Dr. Özlem Yilmaz' Laboratory
Oral Health Sciences Department
Featured Past Lab Members
Former Graduate/Dental Students
Dr. Jaden Lee
Dr. Jaden Lee successfully obtained his DMD/PhD in July 2023 from MUSC.
Currently, he is a Resident in the Periodontics & Oral Medicine Department at the University of Michigan.
Ayana Paul
Ayana Paul, former PREP student from the Yilmaz Lab.
Currently, Ayana is pursuing a PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in Emory University, Georgia.
Dr. JoAnn Roberts
Dr. JoAnn Roberts successfully obtained her PhD in December 2018 from MUSC.
She became a UPLIFT post-doctoral Fellow, developing scholar, and faculty track post-doctoral trainee at UCLA Medical School. Currently, she is an Associate Director for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in UCLA. She also is an Adjunct Professor in LA Technical College.
Dr. Ralee Spooner
Dr. Ralee Spooner, a lieutenant officer in the US Navy and graduate student in Dr. Yilmaz's lab, successfully defended his Masters in Dental Sciences Degree in May 2019 at MUSC, and also completed his residency degree in MUSC's periodontics department as chief resident.
Currently, a Lieutenant and periodontist at Dental Corps, United States Navy.
Kyulim Lee
Kyulim Lee is a former DMD/PhD Student (University of Florida), NIH F30 awardee, and adjunct Assistant Professor at University of Florida.
Currently, an Assistant Professor in Pediatric Dentistry in Columbus at Ohio State University.
Former Faculty/Postdoctoral Trainees
Dr. ChulHee Choi, PhD
Former Post-doctoral associate and Research Assistant Professor.
Currently, an Associate Professor at Chungam University, Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, South Korea
Dr. Kalina Atanasova, DVM, PhD
Former Post-doctoral Associate.
Currently, Dr. Kalina Atanasova is a Biological Scientist in the Biological Chemistry Department of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Florida.
Dr. Jungnam Lee, PhD
Former Post-doctoral Associate.
Currently, Dr. Jungnam Lee is a Research Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at the University of Florida.
Visiting Professor/Scholars
Dr. Je Chul Lee, MD, PhD
Former visiting Professor
Currently, Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea
Dr. Ana Carolina Morandini Ramos, DDS, PhD
Former FAPESP Post-Doctoral Fellow, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru. Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil
She became an Assistant Professor at the University of Pacific, Arthur A. Dugani School of Dentistry. Currently, she is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia in Augusta.
Former Staff
Casey Derieux
Former Research Specialist
Currently, a PhD Student at the University of Delaware, Department of Microbiology
Zach Messick
Former Research Specialist
Currently, a JD, Patent Attorney at Knobbe Martens in San Diego, California