Former Trainees

Graduate student Justin Massey works in the virology lab of Paul Ahlquist, professor of molecular virology, oncology and plant pathology, at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (WID) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Nov. 28, 2011. The lab is part of the private, nonprofit Morgridge Institute for Research. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

The training record of our virology trainers is outstanding and is the best measure of our ability to attract outstanding predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and provide them excellence in training in virology.  The largest fraction of our past trainees, who have finished their training, now hold faculty positions (Assistant, Associate or full Professors) at academic institutions . These faculty include ones at top academic research institutions in the US including Duke, Fox Chase, Harvard, MIT, Yale, Michigan State University the Sloan Kettering and the Moffitt cancer centers, the Universities of Houston, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio State, Washington, and Wisconsin.  A total of 46 former trainees or 33% of our former trainees over that period who have finished their training, have acquired faculty positions.  Furthermore, 91% of these past trainees who have finished their training currently work in the biomedical sciences (including faculty, scientists in academia and research institutes, scientists in biomedical industry, and clinicians or veterinarians). The remaining 9% (12 out of 139) include 4 patent lawyers, 2 science writers/science consultants, an editor of Cell and 6 individuals who have either left science currently because of family reasons or are deceased.  Importantly, of the 14 VTG (5 predocs/9 postdocs) trainees who have now completed their training, 4 hold faculty positions in academia, 5 hold scientist positions in academia, 4 work in industry and one works in IP. Thus our trainees supported by the VTG have been equally successful. Altogether, this is an impressive record of achievement in training and provides evidence that our training program in virology provides an outstanding environment to provide excellence in training for the next generation of virologists. The VTG is a critical reason for this success.

Former Predoctoral Trainees

Valjean R. Bascot-Davis, PhD

Position title: Palmenberg Laboratory 2008-2014

Ryan T. Behrens

Position title: Sherer Laboratory 2012-Current

Andrew J. Bennett

Position title: Goldberg Laboratory 2014-2017

Nathaniel M. Byers, PhD

Position title: Friesen Laboratory 2010-2016

Reza Djavadian, PhD

Position title: Johanssen Laboratory 2012-2018

Adam J. Ericsen, PhD

Position title: D. O'Connor Laboratory 2011-2016

Anthony P. Hanson, PhD

Position title: Kawaoka Laboratory 2010-2015

Jacqueline Jackson, MS

Position title: Kenney Laboratory 2011-2013

Chad Kuny, PhD

Position title: Kalejta Laboratory 2007-2014

Alexandra Law-Torres

Position title: Lambert Laboratory 2012-Current

Justin T. Massey, PhD, MD

Position title: Ahlquist Laboratory 2009-2016

Patrick R. Menden, MS

Position title: Lambert Laboratory 2010-2013

Ruben Moreno

Position title: Lambert Laboratory 2015-Current

Patrick Nyman, PhD

Position title: Lambert Laboratory 2010-2017

Jessica Reusch, PhD

Position title: Mertz Laboratory 2008-2014

Adam Swick, PhD

Position title: Yin Laboratory 2008-2014

Melba M. Tejera, PhD

Position title: Suresh Laboratory 2008-2014

Andrea C. Timm, PhD

Position title: Yin Laboratory 2008-2013

Kelly Watters, PhD

Position title: Palmenberg Laboratory 2009-2014

Coral K. Wille, PhD

Position title: Kenney Laboratory 2009-2015

Former Postdoctoral Trainness

Emily R. Albright, PhD

Position title: Kalejta Laboratory

Email: ealbright@wisc.edu

Desiree A. Benefield, PhD

Position title: Ahlquist Laboratory

Arturo Diaz, PhD

Position title: Ahlquist Laboratory

Jamiee C. Eckers, PhD

Position title: Kimple Laboratory

Stacy R. Hagemeier, PhD

Position title: Kenney Laboratory

Derek A. Jacobs, PhD

Position title: Kalejta Laboratory

Robert A. Pugh, PhD

Position title: Ahlquist Laboratory

Megan E. Spurgeon, PhD

Position title: Lambert Laboratory

Jay W. Warrick, PhD

Position title: Yin Laboratory