Genetics and Biochemistry News

Circling Back: Class of 2028

Posted on by Kate

This summer we shared a number of incoming freshmen’s stories with you. In this series we circle back to those students and see how they are doing now.

Maddie Smith

Since being on campus, Maddie Smith, genetics major from Slidell, LS, has thrived both academically and personally.

“I am in love with campus and all of my coursework. My professors have been nothing short of amazing and so willing to help whenever I need!”

She has become involved in organizations such as Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority that promotes women in STEM, a bible study through Catholic Tigers, the Genetics and Biochemistry Club and the Swift Society. Maddie is also part of a Creative Inquiry with Dr. Todd Lyda.

“My favorite class so far would have to be my CI research project with Dr. Lyda! We work to isolate Euglena cells in a gel strip using gel electrophoresis to make a reuseable battery. My lab mates and I are super close, and we love getting together outside of the lab for lunches at Schlitter!”

Maddie enjoys all parts of what Clemson has to offer: football games, snow days on Bowman Field, studying in the Harry Potter room on the second floor of the library and consistently making new friends.

“My favorite Clemson moment would have to be the snow day! Being from south Louisiana, I have only ever seen snow once at home! It was so magical and the most amazing welcome back from the holiday break!”

The past academic year at Clemson and in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry has solidified Maddie’s future career goals.

“Since being in the Genetics and Biochemistry department, I have gained confidence in my academic abilities, and I have no doubt I will be prepared to take the MCAT and hopefully be accepted into medical school!”

When asked what her advice for incoming freshman would be, Maddie said to not give up when things get hard.

“It is not easy being in all science classes but finding a group of friends that know what you are going through and will help you succeed will make the world of difference! Shout out to my G&B girls, Kylie Wilson and Muara Korte, for being the best friends and study partners ever!”

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Sriya Pothapragada: Ph.D. student and skydiver

Posted on by Kate

The Greenville Journal released an article highlighting genetics doctoral student Sriya Pothapragada’s love for both her studies and skydiving.

Sriya arrived at Clemson after in 2023 after majoring in bioengineering at the University of Maryland to study with Dr. James Lewis and obtain her Ph.D. Sriya’s research revolves around evolutionary genetics and biology with the hope of eventually applying it to a career as an astrobiologist.

When she arrived in the Upstate she also had a goal to obtain her first skydiving license.

“I value almost equally the skills you get from stuff like skydiving, especially in flying, like self-accountability, discipline, common sense,” she said. “My reflexes have gotten better. I’m in better physical shape.”

So far, Pothapragada has completed 61 jumps and recently competed in the USPA National Collegiate Skydiving Championships in Zephyrhills, Florida.

Read more in the full article.

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Our Students Are Family-Driven: Gwen Schnidel ’27

Posted on by Kate

Junior genetics major Gwen Schindel’s grandfather suffered from Huntington’s Disease, a rare, genetic neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and causes uncontrolled movements, cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms.

Gwen’s mother had a 50/50 chance of receiving this gene and had to undergo extensive research to ensure that she did not have it. Fortunately, for Gwen and her mother, she did not carry the gene.

“However, I saw first-hand what this awful disease can do to a patient as well as their families. This inspired me to study Genetics so I can hopefully, in some way, help patients and families who are affected by genetic diseases/disorders!”

Additionally, during her adolescences Gwen was exposed to the field of genetics through her involvement in showing dairy cows. Her grandparents owned a dairy farm, and she began showing at 10 years old and continued for eight years.

“In the dairy show world, farmers will look at the genetics of their cows and breed them specifically to make an ideal cow – one that can produce a lot of milk and one that will catch the eye of a judge.”

Now that she is on campus studying what she loves, Gwen is so excited and grateful to be here, saying that Clemson was just the perfect fit for her.

“I have met so many amazing professors, faculty, and peers who have all guided me through these past two years at Clemson.”

Aside from academics, on campus Gwen is involved in the Clemson Genetics and Biochemistry Club, Clemson’s Fellowship of Christian Atheletes (FCA) and Clemson Hope, specifically in Write for Hope where Clemson students write letters to elementary age students in Title 1 schools.

