CTRC Alumni
The CTRC has a strong tradition of training entry-level staff with an interest in scientific methods, preparing them for diverse career paths in academia, industry, and clinical research. This success is built on comprehensive training, hands-on research experience, and mentorship in biomedical and translational science.
| Name | CTRC Position | Tenure | Accolades & Current Position |
| Roberto Salatino | Lab Technician | 2015-2016 | Biological Chemist at Sethera Therapeutics, Salt Lake City area biotech company specializing in peptide research and development; Earned PhD while in Dr. Michalina Janiszewska's lab in 2024; Completed postdoctoral research at the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology |
| Emma Cold | Lab Technician | 2016-2017 | Analytical Chemist at doTerra International LLC |
| Max Muir | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | 2016-2019 | Medical School at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, St. George, Utah; Residency at University of Utah |
| Kimberly Cowart | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | 2017-2018 | MPAP at Campbell University, North Carolina; Physician Assistant at Dermatology Associated of Coastal Carolina |
| Pablo Zubeldia | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | 2017-2018 | Awarded UROP (undergraduate research opportunities program) assistantship for a project investigating the CRISPR technology in iPSCs; Cofounder & Chief AI Officer AriseCRM; PhD Candidate, Biomedical Informatics & Data Science Graduate Student Chemical Engineering Program, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis |
| Kurt Linderman | Lab Technician | 2018-2019 | Medical Student at University of Utah |
| Justin Lillywhite | Lab Technician | 2017-2019 | Middle School Biology Teacher at Fairfield Junior High in Kaysville, Utah |
| Weston Hutchison | Lab Technician | 2019-2020 | Quality Control Department at BioFire Diagnostics, LLC; In 2022, Weston earned his MS degree in Microbiology and Molecular Biology at BYU in Dr. David Erickson's lab. |
| Constance Caparas | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | 2018-2020 | Awarded UROP (undergraduate research opportunities program) assistantship for a project investigating the CRISPR technology in iPSCs; PhD Candidate, Chemical Engineering at University of Utah |
| Mark Middleton | Biorepository Technician | 2019-2021 | Project Coordinator II at BioFire Diagnostics, LLC |
| Kyle Berg | Biorepository Specialist | 2021-2023 | Clinical Research Coordinator in Div of Cardiovascular Medicine at University of Utah |
| Emma Lu | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | Jan 2023-Oct 2023 | Applying to Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduate Program at University of Utah |
| Jada Stelmach | Undergraduate Student and Lab Technician | 2019-2022 | Office Specialist II at Utah Department of Health and Human Services |
| Kirsten Arnold | Lab Technician | 2017-2019 | MS Candidate in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus |
| Kelly Parkinson | Lab Specialist | 2010-2016 | Senior Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo |
| Collin Aslor | Lab Technician | 2021-2022 | Developer Experience Specialist at DX, an engineering intelligence platform designed by leading researchers |
| Jessi Poulson | DNA Lab Technician | 2022-2024 | Quality Control Department at Radia, Inc in Seattle, Washington |
| Steven Forrest | Lab Technician | 2010-2014 | |
| Ashley Amanda Platt | Lab Technician | 2022-2023 | Genetic Counselor Assistant I at GeneDx |
| Brittany Collingridge | Lab Technician | 2024-2025 | PharmD Program, University of Utah |
| Jennifer Kim | Lab Technician | 2024-2025 | Currently living in South Korea applying to dental school |
| Erin Bridges | Lab Technician | 2024-2025 | Moved to Florida and interested in applying to medical school |
Former CTRC Directors
| Name | CTRC Position | Tenure | Current Position |
| Sayed Ahmed, MS, DVM | TTR Core Manager, Acting Director | 1997-2014 | RIP 2014 |
| Felipe R Lorenzo, MD, PhD | Research Associate, TTR Director | 2014-2015 | Senior Research Associate at Wake Forest University School of Medicine |
Former Faculty Directors
| Name | Tenure | Current Position |
| Matthew T Rondina, MD, MS | 2015-2020 | Professor in Internal Medicine and Pathology Departments at University of Utah |
| Tracy Frech, MD, MSCI | 2020-2022 | Associate Professor of Medicine and Director in Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center |
| Martin Tristani-Firouzi, MD | 2022-2023 | Investigator at Nora Eccles Harrison CVRTI; Professor of Pediatrics; HA and Edna Benning Presidential Chair at University of Utah |
Contact Us
Colin Maguire, PhD
Director of Operations
Phone: 801-581-5889
Email: colin.maguire@utah.edu