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
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.
immunology & Microbiology
Miguel Medina-Serpas
Miguel’s project is focused on characterizing the follicular helper T-cell (Tfh) response in the secondary lymphatic tissue of human donors across the natural progression of T1D under the mentorship of Dr. Todd Brusko.
Biomedical engineering
Taylor Lansberry
Taylor’s current project involves engineering an islet implant device to treat Type 1 Diabetes under the mentorship of Dr. Cherie Stabler.
Biomedical Engineering
Christopher Ludtka
Chris’s project assesses the effects of simulated microgravity on endothelial cells and macrophages in regards to angiogenesis with sex as a biological variable, so as to investigate this unique culture method for its applicability for tissue engineering applications.
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 |
 | Matthew Becker, PhD | Advancing Therapies that Target the PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway for Type 1 Diabetes Autoimmunity | Edward Phelps, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | Arizona State University |
 | Leeana Peters, PhD | Identification of Adaptive Immune Signatures and Dysregulated Pathways in Type 1 Diabetes | Todd Brusko, PhD and Cherie Stabler, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | University of Florida |
 | Alexander Kwiatkowski, PhD | A tolerogenic dual microparticle system for treatment of multiple sclerosis | Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD | Postdoc Assoc | Vanderbilt University |
 | Mollie Huber, BS | Investigating type 1 diabetes pathogenesis with the live pancreas tissue slice platform | Mark Atkinson, PhD and Clayton Mathews, PhD | Pre-doctoral Fellow (NIH F31) | University of Florida |
 | Magdalena Samojlik, BS | Engineering a dynamic three-dimensional in vitro platform for the investigation of human Type 1 Diabetes immunopathogenesis | Cherie Stabler, PhD and Clayton Mathews, PhD | Pre-doctoral Fellow (NIH F31) | University of Florida |