Awards and Achievements

Congratulations to Krystal Tien,
Honoree, Stanford Community Impact Award!

The Stanford Alumni Association offers this honor to exceptional graduate students who have demonstrated profound dedication to the University and the overall Stanford community. 

Krystal continues to make a meaningful impact on the Stanford research community through her energy, spirit, and especially with her teaching contributions in the Veterinary Service Center workshops. We are very grateful for her inspiring enthusiasm.

Congratulations to Ina Lee on her
Oustanding Research Proposal Award!

Ina's research project focuses on :  

“Characterization of Dorsal Horn Circuitry Following Cervical Deafferentation in Rats and Non-Human Primates.”

PI: Dr. Corinna Darian-Smith


Congratulations to Juju Hallum on her
Outstanding Research Proposal Award!

Juju's research project focuses on:  

"Characterizing the Supportive Connective Tissue Scaffolding in the Liver, Kidney, and Heart of Common Laboratory Animal Species.”

PI: Dr. José Vilches-Moure


 

Congratulations to Mingyun Zhang, MLAS ‘21, on her poster presentations at the AALAS national Forum,  Oct 18, 2021!

 

Posters entitled:  

Extended Release Buprenorphine Attenuates Thermal Hypersensitivity in Neonatal Ratss


Micro-Computerized Tomography to Investigate Nodular Lesions on the Distal Phalanges of the Hindlimb in Xenopus tropicalis


Congratulations to Katherine L. Lucot, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, recipient of the Stanford Postdoc 2021 JEDI Champion Award. This award honors postdoctoral scholars who have served as champions of initiatives, activities and efforts that advance justice, equity and diversity at Stanford and beyond. “Katie” has served as a mentor to several of our department’s Master of Laboratory Animal Science students. She is also an active member of the New York Academy of Sciences “1,000 Girls, 1,000 Futures” and the “Letters to a Pre Scientist” programs. As a first generation low-income student, Katie has demonstrated passion and commitment to making the science space more equitable and open to all. Thank you Katie for all that you do!


Congratulations to Zicheng Zhao on being a recipient of the Graduate Student Impact Award! This award recognizes graduate students who have enhanced the Stanford community through their exemplary leadership, creation of an event or program, or other unique campus contribution. Zicheng was nominated for his volunteer work with COVID testing and research during the early stages of the pandemic.

 


Rachel Zheng

Zicheng Zhao

Congratulations to Rachel Zheng and Zicheng Zhao for winning the MLAS Outstanding Research Proposal Award. Rachel’s proposal titled “Investigating Alpha-Twist as a Viable Nesting Material Replacement for Enviro-Dri,” and Zicheng’s proposal “Completion of the Paternal Line of Mouse Lemur Population in the Brunoy Colony” represent the inaugural recipients of this annual award. Congratulations on a job well done!


Congratulations to Nicole Yost!

Nicole was awarded the summer STAR (Students Training in Advanced Research) Grant (UC Davis) for years 2019 and 2020!

"The Stanford MLAS program was a really great experience for me in so many ways. With respect to obtaining these research grants, it was very helpful to have practiced preparing a project proposal during my master's."

Nicole Yost
Stanford MS 2017


Congratulations to Zicheng Zhao!

Zicheng was accepted in Stanford's Ignite program! 

"In the Ignite program, I had the chance to meet different people from various countries and professional backgrounds. Beyond learning basic business and entrepreneurial skills, we had the chance to implement ideas ourselves and to work closely with a small team. My team developed an idea about a newborn developmental tracking application system using 3D scanning technology in smartphones."  Zicheng Zhao

For more about the Stanford Ignite program, go to: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/programs/stanford-ignite

 


Permission granted from AALAS

Congratulations to Anne Zlatow!

Under the mentorship of Sherril Green DVM, PhD, MLAS student Anne co-authored the article Axial Skeletal Malformations in Genetically Modified Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalisComparative Medicine 70(6),  532-541, December 2020. Furthermore, their image was featured as the journal cover (see left).  Well done, Anne!


Kristen Aceves was nominated for Stanford's Community Impact Award for her dedicated service and mentorship as a peer advisor to new graduate students.    

Kristen:  "I’m really surprised and very thankful that those efforts were noticed."

Stanford's Community Impact Award recognizes graduate students who have enhanced the Stanford community through their exemplary leadership of a student organization, creation of an event or program, or other unique campus contribution.

Congratulations Kristen!


Permission granted from Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Congratulations to Margaret McCann!

Under the mentorship of Corinna Darian-Smith, PhD and in collaboration with members of her lab, MLAS student Margaret co-authored the article Somatosensory corticospinal tract axons sprout within the cervical cord following a dorsal root/dorsal column spinal injury in the rat.  Journal of Comparative Neurology 528(8), 1293-1306, June 2020. Furthermore, their image was featured as the journal cover (see left).  Well done, Margaret!


Congratulations to Merna Makar!

Merna and her team placed in the top 12 out of 35 teams in the Stanford Ignite program! Merna is a graduating 2nd year Master's student in Laboratory Animal Science who studied “Identifying the Molecular Mechanisms of Cardio-Vascular Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes”.

Merna worked on this project in Dr.  Joseph Wu's lab, with mentor Nazish Sayed.

"My time at Stanford was transformative, and being a part of the Master's program with Comparative Medicine allowed me to have the flexibility and freedom to figure out what I wanted to do."  Merna Makar

For more about the Stanford Ignite program, go to: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/exec-ed/programs/stanford-ignite


Congratulations to Kristen Aceves!

Under the mentorship of Thomas Cherpes MD, DVM and in collaboration with members of his lab, MLAS student Kristen co-authored the article Norethisterone Enanthate Increases Mouse Susceptibility to Genital Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 and HIV Type 1 published in the February 1, 2020 issue of Immunohorizons. Furthermore, their image was featured as the journal cover (see left).

Well done, Kristen!

Congratulations to Kristen Aceves also for the following publications!

Rodolfo D. Vicetti Miguel, Nirk E. Quispe Calla, Kristen M. Aceves, Fiorela C. Dueñas Lopez, Thomas L. Cherpes.  ECHO: context and limitations.  The Lancet 395(10222):PE21, 2020.

Nirk E. Quispe Calla, Rodolfo D. Vicetti Miguel, Kristen M. Aceves, Angelo Torres, Thomas L. Cherpes.  Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate reduces genital cell–cell adhesion molecule expression and increases genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection susceptibility in a dose-dependent fashion.  Contraception 100(5):397-401, 2019.


Photo by David Kiefer, Stanford Athletics Communications

Steven Fahy, former graduate student in the Master of Laboratory Animal Medicine program, was named the Pac-12 Men’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2019. Steven’s time as an MLAS student ended earlier than anticipated when this exceptional scholar-athlete committed to training full-time for the Olympic Trials and World Championships in 2021/2022. Comparative Medicine wishes Steven great success in his running career and looks forward to seeing Steven up on the podium soon!


Congratulations to Alexandra Johns, 2019 finalist in the Art of Science Exhibition for her image of neurons entitled “Galaxy of the Mind".

Aryana Razmara

Alissa Hatfield

The Stanford Alumni Association has awarded Alissa Hatfield and Aryana Razmara each a 2018 Community Impact Award. Comparative Medicine is uniquely privileged to have two stellar, talented, and dedicated trainees recognized by the Stanford Alumni Association for their contributions to the community. Well done!    

Updated April 25, 2023