Graduate Students:

  1. Toya Albury-Warren, Ph.D.        Biomedical Sciences                2011-2015

“Diabetes Phenotypes in Transgenic Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Models”

Awards:

  • Learning Institute for Elders (LIFE), UCF Gerontology Applied Research, 2015
  • McKnight Doctoral Fellowship (MDF), 2011-2015

Current Position: High School Science Teacher/Adjunct, New Dimensions High School, Kissimmee, FL

  1. Veethika Pandey, Ph.D.             Biomedical Sciences               2011-2015

“Development and Cytotoxicity of Natural Killer Cells for Ovarian Cancer Treatment”

Awards:

  • Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2015, UCF College of Medicine
  • Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences Student Travel Award for American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Special Conference, Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter, Orlando, FL, December 1-4, 2014.
  • Special Recognition Award from the Learning Institute of Elders (LIFE) at the University of Central Florida, 10th Annual Graduate Research Forum, University of Central Florida, April 3, 2013

Current Position: Postdoctoral Scientist at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL

  1. Nirav Shah, M.S. Thesis             Biotechnology                      2010-2012

“A Novel Link between Akt1 and Twist in Ovarian Tumor Cell Motility and Invasiveness”,

Awards:

  • Best in Category for Life and Health Sciences Award, Graduate Research Forum, 9th Annual Showcase of Diverse Student Research, University of Central Florida, April 3, 2012
  • Third Place Masters Student Presentation Award, 7th Annual Biomedical Sciences Graduate Research Symposium, UCF Health Sciences Campus, May 7, 2012

Current Position: Ph.D. candidate, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ohio State University

 

Undergraduate Students (Honors in the Major)

  1. Kathryn Cline, B.S., Honors in the Major Senior Thesis, Biomedical Sciences, UCF, 2015-2016

Thesis: “Microenvironment Changes in the Pancreatic Stroma Induced by Inflammation”

Awards: 2016 Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award (DURA), UCF Office of Undergraduate Research

Current Position: Medical Student, University of South Florida Medical School, Tampa, FL

 

2. Fredrick Hogan, B.S., Honors in the Major Senior Thesis, Biomedical Sciences, UCF, 2014-2015

Thesis: “Polyamine Transport Inhibitor Effects on Pancreatic Cancer Proliferation Cells in Vivo”

Current Position: Medical Student, University of Florida Medical School, Gainesville, FL

 

3. Ivan von Hack-Prestinary, B.S., Honors in the Major Senior Thesis, Biomedical Sciences, UCF, 2012-2013

Thesis: “Manipulating AKTivated Metabolism via mTORC1″

Current Position: Medical Student, American University of the Caribbean, St. Maarten

 

former-graduation

UCF College of Medicine Fall 2015 Commencement of Dr. Veethika Pandey (left) and Dr. Toya M. Albury-Warren (right)

 

group-photo

Dr. Altomare’s Laboratory during the 2014-2015 academic year. Left to Right:

Fredrick Hogan, Sarah B. Gitto, Deborah A. Altomare, Toya M. Albury-Warren, Veethika Pandey