2021 Graduates

Calvin Chan

Graduate Program: Immunology (Senad Divanovic, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Eight publications, including two first-author publications and one first-author review, Warren Liang Excellence in Psychiatry Award (UC College of Medicine), Inaugural Nasrallah Award (UC Department of Psychiatry), MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Psychiatry PSTP, University of Pennsylvania
Email: chancc@mail.uc.edu

Courtney Giannini

Graduate Program: Environmental Health (Susan Pinney, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Eight publications, including three first-author publications and two first-author publications under review, Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence (UC), T32, MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP) 
Residency: Pediatrics Scientist Development Program (PSTP), UPMC (Pittsburgh)
Email: giannicm@mail.uc.edu 

Andy Kim

Graduate Program: MDB (Katherine Yutzey, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Five publications, including four first-author publications, pre-doctoral fellowship grant (American Heart Association), Richard Akeson Award (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center), selected to attend 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany
Residency: Pediatrics PSTP, Medical College of Wisconsin
Email: kimaj@mail.uc.edu

Marshall Lukacs

Graduate Program: MDB (Rolf Stottmann, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four first-author publications
Residency: Pathology PSTP, Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston
Email: lukacsml@mail.uc.edu

Katelyn Melgar

Graduate Program: Immunology (Daniel Starczynowski, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First-author publication, two patents, NRSA Grant (NCI)
Residency: Internal Medicine PSTP, University of Cincinnati
Email: melgarkm@mail.uc.edu

Seth Reighard

Graduate Program: Immunology (Stephen Waggoner, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author publications, second-author review, patent, Ginzi M. Finzi Summer Lupus Fellowship (Lupus Foundation of America), appointed to Immunology Graduate Program T32 training grant, 1st place at Graduate Student Research Forum (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati
Email: reighasd@mail.uc.edu

Caitlin Dunn

Graduate Program: MDB (Louis Muglia, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First author publication
Residency: Pediatrics PSTP, University of Texas Southwestern
Email: dunnc5@mail.uc.edu

Jonathan Fletcher

Graduate Program: Immunology (Nancy Ratner, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author research articles and several additional co-authorships, F30 through NINDS
Residency: Pediatrics PSTP, University of Texas Southwestern
Email: fletchj2@mail.uc.edu

Jeff Kuerbitz

Graduate Program: MDB (Kenneth Campbell, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author publications
Residency: Child Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine /Texas Children’s Hospital
Email: kuerbijs@mail.uc.edu

Monwabisi (Nwabi) Makola

Graduate Program: Neuroscience (Kim Cecil, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author publications, and received the Thomas L. Slovis Award for the Best Basic Science Paper appearing in Pediatric Radiology in 2017
Residency: Psychiatry, University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Email: makolamf@mail.uc.edu

Bryan Maliken

Graduate Program: Cancer & Cell Biology (Jeffery Molkentin, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Seven research manuscripts, including one first-author publication, predoctoral research grants from AHA and NHLBI, MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Internal Medicine, Case Western University as part of the Harrington Physician-Scientist Pathway; plans to pursue fellowship in Cardiology
Email: malikebd@mail.uc.edu

Keith Saum

Graduate Program: Biomedical Engineering (Phillip Owens, PhD; Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four publications, including two first-author manuscripts, research produced a US patent, John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Internal Medicine PSTP, University of Michigan; plans to pursue fellowship training in Nephrology
Email: saumkl@mail.uc.edu

Stephen Trisno

Graduate Program: MDB (James Wells, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Three research manuscripts, including a first-author article in Cell Stem Cell
Residency: Pediatrics Physician-Scientist Track, Stanford University
Email: trisnosn@mail.uc.edu

Arya Zandvakili

Graduate Program: MDB (Brian Gebelein, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four manuscripts, including three first-author publications
Residency: Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases PSTP, University of Iowa
Email: zandvaaa@mail.uc.edu

