Basic Sciences
Pharmacology
Predoctoral Training in Pharmacological Sciences
This Program broadens the research perspectives and skills of trainees interested in pharmacological research. It leverages the multidisciplinary biomedical research environment at UC Davis with its highly successful programs in drug development. One goal is to provide trainees with a detailed “inside look” at and understanding of drug development from target identification into clinic. The second goal is to provide students from Ph.D. programs outside the Pharmacology Ph.D. program training in the core concepts of Pharmacology including Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacokinetics. The Program fosters interactions among investigators and predoctoral fellows from different departments and Ph.D. programs that share an interest in pharmacological sciences. The Program increases understanding of and interest in the concepts, challenges, and opportunities in pharmacological research and therapeutics. It fosters collaborations between established research scientists in pharmacology and their future colleagues in basic and clinical research across academic, government and private sectors.
Students eligible to apply to the Pharmacology Training Program are in their first year of a graduate program listed below and are working on a thesis project related to pharmacology.
Other graduate groups can be considered on a case-by-case basis. The student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and be in good academic standing. The Training Program is supported by the NIH T32 GM144303 grant and internal funds at UC Davis.
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
Program Statistics
Pre- Ph.D. degree |
Trainees |
| Total trainees 2012-2027 | 88 |
| Currently in program | 15 |
| Graduated w/ PhD | 50 |
| Still in graduate school | 29 |
| Average Time to degree | 5.3 years |
Post-graduation |
|
| Academic | 40% |
| Industry | 24% |
| Other | 10% |
Program Directors
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Johannes W. Hell, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Tupper Hall Building
Room 2419D
Davis, CA 95616-8636
Phone: 530-752-6540
Email: jwhell@ucdavis.edu -
Manuel Navedo, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Tupper Hall Building
Room 2419A
Davis, CA 95616-8636
Phone: 530-752-6880
Email: mfnavedo@health.ucdavis.edu -
Eamonn Dickson, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Physiology & Membrane
Tupper Hall Building
Room 4446
Davis, CA 95616-8636
Phone: 530-752-6195
Email: ejdickson@health.ucdavis.edu
Current Trainees - 2026-2027
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Athena Aragon
Ph.D., Integrative Pathobiology, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2030
Trainer: Yuanpei Li
Research Project Title: "Development of a Novel Dual PD-L1/VEGFR Small Molecule Inhibitor for Metastatic EGFR-Resistant Non-small cell lung cancer."
Brief description of Project: Athena's research project focuses on overcoming acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Her work aims to simultaneously disrupt the VEGFR-driven angiogenic and PD-L1/PD-1 immune evasion pathways that converge to drive disease progression, using a novel dual-targeting small molecule inhibitor as a more mechanistically coordinated and accessible alternative to combination therapy.
Athena is a PhD student in Dr. Yuanpei Li's lab in the Integrative Pathobiology program at UC Davis, where her work is driven by a desire to translate research into treatments that improve outcomes for patients with cancer. She came to graduate school after four years as a research technician in the Gawad lab at Stanford studying treatment resistance in pediatric leukemia, and holds a BS in Human Biology from UC Santa Cruz.
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Shruti Arora
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year Entered 2023, Projected 2028
Trainer: Davis Olson
Research Project Title: "Addressing Functional Unblinding in Psychedelic Clinical Trials: Novel Approaches to Placebo Control."
Brief description of Project: Psychedelics have recently emerged as promising therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders, demonstrating rapid and sustained benefits even after a single dose. However, their profound subjective effects pose significant challenges for achieving effective blinding in clinical trials. This proposal introduces two novel placebo strategies designed to address the issue of unblinding and advance the development of psychedelic medicine.
I'm an MD/PhD candidate who grew up in Pennsylvania and traded the Northeast for the Midwest to do my undergrad at the University of Michigan (go Blue). My scientific obsession is the brain — specifically the messy, still-mysterious biology behind psychiatric illness. I'm fascinated by the gap between what we can observe (a patient in crisis) and what we actually understand (the molecular machinery driving that crisis). My goal is to help close that gap: to dig into the mechanisms underlying disorders like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, and ultimately help build better pharmacological tools to treat them.
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Nancy Daoud
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2028
Trainer: Angie Gelli
Research Project Title: "Development and Optimization of Peptides as Potent Antifungal Agents."
Brief description of Project: Nancy’s dissertation research focuses on developing and optimizing novel antifungal peptide drugs to treat mycoses caused by opportunistic pathogens. Her work aims to expand the limited therapeutic options currently available for fungal diseases by improving the efficacy, selectivity, and safety of the antifungal peptides.
She has received her pharmaceutical chemistry Bachelor's Degree from UC Davis. Outside of lab research, she enjoys painting, walking in the arboretum, and playing video games.
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Bella Doherty*
Ph.D., Biophysics, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2028
Trainer: Ele Grandi
Research Project Title: "In Silico Investigation of Atrial Electromechanical Dysfunction and Arrhythmogenesis in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus."
