marrow Adiposity Society 2022 Annual Meeting (declined)
  6. 2022: Competitively selected for the 2022 ASBMR Student Cohort program
  7. 2021: Competitively selected for the Bone Marrow Adiposity Society Summer School
  8. 2021: ASBMR Young Investigator Award, 2021 ECTS Digital Masterclass for PhD Training

 

4. Anik Tuladhar: Fall 2019 – Spring 2024.
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences
Defense date: January 25, 2024.  Graduation date: May 9, 2024

First position after graduation: Postdoctoral Fellow, AbbVie Pharmaceutical

  • Anik Tuladhar publication record:
    • First author manuscripts: 1
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 3
    • First author conference abstracts: 8
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 6


Anik Tuladhar Awards:

  1. 2023: ASBMR Young Investigator Travel Grant
  2. 2022: ASBMR Young Investigator Award
  3. 2021: ASBMR Young Investigator Travel Grant
  4. 2021: Best Presentation in Session, TGS, Augusta University Graduate Research Day 

 

5.Mackenzie Hagan: Fall 2016 – Spring 2021.
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences.
        Defense date: April 22, 2021.  Graduation date: May 12, 2021

First position after graduation: Product Specialist /Non-Clinical Applications Specialist, Kubtec Scientific (digital imaging / radiography, industry)

  • Mackenzie Hagan publication record:
    • First author manuscripts: 5
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 2
    • First author conference abstracts: 5
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 7

Mackenzie Hagan Awards:

  1. 2019: ASBMR Fund for Research and Education Young Investigator Award
  2. 2019: AU Graduate School Excellence in Research Award

 

6. Jessica Pierce: Fall 2014 – Fall 2019.
Major/dissertation advisor. PhD, Biomedical Sciences.
        Defense date: October 24, 2019.  Graduation date: December 13, 2019
        First position after graduation: Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University

  • Jessica Pierce publication record:
    • First author manuscripts: 4
    • Co-authored manuscripts: 7
    • First author conference abstracts: 4
    • Co-authored conference abstracts: 5

   Jessica Pierce Awards:

  1. 2019: PhD awarded with distinction
  2. 2019: ASBMR Diversity Travel Grant
  3. 2019: Fisher Scientific/Phi Kappa Phi Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research
  4. 2018: ASBMR Young Investigator Travel Grant
  5. 2017: ASBMR Young Investigator Award
  6. 2016: Honorable Mention, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
  7. 2016: ASBMR Young Investigator Travel Grant

Medical Residents

  • Medical residents, as research advisor: Medical College of Georgia

    1.       Allison Lewis, Fall 2021                                   (project leads: James Blair / Jana Davis, MD)

    2.       Branum (Gage) Griswold, Spring 2021            (project lead: James Blair, MD)

    3.       Bruce Byrd, M.D., Summer 2019                     (project lead: Mark Snoddy, MD)

    4.       James Raley, M.D., Spring 2019                       (project lead: McGee-Lawrence)

    5.       Bobby Shelly, M.D., Summer 2018                  (project lead: Steve Parada, MD)

    6.       Matthew Meng, M.D., Spring 2018                  (project lead: McGee-Lawrence)

    7.       Christopher Sutton, M.D., Spring 2017           (project lead: Edward Szabo, MD)

    8.       Vikram Sampath, M.D., Summer 2016            (project lead: Lynn Crosby, MD)

    9.       Justin Kennon, M.D., Summer 2015                (project lead: Lynn Crosby, MD)
    Awards:  1st place presentation Georgia Orthopaedic Society
                   1st place presentation Southern Orthopaedic Association