After graduating, Gwen plans to pursue a master’s degree in genetic counseling or physician assistant studies.

“Our department as a whole has made such an amazing impact on the world already and I cannot wait to see what it does in the future! I know that I will be set up for success upon graduation because of this program.”

Gwen is originally from Ohio, is a biological sciences minor and enjoys spending time with friends, traveling, reading and watching football.

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Faculty Feature: Dr. Cheryl Ingram-Smith, Associate Professor

Posted on by Kate

Dr. Cheryl Ingram-Smith is an associate professor of genetics and biochemistry and serves as the department’s graduate program director. She teaches courses in biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology and her primary research interests include metabolism of eukaryotic pathogens during infection in a human host and enzymology of metabolic enzymes.

Dr. Ingram-Smith graduated with her B.S. in biology from MIT and her Ph.D. in molecular biology from University of Pennsylvania. She came to Clemson in 2001, serving as a lecturer, senior lecturer and undergraduate academic advisor before moving to a tenure track position in 2011.

As part of Clemson University’s Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), an interdisciplinary research cooperative founded in 2013 that is at the forefront of biomedical research on the devastating eukaryotic pathogens, Dr. Ingram Smith’s lab is interested in the intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica, which causes severe dysentery in ~100 million people each year worldwide.

E. histolytica causes amoebic dysentery in ~100 million people each year. E. histolytica is ingested in its cyst form in contaminated food and water. In the small intestine it converts to its amoeba form and then colonizes the large intestine, where is can cause dysentery or establish an asymptomatic infection.

Dr. Ingram-Smith’s lab is studying how E. histolytica adapts to and thrives in the glucose-poor environment of the large intestine where it colonizes. Her lab has established robust, reproducible cyst formation in laboratory culture and are studying how this process is regulated directly in the human pathogen.

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Biochemistry major Kaylee Board ’25 writes letter for IfYoureReadingThis

Posted on by Kate

Each week Clemson’s sect of IfYoureReadingThis posts a letter to the community on the topics of mental health and encouraging their peers. Last week’s letter came from senior biochemistry major Kaylee Board.

IfYoureReadingThis.org is a mental health nonprofit that empowers students to build and tap into their support networks by amplifying the faces and voices of the people who want to connect. Students across the nation write letters to their communities and share the responsibility of being vulnerable, closing the gap between students with mental health challenges and the people that care about them. Clemson is one of many colleges and universities that have a IfYoureReadingThis site.

Kaylee’s letter focused on spreading yourself too thin in life – especially during the college years. In her letter, Kaylee reminds readers that success isn’t measured by how filled your calendar is, how many extracurriculars you are a part of or the number of things you say “yes” to. Rather, success is measured by our well-being and happiness.

“Everyone’s path is different, and success isn’t about how many things we can juggle at once or how much we can pack into our schedules. Success is about finding balance and doing things that genuinely matter to us. It’s about knowing when to push forward and when to take a step back and focus on ourselves.”

Kaylee’s letter is a beacon of light for those who sometimes have a hard time saying “no” or defining success.

“Saying no doesn’t mean you’re falling behind—it means you’re setting boundaries. Second, just because someone else appears to be doing more than you, it doesn’t mean they’re more successful. Everyone has a unique path, and our worth isn’t defined by how much we can cram into our schedules.”

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Adam Gatch ’25 awarded Churchill Scholarship

Posted on by Kate

Fascinated by the vastness of the universe, as a child senior biochemistry major Adam Gatch was intrigued by how the physics of the very small could be used to explain the astronomically large.

“I’ve always been captivated by the study of life at the molecular level,” said Gatch. “It’s remarkable to learn how disease at the macroscopic level can be understood through the underlying physics and chemistry governing cells and molecules.”