Brief description of Project: This project uses biophysically detailed computational models to investigate how Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus remodels the electrical and mechanical properties of human atrial cells, ultimately increasing susceptibility to atrial fibrillation. By simulating ion channel behavior, calcium handling, and myofilament mechanics across multiple biological scales, the work aims to identify therapeutic targets for a population at disproportionate risk for cardiac arrhythmia.
Born and raised in LA County, I headed north to UC Davis for my BS in Aerospace Engineering and then transitioned into the Biophysics PhD program after graduating in 2024. Outside of the lab, I enjoy rock climbing, swimming, and drawing.
*Bella was awarded the American Heart Association Pre-doc award starting July 1, 2026. She still actively participates on PT32 meetings and activities.
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Jorge Gonzalez
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2029
Trainer: Crystal Ripplinger, Padmini Sirish
Research Project Title: "Whole heart imaging of autonomic signaling and sex differences in cAMP dynamics."
Brief description of Project: Our whole-heart imaging approach is able to capture the complex, heterogeneous dynamics of autonomic signaling, downstream cAMP dynamics, and functional activity. Previous research in our lab discovered that cAMP breakdown is modulated differently at different regions of the heart in a sex-dependent manner. My project will use this technique to assess how ovarian hormones influence sex-dependent regional cAMP activity in the heart.
I’m a first-generation Chicano and college graduate from the SLO County area. I studied biochemistry before moving to Davis to pursue biomedical engineering. As I transition from coursework to research, I look forward to new techniques and experiences.
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Jaewon Heo
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2029
Trainer: Elva Diaz
Research Project Title: "Rescue of SynDIG4 Expression using CRISPRa to Restore Synaptic Function in Alzheimer's model neurons."
Brief description of Project: We aim to characterize the role of Synaptic Differentiation-Induced Gene 4 (SynDIG4) in Alzheimer's Disease(AD), a protein crucial for proper excitatory neuron function. Using CRISPR-based techniques, we will rescue SynDIG4 expression in various model systems of AD and assess changes in disease-relevant phenotypes. In doing so, we will explore the viability of SynDIG4 as a pharmacological target in AD, and further elucidate the mechanisms of SynDIG4 more generally.
Beyond my career in molecular neuroscience, I have worked as a sushi chef, a DJ, and a camera repairman.
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Mara Hon
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2030
Trainer: Bethany Cummings
Research Project Title: "The Role of Pancreatic α-Cell GLP-1 Production in GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment."
Brief description of Project: My research aims to investigate the actions of GLP-1 receptor agonist and multi-agonist drugs such as semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide and establish their effects on the ability of the α-cell to alter its secretion identity from glucagon to GLP-1 production, aiding in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Additionally, I aim to determine the permanency of this shift in α-cell identity in order to further understand the effects of GLP-1RA treatment course and cessation on the α-cell.
I was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai’i and moved to NYC to do my undergraduate in neuroscience at Columbia University. I love traveling, cooking, and trying new crafts- I'm currently learning how to sew!
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Colton Kelley
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2030
Trainer: Johannes Hell
Research Project Title: "The regulation of the L-Type Calcium Channel CaV1.2 by ATP through the P2 family of Purinergic receptors."
Brief description of Project: The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family of membrane transporter protein serves as efflux pumps that limit the intracellular drug accumulation, leading to multidrug resistance (MDR) and therapy failure. Using our lab's bioengineered RNA molecules with versitile payload miRNAs, we can downregulate a panel of ABC transporters to inhibit MDR.
Hi all, I'm originally from the bay area, San Mateo, and previously graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor of science in BioChemical Engineering. I'm now part of the Pharamacology & Toxicology graduate group.
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Frank Mao
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2030
Trainer: Aiming Yu
Research Project Title: "Overcoming ABC-Mediated MDR with miRNA Therapeutic and Potential Synergism."
Brief description of Project: My project will investigate the regulation of CaV1.2, the L-type calcium channel, by ATP through P2-family receptors, especially the Gs-coupled P2Y11 receptor. My project will combine biochemical analysis of the effects of ATP on Cav1.2 phosphorylation and electrophysiological and biophysical activity through single-channel patch clamp. I will utilize pharmacologic blocks of specific P2-family receptors to isolate the different ATP-mediated cellular signaling pathways.
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and after doing my undergraduate in Neuroscience at Baylor University, I decided to attend UC Davis due to its strong research on neuronal plasticity. Outside the lab, I am an avid hiker and rock climber. My favorite hobbies are making coffee and being terrorized by my cat.
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Dacotah Northcroft
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2030
Trainer: Yale Goldman, Dan Starr, and Gant Luxton
Research Project Title: "Generating Peptide Therapeutics for SYNE-1 associated Emery Dreifuss-Muscular Dystrophy."
Brief description of Project: My project centers on understanding how common Emery Driefuss Muscular Dystrophy mutations in the SYNE-1 gene disrupt nuclear positioning in skeletal muscle cells and seeks to generate peptide therapeutics to ameliorate these disruptions.
Aside from science, my greatest loves in life are cooking and camping, ideally at the same time.
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Chloe Pressley
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2029
Trainer: Eamonn Dickson
Research Project Title: "JPH3 as an Organizer of Cholesterol-Handling ER–PM Contact Sites in Neurons."