Medical Students

Medical students, as primary mentor: Medical College of Georgia

  1. Rohan Chandrashekhar: Summer 2025-present (MCG Class of 2028)
  2. Samuel Dankberg: Fall 2024-present (MCG Class of 2028)
    Awards: Best Clinical Outcomes Award, MCG Research Day           
  3. William Long: Fall 2024-Fall 2025 (MCG Class of 2028)
  4. Shervin Eskandari: Fall 2024-Spring 2025 (MCG Class of 2028)
  5. Dev Shah: Fall 2024-Spring 2025 (MCG Class of 2028)
  6. Shivam Patel: Spring 2026-present (MCG Class of 2027)
  7. Rachel Hammer: Spring 2025-present             (MCG Class of 2027)
  8. Justin Howard: Spring 2023 – Fall 2024 (MCG Class of 2027)
  9. Yagni Patel: Spring 2023 – Summer 2025 (MCG Class of 2026)
  10. Eric (Chase) Morey: Spring 2023 – Spring 2024 (MCG Class of 2026)
    Awards: Honorable Mention, American College of Surgeons 2023 Medical Student Program
    Matched for Residency in Radiology-Diagnostic, ISMMS Mount Sinai Hospital           
  11. Hima Nesbit: Fall 2022 – Spring 2024 (MCG Class of 2026)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
  12. Kyle Burkhart: Fall 2022 – Fall 2023 (MCG Class of 2026)
    Matched for Residency in Internal Medicine, Brooke Army Medical Center
  13. Lindsey Grater: Fall 2022 – Spring 2023 (MCG Class of 2026)
    Matched for Residency in OB/GYN, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
  14. Reginald Benson: Fall 2021-Summer 2022 (MCG Class of 2025)
    Awards: 2022 Peach State Scholar, Matched for Residency in Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta GA
  1. Matthew Campbell: Fall 2021-Summer 2022 (MCG Class of 2025)
    Matched for Residency Transitional Year, Northeast Georgia Medical Center
  2. Ashley (Lexy) Ellingwood: Summer 2022 – Fall 2022 (MCG Class of 2025)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, UC San Diego Medical Center
  3. Michaela Cushing: Fall 2021-Spring 2024 (MCG Class of 2025)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, U Florida Jacksonville
  4. Samantha (Sam) Zhan-Moodie: Spring 2021-Spring 2022 (MCG Class of 2024)
    Matched for Residency in General Surgery, Wake Forest
  5. Joseph (Joe) Shaver: Spring 2021-Spring 2024 (MCG Class of 2024)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, HCA Florica JFK Hospital, U Miami
  6. Hayden Faith: Spring 2021 – Fall 2022 (MCG Class of 2024)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, Orlando Health
  7. Thomas (Ted) Dickerson: Spring 2021-Summer 2021 (MCG Class of 2024)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, Walter Reed
  8. Vanshika Balayan: Spring 2020 – Spring 2021 (MCG Class of 2023)
    Matched for Residency in Anesthesiology, UT Houston
  9. Catherine (Katie) Valli: Spring 2020 – Spring 2021                 (MCG Class of 2023)
    Matched for Residency in General Surgery, UTHSC College of Medicine, Chattanooga
  10. Nicholas Cantu: Spring 2019 – Fall 2019 (MCG Class of 2022)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, IU
  11. Chase Wehrle: Fall 2018-Spring 2019 (MCG Class of 2021)
    Matched in General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic
  12. Brooke Vinson: Spring 2018-Fall 2018 (MCG Class of 2021)
    Awards: 1st place, Graduate Student Platform Presentation Award, American Association of Anatomists   
                Travel Award, AAA Annual Meeting,     Matched for Residency in Internal Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
  1. Anabel Liyen Cartelle: Spring 2018-Fall 2018 (MCG Class of 2021)
    Matched for Residency in Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  2. Daniel Blumenthal: Spring 2017-Spring 2018 (MCG Class of 2020)
    Matched for Residency in Otolaryngology, Georgetown University Hospital
  3. Anoosh Bahraini: Spring 2016 – Spring 2017 (MCG Class of 2019)
    Matched for Residency in General Surgery, Duke University
  4. Mattie Raiford: Spring 2016 (MCG Class of 2019)
    Matched for Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery, U Rochester
  5. David P. Sellman: Summer 2015 (MCG Class of 2018)
    Matched for Residency in Urology, Medical University of South Carolina

