MBRS IMSD facilitates the mentor-student match for each student. After being selected into the program, all MBRS students are required to interview with 3 faculty mentors in order to ensure the best match.

The SDSU faculty listed below currently mentor MBRS IMSD students. Applicants may also consider other research mentors not listed below.

---

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

---

KELLY DORAN (MBRS Student Allyssa Jimenez)
Assistant Professor, University of California San Diego (1998) 
Department of Biology 
Cell & Molecular Doctoral Program, Molecular Biology Master’s Program
Program Area: Molecular Microbiology
Research Interests: the overall interest of the lab is the study of bacterial pathogens associated with Central Nervous System disease. We examine the mechanisms by which bacteria penetrate the blood-brain barrier, in order to cause meningitis. Our studies focus on major human pathogens including Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus andBacillus anthracis. We seek to identify bacterial genes and gene products responsible for cellular invasion, and to characterize the host innate immune response to infection.

619 594-1867

Email  
kdoran@sciences.sdsu.edu

 

 

RALPH FEUER
(MBRS Students: Sonia Maciejewski, Uzoagu Okownkwo)
Assistant Professor of Biology. Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno, 1999.
Program Area: Cell and Molecular Biology
 Research Interests: Autoimmune diseases associated with a previous viral infection.  Mechanisms of enteroviral persistence and pathogenesis. Susceptibility of stem cells to virus  infection and coxsackievirus-associated neonatal disease.
 Office/Lab: Life Science 358/351,54,56. Phone: 619-594-7377 (office) /-0777 (lab).
 Email: rfeuer@sciences.sdsu.edu


back to top

---

Dr. Christopher C. Glembotski

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles 

Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs

Director, SDSU Heart Institute

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

Professor, Department of Biology

Cell & Molecular Doctoral Program

Molecular Biology Master’s Program

Molecular Biology Institute

(619) 594-2959 cglembotski@sciences.sdsu.edu

The mission of our lab is to continue exemplary research in the field of cardiovascular molecular biology, and discover new genes and their roles in protecting the heart from ischemic injury.

 

---

Roberta Gottlieb, M.D. (MBRS Student: Genaro Hernandez)

Lab Research Summary

Mechanisms of Cardioprotection

Our research is focused on developing ways to protect the heart after ischemia and reperfusion.  We use a range of approaches including cell biology, organ physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology to understand the intracellular processes that determine whether the cardiac cells will survive and repair, or undergo programmed cell death through apoptosis or necrosis.  We use the heart as our primary model organ but conduct many studies in cell lines or primary cell culture, using fluorescence microscopy to monitor intracellular processes in real-time in living cells. 

 

---

 GREG L. HARRIS (MBRS Student: Alexis Zukowski)
Professor of Biology. Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1981).
Program Area: Cell and Molecular Biology
 Research Interests: Molecular and physiological analysis of phototransduction in Drosophila;
biophysical analysis of ion channel function; isolation of neuron- specific genes
 Office/Lab: Life Science 311A/311. Phone: 619-594-5655 (office) /-5038 (lab).
 Email: gharris@sunstroke.sdsu.edu


back to top

---

DAVID A. LIPSON (MBRS Student: Irene Hale)
 Associate Professor of Biology. Ph.D., University of Colorado (1998).
 Program Area: Ecology
 Research Interests: Soil microbial ecology; plant-microbe interactions; biogeochemistry; linking
 microbial diversity to ecosystem processes.
 Office/Lab: Physical Science 241C/241A,241B. Phone: 619-594-4460 (office) /-5602 (lab).
 Email: dlipson@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

PAUL J. PAOLINI
Professor of Biology Emeritus. Ph.D., University of California, Davis (1968).
Program Area: Cell and Molecular Biology
Research Interests:
Physiology and mechanics of cardiac and skeletal muscle cells: biophysical
methods, including video-enhanced and automated light microscopy and digital image analysis;
computer applications to biological research.
Office/Lab: Life Science 316. Phone: 619-594-4532
Email: ppaolini@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

Anca Mara Segall, Ph. D. (MBRS Student: Steven Esquivel)

asegall@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

The Segall lab (http://segall-lab.sdsu.edu/) has recently focused on 3 general research topics: the mechanism of site-specific recombination, the identification and characterization of DNA repair inhibitors, and the diversity and lifestyle of bacteriophages. Towards these goals, we employ a variety of tools including biochemistry, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, various imaging methods, and structural biology.

