Alumni
Master’s Trainees:
Edgar G. Martinez
TTUHSC Master’s in Immunology (2020)
*Martinez co-authored a Review Article (published in 2021)
Nicholas J. Evans
TTUHSC Master’s in Biotechnology (2021)
*Evans won the GSBS Dean’s Recognition Award and authored
1 Review Article (published in 2021) and 1 Original Article (published in 2022) as first author.
Medical Students Conducting Research in Almodovar Laboratory:
Luisa F. Angel-Buitrago
Graduate Experiences for Multicultural Students Summer Research Program, University of Colorado, Summer 2011.
Home institution: San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Puerto Rico.
Laura Pumarejo-Gomez
Graduate Experiences for Multicultural Students Summer Research Program, University of Colorado, Summer 2015.
Home institution: San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Puerto Rico.
*Pumarejo co-authored an Original Research Article published in Scientific Reports, 2020.
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Jaritza Perez
Graduate Experiences for Multicultural Students Summer Research Program, University of Colorado, Summer 2016.
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico.
*Perez co-authored an Original Research Article published in Scientific Reports, 2020.
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Daniel Ahle
Medical Student Summer Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center,
Summer 2018.
Home institution: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas. *Ahle won a Travel Award to attend the 2018 American Thoracic Society’s International Conference in Dallas, Texas) and co-authored an Original Research Article published in Frontiers in Immunology, 2022.
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Liam Ung
Medical Student Summer Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Summer 2022 (10 weeks) as MS1.
Home institution: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
Kailey Shannon
Medical Student Summer Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Summer 2022 (10 weeks) as MS1.
Home institution: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas.
Ph.D. Students Conducting Supervised Research Rotations in the Almodovar Lab:
Taylor Hibler
Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Fall 2019
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Tyler J. Sniegowski
Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Fall 2019
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Alexis Rodriguez
Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Spring 2023
Master’s Students Conducting Supervised Research Rotations in the Almodovar Lab:
Kameron Wells
Master’s in Biotechnology Program Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Spring 2019.
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Mosharaf Mahmud-Syed
Master’s in Biotechnology Program Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Winter 2019
Undergraduate Students Conducting Supervised Research in the Almodovar Lab:
Natalied Rivera
Research Volunteer, Summer 2011.
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
Daphne Velez
Research Volunteer, Summer 2011.
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
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Samantha Reno
Research Volunteer, Fall 2011.
Home institution: Metropolitan State College of Denver, Aurora, Colorado.
Current position: Senior Professional Research Assistant, Children’s Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO.
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Robert A. Lopez-Astacio
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Summer 2011.
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
*Lopez-Astacio co-authored an Original Research Article published in Scientific Reports, 2020.
Current position: Ph.D. Graduate (2023), Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY
Michael A. Manoharan
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Summer 2014.
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Ph.D. candidate, University of California, Berkeley, California
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Ralphdy Vergne
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Summer 2016 (10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
Jesus G. Ortiz
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Summer 2017 (10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
Laura D. Casas
Research Volunteer, Spring 2018 (10 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Next Generation Sequencing Analyst at Othram Inc, Richmond, Texas
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Riley A. Sony
Research Volunteer, Spring 2018 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Emergency Medical Technician, Kingwood Medical Center Emergency Department, Houston, Texas
Jon W. Hill
Research Volunteer, Spring 2018 (4 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
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Valerie Rodriguez
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, Summer 2018 (10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
*Rodriguez won 2018 Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine’s Young Investigator Award and authored an Original Research Article as First Author (published in Frontiers in Immunology, 2022). Current position: Immunology Ph.D. Candidate, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Rachel L. Washburn
Research Volunteer, Fall 2018 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Ph.D. graduate (2023), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; Postdoctoral Fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Yazmeane Peña
Research Volunteer, Fall 2018 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Master in Public Health Graduate; Program Specialist III (Zoonosis Fellow), Texas Department of State Health Services
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Garrett L. Bratton
Research Volunteer, Spring 2019 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
Victoria Sandoval
Research Volunteer, Spring 2019 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
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Rosenid K. Quiñones
Ponce Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement, University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Summer 2019 (10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate.
Ethan Salazar
Research volunteer, Fall 2019-Spring 2022.
Home institution: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
*Salazar co-authored a Review Article (published in 2021) and an Original Research Article published in Scientific Reports, 2020.
Current position: Master of Business Administration (STEM MBA) graduate, Manager I Operations, Amazon, Dallas, Texas.
Melissa McHann
Research volunteer, Fall 2019 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
Darriel W. Eyaa
Research volunteer, Fall 2019 (3 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Current position: Graduate Research Assistant, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
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Adriana Smith
Research volunteer, Fall 2021 (4 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate
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Alexandria Mabry
Summer Accelerated Biomedical Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Summer 2021(10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Mississippi.
*Mabry co-authored an Original Research Article published in Life, 2022. Current position: MS2, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ava Oliver
Research volunteer followed by Summer Accelerated Biomedical Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 2021-2023.
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
*Oliver co-authored an Original Research Article published in Life, 2022.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Biology graduate, Medical Research Technician III, Almodovar Laboratory, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
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Ana L. Porras-Tobias
Research volunteer, Fall 2021 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Bachelor’s degree in Biology graduate; currently enrolled in Masters of Science in Biotechnology (Texas Tech University)
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Michael J. Ortiz
Research volunteer, Fall 2021 (6 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Master of Science in Molecular Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Public Health, in progress
Alina Cosima Schneider
Visiting Scholar, Summer 2022 (10 weeks).
Home institution: University of Heidelberg Biochemistry Program.
*Schneider co-authored two Original Research Articles published in Life and Frontiers in Immunology in 2022.
Current position: Master of Biochemistry, University of Heidelberg in progress
Audree Macias
Summer Accelerated Biomedical Research Program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Summer 2023 (10 weeks).
Home institution: Texas Tech University.
Current position: Bachelor’s in Chemistry & Biochemistry in progress