Awards 2009

There were two recipients for Physiology graduate student awards this year; one for the J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship Award and one for the Dorothy K.  and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship Award. This year's recipient of the J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship Award is Ms. Ryoko Tsukahara, and Ms. Alyssa Bolen received the Dorothy K. and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship Award.

 Dr. Gabor Tigyi, Physiology Chair,  Presenting the J. Paul Quigley Memorial Scholarship Award to Ms. Ryoko Tsukahara
 Dr. Gabor Tigyi, Physiology Chair,  Presenting the Dorothy K. and Daniel L. Gerwin Graduate Scholarship Award to Ms. Alyssa Bolen

     Ms. Ryoko Tsuhahara is a third-year student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences. She completed her bachelors in pharmaceutical sciences at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan in 1999. She worked for a pharmaceutical company for over three years as a drug information specialist. She joined Dr. Tigyi’s lab as a technician in 2003 following her husband who was a post-doctoral fellow until last year. While she was a technician, she developed an interest for research in the bioactive lipids field, and this experience triggered her to obtain a Ph.D. She joined the IPBS program at UT in August 2007. After her course study she rejoined Dr. Tigyi’s lab, and she is pursuing her Ph.D in the bioactive lipids field.
     Ms. Alyssa Bolen is a fifth-year student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Science. She graduated from Doane College in Crete, NE in 2005 with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Biology. She worked as an Emergency Medical Technician throughout college and knew she wanted to continue in the medical field.  She received an NIH grant to study circadian rhythms in the summer of 2004 and inspired her to apply for Ph.D. programs. She enthusiastically moved to Memphis and joined the IPBS program at UT-Health Science Center. After a year of course work and laboratory rotations she joined Dr. Gabor Tigyi’s lab in which she has successfully gained much experience and knowledge in the LPA field. She has actively participated in student government throughout her time at UT-Health Science Center and served as Graduate Health Student Government President in 2007-2008. Her current work has lead her to two conferences thus far(FASEB in Tuscon AZ, and EB in SanDiego, CA).