Brief description of Project: My project seeks to understand how cholesterol metabolism is regulated and controlled at membrane contact sites in health and disease.
I am from Northern Virginia near Washington DC and love doing anything related to art, food, or animals. I used to study inorganic chemistry, but I am very excited to have been brought to the dark side that is the life sciences. My favorite topics to discuss are my dog, music analyses, and the state of the world from perspectives outside of my own.
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Kelsey Racacho*
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year Entered 2023, Projected 2028
Trainer: Yuanpei Li
Research Project Title: "A Novel Approach to Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: PIP5K1 Inhibition as a Strategy to Suppress PI3K/AKT and PLC Pathways."
Brief description of Project: The development of a first-in-class small-molecule inhibitor targeting PIP5K1β for the treatment of aggressive cancers, with a focus on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Collaborated with medicinal chemists to guide structure–activity relationship studies using cell-based toxicity and inhibition assays, leading to the identification of a selective lead compound with anti-tumor activity in both in vitro and in vivo TNBC models. This work supports a novel therapeutic strategy that modulates the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to address an unmet need in TNBC treatment.
I like to collect Sonny Angels and take my cat on nature walks.
*Kelsey was awarded the NIH CTSC T32 award starting October 1, 2026. She still actively participates on PT32 meetings and activities.
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Nick Vaughan
Ph.D., Neuroscinece, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2029
Trainer: Judy Van de Water
Research Project Title: "Targeting Maternal Immune Activation to Improve Offspring Neurodevelopmental Outcomes."
Brief description of Project: Changes in the maternal gestational immune environment, including inflammation or immune dysregulation, can alter fetal brain development and increase the risk for certain neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we will investigate whether pharmacological modulation of TLR4 signaling during gestation using a TLR4 agonistic monoclonal antibody, that has been previously found to reprogram innate immunity to a regulatory phenotype, can improve offspring behavioral and neuroimmune outcomes in a polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) mouse model of maternal inflammation during pregnancy. Targeted pharmacological modulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway will elucidate the role of maternal immune activation in altered fetal neurodevelopment as well as provide a path to advance precision medicine therapeutics for NDD including ASD.
Nick graduated from Columbia University in 2022 with a BA in Neuroscience and Behavior. He is currently a Neuroscience graduate student in the combined MD/PhD program at UC Davis School of Medicine in the laboratory of Dr. Judy Van de Water. Outside of lab he enjoys camping, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, and spending time with his family (including a four legged best friend).
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Paloma Velez
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year Entered 2025, Projected 2030
Trainer: Theanne Griffith
Research Project Title: "NaV1.2 contributes to somatosensory circuit development."
Brief description of Project: Because the voltage gated sodium channel NaV1.2 was thought to be found only in the brain and spinal cord, the clinical symptoms of NaV1.2 disorders -- such as autism and epilepsy -- were attributed to NaV1.2 loss-of-function within the central nervous system. However, patient families have consistently reported sensory processing abnormalities, which is supported by our data showing that mutant mice have reduced sensitivity to painful cold, hot, and mechanical stimuli. These findings suggest that the proper functioning of NaV1.2 is required for stimuli detection, thus I will be characterizing the contributions of NaV1.2 to somatosensory circuit development and its role in the peripheral nervous system.
I played soccer (badly) for twelve years.
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Hannah Voorhees
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year Entered 2024, Projected 2038
Trainer: Madeline Nieves-Cintron
Research Project Title: "Mechanisms regulating CaV1.2 activity and excitation-transcription coupling in VSMCs."
Brief description of Project: My research focuses on uncovering novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases by investigating vascular physiology across multiple biological scales. Using transgenic models and complementary techniques, I study how protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation of CaV1.2 at a single amino acid site drives calcium channel hyperactivity and pathological transcriptional remodeling during diabetic hyperglycemia and hypertension.
I am a first-generation PhD candidate in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP) graduate program working with the UC Davis School of Medicine Department of Pharmacology. Originally from Lake Tahoe, I enjoy spending time outdoors paddle boarding, climbing, and hiking when I’m not in the Lab.
School of Medicine
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
- Carraway, Kermit
- Ghosh, Paramita M.
- Lam, Kit
- Segal, David J.
- Yu, Aiming
Institute for Regenerative Cures
- Nolta, Jan
Internal Medicine
- Chiamvimonvat, Nipavan
Molecular Biosciences
- Cortopassi, Gino
Neurology
- Rogawski, Mike
Neurology, Center for Neuroscience
- Gray, John
Orthopedic Surgery
- Christiansen, Blaine
Pediatrics
- Pinkerton, Kent E.
- Tarantal, Alice
Pharmacology
- Bers, Donald M.
- Bossuyt, Julie
- Chen-Izu, Ye
- Diaz, Elva
- Gelli, Angie
- Hell, Johannes W.
- Navedo, Manuel
- Ripplinger, Crystal M
- Wulff, Heike
- Xiang, Kevin
Physiology and Membrane Biology
- Dickson, Eamonn
- Sack, Jon
- Santana, Fernando
- Vorobyov, Igor
- Zheng, Jie
Psychiatry
- Noctor, Stephen
Psychology
- Trainor, Brian C.
