University of Florida PhD students can apply to the T1D T32 by contacting Dr. Benjamin Keselowsky for application materials. The T32 Executive Committee will evaluate each applicant for academic standing and commitment to T1D research. Selected trainees will be appointed to the T32 beginning in August for a period of up to four years (contingent on satisfactory progress). Applicants must be US Citizens or permanent residents.
Current Trainees
Biomedical engineering
Alexander Kwiatkowski
Alexander studies tolerogenic dual microparticle systems for treatment of multiple sclerosis, under the mentorship of Dr. Benjamin Keselowsky.
immunology & Microbiology
Leeana Peters
Leena utilizes single cell RNA-sequencing to perform immune profiling of NOD-CD226KO & human nPOD donor tissue, under the mentorship of Dr. Todd Brusko.
Biomedical engineering
Matthew Becker
Matthew researches tolerogenic exosomes as a therapeutic for treating T1D, under the mentorship of Dr. Edward Phelps. He recently won an F Award from the NIH!
immunology & Microbiology
Mollie Huber
Mollie investigates T1D pathogenesis with the live pancreas tissue slice platform, under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Atkinson.
biomedical engineering
Magdalena Samojlik
Magdalena engineers a dynamic three-dimensional in vitro platform for the investigation of human T1D immunopathogenesis
Biochemistry & Molecular biology
Anna Rushin
Anna studies exocrine pancreas metabolism in Type 1 Diabetes using a novel pancreas perfusion system under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Merritt.
T1D T32 Fellows receive a biweekly stipend, set annually by the NIH, that coincides with UF’s payroll schedule. T32 Fellows also receive $1,000 annually for travel and professional development activities. As part of the T1D T32, Fellows must participate in the Immunology Journal Club, the Diabetes Data Club, T1D-relevant seminars at the Genetics Institute, and the Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series.
Former Trainees
Trainee | Name and Degree | Research | Mentors | Position | Employer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Joshua Stewart, PhD | A dual-sized microparticle system for inducing immune tolerance in autoimmunity | Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD | Consultant | Charles River Associates |
 | Melanie Shapiro, PhD | Insulin-like growth factors as biomarkers with immunological impacts on the development of T1D | Mark Atkinson, PhD and Todd Brusko, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | University of Florida |
 | Andrea Lin, PhD | Immune changes with ATG+GCSF therapy and Its impacts on C-peptide preservation in T1D | Clayton Mathews, PhD, Michael Haller, MD, and Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD | Medical Science Liaison | EMD Serono, Inc. |
 | Nicholas Abuid, PhD | Engineering cerium oxide nanoparticle coatings for antioxidant/anti-inflammatory protection of biomaterials and tissue grafts | Cherie Stabler, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | University of Florida |
 | Lucas Armitage, PhD | PTPN22 regulates induced MHC-II expression in macrophages | Mark Wallet, PhD and Clayton Mathews, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | University of Colorado, Denver |
 | Elliott Dirr, PhD | Treatment of cardiometabolic dysfunction using targeted parasympathetic neuromodulation | Kevin Otto, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | University of Toledo |