About the Department

Main Content

Cell and Molecular Biology Faculty

The University of Mississippi Medical Center and its Department of Cell and Molecular Biology boast faculty that are considered leaders in their fields, esteemed educators and mentors, innovative researchers, and compassionate caregivers. The Medical Center’s overall goal of a healthier Mississippi is only possible with the men and women that are entrusted to train the next generation of Mississippi’s physicians and researchers.

In this section, you will find links to more information about our faculty. If you can’t find what you are seeking, contact our department at (601) 984-1851.

Chair

Michael Garrett
Michael R. Garrett, PhD
Professor and Chair
Director, Molecular Center of Health and Disease
Director, Molecular and Genomics Core Facility
mrgarrett@umc.edu
601-984-4309
Faculty Profile
GeneticsOmicsCardiovascularAnimal ModelsMCHD

Professors

Eva Bengten
Eva G. Bengten, PhD
Professor
ebengten@umc.edu
601-984-1739
Faculty Profile
ImmunologyHost-PathogenMolecular BiologyCIMRMCHD
David Brown
David T. Brown, PhD
Professor
dbrown@umc.edu
601-984-1849
Faculty Profile
Molecular BiologyCell BiologyCancer
Yann Gibert
Yann Gibert, PhD
Professor
ygibert@umc.edu
601-815-1659
Faculty Profile
Molecular BiologyAnimal modelsCancerDevelopmentCCRI
Andrew Grady
Andrew Grady, DVM
Professor
Director, Center for Comparative Research
agrady@umc.edu
(601) 984-1385
Faculty Profile
Animal modelsMicrobiology
Michael Hebert
Michael D. Hebert, PhD
Professor
Graduate Program Director
mhebert@umc.edu
601-984-1526
Faculty Profile
Molecular BiologyCancerMCHDCCRI
Bettye Hennington
Bettye S. Hennington, PhD
Professor
bhennington@umc.edu
601-984-1630
Faculty Profile
Education and OutreachMolecular Biology
Jonathan Hosler
Jonathan P. Hosler, PhD
Professor
jhosler@umc.edu
601-984-1861
Faculty Profile
Cell BiologyMolecular Biology
Mary Marquart
Mary E. Marquart, PhD
Professor
mmarquart@umc.edu
601-815-6934
Faculty Profile
Host-PathogenMicrobiologyAnimal modelsCIMR
Larry Mcdaniel
Larry S. Mcdaniel, PhD
Professor
lmcdaniel@umc.edu
601-984-1701
Faculty Profile
Host-PathogenMicrobiologyImmunologyGeneticsCIMR
Drazen Raucher
Drazen Raucher, PhD
Professor
draucher@umc.edu
601-984-1510
Faculty Profile
CancerAnimal modelsCell BiologyMCHDCCRI
David Robinson
David "D." A. Robinson
Professor
darobinson@umc.edu
601-984-1702
Faculty Profile
MicrobiologyComputational biologyOmicsGeneticsMCHDCIMR
Ajay Singh
Ajay P. Singh, PhD
Professor
Associate Director of Basic and Translational Research, Cancer Center and Research Institute
asingh1@umc.edu
601-815-6850
Faculty Profile
CancerCell BiologyAnimal modelsImmunologyCCRI
Seema Singh
Seema Singh, PhD, MBA
Professor
Associate Director of Education and Training, Cancer Center and Research Institute
ssingh3@umc.edu
601-815-5232
Faculty Profile
CancerCell BiologyImmunologyAnimal modelsCCRI
Stephen Stray
Stephen J. Stray, PhD
Professor
sstray@umc.edu
601-984-1735
Faculty Profile
Melanie Wilson
Melanie Wilson, PhD
Professor
mwilson@umc.edu
601-984-1719
Faculty Profile
ImmunologyCell BiologyAnimal modelsGeneticsCIMR

