Andrew Jezewski, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Krysan Lab in the Stead Family Department Pediatrics at the University of Iowa. Andrew completed his Ph.D. work characterizing mechanisms of antimalarial drug resistance and investigating antiglycolytic therapies for the treatment of malaria under the mentorship of Audrey John at Washington University in Saint Louis. His current work aims to understand the role of carbon dioxide tolerance as a requirement for cryptococcal virulence. Andrew is the Chair of the UIPDA Policy and Advocacy Committee. Outside of research, Andrew enjoys tending to his greenhouse and garden, college football, biking, and being outdoors.

Austin McKee, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Mubeen Lab in the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department at the University of Iowa. Austin completed his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Iowa under the supervision of Dr. Syed Mubeen with a thesis topic of Using Electrons to Transform Negative-Value Feedstocks to Benign or Value-Added Products. Austin's current research under Drs. Mubeen and Raghavan explores the creation of an electrochemical oxygen concentration device to disrupt/supplement the medical oxygen field.

Kailey Cash, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Scholar in Maria Spies’ lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology within the Carver College of Medicine. Kailey earned her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in the lab of Sarit Smolikove, studying DNA damage repair in response to laser-induced DNA damage in meiotic cells. Her current work focuses on characterizing DNA repair protein mechanisms at the single molecule level. Kailey is the Vice President of UIPDA. Outside of research, Kailey enjoys tending to her garden, reading sci-fi novels, and playing with her dog, Atlas.

Rachel Cole, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Narayanan Lab within the Department of Neurology at the University of Iowa. She graduated with her Ph.D. in 2018 from the lab of Dr. Michelle Voss in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa. Rachel’s research focuses on changes in cognition that occur during healthy aging, as well as cognitive impairments that occur in certain age-related diseases like Parkinson’s disease. Rachel chairs the UIPDA Awards Committee. Outside of research, Rachel enjoys teaching Zumba fitness classes, playing with her cats, and exploring the Iowa City area.

Kayly completed a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Scripps College in 2010. She then started her graduate training with Dr. David B. Morton at Oregon Health & Science University, where she studied the interaction of TDP-43, an ALS-associated protein, with type-II voltage-gated calcium channels in Drosophila melanogaster. She completed her Ph.D. in 2017 and, in 2018, became a Postdoctoral Research Scholar with Dr. Andy Frank in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

Nicole Green, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Tootle Lab in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at the Carver College of Medicine. A lifelong Drosophila biologist, Nicole completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Kansas State University under the mentorship of Dr. Erika R. Geisbrecht. She currently is using the Drosophila ovary to understand the fundamental roles of prostaglandin signaling and nuclear actin in stem cell biology and is a proud member of the Flyowa community. Nicole is the Vice President of UIPDA, the Social Committee Chair/social media manager, and the postdoc rep for the UI Research Council. She is also very involved with the Genetics Society of America and serves on the GSA Education Committee. Outside of research, Nicole enjoys playing piano, maintaining her extensive houseplant collection, and trying to juggle her many book clubs.

Dr. Titcomb is a Registered Dietitian with a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences. His current scientific interests are focused on the clinical use of diet as an adjunct therapy for neurological conditions, and the application of available epidemiological data to evaluate the association of diabetes (and other chronic conditions) with popular diets that offer limited information on their long-term health outcomes. Tyler’s thesis argues that diet and nutrition habits have historically been underappreciated for their effect on human health, and his two-fold scientific approach intends to critically evaluate the pros and cons of popular dietary patterns.