Amanda Jean Hodgson, daughter of Jim and Marilyn Hodgson (Merrill), received her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas on May 20, 2011. Dr. Hodgson successfully defended her thesis project titled “Hepatitis B virus X protein effect on liver regeneration and a role for its interaction with DDB1 in virus replication” completed under the direction of Dr. Betty Slagle. Amanda is a graduate of Merrill Senior High School, Class of 1998. She earned a bachelors of science degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from University of Minnesota Duluth in 2003. Dr. Hodgson is now a scientific writer for Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center at The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas