The following students have participated in the Rosalind Franklin University of Medical Science Summer Research Program since 2010.
2023 LFC-RFUMS Summer Scholars named
This summer, 19 Lake Forest College students are conducting medical research at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) through our Lake Forest College - Rosalind Franklin University Summer Scholars Program, which began in 2010 as the original partnership effort between the College and RFU. Each Forester is paired with an RFU professor who will serve as a mentor during the 10-week program. Over 150 have completed the program to date. All students from this cohort plan to pursue careers in biomedical research or the health professions.
Class of Summer 2022
Class of Summer 2021
Bita Aslrousta ’23, Co-Mentors: Professor Arthur Bousquet and Professor Sara Zelenberg
Deniz Akpinar ’23, Mentor: Professor Kaiwen Kam
Ondine Berg ’23, Mentor: Professor William Frost
Benjamin Bitterman ’23, Co-Mentor: Professor Steve Miller and Professor Rachel Greenley
Helena Blumenau ’23, Co-Mentors: Professor Kristin Schneider and Professor Brian Feinstein
Sadiq Dabire ’22, Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan
Mary Denichenko ’22, Mentor: Professor Shivaputra Patil
Megi Diasamidze ’23, Mentor: Professor Eun Jung Hwang
Najila Dilosa ’23, Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz
Andrew Forrest ’22, Mentor: Professor Joanna Dabrowska
Jovanna Jovanovska ’22, Mentor: Professor David Everly
Barry Khim ’22, Mentor: Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia
Hannah Kobienia ’21, Mentor: Professor Ryan Crews
Demetri Maglaras ’23, Mentor: Professor Joseph Reynolds
Noah Mueller ’23, Mentor: Professor Beth Stutzmann
Zahra Nadeem ’22, Co-Mentors: Professor Scot Hill and Professor Tammy Sher
Serenah Quiroga ’23, Mentor: Professor Johny He
Katrina Topacio ’21, Mentor: Professor Hongkyun Kim
Class of Summer 2020
The 2020 program was cancelled due to COVID-19, but the following students were accepted into the program.
Haaris Ahmed ‘21
Carolynn Boatfield ‘22
Nolan Carothers ‘21
Sadiq Wontuma Dabire ‘22
Bradley Devins ‘21
Grace Dodis ‘21
Andrew Forrest ‘22
Hannah Kobienia ‘22
Grace Michel ‘22
Zahra Nadeem ‘22
Natalie Schaffer ‘22
Katrina Topacio ‘22
Kyle Wallis ‘22
Zoe Walts ‘21
Matthew Norcross ‘22
Madison Strejc ‘21
Sophia Chen ‘23
Megi Diasamidze ‘23
Noah Mueller ‘23
Bita Aslrousta ‘23
Class of Summer 2019
Nia Alfaro ’22
Mentor: Assistant Professor Kaiwen Kam, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Omar Alrawashdeh ’20
Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience
Sabina Baitemirova ’22
Mentor: Associate Professor Hongkyun Kim, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Danielle Berninzoni ’20
Mentor: Professor William Frost, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Ruqia Bibi ’20
Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Carolynn Boatfield ’22
Mentor: Associate Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Casey Duel ’20
Mentor: Professor Fabio Re, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Gabrielle Gutierrez ’20
Mentor: Assistant Professor Ryan Crews, Department of Podiatric Surgery and Applied Biomechanics
Aiden Houcek ’20
Mentor: Associate Professor Robert Marr, Department of Neuroscience
Augustana Houcek ’20
Mentor: Professor Anthony West, Department of Neuroscience
Courtney Levitt ’21
Mentor: Assistant Professor Joseph Reynolds, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Dana Midani ’21
Mentor: Professor Janice Urban, Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Tate Rosenhagen ’21
Mentor: Associate Professor David Everly, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Samantha Russell ’20
Mentor: Associate Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Ellen Szostak ’21
Mentors: Associate Professors Rachel Greenley and Kristina Schneider, Department of Psychology
Estella Tcaturian ’21
Mentor: Associate Professor Michelle Hastings, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Yesenia Uribe ’21
Mentor: Associate Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Noah Vanderhyde ’20
Mentor: Assistant Professor Gustavo Martinez, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Madeline Webb ’21
Mentors: Professors David Kosson and John Calamari, Department of Psychology
Kyle Wallis ’22
Mentor: Assistant Professor Joanna Dabrowska, Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology
Class of Summer 2018
Tariq Aldaas ’19, Professor David Everly
Alexsandra Biel ’20, Professor Joanna Dabrowska
Michael Buabeng ’19, Professor Gulam Waris
