Former Members and Alumni

Hawkins S. Shepard

Graduate Student 2020-2025
Graduating Dec. 2025 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title: “Advancing the Characterization of Biological Systems via Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry”
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David C. Koomen

Graduate Student 2020-2025
Graduated May 2025 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title: “Advancing Integration of Multidimensional Separations and High-Resolution Ion Mobility to Benefit Untargeted Small Molecule Analyses for Clinical and Biological Applications”
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Nadjali A. Chung

Graduate Student 2018-2025
Graduated May 2025 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title: “Mass Spectrometry-Based Approaches to Improve Small Molecule Annotation and Analysis”

Currently a Senior Scientist I at AbbVie Inc.
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Kimberly C. Fabijanczuk

Post-Doctoral Fellow 2024
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Alexander E. Toler

Graduate Student 2022-2024
Graduated, 2024, with M.Sc.

Currently a QC Chemist at Consumer Product Partners
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Emanuel Zlibut

Graduate Student 2018-2023
Graduated May 2023 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Structural Mass Spectrometry Approaches for the Study of Complexed Small Molecules”

Currently an Application Scientist at MOBILion Systems, Inc.
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Madelyn F. James

Graduate Student 2022
Graduated, 2022, with M.Sc.

Currently at UAB School of Dentistry
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Bailey S. Rose

Graduate Student 2018-2022
Graduated May 2022 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Multidimensional Analyses for High-Confidence Untargeted Molecular Annotation Using Structurally Specific Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an Account Manager at Waters
LinkedIn
Berkley M. Ellis

Graduate Student 2016-2021
Graduated May 2021 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Accelerating Natural Product Discovery and Synthetic Biology Workflows Using Multidimensional Molecular Phenotyping”
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Rachel A. Harris

Graduate Student 2016-2021
Graduated May 2021 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Analysis of Biopolymers Using Structurally Selective Analytical Techniques in Combination with Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an Application Scientist at MOBILion Systems, Inc.
LinkedIn
Don E. Davis, Jr.

Graduate Student 2016-2021
Graduated May 2021 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Multidimensional Separations in Complex Biological Matrices Utilizing Chromatography, Ion Mobility, and Mass Spectrometry”

Currently a Scientist at Janssen Pharmaceuticals
LinkedIn
Katrina L. Leaptrot

Postdoctoral Scholar 2018-2020
Graduate Student 2011-2018
Graduated May 2018 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Development of a Spatially Multiplexed Ion Mobility Spectrometer and Utilization of Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry for Conformational Analyses of Lipids and Other Biomolecules”

Currently a Research Assistant Professor with the Center for Innovative Technology at Vanderbilt University
LinkedIn
Jaqueline Picache

Graduate Student 2017-2020
Graduated May 2020 with Ph.D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Strategies for Improving Multiomic Metabolite Identifications Using Compound Libraries, Machine Learning, and Structural Mass Spectrometry”

Currently a Senior Scientist, Integrated Bioanalysis at AstraZeneca
LinkedIn
James C. Poland

Graduate Student 2014-2020
Graduated May 2020 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Method Development towards Probing the Gut Metabolome using Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatography-Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry”

Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher with Dr. Charles Flynn, Department of Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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Tiffany M. Crescentini

Graduate Student 2015-2019
Graduated May 2019 with Ph.D., Analytical Polymer Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Mass Spectrometry: An Approach to Characterizing Polyurethane Polymers”

Currently a Lead – Responsible Chemistry Manager at Nike, Inc.
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Caleb B. Morris

Graduate Student 2014-2019
Graduated May 2019 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Molecular Descriptor on the Basis of Structural Analysis in Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an Assistant Professor at Murray State University
LinkedIn
James N. Dodds

Graduate Student 2014-2018
Graduated May 2018 with Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Investigation of Separation Strategies for Bioanalytical Methods: Chromatography, Ion Mobility, and Mass Spectrometry”

Currently a Research Assistant Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Charles M. Nichols

