LAB ALUMNI
Where are they now?
Lab alumni, if you have a life or career update, please email emrubenstein@bsu.edu!
CONNOR BAILEY
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2018-2019
Graduate Research Assistant 2021-2023
After completing his undergraduate degree at Ball State, Connor worked as a chemist for a cosmetics company. He returned to Ball State to complete his Master's of Science in Biology in the Rubenstein lab. He is currently a scientist at Eli Lilly & Company.
MARY TRAGESSER-TIÑA
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2021-2023
Mary is a scientist at Eli Lilly & Company.
SAMANTHA GOSSER
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2022-2023
Sam is pursuing a Master's of Science in Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University.
ELLEN DOSS
Graduate Research Assistant 2020-2022
(co-mentored by Dr. Douglas Bernstein)
Ellen is an Associate Science in Molecular Biology at Corteva Agriscience.
SAMANTHA TURK
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2017-2020
Graduate Research Assistant 2020-2022
Samantha is pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Sciences at St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
JOSHUA MOORE
Graduate Student Intern 2021
Josh is a Research Associate in the are of cell culture process development and manufacturing at Genezen.
KELSEY WOODRUFF
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2019-2022
Kelsey is pursuing a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Washington.
MAHMOUD DARAGHMI
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2020-2022
Mahmoud is working in health care and pursuing a career in medicine.
SYDNEY OLIVER
Graduate Research Assistant 2020-2022
(co-mentored by Dr. Mary Konkle)
Sydney is Lead Scientist at Verge Labs.
SETH HOROWITZ
High School Research Assistant 2019-2022
Seth will complete undergraduate studies at Ball State University.
KATIE ALEXANDER
High School Research Assistant 2021-2022
Katie is studying biology at Butler University.
KYLE RICHARDS
Graduate Research Assistant 2019-2021
Kyle is currently pursing a PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics at the University of Minnesota.
KAMRYNÂ KENNEDY
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2020-2021
Kamryn is a chief medical scribe at Ball Memorial Hospital, and a Pacemate for the Indiana Pacers.
COURTNEY BROSHAR IRELAN
Graduate Research Assistant 2018-2020
Courtney is currently a Senior Scientist ADME in Investigative BioTDR ADME at Eli Lilly and Company.
JULIA NIEKAMP
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2018-2020
Julia is is an associate biologist in immunology at Eli Lilly.
BRIAN VOAS
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2018-2020
Brian is currently a contractor for Eurofins working at Eli Lilly in the area of Virology.
JACK ELO
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2019-2020
Jack is currently serving our country at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence in Fort Rucker, AL.
HALIE VITALI
Graduate Student Intern 2019
Hailey is currently working as a Senior Scientist in ADME for Eli Lilly and Company.
BRIANNE MCCORD
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2019
Brianne currently works as a Research Assistant in the lab of Dr. Jungsu Kim at the Indiana University School of Medicine. In this role, she investigates neuronal and glial dysfunction at the molecular and cellular levels as it relates to Alzheimer's disease.
MOLLY DOLAN
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2018-2019
Molly plans to pursue an MS and Ph.D in Botany and Plant Pathology in the future. In the meantime, she is seeking employment as a Lab Assistant.
AVERY "SCIENCEGIRL" RUNNEBOHM
Graduate Research Assistant 2017-2019
Avery is currently pursuing a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology at IU School of Medicine. After graduating, she hopes to work in industry.
CADE ORCHARD
High School Research Assistant 2017-2018
Cade graduated with a BA in Biology and Geology at Earlham College. He will be completing an MS in Geology at the University of Georgia.
DANIELLE OVERTON
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2017-2018
Danielle is currently pursuing a PhD in biology at IUPUI. She is working in the Mastacci lab studying diabetes, specifically focusing on the exocrine pancreas.
LAURA SCANAMEO
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2017
Laura is a student at Indiana University's School of Medicine.
BRIAN SNOW
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2016-2018
Brian is currently pursuing a PhD in Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His focus is on studying the envelope structure and stability for both the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV). Brian plans to pursue a postdoc in Virology after graduating.
RACHEL VACHON
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2016-2017
Rachel completed an MS in Drug Development at University of Cincinnati and is a Program and Project Manager for Kurome Therapeutics. She previously worked as a Project Manager at Telix providing operational oversight on prostate cancer clinical trials and Project Manager of lab operations at PPD (Pharmaceutical Product Development). Before her job at PPD, she worked in a lab at the University of Cincinnati performing correlative research on PBMC samples from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma clinical trials. She moved into the role at UC after interning at Eli Lilly in one of their oncology small molecule development labs.