Adam has been awarded the 2025 Churchill Scholarship, which allows students to undertake a one-year master’s program in STEM fields at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

With the scholarship, Adam plans to pursue a master of philosophy in chemistry and work with professor Tuomas Knowles at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Misfolding Diseases, a leading research center dedicated to understanding the abnormal behavior of proteins in the brain in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Adam’s research on campus is began when he approached Dr. Feng Ding from the Department of Physics and Astronomy about joining his biophysics research lab. Adam’s research has mainly focused on understanding the abnormal aggregation of disease-associated proteins and how interactions between different proteins contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Adam has also researched Parkinson’s Disease when he spent the summer before his sophomore year at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), researching how neuroimaging could be used to predict how patients suffering from the disease might respond to a specific drug therapy, a project that was supported by an application Gatch wrote — and won — for a $10,000 National Institutes of Health Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Grant Supplement.

His work has earned him several other scholarships, honors and awards, including a 2024 Goldwater scholarship.

Aside from academics, Adam volunteers at the campus food pantry, serves as a member of the College of Science Student Advisory Board, acts as a tutor at the University’s Academic Success Center, and works as an EMT.

“It’s a great honor to win the Churchill Scholarship. I’m very excited to work with one of the most prominent researchers within my field in the world,” said Gatch. “The Knowles lab is a perfect fit for me, and there is no better environment for my continued growth as a young researcher.”

The Churchill Scholarship is seen as the most prestigious and competitive international science, mathematics and engineering award for post-undergraduate researchers. Adam was one of only 16 students nationwide to receive the award and his award makes Clemson the only university whose students have been awarded a Churchill Scholarship in each of the last three years.

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Elizabeth Caldwell ’25 gives TEDxClemsonU Talk

Posted on by Kate

Senior genetics major, Truman and National Scholar Elizabeth Caldwell was invited to give a Ted Talk at TEDxClemsonU’s Innovate to Elevate event on August 24, 2024.

TEDxClemsonU’s Innovate to Elevate event aimed to catalyze a culture of innovation, collaboration, and positive change within the university community, empowering individuals to elevate their ideas, aspirations, and impact on the world.

The title of Elizabeth’s talk was “Now You See Me: Recognizing Invisible and Dynamic Disabilities,” and featured topics of her own disability, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), disabilities as a whole and how society reacts to these disabilities.

“Most often my cane is the first thing people notice about me. And once strangers see me with a cane, they immediately begin making assumptions.”

Elizabeth’s talk resonates with both people with and without disabilities. She encourages those listening to rethink the way we view those with disabilities.

“I believe its time to innovate the way we think about disabilities so that we can elevate the entire disability community and make the world more accessible for all.”

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Our Students Are Volunteers: Ruxi Xia ’25

Posted on by Kate

When senior biochemistry major Ruxi Xia was shopping for colleges, she began to get worried that she wouldn’t find the place for her because she wasn’t connecting at any of the campuses she toured at. That all changed when she visited Clemson.

“Clemson felt like home as soon as I stepped on the campus.”

Ruxi is an international student from Wuhan, China that came to the US in high school and lived with a host family. After high school Ruxi was excited to learn that Clemson had a robust biochemistry program.

“I wanted a strong biochemistry program to set me up for success in cancer research as it has been my career choice since one of my family members passed from cancer.”

Now that Ruxi is here, she is grateful to have been exposed to many foundational science courses that she says will set her up for success.

“I enjoy my upper-level professors, who are really passionate about science and have made me a much stronger student.”

Ruxi is not only involved in her routine academics on campus; she is a part of many different extracurricular activities including the Clemson Light Imaging Facility (CLIF).

“I have worked on many independent immunofluorescence staining projects, learned to operate wide-field and confocal microscopes, and coordinated an imaging contest that receives entries from all over the world for that past three years.”

Ruxi also works in a bioengineering lab characterizing peptides to deliver siRNA for RNA interference applications in ovarian cancer, as well as using a 3D spheroid model to better study the tumor and has presented her research at five national conferences.

As a co-director for Clemson Paw Pantry since Spring 2023, Ruxi has enjoyed leading the executive team and spreading awareness for the initiative, tripling both the usage of the pantry and the number of volunteers. Ruxi is also a student tutor at the Academic Success Center and mentor for the Clemson College of Science Mentoring and Inclusion Collaborative (COSMIC).

