President

Christina Du Ross

Research Interests: Cancer Biology, Prostate Cancer, Inflammation
Program: PhD, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Laboratory: Dr. Carlos Casiano
Contact Information: cduross@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Calls for, presides over and establishes the agenda of each meeting
  • Is the liaison between the School of Medicine, LLU Student Senate and LLUSA about emanating ideas from the student body and council
  • Endorses and ensures the execution of all final decisions voted by the officers
  • Establishes an objective/vision for the academic school year

Vice President

Cole Knox

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Physiology
Laboratory: Dr. Tim Martens
Contact Information: cknox@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Assist in responsibilities of the President
  • Represents Basic Sciences Student Council when President is unavailable
  • Works with President to establish an objective/vision for the academic school year

Secretary

Nicole Mavingire

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Pharmacology
Laboratory: Dr. Eileen Brantley
Contact Information: nmavingire@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Records and distributes the meeting minutes
  • Responsible for sending the meeting agenda to the appropriate individuals
  • Maintains record of member attendance to each meeting and voting records
  • Oversees the administrative correspondence between the council and LLU faculty, employee, students, etc.

Treasurer

Cole Knox

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Earth and Biological Sciences
Laboratory: Dr. Stephen G. Dunbar
Contact Information: cknox@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Responsible and accountable for all financial transactions of BSSC
  • Periodically reports the financial status of BSSC at meetings
  • Prepares the budget for processing financial requests, for social, academic and/or community events
  • Oversees all fundraising effort

Public Relations

Marsha Wright

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Physiology
Laboratory: Dr. Tim Martens
Contact Information: mkwright@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Publicizes all BSSC events
  • Responsible for all the advertisement of special events
  • Acts as liaison between the LLUSM webmaster and BSSC to update the website

Academic VP

Kate Ball

Research Interests: Chemosensing, Protein Chemistry & Structure
Program: PhD, Biochemistry
Laboratory: Dr. Kylie Watts
Contact Information: kaball@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Promotes academic integrity and professional maturity of graduate students
  • Facilitates the academic development of student via multifaceted approaches i.e brochures, fair, mentorship, conferences, etc.
  • Advocates for academic issues raised by students

Social VP

Ezinne Aja

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Laboratory: Dr. Hansel Fletcher
Contact Information: eaja@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Oversees and plans all non-academic/social events occurring on or off campus
  • Promotes the interaction amongst faculty and students
  • Creates and adheres to a budget for each social activity

Community Service VP

Greisha Ortiz-Hernandez

Research Interests: Cancer Biology, Prostate Cancer
Program: PhD, Pharmacology
Laboratory: Dr. Carlos Casiano
Contact Information: gortizhernandez@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Is responsible for organizing and planning all community service activities
  • Promotes LLU community based events
  • Executes at least one community service per quarter

Technology VP

Nicholas Sanchez

Research Interests: Alzheimer's Disease, Neurodegeneration
Program: PhD, Biochemistry
Laboratory: Dr. Wolff Kirsch
Contact Information: nsanchez@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Establish, maintain and update school websites
  • Advocate for technological advancement for the student body's needs

Religious VP

Janviere Kabagwira

Research Interests: The role of survivin splice variants in chemoresistant pancreatic cancer
Program: PhD, Biochemistry
Laboratory: Dr. Nathan Wall
Contact Information: jkabagwira@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Leads in creating/promoting venues for the students to grow spiritually
  • Facilitates activities (working with Social VP) that promote fellowship

Senior Representative

Jonathan Baio

Research Interests: 
Program: PhD, Anatomy
Laboratory: Dr. Mary Kearns-Jonker
Contact Information: jbaio@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Oversees, plans and organizes graduation weekend for the seniors
  • Plans meetings with the graduating seniors to ensure they are aware of deadlines
  • Helps chose the speaker
  • Plans the program for the hooding ceremony

MD/PhD Representative

Mary Beth Yu

Research Interests: Immunology
Program: PhD, Biochemistry
Laboratory: Dr. William Langridge
Contact Information: mjyu@llu.edu
Officer Description:

  • Promotes the interaction among MD/PhD students and faculty
  • Provides and supports scholastic material and/or activities (i.e lecture series) for the development of MD/PhD students
  • Liaison between the MD/PhD administrators and the students

Earth & Biological Sciences Representative

Zachary Travis

Research Interests: Proteomics, Surgical Brain Injury, Inflammation, Hemorrhage 
Program: PhD, Biology
Laboratory: Dr. Bill Hayes and Dr. John Zhang
Contact Information: ztravis@llu.edu
Officer Description: 

  • Advocate needs for the EBS student body