Mescher Lab Graduate Student Alumni
Graduate Students
Pujya Agarwal, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2007
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Interleukin-12 and Interferon-α/β - Mediated Gene Regulation in Programming CD8+ T Cell Differentiation."
Current Position: Data Analyst/SAS Programmer, Minneapolis, MN
Contact Info: agar0050@umn.edu
Jessica Hatlevig-Bell, Ph.D.
Program: MCDB&G
Defense Year: 2006
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Agorin."
Current Position: Biology Faculty, Century College, White Bear, MN
Contact Info: jessica.bell@century.edu
Kerry Casey, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2009
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Third Signal Cytokines and Their Roles in CD8 T Cell Responses."
Current Position: Scientist II at MedImmune, Washington D.C.
Contact Info: caseyk@medimmune.com
Matthew Deeths, M.D., Ph.D
Program: Pathobiology
Defense Year: 1998
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Costimulation of CD8 Positive T Lymphocytes."
Current Position: Dermatologist, Mountain West Dermatology, Grand Junction, CO
Contact Info: (970) 242-7273
Michael Gerner, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2009
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Antigen Presentation and T Cell Activation During Cancer."
Current Position: Assistant Professor at University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Contact Info: gernermy@uw.edu
Christopher Hammerbeck, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2007
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Regulation of IL-7 Receptor Alpha Expression on CD8+ T Cells and Its Role in Reversing Activation-Induced Nonresponsiveness."
Current Position: Scientist, R&D Systems/Bio-Techne, Minneapolis, MN
Contact Info: cdhammerbeck@gmail.com
Paige Jensen, J.D, Ph.D.
Program: MCDB&G
Defense Year: 1997
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Regulation of the CD8 Receptor on Murine Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes."
Ross Kedl, Ph.D.
Program: Pathobiology
Defense Year: 1997
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Analysis of Primary and Memory CD8 Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses inVivo: Tracking an Antigen Specific Response."
Current Position: Professor at University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Denver CO
Contact Info: ross.kedl@ucdenver.edu
Flavia Popescu, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2007
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Targeting CD8 T Lymphocyte Activation for Tumor Immunotherapy Using Peptide Antigens and Cytokines."
Current Position: Research Associate,Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development (David Laraespada lab), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Contact Info: pope0014@umn.edu
Ee Loon Tham, Ph.D.
Program: BMBB
Defense Year: 2002
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "The Biochemical Basis for Activation-Induced Non-Responsiveness in CD8 T Cells."
Clint Schmidt, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2000
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "Interleukin-12 as an Adjuvant and Activation Signal for CD8 Positive T Lymphocytes in Vivo."
Current Position: Supervisor, Human Cellular Therapy Laboratory Division of Transfusion Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Contact Info: schmidt.clint@mayo.edu
Javier Valenzuela, Ph.D.
Program: MICaB
Defense Year: 2003
Advisor: Matthew Mescher
Dissertation Title: "The Roles of Interleukin-12 as a Third Signal for Clonal Expansion and Cytolytic Function of Naive CD8 T Cells."
Current Position: Clinical Research Associate, Houston, Texas