Gwendalyn King, Ph.D., grew up on Loveland, CO. She earned her B.S. in Molecular Biology from the Purdue University School of Science. There she got her first taste of discovery science, investigating leech nerve cord regeneration as her honors thesis research. She obtained her Neuroscience M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan School of Medicine where she studied protein:protein interactions with the amyloid precursor protein. Her first postdoctoral fellowship was at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles developing gene therapeutic approaches to treating glioma. Her second postdoctoral fellowship focused on normal brain aging at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. King joined the Department of Neurobiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2011 as an Assistant Professor. There she mentored Ph.D., post-bac, and undergraduate students through their honors or dissertation research, published numerous peer-reviewed papers, directed the Summer Program in Neuroscience, and taught for the undergraduate neuroscience program, medical school and graduate in biomedical sciences graduate program. She joined the Department of Biology faculty at Creighton in 2019 to support the Neuroscience major. Having personally seen the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Frontotemporal dementia, and ALS in her own family, Dr. King is committed to discovery level research to advance knowledge and prevent devastating neurodegenerative diseases.
Allie Woog was born and raised in Inver Grove Heights, MN (meaning she has been enjoying the milder winter weather of Omaha!). She is majoring in neuroscience and philosophy, is a part of the Honors Program, and hopes to become a physician-scientist in the future. Her curiosity and passion for learning comes from personal experience with grandparents who suffered from neurodegenerative diseases. Allie hopes to acquire and apply broader knowledge to one day advance treatment of these diseases. Outside of academics, Allie enjoys staying active, reading, cooking, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
Liz Lind is from Maple Grove, Minnesota and is one of four siblings; three of whom are triplets. Liz is a Neuroscience major considering medicine in her future. She found her interest for Neuroscience through the singular question, ‘Why do we act the way we act?’ After watching a grandpa’s gradual decline from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s, it motivated her to further study neurodegenerative diseases. Liz is earning an EMT certification and works part-time as a barista at Starbucks to fuel the overall lab addiction for coffee. Liz is interested in working in a lab because a strong foundation in basic science is at the root of quality patient care. And she appreciates the ability to apply information learned in lectures and think critically to apply that in a lab setting. In her free time Liz enjoys reading, trying out new restaurants, Irish dancing, and spending time with friends and family.
Fauzan Siddiqui is from Omaha, Nebraska. He is a biology major with a minor in history, considering medicine after college. His passion for science was first ignited by reading National Geographic magazines and spending countless hours exploring nature growing up. Through the INBRE research program, he had the opportunity to spend the summer working in a lab at UNMC, where he studied neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The hands-on experience in the lab, from mastering precise techniques to uncovering real results, deepened his interest in understanding the intricacies of neurodegenerative diseases. Exploring the brain, the organ that shapes our very identity, makes this research truly compelling. In his free time, he enjoy playing basketball and watching the NBA, watching movies, trying out new restaurants with friends (like the one in this photo), and playing video games.
Kennedy Layne is am from Fort Collins, Colorado and neuroscience neuroscience major considering medicine after college. Her interest in neuroscience sparked by hearing about the neuroscience research her older sister was involved in and was deepened by a fascination with how the brain and body communicate, and work together. This passion grew as she used her CNA license to assist at memory care and assisted living facilities, where she witnessed impact of neurodegenerative diseases on patients and their families. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing tennis and pickleball, reading, hiking, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family.
Will Nelms is from St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Neuroscience major and is part of the Creighton Honors Program and considering medicine after college. Will discovered his passion for neuroscience during the SLU AIMS summer program, where he had the opportunity to hold a real human brain. Realizing that every thought, emotion, and memory originates from such a delicate and complex organ sparked his fascination with the brain and medicine. His interest in research began in high school through reading studies about exercise. What began as curiosity about his own workouts grew into a deep appreciation and love for research and its potential to advance medicine and improve lives. Outside of academics, Will enjoys going to the gym, hiking, volunteering, and watching the NFL.
King Lab at Creighton University 