Brent obtained his bachelor’s degree in Physiology from the University of Arizona. After graduation, he gained significant clinical experience with a local urology practice before transitioning into urologic oncology research. As a lab manager, he advanced his overall research expertise, managed day-to-day lab operations, conducted collaborative and independent projects, and fostered a positive work environment. This role also enabled him to complete his MS degree in Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Brent is committed to making a meaningful impact in the field of myofilament research and contributing clinically significant discoveries. His responsibilities include managing mouse colonies, overseeing breeding, weaning, and genotyping processes. He will also handle lab ordering and ensure follow-through on projects. For genetically modified mice, Brent will maintain genotype information using the SoftMouse.net database and provide animals to lab members for blinded experiments. Additionally, he will assist with project budget management and submit expenditure reports to department business administrators via the Concur online tool. Originally from Long Beach, Brent now calls Tucson his home. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, cooking, and watching classic movies.
Megan graduated from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2023. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department of Cincinnati Children's Hospital, which has proven invaluable to her work with Dr. Sadayappan's team. Megan is deeply passionate about healthcare and research. Megan's responsibilities included mouse handling, colony management, genotyping, breeding, and working on long-term projects with Dr. Sadayappan's team. Originally from Tampa, FL, Megan enjoys traveling, cooking, and scuba diving. Her long-term goal is to become a research scientist.
Mr. Ericksen received his undergraduate degrees in Zoology and Secondary Education from Miami University, Oxford, OH. After graduating, he taught general science at Harrison Jr. School, Harrison, OH. Given the opportunity to attend graduate school at Miami University, he completed two years of course work, which laid the educational groundwork for the following three decades working as a laboratory research assistant at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. During this time, he contributed to many publications, including authorship of more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and numerous abstracts. His broad experience included a performance of animal, histological, molecular, and cellular experiments, as well as laboratory management and recruitment for clinical studies. For the last six years, he has been a Research Specialist in Quality Assurance and Compliance. He was pleased to return to bench work, joining the Sadayappan lab in February 2022, and greatly supporting the lab activities.
Dr. Lorenz received her M.S. in Endocrinology from UC Berkeley in 1986, and a Ph.D. in Physiology from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1990. After completing post- doctoral fellowships at the University of Michigan (with Dr. Josie Briggs) and University of Cincinnati (with Dr. Kenneth Clark), she joined the Department of Ob-Gyn at UC in 1995 as a Research Assistant Professor. From 1995-2001, she studied the roles of endothelial-derived vasoactive factors in the modulation of renal function and systemic and renal hemodynamics in rat and ovine pregnancy. After taking a 20-year hiatus from science, Dr. Lorenz returns to UC to work in Dr. Sadayappan’s lab, characterizing the effects of investigational compounds on cardiac function in transgenic mice. She was instrumental in managing IACUC protocol and surgical experiments.
Mr. Gulick received his undergraduate degree in Biology in 1979 from Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, MO, and a Master's in Biochemistry in 1983 from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. After graduating, he remained at the university in the lab of Dr. Jeff Robbins, studying chicken skeletal muscle. He then moved to the University of Cincinnati with the Robbins lab in 1985 as a Research Associate in the Department of Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics. In 1993, the lab transferred to Cincinnati Children’s to form the Department of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology. In all, he worked with Dr. Jeff Robbins for almost 40 years and has published 70 peer- reviewed articles. He is a highly skilled Research Scientist who can manage the lab with multiple technical skills. He has the formal training required to perform animal protocols, animal experiments, molecular and cellular analyses, and histopathological analyses. He provided support to the Sadayappan lab in performing gene cloning, recombinant protein expression, and cell culture.
Born in Massachusetts, Aaron comes from a military family where he traveled across the world and was exposed to many cultures. He also served in the armed forces himself and has taken those values and ethics into his work life. While working on his biotech certificate, Aaron had the opportunity to intern in a cancer research lab at Vanderbilt University where he discovered that he had a love for being in a research lab environment. During his internship, Aaron would secure a job in a pulmonary hypertension research lab working as a lab tech. Aaron began working on his Bachelor’s degree through online classes with Saint Leo University and would finally complete his degree while attending Xavier University. Aaron came to Dr. Sadayappan’s lab with experience in mouse handling and bench work, as well as a desire to learn and become better not only for himself, but for the lab team. He also managed all the FedEx shipments and trained undergraduate students in the lab. During his free time, Aaron works as a bouncer/bar back on the weekends, as well as spends time playing video games, watching movies, hanging out with friends and working on his recipes.