 

---

 ROLAND WOLKOWICZ (MBRS Student: Joe Torres, Joe Ollar)
 Assistant Professor of Biology. PhD., The Weizmann Institute of Science (1998).
Program Area: Cell and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Use of random peptide libraries and other chemical genetics approaches  for the study of viral pathogenesis and the search of antiviral factors. Main focus on HIV-1and  HCV.
Office/Lab: Life Science 304A/304. Phone: 619-594-8668 (office) /-5353 (lab).
Email: roland@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

RICARDO M. ZAYAS (MBRS Student: Maria Gutierrez)
 Assistant Professor of Biology, Ph.D. Tufts University (2003).
Program Area: Cell and Molecular Biology
Research Interests: Stem cell biology. Molecular mechanisms underlying regeneration of the  nervous system in planarians.
Office/Lab: Life Science 306A/306. Phone: 619-594-2698 (office) /-3042 (lab).
Email: rzayas@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

---

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY/BIOCHEMISTRY

MIRIAM BENNETT (MBRS Student: Jean Werle)
Assistant Professor
Program Area: Inorganic Chemistry
Research Interests: Issues related to sustainable development and energy consumption will be addressed through synthetic inorganic and materials chemistry.
Office: GMCS 213B
Office Phone: 619-594-5481
e-mail: mbennett@sciences.sdsu.edu

---

back to top

CARL CARRANO (MBRS Student: Ariel Romano)
Professor and Chair
Program Area: Bioinorganic Chemistry
Research Interests: Bioinorganic chemistry, these extend from models for zinc, molybdenum and non-heme iron metalloprotein active sites, to design of metal complexes as artificial restriction enzymes for molecular biology to the mechanisms of iron transport and storage in microorganisms to the design and synthesis of new metallodrugs to the study of isotopic fractionation of iron in microorganisms.
Office: GMCS-209
Office Phone: (619)594-5929
e-mail: carrano at sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

TOM HUXFORD
(MBRS Students: Karen Shruenberg, Robert Koehler, Maria Gutierrez)

Assistant Professor
Program Area: Biochemistry
Research Interests: understanding regulation in the transcription factor NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway.; IKK structure and function, Nuclear IkappaB structure and function.
Office: CSL 325A
Office Phone: 619-594-1606
e-mail: thuxford@sciences.sdsu.edu

---

Robert P. Metzger (MBRS Student: Gabriel Chait)
Professor
Program Area: Biochemistry
Research Interests: Enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism: The well-known major pathways of carbohydrate metabolism employ phosphorylated substrates such as glucose-6-phosphate. We are interested in determining the metabolic roles for enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of non-phosphorylated hexoses and pentoses.
Office: CSL 340
Office Phone: 619-594-6801
e-mail: rmetzger@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

JOHN J. LOVE (MBRS Student: Octavio Romo-Fewell, Joe Ollar)
Associate Professor
Program Area: Biochemistry
Research Interests: The overall focus is protein design and engineering. Our initial engineering goal is to redesign, mutate and drive small proteins to self-assemble into complexes of specific structure (e.g. precise dimer formation) Office: CSL 339A
Office Phone: 619-594-2063
e-mail: jlove@sciences.sdsu.edu

---

DIANE SMITH (MBRS Student: Sonia Maciejewski, Karina Kangas)
Associate Professor
Program Area: Analytical Chemistry
Research Interests: Electron transfer, proton transfer and hydrogen bonding; better understand different mechanistic paths through which electron and proton transfer can be coupled together in reversible organic redox reactions, with a particular emphasis on the role that hydrogen bonding is playing in these mechanisms.
Office: CSL 412A
Office Phone: 619-594-4839
e-mail: dsmith@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

Pullman Group Page

---

Research Interests

The emphasis of our research is on unraveling the mechanisms by which molecules react on solid surfaces. Such reactions play a critical role in a variety of naturally occurring and technologically important processes, including the fabrication of modern electronic devices, heterogeneous catalysis, and corrosion. The viewpoint we take is that control and optimization of these surface reactions is best accomplished if details of the reactions are understood on a molecular scale.

---

BILL TONG (MBRS Student: Jorge Jimenez, Ashley Warren)
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
MBRS.IMSD Principle Investigator/Program Director
Program Area: Analytical Chemistry
Research Interests: Research in our laser laboratory is directed toward the application of novel nonlinear multiphoton laser spectroscopic methods in the development and understanding of new methods in laser analytical spectroscopy. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of fundamental principles and experimental observations of new spectroscopic phenomena. Integration of innovative nonlinear laser techniques and computer interfacing of high-precision instrumentation provides many advantages with new experimental possibilities over conventional laser spectroscopic methods in analytical problem solving.
Office: CSL 304
Office Phone: 619-594-2442
e-mail: william.tong@sdsu.edu

---

PHYSICS

Matt Anderson, Ph.D.