Associate professors

Brian Akerley
Brian Akerley, PhD
Associate Professor
Graduate Program Director
bakerley@umc.edu
601-815-1235
Faculty Profile
Host-PathogenMicrobiologyGeneticsOmicsCIMR
John Bates
John T. Bates, PhD
Associate Professor
jtbates@umc.edu
601-815-9568
Faculty Profile
Host-PathogenMicrobiologyGeneticsOmicsCIMRMCHD
Hanna Broome
Hanna J. Broome, PhD
Associate Professor
hjbroome@umc.edu
601-984-1861
Faculty Profile
Education and OutreachMolecular Biology
Jorge Vidal
Jorge E. Vidal, PhD
Associate Professor
jvidal@umc.edu
601-984-1500
Faculty Profile
MicrobiologyHost-PathogenCell BiologyMolecular BiologyEpidemiologyCIMRMCHD
Keli Xu
Keli Xu, PhD
Associate Professor
kxu@umc.edu
601-815-3083
Faculty Profile
CancerCell BiologyAnimal modelsDevelopmentCCRI

Assistant professors

Nicole Anderson
Nicole M. Anderson, PhD
Assistant Professor
nanderson1@umc.edu
601-984-2772
Faculty Profile
CancerAnimal modesCell BiologyGeneticsMolecular biologyCCRI
Lavanya Challagundla
Lavanya Challagundla
Assistant Professor
lchallagundla@umc.edu
601-984-1505
Faculty Profile
Computational biologyOmicsGeneticsMCHD
Lance Keller
Lance E. Keller, PhD
Assistant Professor
lekeller@umc.edu
601-984-1700
Faculty Profile
Host-PathogenImmunologyMicrobiologyMolecular BiologyCIMR
Brigitte Martin
Brigitte E. Martin, PhD
Assistant Professor
bmartin1@umc.edu
601-984-1864
Faculty Profile
VirologyMolecular BiologyHost-PathogenCardiovascularOmicsMCHDCIMR
Ramona Moles
Ramona Moles, PhD
Assistant Professor
rmoles@umc.edu
601-984-1000
Faculty Profile
CancerMicrobiologyImmunologyCell BiologyHost-PathogenCCRIMCHD
Jawed Siddiqui
Jawed A. Siddiqui, PhD
Assistant Professor
jsiddiqui@umc.edu
601-984-4309
Faculty Profile
CancerImmunologyAnimal modelsGeneticsCell BiologyCCRI
Maryam Syed
Maryam Syed, PhD
Assistant Professor
msyed@umc.edu
601-984-5502
Faculty Profile
Education and OutreachMolecular BiologyMCHD

Instructors

Shashi Anand
Shashi Anand, PhD
Instructor
sanand3@umc.edu
601-815-6830
Faculty Profile
CancerCell BiologyMolecular BiologyOmicsCCRI
Jerry Monroe
Jerry D. Monroe, PhD
Instructor
jmonroe1@umc.edu
601-984-1000
Faculty Profile
CancerMolecular BiologyCell BiologyAnimal modelsCCRI
Sarabjeet Kour Sudan
Sarabjeet Kour Kour Sudan, PhD
Instructor
ssudan@umc.edu
601-984-2346
Faculty Profile
CancerEpidemiologyCell BiologyMolecular BiologyCCRI

Secondary appointments

Gene Bidwell
Gene "Lee" Bidwell, PhD
Professor of Neurology
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
gbidwell@umc.edu
(601) 984-6787
Faculty Profile
Mauricio De Castro Pretelt
Mauricio De Castro Pretelt, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Medical Genetics)
mdecastro@umc.edu
601-984-1900
Faculty Profile
Eric George
Eric George, PhD
Associate Professor of Physiology
egeorge@umc.edu
(601) 984-5299
Faculty Profile
Jasmine Miller-Kleinhenz
Jasmine Miller-Kleinhenz, PhD
Assistant Professor of Population Health (SOPH)
jmillerkleinhenz@umc.edu
601-984-1197
Faculty Profile
Carolann Risley
Carolann Risley, PhD, MSN, WHNP-C
Associate Professor of Nursing (SON)
crisley@umc.edu
(228) 217-2017
Faculty Profile

Professor Emeritus

V Chinchar
V "Gregory" Chinchar, PhD
Professor Emeritus
vchinchar@umc.edu
Faculty Profile
John Correia
John "Jack" J. Correia, PhD
Professor Emeritus
jcorreia@umc.edu
(601) 984-1522
Faculty Profile
Mark O.J. Olson
Professor Emeritus
molson@umc.edu
Donald B. Sittman, PhD
Professor Emeritus
dsittman@umc.edu

Scientist-Educators