Hartman Lab Summer 2024 (back left to right, then front left to right):
Aish Singh, Kaitlan Sullivan, Abby Ryan, Taia Mendenhall, Jessica Hartman, Hyland Gonzalez, Ali Tomasevich, Benjamin Deaton, Kelly Misare, Zaria Killings worth, Kristina Stayer, Kristy Thomas, and Christian Hamner
Jessica H. Hartman, Ph.D.
Dr. Jessica Hartman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at MUSC. Dr. Hartman completed her Ph.D. in the Biochemistry Department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in the lab of Dr. Grover P. Miller, where she studied cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) enzyme kinetics. In her F32- and, K99-funded postdoctoral position in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University working with Dr. Joel Meyer, she extended her research to include in vivo models (cell culture and Caenorhabditis elegans), with a particular focus on metabolic influences on mitochondrial function and toxicity.
Kristy Thomas, Ph.D.
Dr. Kristy Thomas joined the Hartman lab as a postdoctoral fellow in June 2024 after completing her Ph.D. work at the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. Her doctoral work focused on alcoholic liver disease and maternal nutrition. Her work in the Hartman lab focuses on CYP2E1 expression in liver and colorectal cancers, as well as CYP2E1 and fatty acids.
Kylie Driggers, M.S.
Kylie Driggers is a Research Specialist II in the Hartman Lab. Before joining the lab in April 2024, Kylie completed her Masters degree in Microbiology at Colorado State University and her undergraduate degree at St. Andrews University. Kylie plays a role in most of the projects going on in the lab, with a special focus on CYP2E1 in the liver.
Hyland Gonzalez, B.S., B.A.
Hyland Gonzalez is a student in the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program at MUSC and joined the Hartman lab in June 2023. Hyland graduated with a dual degree in Biology and History from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. Following her degree, Hyland spent a year with us in the PREP program before starting her graduate work. Her project is focused on studying the effects of chronic alcohol use on alcohol metabolizing enzymes in the CNS.
Kristina Stayer, B.S.
Kristina Stayer is a student in the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program at MUSC and joined the Hartman lab in June 2023. Kristina graduated with a B.S. degree in Genetics from NC State University in Raleigh, NC. Her project is focused on studying the biochemical role of CYP2E1 in lipid handling in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Alexandra Tomasevich, B.A.
Alexandra (Ali) Tomasevich is a student in the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program at MUSC and joined the Hartman lab in June 2024. Prior to starting the Ph.D., Ali completed her B.A. in Biological Sciences at Goucher College. Her project involves the physiological role of CYP2E1 in the brain and liver.
Tsultrim Mendenhall, B.S.
Tsultrim (Taia) Mendenhall is a Research Specialist I in the Hartman Lab. Before joining the lab in September 2022, Taia completed her degree in Biology from College of Charleston. Her project is focused on the role of subcellular-targeted CYP2E1 in liver in driving responses to ethanol and a high-fat diet. Taia is starting as a Ph.D. student at MUSC in Fall 2024.
Aishwareya Singh
Aish Singh graduated with honors from the College of Charleston with her Bachelor’s degree in May 2024. Aish has been working as an undergraduate researcher since fall 2023, and completed her Bachelor’s Essay research in the Hartman lab studying the role of MANF in the muscle of C. elegans, a project that she is continuing during the summer.
Benjamin Deaton
Benjamin Deaton is a an undergraduate Neuroscience major at the University of South Carolina, and is currently an undergraduate researcher in the Hartman lab for the second summer after he was a SURP student in 2023. Ben’s project focuses on CYP2E1 and its impact on toxicity of PFOS and ethanol mixtures.
Lab Alumni
Kelly Misare, M.S.
Kelly Misare was a Research Specialist II in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. Kelly earned her Masters Degree from the University of Delaware focusing on Molecular Biology and Genetics. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY where she majored in Biology with a Minor in Chemistry, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Kelly started in the lab at the very beginning, in October 2020, and moved on to her next adventure in May 2024.
Jasmin Johnson, B.S.
Jasmin Johnson was a post-baccalaureate Research Specialist in the Hartman lab from Jan 2021-May 2022. Jasmin earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the College of Charleston. Her research in our group focused on the effect of exercise on neurotoxicity of mitochondrial toxicants. She completed her M.S. in Biomedical Science at Wake Forest University and is currently doing clinical work and applying to medical school.
Kathryn Glorioso, B.S.
Kathryn (Kate) was a Research Specialist I in Hartman Lab from August 2022 to July 2023. Before joining the lab, Kate earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Eastern University and completed post-baccalaureate studies in Biology and Physiology at Georgia Southern University. Kate’s project is focused on MANF and its role in mediating unfolded protein responses in the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria, and the role of exercise in these processes in C. elegans. Kate is currently a Ph.D. student in Dr. Jennifer Stancill’s lab (MUSC Biochemistry).
Kaitlan Sullivan, M.S.
Kaitlan Sullivan completed the Masters of Biomedical Sciences program at MUSC in December 2023. Her thesis project in the Hartman lab was a collaborative project with Dr. Mindy Engevik exploring the pathogenicity of different Acinetobacter strains using the model organism C. elegans.
Zaria Killingsworth
Zaria Killingsworth completed her undergraduate Chemistry degree with honors at the College of Charleston (graduated May 2024), and was an undergraduate researcher in the Hartman lab from 2021-24. Her project focused on the interaction of high lipid load and CYP2E1 in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Abigail Ryan
Abigail Ryan is a an undergraduate Biochemistry major at the College of Charleston. Abby was an undergraduate researcher in the Hartman lab from 2021-24. Abby’s project was measuring mitochondrial function and levels of the metabolic enzyme CYP2E1 in the brain and liver of rats fed a ketogenic diet. Within that study, she also compared the effects of age and sex on the ketogenic diet response.
Elizabeth Ampolini, B.S.
Elizabeth Ampolini was an undergraduate researcher in the Hartman lab in MUSC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) in Summer 2021. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree at NC State University. Her research in our group focused on the sensitivity of polyploid worms to chemotherapeutic drugs. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Science program at MUSC, working in the lab of Dr. David Long (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology).