McMurry Lab
"Poor is the pupil who does not surpass his master."
-- Leonardo Da Vinci.
In the McMurry Lab, we pride ourselves not only on the awesome experiments we do and the exciting discoveries we make, but also on the quality of training, mentoring and peer teaching that we do. McMurry minions develop foundational biochemical, cell biology and microbiology skills and get cutting edge training in intermolecular interaction analysis, confocal microscopy and tissue culture. McMurry Lab alumni are engaged in professions from medicine to basic research to industry, far surpassing their poor old mentor. We're very proud of our record -- see below to see where our alumni have gone and what they are doing today. Science is fun and we aim to keep it that way, but we are serious about it and getting students to where they want to go in life.
“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready... The teacher will disappear.”
-- Laozi
We are always looking for talented, motivated and ambitious students who want a serious research experience to prepare for bigger and better things like research and medical careers. As far as I know, I'm the only professor in the country crazy enough to turn undergrads loose on SPR and BLI biosensors. Interested students are encouraged to get in touch with me.
Current:
Jonathan McMurry, PI and Spirit Guide
Staff
Dr. Daniel Morris, Research Associate Professor
Graduate Student
Jojo Croffie, MSIB (B.S., Piedmont University)
Undergraduates
Shannon Miller, Biology '25
Nathaniel Turner, Biology '25
Jacob Clawson, Biology '26
Tina Willoughby, Biology '27
Joy Davis, Biology '27
Alumni (aka The Pantheon of the Graduated)
Staff
Dr. Melissa Bentley, Ph.D., Research Associate (UAB Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program; Postdoc at Emory University School of Medicine )
Allison Healey, Research Associate (Miss. St. Biomedical Engineering M.S. Program)
Dr. Katy Helms, M.D., Research Associate (Mercer University SoM; Neurology Residency, Wake Forest School of Medicine)
Stephanie Hill, Research Associate (Clinical Research Coordinator, DelRicht Research)
Dr. Takanori Hirano, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor (Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan)
Lydia Wade, Research Associate (Medical Technologist, Q2 Solutions)
Master of Science
Dr. Krista Barbour, Ph.D., MSIB '20 (UGA ILS Ph.D. Program)(co-supervised with Dr. Melanie Griffin)
Dr. Kelsey Clearman, Ph.D., MSIB '18 (UAB Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology Ph.D. Program)
Dr. R. Luke Dickson, DVM, MSIB '19 (The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine D.V.M. Program)
Schuyler Gentry, MSIB '21 (Lab Projects Coordinator, Q2 Solutions)
Maria Mbugua, MSCB '19 (Analyst, New Relic, Inc.)
Dr. Verrra M., Ngwa, Ph.D., MSCB '16 (Vanderbilt University Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program)
Laura-Maria Oja, MSCB '20 (Research Associate, Carl Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Brain Xell)
Dr. Mareena Whisby-Pitts, MSIB '18 (Morehouse Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program, CDC Laboratory Leadership Fellow) (co-supervised with Dr. Melanie Griffin)
Shaquanna Young, MSIB '18 (UVA Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program)
Bachelor of Science
Dr. David Axford D.O., Biology '18 (Edward Via COM, Auburn University, US Navy Health Professions Scholar, Dive Medical Officer, U.S. Navy)
Eilly Barron, Biology, '21 (Research Associate, University of Maryland SoM)
Will Clark, Biology, '21 (TBD)
Dr. Lauren (Beasley) Thomas, M.D., Biochemistry '14 (MCG M.D. Program; Residency at Pensacola Sacred Heart Hospital)
