WSU Animal Sciences Graduate Students

ASGSA members
First row (L to R): Md Nazmul Hossain, Allison Herrick, Sabrina Haney, Emma Wheeler. Second row (L to R): Kailash Bohara, Yao Gao, Callan Lichtenwalter, Max Butensky, Kassie Stadler, Songah Chae, Xiangdong Liu, Sarah Dreger. Not pictured: Shane Carrion, Jasmine Richman, Jera Monaghan, Qiyu Tian

Kailash Bohara
PhD candidate, Phelps Lab
Hometown: Dhangadhi, Nepal
Research focus: Fish disease and immunolgy

Max Butensky
PhD candidate, Phelps Lab
Hometown: Los Altos, California
Research focus: Maturation process in Pacific salmon

Shane Carrion
PhD candidate, Jiang Lab
Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi
Research focus: Reproductive and epigenetic regulation in Xenopus

Songah Chae
PhD candidate, Du Lab
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Research focus: Maternal exercise effects on epithelial development of fetal intestine

Sarah Dreger
MS candidate, Llewellyn Lab
Hometown: Wilbur, Washington
Research focus: Impact of alfalfa fall dormancy on forage quality

Yao Gao
PhD candidate, Du Lab
Hometown: Shenmu, China
Research focus: Maternal metabolism and embryonic myogenesis

Sabrina Haney
PhD candidate, Phelps Lab
Hometown: Ogden, Utah
Research focus: Understanding the evolution of viviparity in sharks using comparative genomics

Allison Herrick
PhD candidate, Neibergs Lab
Hometown: Bliss, New York
Research focus: Utilizing genomic selection as a risk management tool for commercial dairies

Md Nazmul Hossain
PhD candidate, Du Lab
Hometown: Magura, Bangladesh
Research focus: AMPK in mediating oocyte methylation with maternal obesity

Callan Lichtenwalter
PhD candidate, Adams Progar Lab
Hometown: Conway, Arkansas
Research focus: Pest bird impacts on dairy cattle behavior and welfare. Sustainable reduction of pest birds on dairies

Xiangdong Liu
PhD candidate, Du Lab
Hometown: Yanggao, China
Research focus: The role of the extracellular matrix on muscle regeneration, adipose tissue function, and meat quality

Jera Monaghan
MS candidate, Johnson Lab
Hometown: Burlington, Wisconsin
Research focus: Use of seaweed in cow/calf diets and worm-powered manure management to reduce emissions

Jasmine Richman
MS candidate, Phelps Lab
Hometown: Fulton, Maryland
Research focus: How the activin receptor signaling pathway regulates muscle growth in rainbow trout

Kassie Stadler
PhD candidate, Law Lab
Hometown: Yakima, Washington
Research focus: How the transcription factor RUNX3 is a driver of fate in the male germline

Qiyu Tian
PhD candidate, Du Lab
Hometown: China
Research focus: Health benefits of dietary bioactive compound on inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer

Emma Wheeler
PhD candidate, Jiang Lab
Hometown: Emporia, Kansas
Research focus: Neuroscience and genomics of chronic cannabis use in rodents

Visiting Brazilian Scholars

(L to R) Cris Nunes, Jessica Pereira, and Taina Silvestre.

Cris and Jessica came to WSU from Brazil as part of their PhD programs. Their goals were to learn new methods and techniques that they could use to apply to their research programs and help complete their theses. Taina was a post-doctoral fellow who came to Pullman to perform research in Dr. Marcos Marcondes’ lab.

Jera Monaghan showing a package of Char-cougar-ie, a blend of pepperoni bites made at the WSU Meat Science Laboratory and chunks of Cougar Gold cheese made at the WSU Creamery. The grad students made the snack packs and sold them to tailgaters on WSU Cougar football gamedays. Proceeds from the sales fund travel to professional meetings.

Outstanding Graduate Students

Xiangdong Liu

Outstanding PhD student

Xiangdong Liu

Jasmine Richman

Outstanding MS student

Jasmine Richman

Sarah Dreger

Outstanding MS student

Sarah Dreger