School of Veterinary Medicine
Anatomy - Physiology
- Raybould, Helen
- Van Winkle, Laura
Molecular Biosciences
- Angelastro, James
- Havel, Peter J.
- Knych, Heather
- Lein, Pamela J.
- Pessah, Isaac N.
Surgery/Radiology
- Chen, Xinbin
Veterinary Medicine - Epidemiology
- Griffiths, Leigh
College of Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
- Panitch, Alyssa
- Simon, Scott
College of Letters and Sciences
Chemistry
- Ames, James
- Olson, David
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Entomology
- Hammock, Bruce
College of Biological Sciences
Neurology/Physiology
- Bodine, Sue C.
- Goldman, Mark S.
- Huising, Mark
- Zito, Karen
School of Medicine
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Neurology
Pharmacology
School of Veterinary Medicine
Molecular Biosciences
Leif Anderson
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2012, Graduated Fall 2018
Research Project Title: “Engineering the innate immune response to combat Staphaureus infection.”
Trainer: Scott Simon
Eden Barragan
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year entered 2015, Graduated Fall 2021
Research Project Title: “Genetic Manipulation of the NMDA receptor Co-agonist Site.”
Trainer: John Gray
Anastasia Berg
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2014, Graduated Summer 2020
Research Project Title: “Targeting apoptosis-resistant breast cancer stem cells with an amiloride derivative.”
Trainer: Kermit Carraway
Ruben Berumen
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2022, Projected 2027
Research Project Title: “Molecular mechanisms of attention using behavioral tasks with mutant S1928 and S845 mice.”
Trainer: Johannes Hell
Trey Brasher
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2022, Projected 2027
Research Project Title: “Synthesis and Evaluation of Putative Anti-Parkinsons 5HT-2a/2c Partical Agonists: Derivitization of Phenethylamine Ariadne.”
Trainer: Mark Mascal
Brandon Brown
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2011, Graduated Winter 2015
Research Project Title: “The Design of Anti-Hypertensive KCa3.1 Activators Modulating the EDH Pathway and Their Effects on the Immune System.”
Trainer: Heike Wulff
Alejandro Castaneda
Ph.D., Immunology, Year entered 2011, Graduated Fall 2016
Research Project Title: ”Assessing the use of Dendritic Cell Inhibitors to Reduce Allergic Sensitization and Particulate Matter Toxicity.”
Trainer: Kent Pinkerton
Noemi Castro
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2020, Awarded M.S. Degree Spring 2026
Research Project Title: "Engaging lysosome-dependent cell death to target therapy-resistant breast cancer cells."
Trainer: Kermit Carraway
Azariah Coblenz
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2024, Projected 2029
Research Project Title: "Illuminating the mechanisms that regulate non-ionotropic NMDA receptor signaling in synaptic plasticity."
Trainer: Karen Zito
Nathan Cook
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2022, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: "Functional Beta Cell heterogeneity and Diabetes."
Trainer: Mark Huising
Joseph Cronin
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2021, Graduated Spring 2026
Research Project Title: "Bioengineering Novel Humanized RNA-let-7 Prodrugs to Modulate ADME Gene Expression, Anticancer Drug Exposure, and Therapeutic Outcomes."
Trainer: Aiming Yu
John Dawson
Ph.D., Biophysics, Year entered 2017, Graduated Spring 2022
Research Project Title: "In search of molecular mechanisms for drug-induced cardiac arrhythmias via atomistic simulations."
Trainer: Igor Vorobyov
Nicole De Jesus
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2010, Graduated Fall 2015
Research Project Title: “The Role of Inflammation in Electrophysiological Remodeling and Arrhythmogenesis Following Myocardial Infarction.”
Trainer: Crystal Ripplinger
Peter Deng
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2014, Graduated Fall 2020
Research Project Title: “Nanoparticle delivery of TALEs in a transgenic mouse model of Huntington’s disease.”
Trainer: David Segal
Tory Edwards
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2021, Graduated Spring 2026
Research Project Title: "Molecular targets of empagliflozin in diabetic and failing cardiomyocytes."
Trainer: Don Bers
Cyrrus Espino
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2020, Graduated Summer 2025
Research Project Title: “The role of NaVβ4 in proprioceptor excitability and behavior.”
Trainer: Theanne Griffth
Juan Flores
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2017, Graduated Spring 2024
Research Project Title: "Mechanisms of Saturation of LTP at Single Dendritic Spines."
Trainer: Karen Zito
Samantha Francis Stuart
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2014, Graduated Summer 2019
Research Project Title: “The Role of TSPO and Myocardial Inflammation in Incidence of Cardiac Arrhythmia.”
Trainer: Crystal Ripplinger
Chase Garcia
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2019, Awarded D.V.M. Degree Spring 2026
Research Project Title: "Testing the Efficacy of Pharmacologic Shc Inhibitors as Insulin Sensitizers for Treating Alzheimer's Disease."
