CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
Chad Vezina, Principal Investigator, (608) 890-3235. My training is in the field of pharmacology and toxicology and I came to UW-Madison in 2003. My research interests include prostate and urinary tract development, the influence of genetic and environmental factors on their development, and mechanisms by which the prostate interferes with urinary function.
Pre-doctoral Trainees
Marcela Ambrogi, Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Graduate Program (2021-Present), (608) 890-3236. She earned her Bachelor’s degree / DVM from UNICENTRO, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil in 2014 and her MS from UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil in 2016. Her research is testing for protective roles of urethral neuroendocrine cells in inflammation and infection.
Robbie Manuel, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program (2022-Present), (608) 890-3236. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University. His research is testing whether short-acting agonists of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor protect against prostate inflammation and urinary voiding dysfunction.
Thomas Peterson, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program (2019-Present), (608) 890-3236. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University in 2019. His research is testing the role of a long non-coding RNA in the developmental toxicity of dioxin.
Brandon Scharpf, Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program (2019-Present), (608) 890-3236. He joined the Vezina lab in 2019 to complete my PhD. He graduated with a bachelor’s of science in biology from SUNY Potsdam in 2018. He is determining the role of prostate fibrosis in urinary dysfunction in aging men.
Undergraduate Trainees
Piper Bandera, (2021-Present), (608) 890-3236.
Peter Graf, (2022-Present), (608) 890-3236.
Olivia Fox, (2020-Present), (608) 890-3236.
Simran Sandhu, (2017-Present), (608) 890-3236.
Jaskiran Sandhu, (2017-Present), (608) 890-3236.
High School Trainees
Sneha Chandrashekar, (2021-Present), (608) 890-3236.
Collaborators
Our laboratory is an active participant in the George M. O’Brien Center for Benign Urology Research and additional collaborators can be found here.
Our laboratory is an active participant in the GenitoUrinary Development Molecular Anatomy (GUDMAP) project and additional collaborators can be found here.
ALUMNI
Abler, Lisa. Post-doctoral researcher and Assistant Scientist (2009-2020).
Altmann, Helene. Undergraduate Researcher (2012-16). Currently: Medical Student Training Program (MD/PhD) candidate, University of Pittsburgh.
Bathke, Kalina. Undergraduate Researcher (2016-17). Currently: Program Assistant, University of Washington Office of Sustainability.
Binoy Joseph, Diya. Pre-doctoral Researcher (Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program (2015-2019). Currently: Fellow / Scientist, Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bengaluru, India.
Cadena, Mark. Pre-doctoral Researcher (2015-2020).
Chandrashekar, Anoop. High School Researcher (2016-17). Currently: Medical Degree Candidate, Vanderbilt University (Full Academic Scholarship).
Chathurvedula, Thrishna. (2018-2021). Currently: Research Intern, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Edokpolor, Kamyra, Undergraduate Researcher (2015). Currently: PhD Candidate, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Elton, Erik. Undergraduate Researcher (2012-13). Currently: Area Manager, Amazon.
Flucus, Chelsea-Leigh, Undergraduate Researcher (2009-2010). Currently: PSJD Fellow, New York, NY.
Girardi, Nicholas, Undergraduate Researcher (2019-2020). Currently: PhD candidate, Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Harvard University
Gottschalk, Adam. Undergraduate Researcher (2016-2017). Currently: DDS candidate, Marquette Dental School, Milwaukee, WI
Joshi, Pinak, Undergraduate Researcher (2009-12). Currently: Medical Science Liaison at CareDx, Inc, Boston, MA
López Alvarado, Arnaldo, Undergraduate Researcher (2014).
Mabie Zimmerman, Rheba, DVM Student Researcher (Summer 2013, 2014). Currently: Veterinarian, Madison, WI.
Mehta, Vatsal, Postdoctoral Researcher (2009-2014). Currently: toxicologist for Perfume Safety and Chemical Risk Evaluation at Procter & Gamble.
Mueller, Brett Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019). Currently: Medical student, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwakee, WI.
Mulligan, Bill, Undergraduate Researcher (2013-16). Currently: Consultant, Isovalent (Berlin, Germany).
Oakes, Royal, Undergraduate and MS researcher (2015-2020). Currently: PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
O’Driscoll, Chelsea, Post-Doctoral Researcher (2018-19). Currently: Toxicologist, Procter and Gamble.
Ruetten, Hannah, Pre-doctoral Researcher (Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (2016-2021). Currently: DVM Degree candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Schmitz, Christopher, Undergraduate Researcher (2010-12). Currently: Senior research technologist, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN.
Schoenike, Katyalex Undergraduate Researcher (2015).
Slentz, Matt, DVM Researcher (Summer 2012, 2013). Currently: Veterinarian, Griffith Small Animal Hospital, Austin, TX.
Stietz-Keil, Kimberly, Pre-doctoral Researcher (Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, 2010-2014). Currently: Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Trevena, Ryan, Research Intern (2015-17). Currently: PhD Candidate, Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Truttschel, Regan, Undergraduate Researcher (2015). Currently: Pharm.D candidate, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Turco, Anne, Predoctoral Researcher (2016-2021). Currently: Study Director, Covance Laboratories.
Wegner, Kyle, Pre-doctoral Researcher (2014-2019). Currently: Study Director, Covance Laboratories.
Zhang, Helen, Undergraduate Researcher (2017). Currently: M.S. degree candidate, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Zhu, Jonathan, Undergraduate Researcher and Intern (2019-2021). Currently, DDS degree candidate, University of Minnesota Twin Cities.