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College of Life Sciences Microbiology and Molecular Biology
Tessem Laboratory - Diabetes Research Group

Current Lab Members

Graduate Students

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Nathan Walker

MMBio Ph.D. Student
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Awards/Experience: BS in Biotechnology at Utah Valley University
Current Project: Mechanisms of diabetes therapeutics and probable genetic targets.
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Kate Whalen

MMBio Ph.D. Student
Hometown: West Richland, WA
Awards/Experience: BS in Microbiology (BYU)
Current Project: Effects of Nr4a3 in the beta cell
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Chloe Ganiaris

MMBio Masters Student
Hometown: New York, NY
Awards/Experience: BS in Molecular Biology (BYU)
Current Project: Nr4a1 binding partners and their effect on the β cell
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Bea Reynolds

MMBio Masters Student
Hometown: Tricities, Washington
Awards/Experience: BS in Molecular Biology (BYUI)
Current Project: Effects of Nr4a1 on beta cell viability and insulin secretion
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Undergraduate Students

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Eden Dunn

Hometown: Erda, UT
Major: Molecular Biology and German Awards/Experience: 2023, 2024 CURA grant recipient, cancer research fellowship at Johns Hopkins University Current Project: GSIS, Gestational diabetes
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Aubree Bench

Hometown: Provo, Utah
Major: Cell Biology and Physiology
Awards/Experience: 2024 CURA grant recipient, 2024 UCUR poster presenter, 2025 CURA grant recipient, 2025 UCUR oral presenter
Current Project: Transcription factor Nr4a1 effects on beta-cell survival under diabetic conditions
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Brigham Blackwell

Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Major: Biology
Awards/Experience: 2025, 2026 CURA grant recipient, 2025, 2026 UCUR presenter, 2025 1st Place MMBio Undergratuate Presenter at BYU LSRC
Current Project: Effects of overexpression of Nr4a1 and Nr4a3 on beta-cell viability
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Luki Benavente

Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Major: Cell Biology and Physiology
Awards/Experience: 2024 Anderson Diabetes Research Award recipient, 2024 UCUR Presenter, WAESO Scholarship recipient
Current Project: Identifying Nr4a3 binding partners
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Jonathan Hanson

Hometown: Alpine, Utah
Major: BA Music, cello emphasis; also premed
Awards/Experience: 2025, 2026 UCUR presenter, 2025 CURA Grant Recipient, 5th grade 2nd place state science fair
Current Project: Effects of Ex4 and Harmine on Nr4a1
Fun Fact: Has never lost in mini golf
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Kyla King

Hometown: Medford, Oregon
Major: Molecular Biology
Awards/Experience: 2024 CURA winner, 2025 UCUR presenter
Current Project: Nr4a1, Prostaglandin E1
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Oliver Nilsson

Hometown: Lancaster, California
Major: Cell Biology and Physiology
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Evelyn Chou

Hometown: Palos Verdes, California Major: Molecular Biology
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Ryan Flynn

Hometown: Beaverton, Oregon
Major: Molecular Biology
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Scott Hardy

Hometown: Logandale, NV
Major: Cell Biology and Physiology
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Samantha Lish

Hometown: New Albany, Ohio
Major: Microbiology
Awards/Experience: MMBio Mentorship Award
Current Project: Epigenetic binding factors of Nr4a1
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Josh Hauck

Hometown: Kaysville, Utah
Major: Biology
Awards/Experience: 2025 CURA Grant Recipient
Current Project: Effects of Nr4a3 KO on beta-cell viability
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Anja Lindgren

Hometown: Sherwood, OR
Current Project: Effects of fatty acids on beta cell protein translation
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Eli Dallon

Hometown: Spanish Fork, UT
Major: Microbiology
Awards/Experience: Intern at the Institut Pasteur in Paris
Current Project: Effects of cytokines on Nr4a1 knockout cells
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Isaac Stevens

Hometown: Boise, ID
Current Project: Nr4a1 expression whithin hormonal treatments
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Jason Schwitzer

Hometown: Salem, UT
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Christopher Call

Hometown: Dublin, OH
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