Medical students, as primary mentor: other medical schools

  1. Jonathan Paul: Summer 2025 (San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, P.R.)
  2. Corally D. Lopez Vega: Summer 2024 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)
         Awards: Best Poster Presentation, UCC Biomedical & Clinical Student/Resident Research Symposium
  3. Isai Y. Soto Colon: Summer 2023 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)
  4. Manuel Pizarro Mondesir: Summer 2022 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)
         Awards: selected to join Alpha-Omega-Alpha Medical Honor Society, 2024            
  5. Alejandro Marrero-Gonzalez: Summer 2021 (University of Puerto Rico)
  6. Marlian Montesinos-Cartagena: Summer 2019 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)
  7. Zuleika Rodriguez-Santos: Summer 2018 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)
  8. Natalia del Mazo Arbona: Summer 2017 (Universidad Central del Caribe Puerto Rico)

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students, as primary mentor

[STAR: Student Training and Research; CURS: Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship]

  1. Gabby Peay: Spring 2026-present (CURS)
  2. Nidhi Shenoy: Summer 2025 (STAR)
    Awards: Patricia L. Cameron Award, STAR Program
  3. Anthony Carrillo: Spring 2025-present (AU Honors Program)
  4. Dylan Taylor: Summer 2024-present (CURS)
  5. Susan (Laney) Willis: Summer 2024 (STAR)
         Awards: Muhammad Ebadullah (Ebad) Hasan Memorial Award, STAR Program
  6. David Standeven: Fall 2023
  7. Brooke Jewell: Summer 2023 (STAR)
  8. Luke Horne: Spring 2023 – Summer 2023 (CURS)
  9. Mary Beth Lowe: Summer 2022
  10. Tate (TJ) Allen: Summer 2022 – present (AU Honors Program)

Honors Thesis Defense Date: February 8, 2024

  1. Colby Gross: Fall 2021 – present (AU Honors Program)

Awards: ORS URM Undergraduate Travel Program grant recipient, Orthopaedic Research Society

Honors Thesis Defense Date: December 4, 2023

  1. Wesley McGee: Summer 2022 (STAR)
         Awards: Muhammad Ebadullah (Ebad) Hasan Memorial Award, STAR Program
  2. David Weidner: Summer 2021 (STAR)
  3. Reginald Benson: Spring 2020 – Summer 2021 (CURS)
  4. Victor Piedra: Summer 2019 – Spring 2021 (CURS)
  5. Riley Kendall: Summer 2019 (STAR)
         Awards: 2nd place, J. Eldridge Outstanding STAR Award , STAR Program
  6. Jiali Zhu: Summer 2018 (STAR)
  7. Natasha Culpepper: Spring 2017 to Spring 2019 (CURS)
         Awards:  Minority Undergraduate Internship, American Diabetes Association
  8. Sarah Bass: Fall 2018 to Spring 2019 (CURS)
  9. Eric Stokes: Summer 2017 (STAR)
         Awards: Muhammad Ebadullah (Ebad) Hasan Memorial Award, STAR Program
                 Outstanding Presentation, 2017 ABRCMS Conference
  10. Peyton Marshall: Summer 2016 (STAR)
  11. Kayce T. Vanpelt: Summer 2015 (STAR)
         Awards: Honorable mention, J. Eldridge Outstanding STAR Award, STAR Program
  12. Calley J. Jones: Summer 2013
  13. Samuel W. Carlson: Summer 2011-Summer 2012.
  14. Danielle M (Stoll) Tronnes, M.S.: Fall 2007-Spring 2009
  15. Samantha J. Wojda: Fall 2007-Spring 2009
  16. Steve E. Johnson: Fall 2006-Spring 2008
  17. Keith W. Magic: Fall 2006-Spring 2008
  18. Lindsay M (Barlow) Stafford, M.S.: Fall 2005-Spring 2007
  19. Aaron J. Maki, Ph.D.: Fall 2005-Spring 2007