The ultrafast optics laboratory at SDSU is ready to undertake the experimental endeavors proposed here.  The lab includes a Ti:Sapphire oscillator (capable of generating 10-100 fs pulses), a multipass amplifier, computers, electronics, assorted optics and mounts.  At 200-300 mW  output, the oscillator permits a range of experiments without amplification. There are two operational pulse shapers currently in the lab.  The first is a temporal pulse shaper.  It is a grating-based 4f system using a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) consisting of two 128 arrays sandwiched between polarizers (Cambridge Research SLM-256).  This device can shape both the amplitude and phase of our femtosecond pulses.  The outgoing temporal structure can be conveniently monitored using a SPIDER pulse characterization apparatus.  For a SPIDER review, see [Anderson LPL].  With this system we have demonstrated, for example, the ability to compress complicated pulses back to the transform limit in a single step (an experiment that was highlighted in Optics & Photonics News’ “Highlights from the year in Optics”) [Anderson OPN].

 

---

 

back to top

PSYCHOLOGY

Donna Castañeda, Ph.D. (MBRS Student: Elsa Farias)
Professor
Program Area: Social Psychology

Department of Psychology
College of Sciences
Imperial Valley Campus
720 Heber
Calexico, CA 92231-09021

Phone: (760)768-5586
On Campus Phone: 65586
E-Mail: dcastane@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

Research Interests

Marital Satisfaction and Mental Health Lab - Research in this lab focuses on how marital satisfaction is related to anxiety and depression among Mexican American and European American couples; how the relationship between martial satisfaction and mental health changes over time; and how the marital satisfaction of one partner affects that of the other. We look at ethnic differences; how acculturation and acculturative stress may influence martial satisfaction and mental health among Mexican American couples; and how various factors such as premarital cohabitation, children, and religiosity influence marital satisfaction.

back to top

---

THIERRY DEVOS (MBRS Student: Hafsa Mohammed)
Asoociate Professor
Program Area: Social Psychology
Research Interests: Issues related to social identity, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. We explore how attitudes and beliefs about self and social groups operate outside of conscious awareness or control.
Office: LS-273
Phone: (619) 594-6911
FAX: (619) 594-1332
E-Mail: tdevos@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

Alan Litrownik, Ph.D. (MBRS Student: Danita Wynes)
Professor

Program Area: Clinical Psychology/Developmental Psychopathology
Research Interests: The emerging field of developmental psychopathology recognizes the interdependence of normal and abnormal development. That is, classical developmental theory and research informs our understanding of psychopathology, and in turn, insights from populations that evidence abnormal development can increase our understanding of normal developmental processes.
Office: Child & Adolescent Services Research Center
Children's Plaza - Children's Hospital
3020 Children's Way, MC-5033
San Diego, CA 92123-4282

Phone: (858) 966-7703 ext. 7146
E-Mail: ajlit@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

VANESSA MALCARNE, Ph.D., (MBRS Student: Anna-Michelle McSorley)

Department of Psychology
College of Sciences
San Diego State University
6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103
San Diego, CA 92120-4913

Office Location: Alv-6363 Ste. 103

Mail Code: 1863 
Phone: (619) 594-6495
Fax: (619) 594-6780 
E-Mail: malcarne@psychology.sdsu.edu

Research Interests

Adjustment to chronic illness in children and adults; beliefs about physical and mental illness; measurement of ethnic identity and acculturation; ethnicity and psychopathology.

---

PAMELA MOSES, Ph.D. (MBRS Student: Rosemary Meza)
Department of Psychology
San Diego State University
6363 Alvarado Ct., Ste. 225L 
San Diego, CA 92120

Office Location: ALV-6363/225L

Mail Code: 1863 
Phone: (619) 594-8675
LAB: (619) 594-8681
E-Mail: pmoses@sciences.sdsu.edu

Research Interests

Brain and spatial cognitive development in typically developing children and children with perinatal brain injury. Magnetic resonance-based neuroimaging methods to study brain function and structure in typical and atypical pediatric populations.

---

CLAIRE MURPHY
(MBRS Students: Miguel Martin del Campo, Roberto Zamora)
Program Area: Neuropsychology
Research Interests: Research interests are varied, but center on the relationship of the brain to behavior.  There are several research projects investigating normal function and function in impaired populations:  Patients with Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Down's Syndrome, the elderly, head trauma patients, normal children, children with head trauma, and whatever new populations become available to provide a window to the functioning of the brain.
Department of Psychology
San Diego State University
6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 101
San Diego, CA 92120-4913

Mail Code: 1863
Phone: (619) 594-4559
FAX: (619) 594-6780
E-Mail: cmurphy@sunstroke.sdsu.edu

back to top

---

MELODY SADLER (MBRS Student: Chris Fowler)
Assistant Professor
Program Area: Social Psychology
Research Interests: Areas of interest include category differentiation and inter-group evaluative bias, the formation of stereotyping and prejudice in groups and the implications for information processing. 

Office Location: SSE-2307G
Mail Code: 4611
Phone: (619) 594-1580
FAX: (619) 594-1332
E-Mail: msadler@sciences.sdsu.edu

back to top