In addition, Ruxi serves as an active member in student government, as the volunteer/community service coordinator for the Clemson Rotaract Club and as the president of the Clemson Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA).

“I have really enjoyed getting to help out the community whether that is helping at the Clemson Community Care, local farms, and other shelters in the community.”

Ruxi went to high school in Virginia and enjoys baking, cooking and spending time with her friends trying new restaurants and coffee shops. After graduation, Ruxi plans to either pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering or pharmaceutical sciences.

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Man’s best friend? Dr. Kelsey Witt Dillon’s research proves so

Posted on by Kate

How long ago the bond between dog and man was first formed is something scientists haven’t been able to ascertain.

New research involving Kelsey Witt Dillon, an assistant professor in the Clemson University Department of Genetics and Biochemistry and the Center for Human Genetics, is part of new research that now suggests indigenous people in interior Alaska had formed relationships with the ancestors of today’s dogs near the end of the Ice Age — a time at least 2,000 years earlier than previously thought.

“Dogs were the first animal to be domesticated, but it was so long ago that we don’t really know the details of when and how,” said Witt Dillon, a computational biologist and population geneticist whose research focuses on the history of dogs in the Americas. “Any time we come across archeological samples of canids — dogs, wolves or coyotes — we’re interested in learning more about them and their relationship with humans to try to shed light on that.”

The researchers used a database of 111 large canid specimens. Included was the tibia of an adult canine about 12,000 years old and an 8,100-year-old canine jawbone excavated. The scientists determined that the canines from which these two bones came from had regularly eaten salmon, a diet choice that wasn’t typical of canine, who typically hunted land animals for food. Researchers say these dogs likely were fed by humans or scavenged salmon left by humans.

“We have evidence that sometimes people had a very loose association with dogs, where the dogs would be around, but they didn’t have owners and they weren’t being actively managed in any way,” she said. “It was a relationship where the humans had some benefit from the dogs being around, maybe some protection from wolves, and the dogs got food and a bit of safety, too. The pet idea is newer and the breeds as we know them are newer.”

Witt Dillon said the goal of the project was to consider different lines of evidence at once to try get a picture of what human-dog and human-wolf interactions were like.

“We see a lot of evidence of people feeding dogs and taking care of them, and we see this through time. People have valued dogs for thousands of years. I think it’s a cool thing to see that we’ve had this very long, lasting relationship,” she said.

Dr. Witt Dillon’s research has been published in “Late Pleistocene onset of mutualistic human/canid (Canis spp.) relationships in subarctic Alaska.”

Read more and watch the video in the Clemson News article.

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Biochemistry alum named Dean of USC School of Medicine – Greenville

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Biochemistry alum Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray ’96 became interested in medicine at an early age because of her relationship with her family doctor.

“I have a curious mind and was always asking, ‘Why?’ I found science fascinating because it gave me an avenue to finding answers,” she said. “Medicine was just a natural fit for me.”

In July, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville named Dr. MacGilvray, a family medicine practitioner of over 20 years, its dean.

Dr. MacGilvray earned her doctor of medicine degree in 2002 from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston before completing her residency in family medicine at the University of Vermont, followed by academic leadership positions at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune and at the University of Texas Health San Antonio.

She then returned home to South Carolina in 2018 to take a position with Prisma Health—Upstate as vice chair for academic affairs in family medicine, becoming department chair in 2020 and leading the development of two new graduate medical education programs, which tripled the number of family medicine residency positions at Prisma.

Dr. MacGilvray will serve as dean for a two-year term – a time in which she plans to bolster the school’s research footprint and elevate the school’s lifestyle medicine mission. She is the first medical school dean in the country who is board-certified in lifestyle medicine, which focuses on using evidence-based lifestyle interventions to prevent, treat and reverse chronic diseases.

“Learning from the very first day of medical school how to educate patients holistically is only going to improve the care of their patients down the line,” Dr. MacGilvray said.

Read more in the Clemson News article.

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