Mentor: Colin Kenny, PhD

Comprehensive Exam: 

Investigating the Effect of Melanocyte Differentiation State on GNAQQ209L-driven Transformation in Uveal Melanoma

My Research: 

I study uveal melanoma through a zebrafish model and am interested in melanocyte development, uveal melanoma progression, and metastasis.

Conferences:

• August 16, 2024. University of Iowa Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology Research Retreat; poster presentation "Modeling primary GNAQ-driven uveal melanoma in adult zebrafish"
• September 9-12, 2024, New York City.  Panamerican Society for Pigment Cell Research Annual Meeting; poster presentation "Modeling primary GNAQ-driven uveal melanoma in adult zebrafish"
• October 10-13, 2024, New Orleans. Society for Melanoma Research Congress

Publications:

1. Yevdash JI, Robinson D, Moore R, Li Z, Campbell-Hanson KR, Gutelius D, et al. Mitfa-Independent Melanocyte Progenitors are Highly Susceptible to GNAQ-induced Uveal Melanoma in Adult Zebrafish. bioRxiv. 2025.

2. Chang J, Campbell-Hanson KR, Vanneste M, Bartschat NI, Nagel R, Arandottir AK, Vu HN, Montgomery C, Yevdash J. Antagonistic roles for MITF and TFE3 in melanoma plasticity. Cell reports. Apr 22 2025;44(4):115474. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115474

    

Service:

Member, Cancer Biology Invited Speaker Committee