Lab team
The Crish Lab supports and values diversity and inclusion
We respect the qualities that diversity brings to our environment via race, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability status. We know that marginalized and disadvantaged groups face unique challenges in science. Our goal is to help you meet those challenges by providing a research environment inclusive and supportive to everyone. All are welcome in the Crish Lab.
Research team
Katie Bretland, B.S.
Katie is currently completing her doctoral dissertation studying the exercise hormone irisin in Alzheimer’s disease in the CCrish Lab as part of the NEOMED Basic & Translational Biomedicine Graduate Program.
Miljan Terzic, Pharm.D.
Miljan is currently completing his doctoral dissertation studying glaucoma, the visual system, and Alzheimer’s disease in the Sam Crish Lab as part of the NEOMED Basic & Translational Biomedicine Graduate Program.
Bovinari Csubak, BS.
Bovinari currently works as a fulltime Research Technician in the CCrish Lab as part of the Alzheimer’s Discovery Grant research project.
Li Lin, M.S.
Li is a Senior Research Associate for the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences at NEOMED.
Research Team Alumni
Gabrielle (Frame) Hallai, Ph.D.
Dr. Hallai completed her doctoral thesis titled “Tracing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease across sensory circuits” in the CCrish Lab in May 2023 as part of the Kent State University Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.
Sarah Terrill, Ph.D.
Dr. Terrill served as the Alan & Janice Woll Postdoctoral Fellow in the CCrish and Fleming Labs from 2020-2022. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Carthage College in Kenosha WI.
Emily (Plyler) Simons, Ph.D.
Dr. Simons completed her doctoral thesis in the Sam Crish lab as part of the Kent State University Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
Collaborators
Matthew A. Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED and Staff Scientist, Akron Children’s Hospital.
Samuel Crish, Ph.D.
Associate Professor.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED.
Jessica Ferrell, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Integrated Medical Sciences, NEOMED.
Austin (Woo Shik) Shin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED.
Takhar Kasumov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED
Jeff Mellott, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, NEOMED.
Sheila Fleming, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED.
Lisa Noelle Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Professor.
Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, NEOMED.
Other team members
Professional Students
Leslie Gonzalez, 2023 NEOSTAR Geriatric Medicine Research Fellow, College of Medicine, NEOMED.
Zoya Khan, 2022 NEOSTAR Geriatric Medicine Research Fellow, College of Medicine, NEOMED
Savanna Hoyt, 2021 NEOSTAR Geriatric Medicine Research Fellow, College of Medicine, NEOMED.
Alexandra Brooks, 2021 Summer Research Fellowship recipient, College of Medicine, NEOMED.
Giovanna Leone, 2020 NEOSTAR Geriatric Medicine Research Fellow, College of Medicine, NEOMED.
Koshala Selvakumar, 2019 Geriatric Medicine Research Fellow, College of Medicine, NEOMED.
Sohi Mistry, 2018 Summer Research Fellowship recipient, M1. College of Medicine. NEOMED
Suzie Abdeljalil, Pharmacy Student Research Assistant, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED
Jon Meier, 2017 Summer Research Fellowship recipient, College of Medicine. NEOMED.
Albert Manudhane, 2015 Summer Research Fellowship recipient, College of Medicine. NEOMED
Kelsey Siedel, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED
Allyn Walkama, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED.
Stephanie Wonnell, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED.
Katie Knudsen, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED.
Samantha Hanna, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED.
Eric Fela, College of Pharmacy. NEOMED.
Undergraduate/Volunteers
Jeala Youseffi, research extern. The University of Akron.
Kimberly Bretland, undergraduate research extern. Kent State University
Adam Schuller, The University of Akron
Sriharsha Voleti, The University of Akron/NEOMED BS/MD program
Skylar Scala, Baldwin Wallace University
Jenna Stralka, the University of Akron
Meghan Onder, undergraduate research intern. Kent State University
Michelle Whittlesy, high school research volunteer
Susan Seeden, undergraduate research intern. Stark Stark University
Lab Alumni
Josephine Lepp, M.S.
Senior Research Associate. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, NEOMED.
Peter Gates, B.S. Rotating graduate student. Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Kent State University.
Gina Wilson, Ph.D. (Sam Crish Lab). Dr. Wilson defended her dissertation titled: Pre-degenerative changes in the retinofugal projection of DBA/2J glaucomatous mice in July 2017 and graduated from the Kent State Biomedical Sciences graduate program.
Kelly Fening (Sam Crish lab), Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University
Christina Xia (Sam Crish lab), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Dan Margevicious, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow.