Congratulations on this years’ graduate students who defended their theses and earned their PhD’s.
![Flier of Andrew Lerner defense January 25 2019 with same details as web text above this image](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/01/Andrew-Lerner-defense-Jan-2019-232x300.jpg)
1/25/2019 Andrew Learner (Strahl/Kuhlman labs) “Elucidating Dynamics of Histone Post-Translational Modifications Using Optogenetics” Dr. Learner accepted a Fellowship in Innovation and Translation in the Eshelman Institute for Innovation at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy that begins in February 2020.
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![picture of defense Jacob Matson](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/02/pict-of-defense-Jacob-Matson-232x300.jpg)
3/8/2019 Jacob Matson (Cook lab) “Regulation of MCM Helicase Loading During Early Differentiation and Cell Cycle Re-entry” Dr. Matson accepted a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Lee Zou’s lab at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
![Alex Chung and Leslie Parise](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/12/Alex-Chung-and-Lelsie-Parise-after-defense-3.2019-258x300.jpg)
3/21/2019 Alex Chung (Parise lab, Pharmacology) “CIB1: A Promosing Target in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer” Dr. Chung accepted a position as a Project Specialist at Syneos Health in Morrisville and will work on clinical operation and strategy.
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![Samantha Kistler Defense on 3-29-19](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/03/Samantha-Kistler-Defense-flier-3-29-191905-232x300.png)
03/29/2019 Sam Kistler (Campbell lab, Pharmacy – CBMC) “Ras Acetylation Directs Effector Specificity” Dr. Kistler accepted a position at Merck.
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![Astor Ankney defense on June 20 2019](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/12/ankneydefense5523-232x300.png)
06/21/2019 Astor Ankney (Chen lab) “Secretotranscriptomics: A Novel Approach to the Discovery of Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Prognosis” Dr. Ankney has accepted a position at National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
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08/12/2019 Hyunna “Teresa” Lee (Campbell lab) “Role of Metavinculin in Actin Reorganization and Force Transmission” Dr. Lee has accepted a position at National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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![photo Megan Arrington with 2 advisors Aug 14 2019 Chemistry phd](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/08/Megan-with-2-advisors-Aug-14-2019-Chemistry-phd-150x150.jpg)
08/14/2019 Megan Arrington (Campbell/Loeser labs, Chemistry) “The molecular basis for Rac2 E62K immune deficiency” Dr. Arrington is furthering her research at UNC while seeking a position.
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![photo of Frank Teets, graduate student (Kuhlman lab)](https://www.med.unc.edu/biochem/wp-content/uploads/sites/795/2019/05/frank_teets-Kuhlman-lab-member-2019-photo.jpg)
11/01/2019 Frank Teets (Hahn/Kuhlman labs, B&CB student) “Function-Driven Approaches to the Design of Optogenetic Tools” Dr. Teets has accepted a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Chris Bahl at the Institute for Protein Innovation at Harvard Medical School.
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