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Kaylee Wilburn: Director
Kaylee is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the Waters Lab. Her work focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms of bacteriophage-pathogen interactions and understanding ways to exploit these interactions to promote the advancement of phage therapy. In her free time, she enjoys going to baseballs games, long road trips and spending time with her family.
Megan Korne: Data Manager
Megan is a fourth-year PhD student in the Bonito lab, where she studies the ecology of fungal endosymbionts. In her free time she enjoys exploring new places and walks through nature.
Laura Ford:
Treasurer
Laura is a fourth-year PhD candidate in the GGS program and a member of the Petersen-Jones lab. There, she studies heritable retinal diseases using a feline model. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, video games and relaxing with her dog, cat and two guinea pigs.
Meet the GRIT Board:
MISSION
Build a supportive community that welcomes and celebrates all graduate students regardless of their identities through the recruitment and retention of traditionally underrepresented students.
VALUES
HISTORY
​MSU GRIT started in October of 2020 by a small group of graduate students. GRIT was first established at the University of Chicago and has since expanded to several universities.
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Esther Chen: Events Co-Chair
Megan Murto: Events Co-Chair
Imani Pascoe: Communications Chair
​Esther is a fifth-year PhD student in the Crosson Lab. Her work focuses on bacterial cell envelope stress signaling and gene regulation. In her free time, she likes to hang out with friends and her dog Coco, going to the local farms to see the animals, and scrolling on TikTok to see more farm animals.
Megan is a first-year master’s student in MMG as a member of the Abramovitch lab where she is characterizing the role of carbonic anhydrase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence. In their free time, they enjoy reading, playing with their dog, spending time in the water, and working out when she gets the chance.
Imani is a third-year PhD candidate in the MMG program as a member of the Bonito and Lebeis Labs. She studies bacteria and fungi that modulate phytohormones. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, sewing, and playing video games
Meet the GRIT Program Coordinators:
Jasper Gomez:
Peer Mentorship Program Coordinator
Jasper is a third-year PhD student in the MMG department as a member of the Waters Lab in MMG. His work focuses on the discovery and characterization of phage defense systems in V. cholerae and whether there are fitness costs to having multiple phage defense systems. Outside of the lab, he enjoys running, all kinds of sports, games and scuba diving!
Samantha Musso
Application Feedback Program Coordinator
​Samantha is a second year PhD student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department and the EITS program. She is a member of the Bernard lab, where she is studying the impact of environmental toxicants on multiple myeloma progression. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, rollerblading, and visiting local coffee shops to find the best chai around.
Bianca Serda:
Voices of Color Coordinator
Bianca is a fourth-year PhD student in the BMB Department and MPS program. She is a member of the Sharkey Lab, where she studies the mechanism of the protective role of isoprene against abiotic stresses. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering for the BMB Outreach program and exploring the outdoors.
Jenny Schuster:
Peer Mentorship Program Coordinator
Jenny is a third-year PhD student in the CMB department and MPS program. She is in the VanBuren Lab where she studies the molecular mechanism underlying desiccation tolerance and rehydration in resurrection plants. In her free time, she likes to run, play board games, and visit local breweries!
Romina González:
Application Feedback Program Coordinator
Romina is a Latina and a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Pharmacology and Toxicology program. She studies how diet and environmental toxicants contribute to carcinogenesis in the Bernard Lab. She has a blast dancing, rocking some sports, cooking, getting crafty, and just chilling in coffee shops.
Heather Murdoch:
Voices of Color Coordinator
Heather is a third-year PhD student in the Abramovitch lab, focusing on how Mtb (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is able to remodel its metabolism depending on its environment. She is a member of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians and is passionate about increasing undergraduate opportunities for all groups and undergraduate education reform.