DNA strand double helix

The Quantitative Cell and Molecular Biology (qCMB) Training Program at Colorado State University provides comprehensive and flexible training in quantitative approaches to facilitate transdisciplinary and collaborative research in the broad field of Cell & Molecular Biology. We produce outstanding graduates with the skills to meet the computational and professional demands of modern life science research.  

The qCMB program is designed to support students engaging in collaborative research projects requiring the generation and analysis of large biological datasets, particularly those generated through sequencing, imaging and flow cytometry. We introduce our early-stage trainees to coding and its applications through a gateway course led by a supportive community of preceptors and more experienced trainees.  As students build confidence, a plethora of elective computational courses support their individual research interests by expanding their quantitative skillsets.  Symposia, workshops and group meetings will enhance and support collaboration between program members and between the qCMB program and other campus communities.  Preceptors will hone their mentoring skills and learn strategies to ensure mentees engage in reproducible research through qCMB resources and trainings.  qCMB graduates are prepared to enter the workforce by engaging in career management and leadership training and through opportunities such as internships and guided mentor training.   

Throughout their PhD studies, qCMB trainees experience an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment within a community that values their contributions, celebrates their successes and guides them through the challenges of graduate school.   

The qCMB program is supported by the NIH NIGMS Award T32 GM132057.

Leadership

Administration

Carol Wilusz
Professor
Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology
[email protected]
(970)491-4919

 


Recruitment, Admissions & Mentoring

J. Lucas ArguesoJ. Lucas Argueso
Professor
Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences
[email protected]
(970)491-3681

 


Curriculum

Dan Sloan, Associate Professor, Biology, Colorado State University, March 11, 2020

Dan Sloan
Associate Professor
Biology
[email protected]

 

 

Publications
  1. Incompatibility and Interchangeability in Molecular Evolution. Sloan DB, Warren JM, Williams AM, Kuster SA, Forsythe ES. Genome Biol Evol. 2023 Jan 4;15(1):evac184. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evac184. PMID: 36583227 Free PMC article. Review.
  2. Thermococcus kodakarensis provides a versatile hyperthermophilic archaeal platform for protein expression. Scott KA, Williams SA, Santangelo TJ. Methods Enzymol. 2021;659:243-273. doi: 10.1016/bs.mie.2021.06.014. Epub 2021 Jul 13. PMID: 34752288 Free PMC article.
  3. Endogenous opioid signaling in the retina modulates sleep/wake activity in mice. Berezin CT, Bergum N, Luchini KA, Curdts S, Korkis C, Vigh J. Neurobiol Sleep Circadian Rhythms. 2022 Jun 26;13:100078. doi: 10.1016/j.nbscr.2022.100078. eCollection 2022 Nov. PMID: 35800978 Free PMC article.
  4. Long-read transcriptome and other genomic resources for the angiosperm Silene noctiflora. Williams AM, Itgen MW, Broz AK, Carter OG, Sloan DB. G3 (Bethesda). 2021 Aug 7;11(8):jkab189. doi: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab189. PMID: 34849814 Free PMC article.
  5. Gene duplication and rate variation in the evolution of plastid ACCase and Clp genes in angiosperms. Williams AM, Carter OG, Forsythe ES, Mendoza HK, Sloan DB. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2022 Mar;168:107395. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107395. Epub 2022 Jan 13. PMID: 35033670 Free PMC article.
  6. Widespread roles for piRNAs and WAGO-class siRNAs in shaping the germline transcriptome of Caenorhabditis elegans. Reed KJ, Svendsen JM, Brown KC, Montgomery BE, Marks TN, Vijayasarathy T, Parker DM, Nishimura EO, Updike DL, Montgomery TA. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020 Feb 28;48(4):1811-1827. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkz1178. PMID: 31872227 Free PMC article.
  7. Exposing new taxonomic variation with inflammation – a murine model-specific genome database for gut microbiome researchers. Leleiwi I, Rodriguez-Ramos J, Shaffer M, Sabag-Daigle A, Kokkinias K, Flynn RM, Daly RA, Kop LFM, Solden LM, Ahmer BMM, Borton MA, Wrighton KC. Microbiome. 2023 May 20;11(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s40168-023-01529-7. PMID: 37210515 Free PMC article.
  8. Chicken Production and Human Clinical Escherichia coli Isolates Differ in Their Carriage of Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Factors. Woyda R, Oladeinde A, Abdo Z. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2023 Feb 28;89(2):e0116722. doi: 10.1128/aem.01167-22. Epub 2023 Jan 18. PMID: 36651726 Free PMC article.
  9. Stochastic model of vesicular stomatitis virus replication reveals mutational effects on virion production. King CR, Berezin CT, Peccoud J.PLoS Comput Biol. 2024 Feb 7;20(2):e1011373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011373. Online ahead of print.PMID: 38324583
  10. Experimental assessment of 3D-printed traps and chemical attractants for the collection of wild Drosophila melanogaster. Keene-Snickers, A. H., Dunham, T. J., & Stenglein, M. D. Fly 2025, 19(1). doi: 10.1080/19336934.2025.2502184.
  11. Evaluation of DNA damage and stress in wildlife chronically exposed to low-dose, low-dose rate radiation from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Cunningham K, Hinton G, Luxton J, Bordman A, Okuda K, Taylor L, Hayes J, Gerke H, Chinn S, Anderson D, Laudenslager M, Takase T, Nemoto Y, Ishiniwa H, Beasley J, & Bailey S. Environment International 2021, 122. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106675.
  12. Constrained reassortment and genotype-specific traits shape the evolutionary landscape of Galbut virus.  Keene-Snickers, A.H., Brehm, A., Dunham, T. & Gelpi, T. Virus Evolution, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veae013
  13. Gut microbiota carbon and sulfur metabolisms support Salmonella infections. Leleiwi, I., Kokkinias, K., & Kim, Y., et al. The ISME Journal, 2024, 18(1), wrae187. https://doi.org/10.1093/ismejo/wrae187
  14. Twins, telomeres, and aging—in space! Luxton, J. J., & Bailey, S. M. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2021, 147(1S-2), 7S–14S. https://doi.org/10.1097/PRS.0000000000007616
  15. Telomere Length Dynamics and Chromosomal Instability for Predicting Individual Radiosensitivity and Risk via Machine Learning. Luxton, J., McKenna, M., Lewis, A., Taylor, L., Jhavar, S., Swanson, G., & Bailey, S. M. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 2021, 11(3), 188. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11030188
  16. Ad Astra – telomeres in space! Bailey, S. M., Luxton, J. J., McKenna, M. J., Taylor, L. E., George, K. A., Jhavar, S. G., & Swanson, G. P. International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2022, 98(3), 395-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2021.1956010
  17. Telomeric RNA (TERRA) increases in response to spaceflight and high-altitude climbing. Al-Turki, T. M., Maranon, D. G., Nelson, C. B., Lewis, A. M., Luxton, J. J., Taylor, L. E., … Bailey, S. M. Communications Biology, 2024, 7, Article 698. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06014-x
  18. Telomeric double strand breaks in G1 human cells facilitate formation of 5′ C-rich overhangs and recruitment of TERRA. Nelson, C. B., Alturki, T. M., Luxton, J. J., Taylor, L. E., Maranon, D. G., Muraki, K., Murnane, J. P., & Bailey, S. M. Frontiers in Genetics, 2021, 12, 644803. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.644803
  19. A dynamic protein interactome drives energy conservation and electron flux in Thermococcus kodakarensis. Williams, S. A., Riley, D. M., Rockwood, T. P., Crosby, D. A., Call, K. D., LeCuyer, J. J., & Santangelo, T. J. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2025, 91(4), e00293-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00293-25
Previous Fellows

