Lab Members

Scroll down to see some happy faces. Here's a snapshot of the outcomes of my past trainees:


Undergrads (2002-23; n= 64): 39 (med/dental school), 10 (grad school), 2 (dual-degree MD/PhD and DVM/PhD), 2 (technical position), 4 (workforce, teaching, consulting), 3 (whereabouts unknown), 5 (currently enrolled as UGA students).  ~50% of undergraduates have helped co-author peer-reviewed publications from the lab.   


Graduate Students (2004-23; n= 12):  9 completed a program of study then pursued paths in academia (3), industry/biotech (4), medical settings (2), or took a gap year (1). 3 did not complete a program of study then pursued alternative paths in teaching (2) and biotech (1).

PostDocs and Staff (2004-23; n=2): 2 PostDocs completed training and are now employed in academia (1) and industry (1). 2 former staff members advanced to new positions in academia (1) and teaching (1). 1 current staff member.

Current Members of the Schmidt Lab

Emily Hildebrandt, PhD

Research Coordinator

Lab: 2004-present

RESEARCH:

CaaX protein function;

Ydj1 biology

Khushi Patel
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2021-23
RESEARCH:
GGTase-I specificity

Ethan Leoni
GENE Undergrad
Lab: 2022-present
RESEARCH:
FTase specificity

Emily Mai
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2022-present
RESEARCH:
GGTase-I specificity

Kareena de Leon
MIBO Undergrad
Lab: 2023-present
RESEARCH:
Ydj1 biology

Nicholas Pope
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2024-present
RESEARCH:
TBD

This Could be YOU!

Undergrad & Grad positions available

Former Lab Members of the Schmidt Lab:

Former Grad Students, Post-Docs and Staff (chronologically ordered)

Victoria Rogers

MS

Lab: 2002-2004
Research Tech III

Seonil (Sunny) Kim

BS, Chung-Ang Univ.

Lab: 2004-2005

MSc (CBIO)

• NYU Grad School

• NYU Post-doc
• Colorado St. Faculty

John Deaton

PhD, Texas A& M

Lab: 2005-2007

Post-Doctoral Fellow

• Deerland Enzymes, VP Technology

Andrea Lapham

BS, Buena Vista Univ.

Lab: 2002-2007

Research Tech III

• GSU Instructor
• Health Promotion Coord., Ames, IA

Stephen Porter

BS, Mississippi St.

Lab: 2004-2007

• Univ. Miss. Pharmacy School

Ben Alper

BA/BS, Clemson Univ.

Lab: 2005-2009

PhD (BCMB)

• St. Judes, Postdoc

• Sacred Heart Univ. Faculty

Ranjith Krishnankutty

Med Coll Trivandrum, India

Lab: 2007-2009

MSc (BCMB)

• Univ. Penn Med

• NYMC Metropolitan Hosp., resident

Surya Manandhar

PhD, Kharkov St. Univ., Russia

Lab: 2006-2010

Post-Doctoral Fellow
• Cal St. Long Beach: Post-doc, Lecturer

David Mokry

BS, Univ. of Wisconsin

Lab: 2005-2010

PhD (BCMB)

• UNICAMP-Brazil, Postdoc

• Xylome, Sr. Scientist
• Promega, Sr. Scientist

Sayali Kukday

MS, Instit. of Science, India

Lab: 2008-2012

PhD (BCMB)

• UGA Biology, Instr.

• Iowa St., Lecturer

Derek Smith

MSc, Mercer Univ.

Lab: 2016-2017

• Gwinnett Teaching College, Instructor

Zahilys Soto-Arocho

BS, U Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Lab: 2017-2019
• RayBiotech Life, Inc., Marketing & Technical Support Specialist

Brittany Berger

BS, Eastern Michigan University

Lab: 2017-2021

PhD (BCMB)
• Medpace, Medical Writer

Ranjani Ravishankar
BEng, R.V. College of Engineering
Lab: 2017-2022
PhD (BCMB)
 • BridGene, Research Scientist

June Kim

BS, University of Georgia

Lab: 2018-2023

PhD (BCMB)
• New mom!

