Tilton Lab Members

Susan C. Tilton, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Director of Academic Programs

Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Department

Education:

Postdoctoral Training, Cancer Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Ph.D. Toxicology, Oregon State University

M.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi

B.S. Biology, Environmental Science and Policy, Duke University

Jamie Pennington

Lab Manager, Faculty Research Assistant

Kyle Burns

Ph.D. Graduate Student, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

I completed my Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with a minor in pharmaceutical sciences at The Ohio State University before starting at Oregon State University in the autumn of 2021. During the summer of 2022, I joined the Tilton lab in the toxicology department and began a project as I approached the start of my second year. The primary objectives of this project are to develop a co-culture model using 3D primary human bronchial epithelial cells with THP-1 macrophages, and to assess toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as either individual chemicals or mixtures in the co-culture model. By combining different cellular compartments, the hypothesis is that the co-culture model will better recapitulate in vivo response to environmental exposures compared to other in vitro models. 

Tori Colvin

Ph.D. Candidate, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

Tori is a fourth year PhD candidate in the Tilton lab. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Troy University in 2019 and a Master of Science in Toxicology from Oregon State University in 2021. Her current research focuses on the validation of human bronchial epithelial cell (HBEC) models for the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) toxicity. Her project utilizes many techniques such as ultra-performance liquid chromatography, RNA-sequencing, protein activity analysis, and more to assess the metabolic competency of HBECs for PAH exposure. Her future goals are to increase her understanding of computational tools such as computer programming/coding, toxicokinetic software tools, and machine learning for the purpose of solving toxicological issues.

Reese Valdez

Ph.D. Graduate Student, Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

Reese is a second year PhD student working in Dr. Tilton’s laboratory.  Their current research is focused on using primary human bronchial epithelial cells to understand how mechanisms of toxicity differ between healthy and asthmatic individuals.  They earned their HBS in BioResource Research with focuses in toxicology and genomics/bioinformatics from Oregon State University in 2021. 

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Undergraduate Students

Mackenzie Allison

Undergraduate Researcher, STEM Leaders Program, BioHealth

MacKenzie is a fourth-year undergraduate student from Eugene, Oregon pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in biohealth sciences. In the winter of 2022, MacKenzie joined the Tilton lab. She is currently researching the toxicity of alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.  

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Tilton Lab Alumni:

Graduate Students:

Brianna Rivera, PhD

Senior Consultant, ToxStrategies

Yvonne Chang, PhD

Toxicologist, Bristol Myers Squibb

Francesca Germano, MS

Ph.D. student in Public Health, Oregon State University

Undergraduate Students:

Samantha Amador, BS

Kelley Bastin, BS

Research Assistant, Oregon Health Sciences Center

Celine Huynh, BS

Clinical Research Study Coordinator, Portland VA Research Foundation

Andrew Frank, BS

Research Associate, Synthetic Biology Group, Earth & Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Michael-Andres Mans, BS

Process Chemist, Hewlett-Packard

George Luker, BS

Research Associate II, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA

Sawyer Hicks, BS

Doctoral Student, University of Albany, SUNY, Department of Biology

Kristina Halvorson, BS

Analyst, Intel

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Faculty Research Assistants:

Beth Siddens, MS

Senior Faculty Research Assistant, Linus Pauling Institute

David Sampson, BS

Senior Research Assistant, Oregon Health Sciences University

Yu Zhen, PhD

Faculty Research Assistant, Linus Pauling Institute