Trainer: Gino Cortopassi
Natalie Gilmore
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2023, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: "JAK inhibition and postnatal tendon development and recovery from injury."
Trainer: Kieth Baar
Amanda Guevara
Ph.D., Molecular, Cell and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2018, Graduated Fall 2023
Research Project Title: "Nicotine Exposure and Cardiac Arrhythmia."
Trainer: Crystal Ripplinger
Michelle Guignet
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2014, Graduated Fall 2019
Research Project Title: “The effect of the small anti-apoptotic molecule P7C3-A20 on neurodegeneration following acute organophosphate intoxication with DFP.”
Trainer: Pamela Lein
Geir Hareland
Ph.D., Biophysics, Year entered 2022, Awarded M.S. Degree Spring 2025
Research Project Title: “Design of encoded peptide modulators as pain therapeutics, biologics to diminish nociceptor firing.”
Trainer: Jon Sack
Peter Henderson
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2011, Graduated Winter 2017
Research Project Title: “How the Tyrosine Kinases Pyk2 and Src are Involved in the Regulation of Cav1.2 Activity by PKC.”
Trainer: Johannes Hell
Anthony Herren
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2009, Graduated Winter 2015
Research Project Title: “CaMKII Based Regulation of the Cardiac Voltage Gated Na+ Channel.”
Trainer: Donald Bers
Brad Hobson
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2011, Graduated Fall 2018
Research Project Title: “Investigating the Anti-Inflammatory Compound TRAM-34 as Neuroprotective in Acute Organophosphate Intoxication.”
Trainer: Pamela Lein
Ryan Hogans
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2020, Graduated Spring 2025
Research Project Title: “The role of senescent endothelial cell extracellular vesicles in blood-brain barrier dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease.”
Trainer: Pam Lein
Jessica Huang
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2016, Graduated Spring 2022
Research Project Title: “The role of somatostatin in maintaining beta cell identity and function.”
Trainer: Mark Huising
Ariel Jacobi
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year entered 2019, Awarded M.D. Degree Spring 2026
Research Project Title: "Functional Characterization of the AMPAR-Cav1.2 Interaction."
Trainer: Johannes Hell
Joseph Jilek
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2014, Graduated Summer 2018
Research Project Title: “Harnessing microRNA for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy: Elucidating Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Novel Bioengineered miRNA Prodrugs.”
Trainer: Aiming Yu
Ian Kimball
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2013, Graduated Spring 2021
Research Project Title: “Structure-function relationship of an endogenous modulator of sodium channel pharmacology.”
Trainer: Jon Sack
Sean Kodani
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2012, Graduated Winter 2018
Research Project Title: “Dual sEH/FAAH Inhibition as a Therapeutic Approach for Targeting Hepatic Fibrosis.”
Trainer: Bruce Hammock
Anna Kreutz
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year entered 2012, Graduated Spring 2018
Research Project Title: ”Pharmacological attenuation of maternal immune activation mediated via microglia in the developing neocortex.”
Trainer: Stephen Noctor
Garreck H. Lenz
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year entered 2019, Graduated Fall 2025
Research Project Title: "Pharmacological characterization of kappa/mu opioid receptor heterodimer activity using a novel kappa-opioid receptor activity sensor."
Trainer: Jennifer Whistler
Annabella Lynch
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2023, Graduated Fall 2025
Research Project Title: "PKPD of Tapentadol in Horses."
Trainer: Heather Knych
MJ Marshall
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2023, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: "NSAID-mediated cyclooxygenase inhibition disrupts ectodermal derivative formation in axolotl embryos."
Trainer: Crystal Rogers
Joseph Martinez
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year entered 2016, Graduated Summer 2022
Research Project Title: "The Role of β2-Adrenergic Receptors in the Regulation of α-synuclein expression in Parkinson’s disease."
Trainer: Yang Kevin Xiang
Emily Misnick
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2016, Awarded M.S. Degree Spring 2019
Research Project Title: “Vascular regeneration after vessel injury by endothelial cell recruitment with antiplatelet and antithrombotic collagen-binding molecule LXW7-DS-SILY.”
Trainer: Alyssa Panitch
Ulrik Mjaaseth
Ph.D., Nutritional Biology, Year entered 2021, Awarded M.S. Degree Summer 2024
Research Project Title: "Src Homology 2 Containing Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 2’s (SHP2) Expression in Alzheimer’s Disease and its Potential as a Therapeutic Target."
Trainer: Fawaz Haj
Lily Mott
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2021, Graduated Summer 2026
Research Project Title: "Illuminating cellular signaling in the intact heart."
Trainer: Crystal Ripplinger
Sucheta Mukherjee
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2009, Graduated Fall 2015
Research Project Title: “Evaluating MUS81-EME1 as a Novel Anti-Cancer Therapeutic Target.”
Trainer: Wolf-Dietrich Heyer
Kaitlin Murray
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2018, Graduated Fall 2023
Research Project Title: “Deciphering the functional afferent signaling pathways in neuro-immune communication and evaluating the therapeutic potential compared to efferent pathway stimulation."