Postdoctoral Scholar 2016-2018

Currently a Mass Spectrometry Scientist at AOA Dx and a Principal Consultant at Nichols Consulting, LLC
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Sarah M. Stow

Graduate Student 2011-2015
Postdoctoral Scholar 2015-2016
Graduated May 2015 with Ph.D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Strategies for Selecting Computational Protocols in Support of Small Molecule Structural Analysis by Ion Mobility – Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an R&D Scientist at Agilent Technologies
LinkedIn
Ewa Jurneczko

Postdoctoral Scholar 2014-2016
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Rafael Montenegro Burke

Graduate Student 2012-2016
Graduated April 2016 with Ph. D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Enhanced Separations Strategies for Complex Sample Characterization Using Ion Mobility – Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an Assistant Professor at The University of Toronto
LinkedIn
Nichole Lareau

Graduate Student 2012-2016
Graduated February 2016 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Development of Ion Mobility and Mass Spectrometry Strategies in Support of Integrated Omics and Systems Biology”

Currently an Associate Principal Scientist at Merck
LinkedIn
Cody Goodwin

Graduate Student 2009-2013
Postdoctoral Scholar 2013-2015
Graduated February 2013 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Advanced Structural Mass Spectrometry For Metabolomics”

Currently the Head of Integrative Analytics & Insights at Nashville Analytics, LLC
LinkedIn
Kelly Hines

Graduate Student 2010-2014
Graduated March 2014 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Biomolecular Signatures of Disease Via Ion Mobility and Mass Spectrometry Techniques”

Currently an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at The University of Georgia at Athens
LinkedIn
Jay Forsythe

Graduate Student 2010-2014
Graduated February 2014 with Ph. D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Advanced Strategies For Imaging Mass Spectrometry and Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry”

Currently an Associate Professor at The College of Charleston
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Seth D. Byers

Graduate Student 2010-2013
Graduated, 2013, with M.Sc.

Currently an Office Manager/IT at Byers Eye Care
Jeff R. Enders

Graduate Student 2009-2012
Graduated August 2012 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Structural Mass Spectrometry Strategies for Systems Biology”

Currently a Research Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University
LinkedIn
Sevugarajan Sundarapandian

Postdoctoral Scholar 2007-2011

Currently the Dean of Academic Affairs at Vikas College of Engineering & Technology, India
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Michal Kliman

Graduate Student 2007-2011
Graduated July 2011 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Advanced structural and spatial analysis of lipids using ion mobility-mass spectrometry”

Currently a Senior Technical Support Specialist at Waters Corporation
LinkedIn
Randi L. Gant-Branum

Graduate Student 2007-2011
Graduated July 2011 with Ph. D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Characterization of post-translationally modified peptides and proteins using lanthanide-based labeling strategies”

Currently Senior Research Scientist at LackLand Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory/ADC Management Services
T. Josh Kerr

Graduate Student 2007-2011
Graduated May 2011 with Ph. D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
"Development of novel ion mobility-mass spectrometry shift reagents for proteomic applications”

Currently a Research Fellow at Optima Chemical Group LLC
LinkedIn
Kellen Harkness

Graduate Student 2007-2011
Graduated May 2011 with Ph. D., Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Structural characterization of monolayer protected metal nanoparticles by ion mobility-mass spectrometry”

Currently a Sr Marketing Manager at ChampionX
LinkedIn
Larissa S. Fenn

Graduate Student 2007-2010
Graduated June 2010 with Ph. D., Analytical Chemistry

Dissertation Title:
“Detection and Characterization of glycan and glycoconjugates using ion mobility-mass spectrometry”

Currently a Director, New Products R&D at Rayonier Advanced Materials
LinkedIn
Ablatt Mahsut

Graduate Student 2007-2009
Graduated May 2009 with M.Sc.

Currently a Global Product Science Lead/Principal Engineer at Takeda (formerly Shire Human Genetic Therapies)
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