Sandra Campos ’20, Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia
Samuel Curry ’19, Professor Michelle Hastings
Kendra Fobert ’19, Professor Hong-kyun Kim
Phillip Freund ’19, Professor Kaiwen Kam
Christina Gimondo ’19, Professor Professor Ronald Kaplan
Nicole Hedger ’19, Professor Anthony West
Aiden Houcek ’20, Professor Robert Marr
Victoria Miller ’20, Professor Rachel Greenley
Grace Mounshausen ’21, Professor Kaiwen
Nebojsa Markovic ’19, Professor Jun-Yong Choe
Eliska Mrackova ’19, Professor Amiel Rosenkranz
Samantha Russell ’20, Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia
Anthony Sullivan ’21, Professor Gulam Waris
Danielle Sychowksi ’19, Professor Daniel Peterson
Tubanji Walubita ’19, Professor Kimberly Elliott
Zachary Weinstein ’18, Professor Ryan Crews
Class of Summer 2017
Trevor Buhr ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Robert Marr, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Nebosja Markovic ’18, chemistry major (Mentor: Professor Jun-Yong Choe- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Tariq Aldaas ’19, biology major (Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Cade Brittain ’19, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor David Everly, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Eliska Mrackova ’19, neuroscience and art history major (Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Philip Ofosu-Amaah ’19 chemistry major (Mentor: Professor Gulam Waris, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Grant Brady ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Michelle Hastings, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Michael Janecek ’18 history and neuroscience major, (Mentor: Professor Joanna Dabrowska, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Schuyler Kogan ’18, neuroscience and biology major (Mentor: Professor Robert Marr, Department of Neuroscience)
Sabrina Najibi ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Neelam Sharma Walia, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Agnieska Pastwa ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Anthony West, Department of Neuroscience)
Thomas Steen ’18, neuroscience and psychology major (Mentor: Professor David Mueller, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Michael Buabeng ’19, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Janice Urban, Department of Biophysics and Physiology)
Emily Fink ’19, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Kaiwen Kam, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Kendra Fobert ’19, neuroscience and physics major (Mentor: Professor Hongkyun Kim, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Phillip Freund ’19, biology major (Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Abagayle King ’19, neuroscience and psychology major (Mentor: Professor Ryan Crews, Department of Podiatric Surgery and Biomechanics)
Danielle Sychowski ’19, neuroscience and English major (Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience)
Sandra Campos ’20, undeclared (Mentor: Professor Neelam Sharma Walia, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Class of Summer 2016
Brittany Avonts ’17, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)Kaitlyn Woodman ’17, biology and chemistry major (Mentor: Professor Joseph Reynolds, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Trevor Buhr ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Robert Marr, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Zachary Weinstein ’18, biology major (Mentor: Professor Joseph Reynolds, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Tariq Aldaas ’19, biology major (Mentor: Professor Adrian Gross, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Cade Brittain ’19, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor David Everly, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Philip Ofusu-Amaah ’19 (Mentor: Professor Gulam Waris, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Pooja Acharya ’17, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Heinz Steiner, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
James Haney ’17, biology major (Mentor: Professor Hongkyun Kim, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Malia Hansen ’17, mathematics and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Sierra Smith ’17, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor John Buolamwini, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