 

Connor King (Peccoud Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

 

 

Diana Padron-Lowe (Telling Lab)
(PhD, 2021 Cohort)
OVPR Fellow 2024
CVMBS STRONG Fellow 2023
qCMB T32 Fellow 2022 – 24
LinkedIn

Diana Lowe, Rojina Shrestha, Callie Slaughter

 

Callie Slaughter (Snow Lab)
(PhD, 2021 Cohort)
OVPR Fellow 2023
qCMB T32 Fellow 2022 – 24
LinkedIn

 

Carlos Juarez-Guzman (Cris Argueso Lab)
(PhD, 2020 Cohort)
2024 Thesis Completion Fellowship
qCMB T32 Fellow 2021-23
LinkedIn

 

Pablo Maldonado ( Henao-Tama Lab)
(PhD, 2020 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2021-23
LinkedIn

 

 

Lexi Keene (Stenglein Lab)
(PhD, 2020 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2020-21
LinkedIn

 

Shady Kuster

 

Shady Kuster (Sloan Lab)
(PhD, 2021 Cohort)
NSF GRFP Fellow 2023
qCMB T32 Fellow 2021 – 22
LinkedIn

 

Victoria Nieciecki (Metcalf Lab)
(PhD, 2020 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2021 – 22
LinkedIn

 

 

Naly Torres (Nishimura Lab)
(PhD, 2020 Cohort)
NIH F31 Fellow 2024
qCMB T32 Fellow 2021 – 22
LinkedIn

 

Camron Pearce (Gonzalez-Juarrero Lab)
(CBZ-PhD, 2020 Cohort)
qCMB CBCO 2020 – 21
LinkedIn

2024-2026 Fellows

 

Charli Geer (Stenglein Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

 

Teagan Rockwood (Swygert Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

 

Kira Vasquez Kapit (Hoke Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

 

Melody Hayman (L. Argueso Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort)
CVMBS STRONG Fellow 2024
LinkedIn

 

 

Kelsey Martin (Jackson Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort*)
LinkedIn

*Supported by CSU funds

 

2024-2026 Cancer Omics TUNE Fellows

 

Owen Bevis (Bailey Lab)
(PhD, 2023 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

 

Klaudia Poplawski (Gustafson Lab)
CBZ-PhD 2023 Cohort
CVMBS STRONG Fellow 2024
LinkedIn

 

2025-2027 Fellows

 

Eliud Rivas Hernandez (Rotating)
(PhD, 2024 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

 

Pegah Eizadkhah (Rotating)
(PhD, 2024 Cohort)
LinkedIn

 

 

2023-2024 Fellows

 

Melea Barahona (Nordgren Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
CVMBS STRONG Fellow 2023
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

Emma Magna

 

Emma Magna (Snow Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)*
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

*Supported by CSU funds

 

Meg Hemmerlein (Wilsterman Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

 

 

Rosi Danzman (Prasad Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
OVPR Fellow 2023
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

 

 

Victoria Talbott (Metcalf Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn

 

 

Alex Alon (Santangelo Lab)
(PhD, 2022 Cohort)
qCMB T32 Fellow 2023 – 24
LinkedIn