This is the list of ‘Available Research Faculty’ at Emory University and the Atlanta University Center (AUC) complex of schools. Fellows are encouraged to contact potential research mentors listed on their own. Only those faculty on the list or those approved in writing by a member of the FIRST Executive Committee as well as the proposed mentor’s Chairman should be contacted by FIRST fellows.
The Atlanta University Center Consortium schools include: Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.
A - E
- Francisco Alvarez, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Physiology. Research Interests: Development and plasticity of synaptic circuits in functional networks disease.
- Jessica Alvarez, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine
(Endocrinology). Research Interest: Role of nutrition and body composition on metabolism in chronic diseases, including cystic fibrosis and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. - David Archer, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology). Research Interests: Stem cell therapy for the treatment of inherited and acquired diseases.
- Gary Bassell, PhD - Professor, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interest: Neuronal mechanisms of mRNA transport, local protein synthesis; dysfunction in disease
- Sarah Blake, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management.
- Lawrence Boise, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology. Research Interests: The basis mechanisms of apoptosis and translation to better define the mechanism(s) of action of therapeutic agents in multiple myeloma.
- Jeremy Boss, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Research Interest: Global and specific mechanisms involved in lymphocyte differentiation and gene expression.
- Lou Ann Brown, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Neonatology). Research Interests: Impact of chronic oxidative stress (adult and fetal) on pulmonary cellular phenotype and function.
- Bethanny Caruso, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Public Health, Gobal Health. Research Interest:Health outcomes in environments with constrained access to water, sanitation, and hygiene resources.
- Tamara Caspary, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interests: Mammalian neural development, cilia-dependent signaling.
- Luisa Cervantes, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology. Research Interest: Function of commensal populations in the intestine and novel microbiota-IEL interactions.
- Ann Marjorie Chahroudi, MD, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Infectious Disease). Research Interests: Cure HIV using nonhuman primate models to investigate HIV/SIV reservoirs.
- David Civitello, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Biology. Research Interest: Ecological and environmental drivers of parasite transmission in animal populations
- Thomas Clasen, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health. Research Interests: Health impact evaluations of water, sanitation and household air pollution interventions in low-income countries
- Graeme Conn, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry. Research Interest: Bacterial antibiotic-resistance through ribosomal RNA modification.
- Karen Conneely, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interests: Biomarkers and genetic variants predisposing to disease; DNA methylation as a mediator between environment and phenotype.
- Anita Corbett, PhD - Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Biology. Research Interest: RNA binding proteins and tissue-specific disease such as intellectual disability and muscular dystrophy.
- Victor Corces, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interests: Role of chromatin structure and nuclear organization in epigenetic phenomena; mechanisms of transcriptional control in Drosophila.
- Huw M.L. Davies, PhD - Asa Griggs Candler Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Chemistry. Research Interest: New synthetic methods in organic synthesis as enabling technologies for drug development.
- Paul Dawson, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition). Research Interests: Physiologic and molecular mechanisms controlling bile acid signaling in the gut-liver axis
- Roger Deal, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: Chromatin-based regulation of gene expression during cell differentiation.
- Jaap de Roode, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Biology. Research Interest: Parasite virulence evolution, animal self-medication and evolution of drug resistance.
- Christine Dunham, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of
Biochemistry. Research Interest: Regulation of protein synthesis; ribosome structure & function; and quality control mechanisms. - Arthur English, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interests: Regulation of protein synthesis; ribosome structure & function; regulation by toxins, antibiotics, frameshifting elements, and quality control mechanisms.
- Andrew Escayg, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interest: Genetic basis and mechanisms of epilepsy and related neuropsychiatric co-morbidities.
F - J
- Victor Faundez, MD, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biolog. Research Interests: Understanding the molecular genetic basis and mechanisms of epilepsy and related neuropsychiatric co-morbidities.
- Yue Feng, MD, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Research Interest: RNA biology in neuron and glia function in normal brain and brain diseases.
- Laura Finzi, PhD - Professor, Emory College, Department of Physics. Research Interests: RNA biology in neuron and glia function in normal brain development and brain diseases
- Matthew Freeman, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Public Health. Research Interest: Applied research in water, sanitation, hygiene, and health.
- Nicole Marie Gerardo, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: Applied research in water, sanitation, hygiene, and health.
- Homa Ghalei, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry. Research Interest: How small noncoding RNAs (snoRNAs) regulate gene expression at the translational level.
- Thomas Gillespie, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Environ-mental Sciences. Research Interest: Anthropogenic environmental change: biodiversity, ecology and emergence of pathogens.