Lily Veldran ’17, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Kuei-Yuan Tseng, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Michael Janecek ’18 history and neuroscience major, (Mentor: Professor Joanna Dabrowska, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Sabrina Najibi ’18, chemistry and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Neelam Walia-Sharma, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Luke Shylanski ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Grace E. Stutzmann, Department of Neuroscience)
Mohini Verma ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Jun-Yong Choe, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Rachel Domijancic ’18, neuroscience and psychology major (Mentor: Professor Ryan Crews, Department of Podiatric Surgery and Biomechanics)
Viktoriya Georgieva ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Michelle Hastings, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Robin Redmond ’18, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Janice Urban, Department of Biophysics and Physiology)
Sarah Chiren ’16, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience)
Yusuf Ismail’16, biology major (Mentor: Professor William Frost, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy). Ismail is funded by the Groner Foundation
Heather Heitkotter ’16, biology and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Amiel RosenKranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Hannah Samberg ’16, Asia studies and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Amiel RosenKranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Sarah Chiren ’16, neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience)
Yusuf Ismail’16, biology major (Mentor: Professor William Frost, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy). Ismail is funded by the Groner Foundation
Heather Heitkotter ’16, biology and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Amiel RosenKranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Hannah Samberg ’16, Asia studies and neuroscience major (Mentor: Professor Amiel RosenKranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Class of Summer 2015
Joseph Bortolotti ’17 (Mentor: Professor Gregor Dimitrov, Department of Biophysics and Physiology)Trevor Buhr ’18 (Mentor: Professor Robert Marr, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Lindsay Hartup ’17 (Mentor: Professor Adrian Gross, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Heather Heitkotter ’16 (Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Hannah Samberg ’16 (Mentor: Professor Amiel Rosenkranz, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Alexandra Skoczek ’18 (Mentor: Professor Joanna Dabrowska, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Zachary Weinstein ’18 (Mentor: Professor Joseph Reynolds, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Kaitlyn Woodman ’17 (Mentor: Professor Joseph Reynolds, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Jeremy Berg ’17 (Mentor: Professor William Frost, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Mallory Burney ’17 (Mentor: Professor Michelle Hastings, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Sarah Chiren ’16 (Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience)
Alexandra Dunn ’16 (Mentor: Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia, Department ofMicrobiology and Immunology)
Rachel Granberg ’16 (Mentor: Professor Kuei Tseng, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
James Haney ’17 (Mentor: Professor Hongkyun Kim, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Kristofer Korth ’16 (Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Yvette Ramirez ’18 (Mentor: Professor David Everly, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Jennifer Salgado-Benz ’16 (Mentor: Professor Joseph DiMario, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Chaya Tabas ’16 (Mentor: Professor Anthony West, Department of Neuroscience) tabasc@mx.lakeforest.edu
Lily Veldran ’17 (Mentor: Professor Kuei-Yuan Tseng, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Jeremy Berg ’17 (Mentor: Professor William Frost, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Mallory Burney ’17 (Mentor: Professor Michelle Hastings, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Sarah Chiren ’16 (Mentor: Professor Daniel Peterson, Department of Neuroscience)
Alexandra Dunn ’16 (Mentor: Professor Neelam Sharma-Walia, Department ofMicrobiology and Immunology)
Rachel Granberg ’16 (Mentor: Professor Kuei Tseng, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
