MARIJA N. CHOUINARD, Ph.D.

1150 St.Nicholas Avenue Suite 620 (office 238B)
New York City, NY 10032
md506@columbia.edu
212-851-5304

Professional Training

04/2005-presentPost-doctoral research fellow, New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital, and Division of Molecular Genetics (Department of Pediatrics) New York-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. (Laboratory of Dr. Rudolph L. Leibel)
9/1999-2/2005Graduate Research Assistant, Columbia University, New York, NY. Molecular Genetics Laboratory (Department of Pediatrics). Mentor: Dr. Rudolph L. Leibel.


Education

2005Ph.D. with distinction, Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York City, NY.
Thesis title: "Positional Cloning of Genes Modifying Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes in Obese Mice." Mentor: Dr. Rudolph L. Leibel.
2002M.Phil., Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York, NY
Grant proposal: Identification of genes underlying type 2 diabetes using ENU (N-ethyl-N-nitrosurea) mutagenesis in mice.
2001M.A., Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York, NY
1999B.A. magna cum laude in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA (GPA 3.8/4)
1995I.B. (International Baccalaureate), Armand Hammer United World College, Las Vegas, NM


Honors and Awards

2005PhD research thesis with distinction, Columbia University
2002Rockefeller Brothers Fund Grant, Principal Investigator. Identification of novel genes and pathways in Type 2 diabetes using ENU mutagenesis in mice.
1998Mellon Research Fellowship, Mount Holyoke College
1997Mount Holyoke College Summer Research Fellowship. In Albert Einsteins' Shadow: A Close Look at the life of Mileva Maric-Einstein.
1997Anne Hawe Turner Award for excellence in Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College
1995Federal National Science Bowl Finalist, Washington, DC
1995Regional National Science Bowl Winner, Albuquerque, NM
1995Sally Martin Prize for class valedictorian, Armand Hammer United World College


Research Interests


Teaching Experience

2000-2003Lecturer, Biochemistry of Micronutrients, Columbia University
2000-2004Lecturer, Readings in Nutrition, Columbia University
1998Teaching assistant/Instructor in Cell Biology, Mount Holyoke College
2005-presMentor, Mott Hall Middle School, a magnet school for academically accelerated children in Harlem


Students Mentored


Professional Societies


Other Interests

06/2005-presentBoard member, Street Project, New York, NY. Street Project is a New York-based non-for-profit organization that links young city professionals to various volunteering opportunities.
1994-1999Albert Einstein project. Worked with Ms. Michele Zackheim, writer, researching the life of Albert Einstein and his family


Foreign Languages


References


OBESITY RESEARCH CENTER HOME PAGE