- Melissa Gilbert-Ross, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology. Research Interests: Pre-clinical/translational lung cancer research and mechanistic studies of tissue growth, cell invasion and metastasis
- Joanna Goldberg, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics(Pulmonology, Allergy/Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis and Sleep/Apnea). Research Interests: Synthesis and regulation of surface polysaccharides and other adhesins; combat pathogenesis.
- Shannon Gourley, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Marcus Autism Center). Research Interest: Animal models to understand why adolescence is a vulnerable period for depression and addiction.
- Marcin Grabowicz, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Research Interests: Gram-negative bacteria assembly of outer membrane, an essential organelle that blocks antibiotic entry.
- Arash Grakoui, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases. Research Interest: T and B cell responses during chronic infection and immunotherapy to prevent virally induced hepatic consequences.
- David Guidot, MD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine). Research Interests: How chronic alcohol abuse and/or chronic HIV infection render individuals susceptible to pneumonia and acute lung injury.
- Randy Hall, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Research Interest: Mechanisms of signal transduction by neurotransmitter and hormone receptors.
- Robert Hampton, PhD - Professor of Psychology, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Psychology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center. Research Interest: Neurobehavioral studies of primate and avian cognition. We conduct studies of primate cognition in our laboratory at the Yerkes Main Center, at the Yerkes Field Station and at Zoo Atlanta. We also conduct studies of avian cognition in wild birds and domestic chickens off campus. Our work helps define the relationship between human and nonhuman memory, and contributes basic neuroscience knowledge needed to develop treatments for diseases affecting memory and cognition in humans.
- Karmella Haynes, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory/GA Tech. Research Interests: Mechanisms of signal transduction by neurotransmitter and hormone receptors.
- Jennifer Margaret Heemstra, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Chemistry. Research Interest: Nucleic acids are for molecular recognition and self-assembly; science education and resilience.
- Curtis Henry, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology). Research Interests: How chronic inflammation impacts immunity, leukemogenesis, and therapeutic efficacy.
- Ellen Hess, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Research Interest: Abnormal dopamine signaling in dystonia and Parkinson's disease.
- Shawn Hochman, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Physiology. Research Interests: Abnormal dopamine signalling in dystonia and Parkinson's disease
K - L
- Sumin Kang, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology. Research Interest: Protein kinase and metabolic signaling in tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis using translational and preclinical studies.
- David John Katz, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interest: Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in C. elegans and the role of epigenetics in Alzheimer’s disease.
- Melissa Lambeth Kemp, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Emory/GA Tech). Research Interest: Understanding how metabolism influences the decisions that cells make; aging and stress.
- Uriel Dan Kitron, PhD, MPH - Goodrich C. White Professor, Emory College, Department of Environmental Sciences. Research Interests: Ecology/epidemiology of malaria, Chagas disease, dengue, Zika, polyparasitism, West Nile virus.
- Michael Koval, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine). Research Interest: Molecular basis for intercellular communication and barrier function in lung health and disease.
- Dorothy Lerit, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interest: Molecular basis for intercellular communication and barrier function in lung health and disease.
- Elizabeth Leslie, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interest: Genetic causes and risk factors for craniofacial birth defects, such as orofacial clefts.
- Tene Lewis, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology. Research Interest: Race, psychosocial factors and CVD in African American women.
- Lian Li, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Research Interests: Race, Psychosocial Factors and CVD in African American Women.
- Renhao Li, PhD - Professor of Pediatrics, Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine. Research Interest: Thrombosis; Therapeutics and pharmacology; Protein structure, function, and regulation.
- Bo Liang, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry. Research Interests: Study large assemblies, including ribonucleoprotein complexes and membrane proteins,
- John Lindo, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Anthropology. Research Interest: Molecular and computational aspects of Ancient DNA research in humans and other animals.
- Robert Liu, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: Neural mechanisms for sensory processing, learning and memory underlying natural social interactions.
- David G. Lynn, PhD - Asa Griggs Candler Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Chemistry. Research Interest: Host/parasite and symbiotic interactions, intelligent materials, origins of complex molecular functions.
M - P
- Donna Maney, PhD - Professor, Emory College, Department of Psychology. Research Interests: Host/parasite and symbiotic interactions, intelligent materials and the living/non-living continuum, origins of complex molecular functions.
- Shonna McBride, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Research Interest: Molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis; Bacterial defense against antimicrobial peptides.
