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Current Members

Deborah Wood Neklason, PhD


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Former Members

Thérèse Tuohy

Thérèse Tuohy, PhD

Research Associate

Dr. Tuohy is a molecular geneticist and a genetic counselor. Her research interests revolve around three major goals: (1) the identification of unrecognized Mendelian risk in “lost” branches of families with known predisposing deleterious mutations; (2) the use of electronic capture of individual medical record data, in combination with genetic, epidemiological, demographic and genealogical data to better define genetic and environmental cancer risk; (3) the use of molecular genetics to dissect inherited risk and the cellular mechanisms using PCR, Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.  She now resides in Portland, Oregon.

Nykole Sargent

Nykole Sargent, BS

Laboratory Technician

Nykole has degrees in Biotechnology from SLCC and is a recent graduate of Molecular Biology from the University of Utah. Nykole began working in the molecular lab in 2009 focusing on screening patient samples for important DNA mutations and identifying molecular signatures of colon cancer syndromes. Nykole is now pursuing a master’s degree in Genetic Counseling at UCSF.

Dr. Samadder is a gastroenterologist who worked closely with the clinical and basic science team. His research focused on genetic epidemiology and outcomes of patients with hereditary colorectal cancer. In the lab, he studied molecular features underlying colorectal cancers that arise less than 36 months after a colonoscopy. He also worked on a chemoprevention clinical trial to prevent duodenal cancer in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Dr. Samadder now researches hereditary colorectal cancer at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Michelle Westover

Michelle Westover, AAS

Study Coordinator

Michelle has a degree in biotechnology and started as a lab manager in 2006. She then shifted to a study coordinator, where she worked with research participants and chemoprevention clinical trials in FAP patients. Michelle is currently working at the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Michelle is also captain of Pedal with a Purpose, a cycling team of friends and colleagues who ride to raise support for Huntsman Cancer Institute research.

Sydney Wyatt

Sydney Wyatt, BS

Undergraduate Honors Student

Sydney joined the lab as an undergraduate researcher working on a project identifying novel mutations in familial adenomatous polyposis patients. She graduated with an honors degree in biology from the University of Utah in 2016. She is currently pursuing a PhD in integrative genetics and genomics at University of California, Davis.