Indiana University School of Medicine M.D./Ph.D.

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Indiana University School of Medicine M.D./Ph.D.

The Indiana MSTP is a dual degree program (MD/PhD) integrating medical training & biomedical research

08/28/2025

🎉 Welcome Joshua Sexton, MSTP MS1!

Originally from Kentucky and raised in southern Mississippi, Joshua brings a background in biomedical engineering from Purdue University and a passion for translational research. His work has focused on using polymeric collagen to address clinical challenges like diabetes, muscle injury, and vocal fold paralysis.

Outside the lab, you’ll find Joshua rock climbing 🧗, cooking up something delicious 🍳, hiking scenic trails 🥾, or kayaking across freshwater lakes 🛶. We’re excited to have him join the Indiana MSTP community!

08/25/2025

🎉 Welcome Michelle Lu, MSTP MS1! 🧠✨

Michelle is a Carmel, IN native and IU Bloomington alum, where she earned her BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Biology. During undergrad, she dove into research with the MODEL-AD lab, exploring how chronic and binge alcohol use affects tau pathology and brain inflammation in mouse models 🐭🧠. She also worked on a project using dry EEG to study human mood and cognition.

Now on the journey to becoming a physician-scientist, Michelle is passionate about tackling neurological and neurodegenerative diseases through research. When she’s not in the lab, you’ll find her sketching, experimenting in the kitchen 🍳, or curled up with a book from literally any genre 📚✨.

08/21/2025

🎉 Welcome, Ainslee Zou!

We’re thrilled to welcome Ainslee to the Indiana MSTP as part of the incoming MS1 class! Originally from Elkhart County, Indiana, Ainslee brings a vibrant mix of scientific curiosity and creative spirit. With a background in Molecular Biology/Biochemistry and Music from Goshen College, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins, she’s passionate about exploring the immune response to disease through clinical, biomedical, and public health lenses.

When she’s not diving into immunology, you’ll likely find her curled up with her cats, Alice and Greta, enjoying a good book, crafting, or playing video games. We’re so excited to have her in the MSTP community! 🧬🐾📚🎮

08/18/2025

🎉 Welcome Will Jacob, MSTP MS1!

Will grew up in Whitestown, Indiana and studied at Butler University in Indianapolis. During undergrad, he spent four years researching how the G protein-coupled receptor FSHR-1 regulates synaptic activity at the neuromuscular junction in C. elegans, focusing on inter-tissue signaling pathways that influence neurotransmitter release. 🧠🔬

He’s passionate about understanding how changes in synaptic signaling can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and is eager to contribute to research aimed at developing new treatments. On the clinical side, Will gained valuable experience working as a medical assistant in a dermatology office, where he deepened his interest in patient care and the intersection of science and medicine. 🩺

Outside the lab, you’ll find him enjoying the outdoors—reading, fishing, and hiking with his dogs (and sometimes with friends and family too!). 🐾📚🎣🌲

08/15/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Caylin Billingsley, MSTP MS3, on her first-author manuscript published in the Journal of Virology — and selected as an Editor’s Pick!

🔗 https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jvi.00967-25

08/14/2025

🎉 Meet Katie Minton, one of the newest members of the Indiana MSTP! 🎉

Katie grew up in Indianapolis with her mom, dad, brother, two sisters, and two dachshunds—and she’s excited to continue her training in the city she calls home. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Biological Sciences, where she researched a novel therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer.

After graduation, she returned to Indy to work in Dr. Misty Shields’ translational small cell lung cancer lab at the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, focusing on biomarker identification and innovative treatments.

Outside of the lab, Katie enjoys music, outdoor adventures, reading novels, and solving sudoku puzzles 🧩📚🎶

Welcome to the MSTP family, Katie! 💙

08/11/2025

🎉 Welcome, Rebecca Collins! 🎉

We’re thrilled to officially welcome Rebecca Collins to the Indiana MSTP Class of MS1s! We first met Rebecca during our MSTP Undergraduate Summer Research Program after her sophomore year at IU, and it’s a joy to see her return to continue her journey toward becoming a physician-scientist.

Outside the lab and classroom, Rebecca enjoys road trips, hiking, and spending time with friends and her cat 🐾.

Welcome back, Rebecca—we’re so excited to have you in the MSTP community! 💙

08/07/2025

🧬 MSTP MS1 Spotlight: Kaya Ceyhan 🩺

We are pleased to welcome Kaya Ceyhan to the Indiana MSTP as one of our newest physician-scientist trainees.

Kaya begins his dual-degree journey with a strong academic foundation in both science and medicine, paired with a genuine passion for learning, collaboration, and discovery. His enthusiasm and dedication are sure to enrich our community.

We look forward to supporting Kaya’s growth and contributions throughout his training. Welcome to the Indiana MSTP!

08/05/2025

🔬 MSTP MS1 Spotlight: Aaron Allred 🩺

Meet Aaron Allred, one of the newest physician-scientist trainees joining the IU MSTP community!

Aaron brings curiosity, drive, and a passion for bridging science and medicine. He’s excited to begin his journey of discovery and clinical training—and we’re thrilled to have him on board!

Welcome, Aaron! 🎉

08/04/2025

🧠🎉 Congratulations to Emily White, MSTP GS4!
We’re proud to celebrate Emily’s receiving the prestigious F30 Award for her research project: "Evaluating the role of T cells in NF1-peripheral nerve sheath tumor (PNST) progression."

Her work is guided by the mentorship of Wade Clapp, MD and Steven Rhodes, MD, PhD.

👏 Join us in recognizing this outstanding achievement!

08/01/2025

🎉 Today we celebrated 9 incredible weeks of summer research with our MSTP USRP students!

Final presentations were shared with mentors, families, and friends — showcasing an amazing amount of research accomplished in such a short time.

We’re so proud of Theodora, Andrew, Kaitlyn, Lily, Navnoor, Isha, and Jarin, and can’t wait to see them continue on their physician-scientist journey — or wherever their passions lead them next! 💫

08/01/2025

IU School of Medicine student Gloria Xue will serve a two-year term on the Association of American Medical Colleges Board of Directors, representing medical students nationwide.

Address

Indianapolis, IN
46202

Telephone

+13172785207

Website

https://medicine.iu.edu/mstp

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