Current Fellows:
Name: Zachary A.-F Kistka, M.D.
Medical School: Wayne State University School of Medicine (Detroit, MI)
Residency: University Hospital (Cincinnati, OH)
Research Mentor: Tom Thomas M.D. (Rheumatology)
Research Description: Zak is testing the hypothesis that combined inflammatory blockade and oral tolerance will preserve beta cell function in NOD mice with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes.
Email: Zachary.A.Kistka@Vanderbilt.Edu________________________________________________________
Name: Jessica Sparks Lilley, M.D.
Medical School: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Residency: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Research Mentor: Sergio Fazio, M.D./Ph.D. (Preventive Cardiology)
Research Description: Jessica is studying parent-of-origin effects related to lipid metabolism as well as whether abnormally high HDL levels are cardioprotective, specifically exploring the role of angiopoitein-like 3 protein in HDL.
Email: Jessica.Lilley@Vanderbilt.Edu________________________________________________________
Name: Andre P. Marshall, M.D.
Medical School: University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (Oklahoma City, OK)
Residency: Vanderbilt General Surgery (Nashville, TN)
Research Mentor: Naji Abumrad, M.D.
Research Description: Andre is assessing how a genetic defect on the transmembrane protein CD36 effects post-prandial lipid storage and clearance as well as insulin resistance in obese adults. This genetic defect may have a role in identifying patients at higher risk of cardiac disease
Email: Andre.Marshall@Vanderbilt.Edu________________________________________________________
Name: Sebastian Rieck, Ph.D.
Medical School: Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, TN)
Residency: N/A
Research Mentor: Dr. Christopher V.E. Wright (Developmental Biology)
Research Description: Sebastian's research is directed at determining the epigenetic mechanisms that interact with the intrinsic transcriptional programs and govern the formation and behavior of various progenitor populations in the developing pancreas.
Email: Sebastian.Rieck@Vanderbilt.Edu________________________________________________________
Name: Judsen D. Schneider, Ph.D.
Graduate School: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Research
Mentor: Mark Magnuson, M.D.
Research Description: Judsen is studying the process of cellular reprogramming, the direct conversion from one existing cell type into another, as a potential therapeutic strategy for diabetes.
Email: Judsen.D.Schneider@Vanderbilt.Edu
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This Diabetes Research and Training Center Post-Doctoral Training Program is supported by an NIH training grant (NIH grant T32 DK007061) and by the Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center (NIH grant DK20593).