Juana Camila Bejarano, Biology, '18 (M.D. Program, St. George's SoM)
Dr. Amber Caldara, Ph.D., Biology '15 (Emory Cancer Biology Ph.D. '19, HHMI Gilliam Fellow, Boston Consulting Group, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Galen Medical Group, Chattanooga, TN)
Hope Didier, Biology '21 (Wake Forest University School of Medicine Molecular Medicine & Translational Science Ph.D. Program)
Joycelynn Foster, Biochemistry '13 (Indiana U. M.M.A. Program)
Dr. Joshua Francis, Ph.D. Biochemistry '11 (Emory B.C.D.B. Ph. D., Senior Research Scientist, CDC)
Dr. Sydney Green, M.D. Biology '16 (Morehouse SoM M.D. Program, Global Health Residency, Eastern Virginia Medical School)
Elizabeth Hayes, Biology '15 (UGA Integrated Life Sciences Ph.D. Program)
Emma Henry, Biology, '21 (Virginia Tech Molecular & Cell Biology Ph.D Program)
Stephanie Hill, Biochemistry '13 (UAB Prep, MCG M.D. Program, Staff Scientist, New Echota Biotechnology)
Dr. Eric Hoffer, Ph.D., Biochemistry '11 (Emory B.C.D.B. Ph. D., Staff Scientist, Janssen)
Aidan Keelaghan, Biology, '21 (Research Specialist, Emory University School of Medicine; Ph.D. Program, Emory SOM)
Dr. Lewis Kraft, Ph.D., Biochemistry '09 (Ph.D., Vanderbilt Chemical & Physical Biology '15, Senior Scientist, Illumina, Director of Research & Development, Tempus AI)
Dr. Martha Kyriacou, M.D., Biochemistry, '07 (Universite Central del Caribe SoM, SUNY Downstate Residency, Board Certified Family Medicine Practitioner, Pravan Health, Puerto Rico)
Dr. Maria Kyriacou, M.D., Biochemistry '07 (Mercer University SoM, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Pediatrics Residency, Primary Care Sports Medicine Attending, Miami Orthopedics & Sports Institute)
Blake Langefels, Biochemistry, '21 (Research Associate, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine)
Ji Lee, Biology, '20 (D.O. Program, Edward Via CoM)
Shan Malek, Biology, '21 (Sales Rep., Orthopediatrics)
Dr. Rachel Martini, Ph.D., Biology '15 (UGA Integrated Life Sciences Ph.D. Program, Post-doc, Weil Cornell College of Medicine, Director, Institute for Translational Genomic Medicine, Morehouse SoM)
Kristi Moncja, Biology, '19 (KSU MSCB Program, Van Dyke Lab; Assoc. Scientist, Solvay)
Dr. Hannah Moorman, M.D., Biology '18 (Mercer University SoM), Virginia Commonwealth University Pathology Residency)
Viet Nguyen, Biochemistry '08 (Morehouse SoM, M.S., Mercer U. Pharm. D. Program)
Mikayla Oehring, Biology, '21 (PA Program, University of Tampa)
Comfort Orekoya, Biology, '19 (D.O. Program, PCOM South Georgia)
Abeer Osman, Biology, '21 (TBD)
Jonathan Parker, Biochemistry, '09 (Specialist, CDC)
Dr. Emma (Parks) Bennett, M.D., Biology '18 (FIU Wertheim College of Medicine M.D. Program, Psychiatry Residency, Mount Sinai Medical Center - Miami Beach)
Dr. Katherine (Rhoades) Smith, M.D., Biochemistry '14 (Mercer University SoM M.D. Program, Emory School of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency, Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Atlanta)
Dr. Dino Romero, Biochemistry '13 (U. Penn. PREP Program, MCG M.D. Program, Memorial Healthcare General Surgery Residency)
Dr. Israel Scott, Ph.D., Biochemistry '10 (UGA Biochemistry Ph.D. Program)
Dr. T. Coddington Van Voorhees VII, Chemistry 1897 (East Alabama A&M Phlogistology Ph.D. Program, Assistant Professor of Phlogistology, KSU Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
Dr. Jo Wilson, M.D., Biochemistry '10 (MCG M.D. '16, Johns Hopkins Pediatrics Residency), Pediatric Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health)
Michael Woods, Biology '19 (M.S., Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Technology Commercialization Fellow, University of Minnesota)