Trainer: Colin Reardon
Joshua Nasburg
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year Entered 2019, Graduated Fall 2024
Research Project Title: "Pharmacological Modulation of the Calcium-activated K+ Channel KCa3.1 via Small Molecules and Biologics."
Trainer: Heike Wulff
Bryan Nguyen
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2021, Graduated Spring 2025
Research Project Title: "Engineered Blood-Brain Barrier on a Chip Model to Study Extracellular Vesicle Transport Mechanisms for Treating Glioblastoma."
Trainer: Randy Carney
Chuong Nguyen
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2012, Graduated Fall 2018
Research Project Title: “Effects of Serotonin Transporter Inhibition on Regenerative Ability of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Wound Healing.”
Trainer: Rivkah Isseroff
Glyn Noguchi
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2015, Graduated Fall 2021
Research Project Title: “Evaluating the pancreatic delta cell as a diabetic control center.”
Trainer: Mark Huising
Samantha O’Dwyer
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2015, Graduated Spring 2020
Research Project Title: “The physiological implications of BIN1 clustering L-type CaV1.2 channels in vascular smooth muscle.”
Trainer: Luis Santana
Andres Orea
Ph.D., Microbiology, Year entered 2023, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: “The design and efficacy of therapeutic peptides for the treatment of invasive fungal disease.”
Trainer: Angie Gelli
Noah Pacifici
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year Entered 2017, Graduated Summer 2022
Research Project Title: "Unraveling the mysteries of vomocytosis for development of a lymph node-targeting microparticle vaccine."
Trainer: Jamal Lewis
Maria Paz Prada
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2013, Graduated Fall 2018
Research Project Title: ”P2Y11-dependent mechanisms of diabetic vascular dysfunction.”
Trainer: Manuel Navedo
Brandon Pressly
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2015, Graduated Spring 2020
Research Project Title: “Design of a K2P1 Channel Inhibitor for Hypokalemia-associated Arrhythmia.”
Trainer: Heike Wulff
Kelsey Racacho
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2023, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: “Development of a novel PIP5K1b small molecule inhibitor in TNBC.”
Trainer: Yuanpei Li
Sunil Sahdeo
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2012, Graduated Spring 2014
Research Project Title: “Discovery and characterization of compounds that rescue Friedreich’s Ataxia biochemical defects in vitro and in vivo.”
Trainer: Gino Cortopassi
Sophia Salbato
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2022, Projected 2027
Research Project Title: “Impact of e-cigarette vapor on vascular cAMP signaling and its functional consequences.”
Trainer: Madeline Nieves-Cintron
Anais Saunders
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2021, Graduated Spring 2026
Research Project Title: “Functional Genetic Screens of TP53 Somatic Variants Reveal Context-Dependent Therapeutic Rescue and Variant Fitness.”
Trainer: Jeremy Chien
Sierra Schreiber
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2020, Graduated Spring 2025
Research Project Title: “Establishing a Pulmonary Neuroimmune Pathway.”
Trainer: Colin Reardon
Brandon Selz
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2020, Graduated Spring 2025
Research Project Title: “GPCR Endocytosis Mediates Shuttling of Phosphodiesterase to Modulate Nuclear cAMP Signaling and Gene Expression.”
Trainer: Kevin Xiang
Diana Sernas
Ph.D., Integrative Genetics and Genomics, Year entered 2019, Graduated Summer 2024
Research Project Title: "Harnessing two-component signaling systems for targeted therapeutics and diagnostics in mammalian cells."
Trainer: Sean Collin
Shahin Shams
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2018, Graduated Winter 2023
Research Project Title: "Localized activation of a robust proangiogenic cascade via Cas9 encapsulating lentivectors."
Trainer: Eduardo Silva
Rahaf Shishani
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2021, Projected 2026
Research Project Title: "A Novel Role for 14-3-3-ζ in Regulating Islet Cell Crosstalk."
Trainer: Bethany Cummings
Landon Sims
Ph.D., Molecular Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year entered 2020, Awarded M.S. Degree Spring 2025
Research Project Title: “Pharmacologic FGF21 in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis Pathogenesis.”
Trainer: Karen Ryan
Heather Spooner
Ph.D., Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Year Entered 2019, Graduated Summer 2024
Research Project Title: "BIN1 upregulation disrupts CaV1.2 trafficking and underlies adrenergic hypo-responsivity in the aging heart."
Trainer: Rose Dixon
Scott Tiscione
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2016, Graduated Spring 2020
Research Project Title: “Misregulation of store-operated calcium entry in a human neurodegenerative disorder.”
Trainer: Eamonn Dickson
Nikki Tjahjono
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2019, Graduated Fall 2025
Research Project Title: "A Novel Imaging Platform for Monitoring Drug-Modulated Synaptic Plasticity."
Trainer: Lin Tian
Gavin Traber
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2020, Graduated Spring 2024
Research Project Title: “Assessment of Novel Bioengineered MiR-7-5p Prodrug for the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.”
Trainer: Aiming Yu
Kim Truong
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2012, Graduated Winter 2019
Research Project Title: ”Do astrocytes mitigate or promote tetramethylenedisulfotetramine-triggered excitotoxicity and neuropathology?”
