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External grant funds (2005-2026) >1.1 million USD from: National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Society for Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science/Merck, Med Tech RI, RI Aquaculture Initiative.
Espinosa has trained 136 undergraduate students since 2004, about 30% have pursued health professions. Ten students are co-authors in Espinosa’s scientific papers, thirteen graduated with a senior thesis research project. Four students successfully graduated with PhD degrees and are either in academia or in industry; twelve completed an MS degree and are working as research technicians in academia or industry; three are physicians, two veterinarians, two physician assistants, and twelve have research assistant jobs. Three are in PhD programs at Boston College, Rutgers and University of California San Diego.
In 2012 and 2015, two students were awarded summer undergraduate research fellowship funds from the American Society for Microbiology to perform their research projects in the Espinosa lab by competing with 43 or 55 nationwide undergraduate applicants.
STUDENT TRAINING
Total = 136 students; Espinosa’s lab students have graduated with PhD, MS degrees, are researchers in academia or industry; physicians, veterinarians, physician assistants
CURRENT STATUS/POSITIONS OF EXEMPLAR STUDENTS, ESPINOSA’S LABORATORY (RWU):
Professionals:
Grace Caldwell BS Biology/Public Health 2025; MA Biotechnology Intern NEMIC, Providence RI 2026
Matthew Gabrielle BS Biology/Chemistry 2019; PhD in Neuroscience, Scientist III 2024, AbbVie, Cambridge MA 2025
Francesca Pisanzio BS Biology 2023; Research Scientist Magnet Biomedicine, Boston MA 2023
Mikaela Vallas BS Biology 2018; Master’s Degree Biotechnology The Johns Hopkins University 2021; Scientific Project Manager Ingenious Targeting Laboratory, New York 2021- present
Joshua Leitao BS Biology 2016; Master of Science Molecular Microbiology and Immunology John Hopkins University 2017; Doctor of Pharmacy Massachusetts College of Pharmacology and Health Sciences 2022; PGY1&2 Health System Pharmacy Administration internships 2022, Pharmacist 2022-present
Alex Tight BS Biology 2016; Biochemist I Siemens Healthineers Walpole MA 2016-present
Scott Scarneo BS Biology/Chemistry 2015; MA Biology UNE 2017; MBA ENMU 2018; PhD Pharmacology Duke Univ 2020; Founder/Chief Scientific Officer Eydis Bio Inc. 2025
Andrew Mitchell BS Biology/Chemistry 2012; PhD Biochemistry Penn State University 2017; Postdoctoral Fellow Whitehead Institute MIT 2019; Senior Test Engineer Gingko Bioworks 2019-2023; Moderna Boston MA June 2023
Monichan Phay BS Biology/Chemistry 2011; PhD Biology University of Delaware 2019; Postdoctoral Fellow Harvard 2019-2022; Research Scientist Leal Therapeutics Boston MA 2022-present
Barbara Mann BS Biology 2011; PhD Cell and Molecular Biology UMASS Amherst 2018; Senior Scientist Modalis Therapeutics 2018-2023, Cambridge MA; Senior Scientist I at Tome Biosciences Watertown MA 2023
Erica Ryke BS Biology/BA Psychology 2011; Master’s Degree University College of London 2012; Sequencing Lead Northwest Genomics Center, University of Washington, Seattle Washington 2019-present
Laura Ashley Przondo BS Biology/Psychology 2011; Medical Doctor Western University 2019
Marisa Checca BS Biology 2009; Medical Doctor St Georges University 2016
Shannon Arnold BS Biology 2009; MS Cell Biology Purdue University 2012; Doctor in Veterinary Medicine Purdue University 2015
Chelsea Fitzsimons-Diaz BS Marine Biology 2008; Doctor in Veterinary Medicine Oregon State University 2012
George Perdrizet BS Biology/Chemistry 2008; PhD Biochemistry Univ Chicago 2014; 2014-present Adjunct Faculty Chemistry Dept. Los Medanos College, University of San Francisco, CA
Graduate School Students:
Madisson Cossette BS Biology/Forensic Sciences 2022; Master of Science Biomolecular Sciences Central Connecticut State University 2023-present. Laboratory Assistant 1 Forensic Biology/DNA Unit, State of Connecticut 2023-present
Meagan Hackey BS Biochemistry 2018; PhD student Organic Chemistry Boston College 2018-graduated Fall 2024.
Katie Lowerre BS Biology 2017; Master of Science Chemistry UMASS Lowell 2021; PhD Program in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering University of California San Diego Fall 2022, CA
Yoly Santos Tattersfield BS Biology 2017; Masters of Business Administration Framingham State University 2022-present; Laboratory Microbiologist/Manager Microbac Laboratories 2018-2021; Laboratory Manager DynamiCure Biotechnology 2021-present
Harsha Kumar BS Biology 2016; Emergency Medicine resident, UMASS Medical School 2021-present
Lauren Salerno BS Biology/Chemistry/Spanish 2012; Master of Science Cellular/Molecular Biology Tufts University 2021-present, MA; Senior Scientist Amgen 2012-present
Espinosa has trained 136 undergraduate students since 2004, about 30% have pursued health professions. Ten students are co-authors in Espinosa’s scientific papers, thirteen graduated with a senior thesis research project. Four students successfully graduated with PhD degrees and are either in academia or in industry; twelve completed an MS degree and are working as research technicians in academia or industry; three are physicians, two veterinarians, two physician assistants, and twelve have research assistant jobs. Three are in PhD programs at Boston College, Rutgers and University of California San Diego.
