Finding career paths — and love — in graduate program

Madeline Stone and Killian Brewer, both Ph.D. students in the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program, married June 28 at the Whiddon College of Medicine, followed by a honeymoon in Savannah, Georgia.

Maybe love can’t be created in a lab, but it can certainly bloom in one. 

In August 2021, Madeline Stone of Spanish Fort, Alabama, and Killian Brewer of Atlanta attended orientation for the Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program at the Whiddon College of Medicine. 

To get to know one another, the students shared their hobbies and interests. Stone and Brewer bonded over their affinity for books, became quick friends, and started dating three weeks into the program. Uncertain whether they were breaking any rules, the couple kept their relationship quiet for some time. 

“But of course it became rather evident to our cohort of friends and colleagues who were all positive and supportive,” Stone said.

Over the next few years, they stayed focused on their research. Stone progressed in the graduate program’s lung biology track, working in the lab of Sarah Sayner, Ph.D., professor of physiology and cell biology. Meanwhile, Brewer worked in the lab of Robert Barrington, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology.

“Neither of us envisioned meeting our significant other when joining the program,” Stone said. “We both came into this pretty serious about science and focused on paving our career paths, so when feelings began evolving, it was pleasantly unexpected.” 

During a trip to Orange Beach in the summer of 2023, Brewer surprised Stone with a proposal on the beach at sunset. With the help of Connie Land, an accountant at the Whiddon College of Medicine, the couple married on June 28, 2024, in the Student Affairs office in the Medical Sciences Building. Land, who is also a notary, was the only one present for their simple, private ceremony. 

For their honeymoon, they stayed in a “haunted” inn in Savannah, Georgia. They plan to host a reception with family and friends soon.

As they enter their fourth year, Stone and Brewer are busier than ever, working toward publishing papers and making plans to complete their doctoral degrees by next summer. After graduation, they hope to secure post-doc positions at the same university. 

“The College of Medicine will always hold a special place because it has changed our lives in more ways than one,” Stone said. “We came here to become masters in medical research, but didn't realize the college also stood as the ultimate matchmaker. Who better to understand the science and challenges of a Ph.D. program than your life partner? We could not have asked for a better happenstance.”