Michelle completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Cincinnati. She has been working at the university since 1995 where she specializes in surgical procedures including myocardial infarction, ischemia-reperfusion injury and transverse aortic constriction to induce cardiac hypertrophy in rodents. She worked closely with the Sadayappan lab since 2017. Michelle enjoys spending time with her family, attending her sons’ athletic events, and hiking.
Judy began her career as a Vet Tech/manager at a local animal practice. After working there for many years, she decided to get into animal husbandry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. From there, she moved into the research side of science, doing experiments in the lab. She has been in research roles now for over 15 years. Judy completed her Associate’s in Science and Humanities, Cum Laude, while working at the University of Cincinnati in 2021. Her skillsets are animal surgery, including rodent work/handling, molecular biology, cellular techniques, and lab management. We are excited for her to join the Sadayappan lab and become a valuable team member. In Judy’s free time, she enjoys camping and hiking at the Red River Gorge, working on her two Plymouth muscle cars, and taking them to car shows.
Lisa completed her Associates of Science in Biology and her Bachelors of Arts from Thomas More College while working full time at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). She began her career in the Veterinary Services Department in 1991 before joining the Department of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology in 1993 as a Research Assistant. In 2014 Lisa joined CCHMC’s Heart Institute Biorepository and learned about best practices for bio-specimen collections and storage. Lisa enjoys vacationing with her family; especially to Walt Disney World! She also enjoys gardening and reading in her spare time.
Born in the Middle East, Ethar immigrated to the United States in 2009 where a year later she would attend Wright College. In 2012, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. Ethar continued her studies at Wright, where she would go on to receive her Master’s degree in Physiology and Neuroscience. In the short period of time, Ethar learned several molecular and cellular techniques within a professional lab setting and was eager to hone her skills, while becoming a valuable asset to the team. Ethar spends her free time pursuing her passion for arts and crafts, in which she plans to open her own store one day entitled “Ethar’s Creativity”. Her other passions include Zumba, trying new recipes from other cultures, and reading biographies of people who have helped influence the world in a positive way.
Dianna specialized in Biology and spent three years of Bachelors studying Microbiology at University of Cincinnati after high school. She then worked at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (CCHMC) for over 22 years prior to joining our group. She began working in Veterinary Services at CCHMC in 1996 before joining the Division of Pulmonary Biology/Neonatology at CCHMC where she studied rare lung disease and the evaluation of GM- CSF in pathogenesis in mouse models of human diseases. During her 18 years in Pulmonary Biology, Diane played a leadership role in a GLP study for her lab, managed the rodent colony, worked daily with the labs NHP colony, and performed several techniques which provided blood/tissue samples for the labs presentations and publications. Diane enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, watching her son play select baseball for his traveling team, and vacationing near the ocean.
Angela received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Science in Education at Cleveland State University, where she also completed independent research. Angela joined the Sadayappan lab as a Research Assistant in February of 2016. She is a registered Veterinary Technician and is responsible for managing the mouse colony for the lab. Prior to joining University of Cincinnati, Angela was employed as an Animal Care Technician through Charles River Laboratories at the University of Chicago and earned an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology. In her personal life, Angela has worked with various species of animals including birds, cats, dogs, amphibians, reptiles, and rodents.
Jessica received her Bachelor in Science in Biology from Boston College in May 2015, and her Master of Science in Medical Physiology from Loyola University Chicago in May 2016. She then joined Dr. Sadayappan's lab in June 2016 as a Research Assistant, where she is studying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and assisting on other long-term projects. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys long walks on the beach, playing soccer, traveling, reading, and listening to music.
Aravind first started working in the Sadayappan lab as a summer intern in 2012, when he was a sophomore in college. In 2013, he received an APS Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship to initiate his own project. Aravind graduated in 2014 from Loyola University as a biophysics major and now works full-time in the lab as a Research Assistant focusing on population studies with the MYBPC3 gene.
Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, MBA, FAHA
Professor and Head
Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine
Associate Director, Sarver Heart Center
Czarina M. & Humberto S. Lopez Chair for Excellence in Cardiovascular Research
University of Arizona College of Medicine
Tucson, AZ 85724-5217, USA
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