In 2012 and 2015, two students were awarded summer undergraduate research fellowship funds from the American Society for Microbiology to perform their research projects in the Espinosa lab by competing with 43 or 55 nationwide undergraduate applicants.
STUDENT TRAINING
Total = 136 students; Espinosa’s lab students have graduated with PhD, MS degrees, are researchers in academia or industry; physicians, veterinarians, physician assistants
CURRENT STATUS/POSITIONS OF EXEMPLAR STUDENTS, ESPINOSA’S LABORATORY (RWU):
Professionals:
Grace Caldwell BS Biology/Public Health 2025; MA Biotechnology Intern NEMIC, Providence RI 2026
Matthew Gabrielle BS Biology/Chemistry 2019; PhD in Neuroscience, Scientist III 2024, AbbVie, Cambridge MA 2025
Francesca Pisanzio BS Biology 2023; Research Scientist Magnet Biomedicine, Boston MA 2023
Mikaela Vallas BS Biology 2018; Master’s Degree Biotechnology The Johns Hopkins University 2021; Scientific Project Manager Ingenious Targeting Laboratory, New York 2021- present
Joshua Leitao BS Biology 2016; Master of Science Molecular Microbiology and Immunology John Hopkins University 2017; Doctor of Pharmacy Massachusetts College of Pharmacology and Health Sciences 2022; PGY1&2 Health System Pharmacy Administration internships 2022, Pharmacist 2022-present
Alex Tight BS Biology 2016; Biochemist I Siemens Healthineers Walpole MA 2016-present
Scott Scarneo BS Biology/Chemistry 2015; MA Biology UNE 2017; MBA ENMU 2018; PhD Pharmacology Duke Univ 2020; Founder/Chief Scientific Officer Eydis Bio Inc. 2025
Andrew Mitchell BS Biology/Chemistry 2012; PhD Biochemistry Penn State University 2017; Postdoctoral Fellow Whitehead Institute MIT 2019; Senior Test Engineer Gingko Bioworks 2019-2023; Moderna Boston MA June 2023
Monichan Phay BS Biology/Chemistry 2011; PhD Biology University of Delaware 2019; Postdoctoral Fellow Harvard 2019-2022; Research Scientist Leal Therapeutics Boston MA 2022-present
Barbara Mann BS Biology 2011; PhD Cell and Molecular Biology UMASS Amherst 2018; Senior Scientist Modalis Therapeutics 2018-2023, Cambridge MA; Senior Scientist I at Tome Biosciences Watertown MA 2023
Erica Ryke BS Biology/BA Psychology 2011; Master’s Degree University College of London 2012; Sequencing Lead Northwest Genomics Center, University of Washington, Seattle Washington 2019-present
Laura Ashley Przondo BS Biology/Psychology 2011; Medical Doctor Western University 2019
Marisa Checca BS Biology 2009; Medical Doctor St Georges University 2016
Shannon Arnold BS Biology 2009; MS Cell Biology Purdue University 2012; Doctor in Veterinary Medicine Purdue University 2015
Chelsea Fitzsimons-Diaz BS Marine Biology 2008; Doctor in Veterinary Medicine Oregon State University 2012
George Perdrizet BS Biology/Chemistry 2008; PhD Biochemistry Univ Chicago 2014; 2014-present Adjunct Faculty Chemistry Dept. Los Medanos College, University of San Francisco, CA
Graduate School Students:
Madisson Cossette BS Biology/Forensic Sciences 2022; Master of Science Biomolecular Sciences Central Connecticut State University 2023-present. Laboratory Assistant 1 Forensic Biology/DNA Unit, State of Connecticut 2023-present
Meagan Hackey BS Biochemistry 2018; PhD student Organic Chemistry Boston College 2018-graduated Fall 2024.
Katie Lowerre BS Biology 2017; Master of Science Chemistry UMASS Lowell 2021; PhD Program in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering University of California San Diego Fall 2022, CA
Yoly Santos Tattersfield BS Biology 2017; Masters of Business Administration Framingham State University 2022-present; Laboratory Microbiologist/Manager Microbac Laboratories 2018-2021; Laboratory Manager DynamiCure Biotechnology 2021-present
Harsha Kumar BS Biology 2016; Emergency Medicine resident, UMASS Medical School 2021-present
Lauren Salerno BS Biology/Chemistry/Spanish 2012; Master of Science Cellular/Molecular Biology Tufts University 2021-present, MA; Senior Scientist Amgen 2012-present