LAURENÂ HUFFMAN
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2016-2017
Lauren is currently working at Covance as a Flow Cytometry Technical Liaison. In this role, she provides support to the lab when there are database issues. She also helps create database solutions and processes improvements for the global Flow Cytometry department. Lauren is responsible for reviewing and providing Flow Cytometry instructions for clinical and exploratory studies setup by the project management team. She has been with Covance since June 2017.
CODY BENNETT
Graduate Student Intern 2016-2017
Cody is currently working at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana as a Medical Technologist where he performs analytical tests on patient samples to assess patient condition and disease states.
CHRISTOPHER INDOVINA
Graduate Research Assistant 2015-2017
Since graduating, Chris has been with Thermo Fisher Scientific as a Supplier Quality Engineer. In this role, he supports Thermo Fisher Scientific sites globally as a regional supplier auditor as well as directly supporting the Grand Island, NY (former Life Technologies, Invitrogen, GIBCO site) and Rochester, NY campus sites (former Nalge Nunc site) with corrective action planning for supplier caused issues.
ASHLEIGH SOUTH
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2015-2016
Ashleigh is a Territory Manager with the medical technology company, LivaNova.
DAVID HUSTON
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2015-2016
David earned his MD at the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2022. He is currently a combined emergency and internal medicine resident at East Carolina University.
JAKE DAVIS
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2015-2016
Jake completed his MD at the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2021. He is currently an anesthesiology resident at UNC Chapel Hill.
BRYCE BUCHANAN
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2014-2016 / Graduate Research Assistant 2016-2018
After graduating, Bryce interned at Eli Lilly. He returned to Ball
University in June 2019 to work as a Research Technician in the lab of Dr. Bart Pederson in Medical Education. He is currently working as a
Scientist at Eli Lilly & Company, where he serves as the unofficial
coordinator of activities for the mass of BSU alums currently contributing to Lilly labs.
SARAH ENGLE
Graduate Research Assistant 2014-2015
After graduating, Sarah interned at Eli Lilly for 1 year within the translational immunology group. They focus on early phase immunology clinical trials and discovery projects helping to transition medicines from the bench (lab) to the bedside (clinic) with the highest efficacy possible. After her internship, Sarah was offered a position and has been with the same group for almost 5 years. She was recently promoted to Associate Consultant Biologist in March 2020.
RYAN GIBSON
Graduate Student Intern 2014
Ryan completed his PhD with a virology concentration and oncology minor at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He currently works as an Advisor in Virology at Eli Lilly & Company.
SHELDON WATTS
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2013-2015 / Technician 2015-2016
Sheldon is currently pursuing his DO degree at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine and will graduate this May 2020. In July he will be starting an Internal Medicine residency in Michigan.
JUSTIN CROWDER
Graduate Research Assistant 2013-2015
Following graduation, Justin worked as a Research Technician in Dr. Bart Pederson's lab at Ball State University. He now works as a Lab Manager / Research Analyst in Dr. Amelia Linnemann's lab at IU Med School at IUPUI (Wells Center / Dept. of Pediatrics). Their research focuses on pancreatic beta cell health in the pathogenesis of Type I Diabetes, and Justin's current studies typically include immunofluorescence (histology) and mouse islet isolation.
ERIC "FIVEÂ PLATES" FULTS
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2013-2015
After graduating Eric worked with Cru, a campus ministry, where he served as Team Leader for all of the Cru movements in southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. He completed his Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently in Physician Assistant school at Franklin College.
IAN TESCH
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2013-2014
Ian is a youth swim coach and works in logistics.
SAM COFFEY
Undergraduate Research Assistant 2012-2014
Since graduating, Sam began working as a Research Assistant in a nephrology lab at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. After 2 years, he moved into a Project Manager position at Medpace Reference Laboratories. 3 years later he was offered a Quality Coordinator position at ARUP Laboratories in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he is still working currently. In this position, he ensures compliance with regulatory, accrediting, licensing, and certifying organizations. Sam also assists with and leads the development of new Corporate SOPs, as well as quality training for ARUP employees.
MICHAEL LLOYD
Graduate Research Assistant 2012-2013
After graduating, Michael interned at Eli Lilly for 1 year within the diabetes drug hunting team. Shortly after, he was offered the position of Senior Biologist in the cell line development group at the Lilly Technology Center. In this role, he genetically engineered CHO cell lines to express recombinant proteins for use in commercial manufacturing. Michael is currently a Senior Principal Biologist at Eli Lilly.