Trainer: Isaac Pessah
Allen Tu
Ph.D., Immunology, Entered 2019, Graduated Fall 2024
Research Project Title: "Microparticle-mediated generation of tolerogenic dendritic cells to induce antigen-specific tolerance in Rheumatoid Arthritis."
Trainer: Jamal Lewis
Samantha Tucci
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, Year entered 2014, Graduated Fall 2018
Research Project Title: “Locally activated novel nanotherapeutics in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.”
Trainer: Katherine Ferrara
Max Vargas
Ph.D., Neuroscience, Year Entered 2017, Graduated Spring 2023
Research Project Title: "How steroid hormones influence neural plasticity."
Trainer: David Olson
Stephen Vito
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2009, Awarded M.S. Degree Fall 2014
Research Project Title: “Investigation of Potential Therapeutic Strategies to Mitigate Toxicity Induced by the Convulsant Poison Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine.”
Trainer: Bruce Hammock
Taylor Voelker
Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Year entered 2018, Graduated Winter 2023
Research Project Title: "Phosphoinositide regulation of Cav1.2 L-type calcium channel and EC-coupling in the heart."
Trainer: Rose Dixon
Katherine Wang
Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Year entered 2023, Projected 2028
Research Project Title: “The Impact of Bacteria-specific 4-thiouridine (s4U) Modification on Novel Bioengineered let-7e-5p in Lung Cancer.”
Trainer: Aiming Yu
Gillian Wright
Ph.D., Microbiology, Year entered 2020, Awarded M.S. Degree Winter 2023
Research Project Title: “Butyrate supplementation prevents microbiota-gut-brain axis deficits in pediatric IBD.”
Trainer: Melanie Gareau
Trainees will participate in the following courses and activities:
- Students that have not taken PTX 201 or an equivalent basic graduate level pharmacology course covering pharmacokinetics/dynamics will be offered custom-tailored four two-hour modules on this topic;
- Enrollment in the graduate-level course Drug Discovery and Development (PHA 207, 3 credits), unless trainee can show evidence of completion of an analogous course;
- Participation in the interactive course Problem Solving in Pharmacology (PHA205, 1 credit; each Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarter for two years);
- Attendance of the monthly seminar series Frontiers in Pharmacology and the monthly PTX Seminars series;
- Participation in a monthly chalk talk during which trainees discuss their research advances and challenges;
- Participation in two clinical case study discussions (each summer quarter);
- Participation in one luncheon meeting in Winter and two meetings in Summer to discuss T32-related issues and to continue training in Responsible Conduct in Research;
- Participation in the annual retreat;
- Students that have not taken the general UC Davis Responsible Conduct in Research or an equivalent course when admitted to the program must do so within their first year in this Training Program.
Students and their faculty trainers need to commit to participate in this program for 2 years (including participation in Problem Solving in Drug Development, the once-a-month seminar, monthly chalk talks, and the yearly retreats).
The Pharmacology Training Program Predoctoral trainee positions will be available for one year periods, from July 1 to June 30. This fellowship includes a yearly stipend, a small allowance for trainee-related expenses, and partial student fees. The appointment will be renewed for a second year if the student has made good progress during the first year and if sufficient funds are available.
Applications will be reviewed on an annual basis by a committee appointed by the Program Director. The committee typically consists of members of the Pharmacology Training Grant Executive Committee. Selection is based on academic performance in undergraduate and graduate school, GRE scores, the relevance of the trainee’s proposed research and career goals to pharmacology, and the trainee’s potential to benefit from and contribute to the pharmacology training program.
We anticipate that predoctoral trainee positions will be available starting July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. This predoctoral fellowship includes a yearly stipend, anticipated to be around $28,000, a small allowance for trainee-related expenses, and covers most of the tuition and fees. Contingent on the competitive renewal of the current T32, whose 5-year period ends June 30, 2027, fellowships will be renewed for a second year if progress during the first year is appropriate. The number of slots awarded will be subject to NIH funding received for 2026-2027, but we anticipate having 6 new trainee slots based on our previously approved NIH Notice of Award. Top priority will be given to students, who are currently in their first year of a graduate program affiliated with the Pharmacology T32 (Pharmacology and Toxicology; Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology; Neuroscience; Biomedical Engineering) at the time of application. Student should be working on a thesis project related to pharmacology. Applicants from other graduate groups will be fully considered if their thesis project is broadly related to pharmacology. Students in their currently second year will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and in good academic standing. The student must dedicate all if his or her time to the academic training supported by this T32. Trainee appointments require 12 months full-time effort.
