Upcoming Announcements
This list of scheduled Ph.D. dissertation defenses is posted so that faculty and others may attend the defense. If you wish to attend, please contact the committee chair in advance as a courtesy.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
IU School of Medicine
Medical Neuroscience
Nikhil Rajesh Shah
Biochemical and proteomic characterization of striatal neurabin and its sex and cell type-specific impact on motor behavior
NB 101
Chair: William Truitt, Ph.D., 317-278-9050
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
IU School of Medicine
Medical Neuroscience
Desarae Ann Dempsey
The MIND diet, biological pathways, and brain pathology in cognitive aging and dementia risk
R2 101
Chair: Karmen K. Yoder, Ph.D., 317-491-5830
Monday, February 23, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
IU School of Social Work
Social Work
Miriam Marteykai Commodore-Mensah
Exploring juvenile justice professionals’ perceptions of trauma-informed care and youth resilience in the juvenile justice system
ES 4130 & Virtual
Chair: Susana E. Mariscal, Ph.D., 785-218-8096
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
IU School of Social Work
Social Work
Zohra Asad
Experiences of social workers working with people with harmful sexual behaviors
Virtual
Chair: Md Hasan Reza, Ph.D., 574-520-4639
Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 1:30 p.m.
IU School of Medicine
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael P. Liesen
Advancing alchemical free energy methods for molecular design: New λ-dynamics frameworks and RBFE-guided generative models
MS 326
Chair: Jonah Vilseck, Ph.D., 317-274-9626
Thursday, March 5, 2026, 2:30 p.m.
IU School of Medicine
Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology
Arvin Halim
The role of KL1 in CKD-associated cardiac fibrosis
R2 101
Chair: Kenneth Lim, Ph.D., 978-886-2459
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
IU School of Medicine
Pharmacology
Basant Gerges Hens
Striatal spinophilin enhances the D2 receptor interactome to mediate D2 receptor agonist-induced locomotor suppression
MS B26
Chair: Anthony J. Baucum II, Ph.D., 317-274-0540</p
Friday, March 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m.
IU School of Medicine
Microbiology & Immunology
Molly Elizabeth Lumnitzer
The transcription factor AFF3 maintains naïve CD8 T cell quiescence allowing for a robust immune response to viral infection
R3 C203
Chair: Martin Richer, Ph.D., 317-274-7874
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