- Lauren McCullough, PhD, MSPH - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology. Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis; Bacterial defense against antimicrobial peptides; Gastrointestinal pathogenesis.
- Andrew Miller, MD - William P. Timmie Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Research Interest: Cytokines as mediators of neuropsychiatric disorders including depression.
- Kenneth Moberg, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interests: Cytokines as mediators of neuropsychiatric disorders including depression
- Levi Morran, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology Population Biology, Evolution, and Ecology.
- Jennifer Mulle, MHS, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interests: Experimental evolution, mating system evolution, coevolutionary dynamics of antagonistic and mutualistic interactions.
- Andrew Neish, MD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Research Interest: Molecular events in prokaryotic-eukaryotic interactions.
- Ilya Nemenman, PhD - Professor, Emory College, Department of Physics. Research Interests: Molecular events in prokaryotic-eukaryotic interactions.
- Eric Ortlund, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry. Research Interest: Structural biology and molecular evolution of receptors, transporters and other drug targets.
- Rohan Palmer, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College, Department of Psychology. Research Interests: Structural biology and molecular evolution of receptors, transporters and other drug targets.
- Jeanie Park, MD, MS - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Nephrology. Research Interest: Role of autonomic imbalance and sympathetic overactivity in the increased cardiovascular disease risk that characterizes chronic kidney disease.
- Manu Platt, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory/GA Tech. Research Interests: How cells use proteases to remodel their environment and predict disease severity.
Q - U
- Cassandra Quave, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology. Research Interest: Natural products drug discovery for novel inhibitors of bacterial pathogenesis and virulence pathways.
- Renee Read, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology. Research Interests: Natural products drug discovery for novel inhibitors of bacterial pathogenesis and virulence pathways.
- Matthew Reyna, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology. Research Interest: Artificial intelligence and machine learning in health and healthcare, including computational cancer genomics, critical care, and other areas.
- Leila Rieder, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Biology. Research Interest: Nuclear domain formation and function in gene regulation and development.
- Winfield Sale, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology. Research Interests: Role of microtubules in cell motility; regulation of dynein ATPase.
- Jessica McDermott Sales, PhD, MA - Associate Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education. Research Interest: Development and evaluation of programs that optimize sexual health for women.
- Ignacio Sanz, MD - Professor and Division Director, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine(Rheumatology). Research Interests: Development and evaluation of programs that optimize sexual health for women
- Stephanie Sherman, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interest: Epidemiology of complex human disorders; chromosome nondisjunction, Down syndrome, Fragile X.
- Alicia Smith, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics—Research Interests: Epidemiology of complex human disorders including chromosome nondisjunction, Down syndrome, reproductive health and fragile X-associated disorders.
- Yoland Smith, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Neurology. Research Interest: Synaptic plasticity, pathophysiology and therapeutics of Parkinson's disease and related.
- Samuel Sober, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: Synaptic plasticity, pathophysiology and therapeutics of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders.
- Jennifer Spangle, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology. Research Interest: Oncohistones in breast cancer pathogenesis.
V - Z
- Viola Vaccarino, MD, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology. Research Interests: Cardiovascular epidemiology and prevention, in particular the study of social and behavioral determinants of cardiovascular disease and women's health.
- Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, PhD - Associate Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Environmental Sciences. Research Interest: Major determinants in the occurrence, transmission and local propagation of major vector-borne and parasitic diseases.
- Nicole Marie Vega, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory College, Department of Biology. Research Interests: To understand the major determinants in the occurrence, transmission and local propagation of major vector-borne and parasitic diseases.
- Elaine F. Walker, PhD - Professor, Emory College of Arts and Science, Department of Psychology. Research Interest: Neurodevelopmental aspects of psychopathology; role of neuroendocrinology in mental disorders.
- David Weinshenker, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interests: Neurodevelopmental aspects of psychopathology; role of neuroendocrinology in mental disorders.
- Samantha Yeligar, MS, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine). Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic interventions to mitigate lung immune dysfunction.
- Bing Yao, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Human Genetics. Research Interest: Covalent DNA modifications, in mammalian neurodevelopment and neuronal function.
- Samantha Yeligar, PhD - Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of
Medicine. Research Interest: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic interventions to mitigate lung immune dysfunction - Kathryn Yount, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Public Health, Department of Global Health. Research Interest: Adversity (violence), women's and children's health, empowerment prevention interventions in underserved populations.
- Chris Yun, PhD - Professor, Emory School of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Digestive Diseases). Research Interests: Adversity (violence), women's and children's health, empowerment prevention interventions in LMICs and underserved populations