Students enroll in the Tom and Anne Smith MD-PhD Program at the MU School of Medicine because they want to be trained in both science and medicine and apply that information to the benefit of patients.
Danielle Tarter, a future physician-scientist, had this to say about the MD-PhD program: "I chose to study at Mizzou not only because I will receive strong medical training but because of the research environment. I am interested in immunology, and Mizzou offers strong faculty mentorship in this area. There are also numerous opportunities to stay up-to-date on the latest findings in the field through our Immunology Journal Club and Immunology Works in Progress. Additionally, Mizzou fosters a spirit of collaboration between scientists and labs and I enjoy working in this environment."
Meet the Next Generation of Physician-Scientists
Dennis Chuang
Undergraduate Institution: Washington University
Current Research Interest: Mechanisms of oxidative and nitrosylative stress damage and potential prevention/treatment in acute/chronic neurodegenerative diseases
Advisers: Grace Sun, PhD, and Zezong Gu, MD, PhD
Long-Term Goals: Dedication in neurology with clinical practice, as well as basic and translational research.
Gabriella Johnson
Undergraduate Institution: University of Missouri
Current Research Interest: Examining the effects of emotion and motivation on startle reflexes
Adviser: Steve Hackley, PhD
Long-Term Goals: To make the lives of people better through clinical work and translational research in the United States and abroad by incorporating the myriad things I have seen, learned and experienced.
Calvin Lewis
Undergraduate Institution: University of Missouri
Current Research Interest: Targeted drug design
Adviser: Mark W. Lee Jr., PhD
Long-Term Goals: I am interested in bridging the gap between chemical biology and clinical medicine through undergoing both a chemical as well as a clinically intensive program. My ultimate goal is to further understand the biochemical pathways of cancer and develop novel cancer drugs. In addition, I would like to be clinically involved with the treatment of cancer patients.
Daniel Miller
Undergraduate Institution: Regis University
Current Research Interest: Cancer biology
Adviser: Sharon Stack, PhD
Long-Term Goals: A career in academic medicine where teaching, patient care and research are my priorities
Danielle Tarter
Undergraduate Institution: University of Missouri-St. Louis
Current Research Interest: Immunology, autoimmunity and t-cell biology
Adviser: Habib Zaghouani, PhD
Long-Term Goals: To work in clinical and translational research