Requirements for students selected for this position include:
- Participation in the graduate course PHA207: Drug Discovery and Development (3 credits, 1 quarter). Students that have not taken PTX 201 or an equivalent course covering principles of pharmacokinetics/dynamics as a prerequisite to PHA207 will be offered a supplementary 8-hour module on this topic in the Fall Quarter;
- Participation in the interactive course PHA205: Problem Solving in Pharmacology (Fall, Winter and Spring quarters; 1 credit each quarter);
- Participation in a once-a-month Frontiers in Pharmacology seminar;
- Participation in a monthly chalk talk during which trainees discuss their research advances and challenges;
- Participation in 3 luncheon meetings to discuss programmatic aspects, rigor and reproducibility and responsible conduct in research;
- Participation in an annual retreat;
- Annual review of an Individual Development Plan (IDP) with the thesis advisor and the T32 mentor;
- After rotating off the funded period, trainees need to continue to participate in the program by attending annual retreats and the monthly seminars in Pharmacology until their graduation to create a program community and follow NIH/NIGMS guidelines for T32 programs.
Students should also expect to be contacted on a yearly basis after their time on the program has ended. The training program administrator will request updates on their status of their degree, responsible conduct in research training and potentially other details, as mandated by NIH. After graduation, the administrator will stay in contact for several more years to document the career paths of the previous trainees.
Requirements for the Ph.D. advisors of students selected for this position:
- Financial support for the selected trainee to cover any remaining stipend, tuition and fees not covered by the training grant. These cannot be another NIH or federal grant
- Participation in 3-4 training sessions on mentoring, at least two in year 1 (e.g., see attached; this is typically on line)
- Participation in the 3 summer luncheons with trainees on programmatic aspects, rigor and reproducibility and responsible conduct in research
- Participation in once-a-month seminars
- Participate in the annual retreat – usually half day in September
A complete application consists of all the following uploaded as one PDF file to the following Application Portal, saved as: “Last Name, First Name-PT32 2026”.
Pharmacology T32 Application Portal-2026
- The applicant's biographical sketch or CV.
- A concise plan (2-3 pages) describing the proposed doctoral dissertation research, its relevance to pharmacology and the applicant's career goals.
- A copy of the applicant's graduate and undergraduate academic records.
- A nomination letter from the training faculty that includes a statement indicating that both the trainee and the PhD advisor agree to comply with the requirements of the pharmacology training program including a full time 12 months effort commitment, regular participation in the seminars, chalk talks and retreat not only during but also after the period of active funding support while the trainee is matriculated as full-time graduate student at UC Davis.
- Three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a/the PhD advisor who has agreed to mentor the applicant's thesis research. The other two are preferably also from UC Davis faculty.*
- SciENcv of training faculty
*Please provide your referees with the following link to upload their Letter of Recommendation. Referees: please save file as: “Your Last Name-Applicant Last Name-PT32 2026”.
Faculty Letter of Recommendation Link
To assure full consideration, applications should be received by Thursday, April 30 before Midnight.
Applications will be reviewed by the Pharmacology Training Grant Selection and Evaluation Committee. Selection is based on academic performance in graduate school, the relevance of the applicant's proposed research and career goals to pharmacology, the potential of the applicant to benefit from and contribute to the pharmacology training program, and the quality the research environment of the trainee, including qualification and dedication of the PhD advisor and his or her commitment to this training program. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or the acting program administrator, Brittany C Kolb: bckolb@health.ucdavis.edu.
UC Davis has a strong multidisciplinary and collaborative environment in research and training related to this Pharmacology Training Program (PTP). The 59 Training Faculty are from 22 departments in 6 colleges, where extensive collaborative interaction exist (e.g. many are members of the Pharmacology-Toxicology (PTX) Graduate Group, now in its 37th year). The PTP includes faculty trainers that smoothly span colleges, academic departments and centers.
The PTP objective is to provide predoctoral trainees with the core educational and research training required for translating pre-clinical mechanistic therapeutic discoveries into clinical trials. All of the educational components necessary for this translation PTP are provided by collaborative teaching and training. The training faculty are well-funded with ongoing disease-oriented and therapeutic discovery projects at UC Davis and some have pharmaceutical industry partners. Their foci range from identifying novel therapeutic molecular targets, making or identifying therapeutic molecules, novel developing cell targeting strategies, immune-mediated, and stem cell pre-clinical therapeutics, to clinical trials being conducted at the UC Davis NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC), NIH-designated Cancer Center, and within the UC Davis Health.
The very rich and collaborative overall science environment at UC Davis, powerful and numerous state-of-the-art core facilities and centers will provide trainees with outstanding research opportunities (e.g. spanning from Chemistry’s emphasis on pharmaceutical chemistry, imaging molecules (from single molecule to in vivo), genomics, molecular/system modeling, stem cell center, unique animal models (nationally recognized mouse center, Veterinary School and Primate Center) and CTSC.
The disease targets of the training faculty cover a broad spectrum, but include strength in cardiovascular, neurosciences, cancer, and inflammatory diseases. All PTP trainees will develop a solid foundation in both modern physiology and pharmacology, including pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotoxicology, drug metabolism, drug discovery and translation, biostatistics and responsible conduct of research. The PTP also provides training in skills that promote professional development. Previous trainees of the training faculty have had highly successful careers in both academia and industry. This PTP will provide an exciting training opportunity for motivated students and fellows in translational pre-clinical therapeutics.
Professional Development and Publications Links for Graduate Students
- My IDP Science Careers
- Grad Pathways
- PubMed.gov - (Publications from Trainees on this training grant)
- Training Program’s Linkedin Group