Anushka Sarkar

Integrated BS-MS, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata

Lab: 2019-2024

PhD (BCMB)
• Takeda Pharma., Regulatory Affairs

Former UGA 49xx Undergraduate Researchers (chronologically ordered)

Daniel Mandel
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2002-2003
(MCG PhD)

Thomas Wood
BCMB Undergrad
CURO Fellow
Lab: 2002-04
(MCG Med)

Tiffany Reed
BCMB Undergrad
CURO fellow
Lab: 2002
(UGA Vet Med; Purdue DVM; NIH CBSTP PhD)

Lisa Plummer
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2002-2004
(UNC)



Chris Freedman
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2003-2004
(CDC)

Tiffany Gartrell
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2004-2005
(Mercer Med)

Jay McCracken
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2004-2005
(MCG Med)

Amulya Nagarur
BCMB Undergrad
Foundation Fellow
Lab: 2004-2005
(Vanderbilt Med)

Tatyana Nienow
BCMB Undergrad
CURO Summer Fellow
CURO Distinction Award
Lab: 2004-2006
(Yale PhD; VSU MSc)

Sarah Breevoort
BCMB Undergrad
CURO Summer Fellow
Lab: 2005-2008
(UVA MD/PhD)

Shivan Bhatt
GENE Undergrad
CURO AP Scholar
Lab: 2005-2007
(MCG Med)

Helen King
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2005
(Mercer Med)

Jonathan Phillips
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2006-2007
(Rice Univ. PhD)

William "Billy" Jacobsen
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2006-2007
(MCG Med)

Amanda Castleberry
BIOL Undergrad
CURO AP Scholar
Lab: 2007-2008
(Case Western MSc)

Kristen Chicola
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2007-2009
(MCG Med)

Jarrad Rowse
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2007-2009
(MCG Med)

Anna Junco
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2008
(Mercer Med)

Marissa Ludley
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2008-2009
(MCG Dental)

Sara Pinosio
University of Udine, Italy
Lab: 2008
(Visiting Undergrad)

Summer Aldrugh
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2009-2011
(MCG Med)

Betsy Burris
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2009-2011
(MCG Med)

Edward Lilla
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2009-2011
(Duke PhD)

Nora Zeiden
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2009-2011
(MCG Med)

David Sorensen
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2011-2012
(Mercer Med)

Grant " Zach" Zachary
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2011-2012
(MCG Med)

Katie Hufstetler
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2012-2013
(MCG Med)

Robert MacDonell
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2012-2013
(MCG Med)

Nisha George
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2011-2012

Danny Hardgrove
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2013-2014
(MCG Med)

Dillon Davis
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2012-2014
(Genetic Counseling Program; Emory)

Will Saunders
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2012-2014, summer 2015
(MCG-UGA Med)

Colby Samuelson-Ruiz
CHEM Undergrad
CURO AP Scholar
Lab: 2011-2015
(UNC Med)

Jesse Hu
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2014-2015
(Wash U Med)

Kate McCarty
UGA Undergrad
Lab: 2013-2015
(MCG Med)

Cam Wagenbrenner
UGA Undergrad
Lab: 2015
(Mercer Med)

Alona Botnar
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2015-2015
(Grad School; UGA)

Michael Cheng
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2013-2016
(Emory Med)

June Kim
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2015-2017
(EITS @ UGA)

Jaye Cora
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2015-2016

Regina
Jaye's Service Dog
Lab: 2015-2016

Meet Patel
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2015-2017
(Mercer Med)

Michael Morgan
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2016
 (MCG Med)

Hunter Croxton
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2016
(MCG Dental)

Ian Davis
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2016-17
(MCG Dental)

Christina Najjar
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2016-2017
(MUSC Med)

Rohit Munagala
MIBO/GENE Undergrad
CURO Summer Fellow
Lab: 2015-2018
(MCG Med)

Ryan Peppenhorst
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2017
(Accenture Consulting)

Holly Presley
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2017
(UGA Grad)

Nicole Croxton
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2017-2018
(MCG Dental)

Courtney Bishop
CAES BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2018-2019
(U Louisville Dental)

Jacob Greenway
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2018-2019
(UAB Med)

Nick Sorensen
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2018-2019

Joyce Bui
CHEM Undergrad
 Lab: 2018-20
(Pinecrest Academy; GSU Grad)

Elizabeth Mayo
BIOL Undergrad
Lab: 2019

Grace Greenway
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2019-2020

(UAB Med)

Michelle Patel
CBIO Undergrad
Lab: 2020
(MCG Med Harrison Scholar)