James Haney ’17 (Mentor: Professor Hongkyun Kim, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Kristofer Korth ’16 (Mentor: Professor Ronald Kaplan, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Yvette Ramirez ’18 (Mentor: Professor David Everly, Department of Microbiology and Immunology)
Jennifer Salgado-Benz ’16 (Mentor: Professor Joseph DiMario, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Chaya Tabas ’16 (Mentor: Professor Anthony West, Department of Neuroscience) tabasc@mx.lakeforest.edu
Lily Veldran ’17 (Mentor: Professor Kuei-Yuan Tseng, Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Class of Summer 2014
Yusuf Ismail ’15 (Dr. William Frost, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Shannon Lakemacher ’15 (Dr. Neelam Sharma-Walia, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology)
Eddi Moravac ’15 (Dr. William Frost, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy) (thesis, neuroscience)
Jason McAloon ’15 (Dr. David Everly, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology) (thesis, biology)
Jacqueline Meyer ’15 (Dr. Kuei Tseng, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Cecilia Reyes ’15 (Dr. Michelle Hastings, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy) (thesis, neuroscience)
Johnathan Vinkavich ’15 (Dr. Antony West, Dept of Neuroscience) (thesis, neuroscience)
Katherine Andrews ’16 (Dr. Fabio Re, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology)
Alexa Hemmer ’16 (Dr. Rachel Greenley, Dept of Psychology)
Kristopher Korth ’16 (Dr. Ronald Kaplan, Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
Maria Ruiz ’16 (Dr. Michelle Hastings, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Hannah Samberg ’16 (Dr. Amiel Rosenkranz, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Rahul Thakuri ’16 (Dr. Robert Marr, Dept of Neuroscience)
Brittany Avonts ’17 (Dr. Amiel Rosenkranz, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Joseph Bortolotti ’17 (Dr. Eugene Dimitrov, Dept of Physiology and Biophysics)
Kaityln Woodman ’17 (Dr. Joseph Reynolds, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology)
Class of Summer 2013
Rida Khan ’14 (Dr. Michelle Hastings, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy) (thesis, biology)
Anhar Mohamed ’14 (Dr. Janice Urban, Dept of Biophysics and Physiology) (thesis, neuroscience)
Kayla Sarkis ’14 (Dr. Amiel Rosenkranz, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Abigail Brownell ’15 (Dr. Russell Dahl, Dept of Neuroscience)
Yusuf Ismail ’15 (Dr. William Frost, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Jason McAloon ’15 (Dr. David Everly, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology)
Jacqueline Meyer ’15 (Dr. Kuei Tseng, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Alexander Morozov ’15 (Dr. Gulam Waris, Dept of Microbiology and Immunology)
Christian Silvestri ’15 (Dr. HongKyun Kim, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Johnathan Vinkavich ’15 (Dr. Antony West, Dept of Neuroscience)
Saul Bello Rojas ’16 (Dr. Kuei Tseng, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Heather Heitkotter ’16 (Dr. Amiel Rosenkranz, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology)
Ryan Porter ’16 (Dr. William Frost, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Maria Ruiz ’16 (Dr. Michelle Hastings, Dept of Cell Biology and Anatomy)
Class of Summer 2012
Anhar Mohamed ’14
Kim Diah ’13 (thesis)
Alexus Edmonds ’13
Chanalee Hocharoen ’13 (thesis)
Carli-Ann Pentz ’13
Samantha Pinto ’13*
Ashley Reich ’13 (thesis)
Kaila Stephens ’13 (thesis)
(*not pictured)
Class of Summer 2011
Rabia Khan ’14*
Sohail Khan ’14*
Lani Leong ’14*
Jody Buck ’13
Dillon Gilbow ’13
Gaelle Hollandbeck ’13
Ashley Reich ’13
Kaila Stephens ’13
Pascal Accoh ’12 (thesis)
Kayla Ahlstrand ’12
Daniella Brutman ’12 (thesis)
Kristi Johnson ’12
Pete Sullivan ’12 (thesis)
Shabana Yusufishaq ’12 (thesis)
(*not pictured)
Class of Summer 2010
Kristen Braun ’13
Ashley Reich ’13
Pascal Accoh ’12
Kristi Johnson ’12
Shabana Yusufishaq ’12
Jon Flaksman ’11
Lisa Pahomov ’11*
Ashleigh Porter ’11*
Will Press ’11*
Natalie Simak ’11
Derek Atchley ’10* (thesis)
Daryn Cass ’10* (thesis)
(*not pictured)
Class of Summer 2010
Pascal Accoh ’12
Shabana Yusufishaq ’12
David Konefal ’11
Ashleigh Porter ’11
Natalie Simak ’11
Britany Stern ’11
Shannon Wer Voert ’11
Derek Atchley ’10
Daryn Cass ’10
Bobby Hodges ’10
Stephanie Feld ’10
Paige Keasler ’10
CONTACT
Shubhik DebBurman
Professor of Biology
Chair, Neuroscience Program
847-735-6040
debburman@lakeforest.edu
Lynn C. Westley
Assistant Professor of Biology
847-735-6048
westley@lakeforest.edu