2018 - 2019 Updated PDA Executive Council
The Executive Council of the Postdoctoral Association serves the
postdoctoral community and conducts and organizes PDA business and
events.
President

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Dominique Reed, PhD
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Reed earned her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Louisville in May 2016. She is now working
as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Rajesh Agarwal in the
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences investigating the molecular
mechanisms involved in the efficacy of chemopreventative agent, Bitter
Melon, in pancreatic cancer.
Vice President

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Josh Travers, PhD
Department of Medicine Division of Cardiology University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Travers earned his PhD in Pharmacology from University of Cincinnati. He is currently continuing
his postdoctoral training in Dr. McKinsey's lab in the Division of Cardiologu.

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Michael Dyle, PhD
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
Dr. Dyle earned his PhD in Molecular Physiology from the
University of Iowa in 2015. He is currently working as a postdoctoral
fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics in the
lab of Dr. Suja Jagannathan discovering novel factors that contribule to
skeletal muscle deterioration in a severe form of adult-onset muscular
dystrophy.
Chief Communication Officers

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Shawna Matthews, PhD
Department of Pathology
School of Medicine
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Matthews earned her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Colorado
State University in 2015. She is currently working as a postdoctoral
fellow in the lab of Dr. Carol Sartorius in the Department of
Pathology investigating how female sex steroid hormones affect
mitochondrial function of breast cancer cells.

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Sophina Taitano, PhD
Department of Immunology
School of Medicine
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Taitano earned her PhD in Immunology from the University of Michigan in 2018. She is currently working as a postdoctoral
fellow in the lab of Dr. Roberta Pelanda in the Department of
Immunology investigating how B cells that express two different B cell receptors may contribute to development of autoimmunity.
Chief Diversity Officer

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Marina Felisbimo , PhD
Department of Cardiology
School of Medicine
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Felisbimo earned her PhD in Biology from University of Campinas in
2016. She is currently working as a postdoctoral
fellow in the lab of Dr. McKinsey in the Department of Cardiology
investigating how cell senescence and epigenetic factors regulate
cardiac fibrosis.
PDA Committees
Outreach Committee

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Madeline Keleher, PhD (Chair)
Department of Pediatrics School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
Dr. Keleher earned her PhD from
Washington University and is currently a postdoctoral fellow working
under Dr. Kristen Boyle in the Nutrition Section of the Department of
Pediatrics. She is studying how maternal obesity affects epigenetics and
cell metabolism in mesenchymal stem cells cultured from infants'
umbilical cords.
Travel Award Committee

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Sara Coleman, PhD (Co-Chair)
Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Coleman earned her PhD in Human
Physiology from Massey University/ The New Zealand Institute for Plant
and Food Research. She is currently doing her postdoctoral research in
the lab of Dr. Brent Palmer in the Division of Allergy and Clinical
Immunology studying the influence of the microbiome on HIV
pathophysiology.

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Walter Knight, PhD (Co-Chair)
Division of Cardiology School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
Dr. Knight earned his Ph.D from the
University of Rochester in 2016. He is now working as a postdoctoral
fellow in the lab of Dr. Kunhua Song in the School of Medicine in the
Division of Cardiology, where he is using stem cell-derived
cardiomyocytes to study cardiovascular disease.
Seminar Series Committee

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Natalie Hohos, PhD (Chair)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
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Dr. Hohos earned her PhD in Foods and
Nutrition from the University of Georgia in 2016. She is currently
working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology in the Division of Reproductive Science in the lab of Dr.
Malgorzata Skaznik-Wikiel. Her research focuses on understanding the
negative impact of dietary fat on ovarian function, regardless of
obesity.
Postdoctoral Research Day (PDRD) Committee

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Jennifer Major, PhD (Chair)
Division of Cardiology School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
Dr. Major earned her PhD from the
University of Ottawa in 2017. She is currently working as a postdoctoral
fellow in Dr. Tim McKinsey's lab in the Division of Cardiology studying
epigenetic regulation of heart failure.
Postdoc Engagement Committee (PDEC)

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Madeline Keleher, PhD (Chair)
Department of Pediatrics School of Medicine University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
Dr. Keleher earned her PhD from
Washington University and is currently a postdoctoral fellow working
under Dr. Kristen Boyle in the Nutrition Section of the Department of
Pediatrics. She is studying how maternal obesity affects epigenetics and
cell metabolism in mesenchymal stem cells cultured from infants'
umbilical cords.