Arnav Goyal
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2018-2021
(MCG Med Harrison Scholar)

Valery Prada
CBIO Undergrad
Lab: 2020-21

La Ryel Waldon
BCMB Undergrad
Lab: 2021-23

Sumil Shah
CBIO Undergrad
Lab: 2020-23

(Mercer Med)

Jenny Swope
BSCI Undergrad
 Lab: 2023-present
RESEARCH:
DUB prenylation
(Tulane Med)

Former Summer Interns (chronologically ordered)

Krzysztof Potempa
Summer intern
(via UGA)
Lab: 2002

Jasleen Singh
Summer intern
(via Northwestern)
Lab: 2002

Former Summer REU Students (chronologically ordered)

Pamela Freshley and
Chandra Moore
Summer REU Students
(via Albany St. and Clark Atlanta)
Lab: 2003

Ray Chen
Summer REU Student
(via Univ. Conn)
Lab: 2004

Phill Hardaway
Summer REU Student
(via Morehouse)
Lab: 2005

Regina Salvat
Summer REU Student
(via Cornell)
Lab: 2006

Nortorious Coleman

Summer REU Student

(via Clark Atlanta)

Lab: 2008

Ticia Watson
Summer REU Student
(via Clark Atlanta)
Lab: 2009

Group Photos (most recent are first):

April 2024

CURO
(Athens)

December 2023

Lab Lunch
(Athens)

May 2023

Dr. Kim Returns (Athens)

May 2023

Lab Lunch
(Athens)

May 2023

Dr. June Kim! (Athens)

April 2023

CURO Symposium

December 2022

Dr. Ravishankar! (Athens)

August 2022

More Dr. Ravishankar! (Athens)

August 2022

Goodbye Rajani! (Athens)

August 2022

Dr. Ravishankar! (Athens)

May 2022

Lab Lunch
(Athens)

April 2022

CURO Symposium
(Athens)

December 2021

Dr. Berger!
(Athens)

May 2021

post-vaccination lunch
(Athens)

Feb 2020

Snow during ILS site visit
(Athens)

Dec 2019

Lunch at Maepole (Athens)

June 2019

Beer and axes with Will! (Athens)

June 2019

Mini-lab reunion

Dillon and Lina's Wedding (Atlanta)

May 2019

Lab Lunch (Mama's Boy)

April 2018

CURO Symposium

December 2017

Lab Lunch (Grindhouse)

June 2017

Suprise visit by Dr. Kim

June 2017

Lab Camping Trip (N. GA)

June 2017

Lab Camping Trip (N. GA)

June 2017

Lab Camping Trip (N. GA)

March 2017

NYUAD trip (UAE)

December 2016

Lab Lunch (Taqueria del Sol)

October 2016

SACNAS side trip to visit Surya

March 2016

SERYM - 'Bama ; Awards Ceremony

March 2016

SERYM - 'Bama

December 2015
Lab Lunch (Post Lab Cleanup)

April 2013

CURO Symposium; I missed it :-(

March 2013

SERYM - Birmingham

August 2012

Sayali Graduates!

May 2012

Lab Lunch

December 2011

Ben and Dil's "Wedding"

August 2010

Graduation of Dr. Mokry!

March 2010

CURO Symposium

December 29, 2009

Sunny Jr (Colin)

October 2009
Ken Teter visits from UCF

November 2009
Lab Lunch

May 2009

Going Away Party

May 2009

Ben's PhD Graduation

April 2009
Pie a PI (or Isaac since dad was sick)

March 2009
SERYM - Vanderbilt

March 2009
SERYM - Vanderbilt

March 2009
Let it snow... 8+ inches!!

July 2008
GRC - GTPases

July 2008

GRC - GTPases

1st time golfing

March 2008

SERYM - UT Knoxville

September 2007

Sandy Creek picnic

September 2007
Sandy Creek picnic

July 2007
Oh crap, she's really leaving ?!?

April 2007
CURO Symposium

May 2006
Black Rock camping trip

The STORM!!

May 2006
Lab lunch

May 2005
Watson Mill Bridge picnic

April 2005
CURO Symposium

July 2004
Lab siliness

June 2004
Walter is at a meeting

January 2004

Lab lunch

Summer 2003

obligatory lab photo

Summer 2002

obligatory lab photo