Michael Horwath

Graduate Program: Immunology (George Deepe, MD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First author publication, review article, and several co-authorships; David B. Confer Memorial Award (UC College of Medicine); Roger Smith Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Pathology (AP/CP), Emory University Hospital
Email: horwatmc@mail.uc.edu

Shenwen Huang

Graduate Program: Biomedical Engineering (Christy Holland, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First author publication, John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Internal Medicine (Preliminary), University of Florida; Neurology, Johns Hopkins University
Email: huangsw@mail.uc.edu

Tony (Tonbo/Tianlun) Jiang

Graduate Program: Immunology (Sing Sing Way, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Three first author publications and review paper
Residency: Internal Medicine (Preliminary), University of Cincinnati; Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh
Email: jiangtu@mail.uc.edu

Julie Lander

Graduate Program: MDB (Raphael Kopan, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First author publication; MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Pediatrics-Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: landerje@mail.uc.edu

Zubin Patel

Graduate Program: Immunology (John Harley, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first author publications; MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
Email: patelzh@mail.uc.edu

Eric A. Smith

Graduate Program: Cancer & Cell Biology (Susanne Wells, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four publications, including three first-author manuscripts; Cardell Fellowship (UC College of Medicine); First place poster at the graduate student research forum (UC college of Medicine); David B. Confer Memorial Award (UC College of Medicine); Roger Smith Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Anatomic and clinical pathology, University of Utah and ARUP laboratories as part of the Physician Scientist career track
Email: Smith2ec@mail.uc.edu

Jared Travers

Graduate Program: Immunology (Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Five research publications, including three as co-first author
Residency: Internal Medicine, Case Western Reserve University as part of the Harrington Physician-Scientist Pathway; plans to pursue fellowship in Gastroenterology
Email: traverjb@mail.uc.edu

Aynara Chávez Wulsin

Graduate Program: Neuroscience (Jim Herman, PhD; Steve Danzer, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: PhD research produced ten publications, including four first-author manuscripts; MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Pediatric Neurology; Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Email: wulsinac@mail.uc.edu

Kristina Betz

Graduate Program: Immunology (Sean Moore, MD, MS)
Accomplishments & Awards: John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (2018); Selected Attendee, National MD/PhD Student Conference, Keystone, CO (2015)
Residency: Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Email: weagekj@mail.uc.edu

Roger Fecher

Graduate Program: Immunology (George Deepe, MD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Selected Attendee, National MD/PhD Student Conference, Keystone, CO (2012); AAI Travel Award (2014); GSGA Travel Award (2014);  Department of Pathology Grant in support of Senior Project , "Glioblastoma expression of TAM kinase relative to PTEN" (2018)
Residency: Pathology (AP/CP), Albert Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center
Email:  fecherra@mail.uc.edu

Jed Kendall

Graduate Program:  MDB (Nancy Ratner, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Authored one manuscript and has several coauthored manuscripts in preparation or under review. He presented his research at several conferences including the annual NF1 Children’s Tumor Foundation meeting.
Residency: Radiology, Emory University
Email: kendaljj@mail.uc.edu

Rahul D'Mello

Graduate Program: Immunology (Marc Rothenberg, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Co-author of numerous manuscripts (one as first author); Robert Swain Memorial Award (UC College of Medicine); Mentor of the Year (Cincinnati Youth Collaborative); Graduate Student Research Forum First Place Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University and Perinatology Research Branch of the NICHD
Email: dmellorj@mail.uc.edu

Steven Gilday

Graduate Program: Biomedical Engineering (David Butler, PhD; Jason Shearn, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Co-author of five manuscripts;Dean’s Fellowship (UC College of Medicine); John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (UC College of Medicine); Excellence in Science Award, American Association for the Advancement of Science; Golden Scalpel Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center
Email: gildays@mail.uc.edu

Rebecca Currier Curran

Graduate Program: Environmental Health (Ardythe Morrow, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four published manuscripts; CDC grant review panel; Gold Humanism Honor Society, Arnold P. Gold Foundation  
Residency: University of Utah, Family Medicine
Email: curriera@mail.uc.edu

Jennifer Leddon

Graduate Program: Immunology (Timothy Cripe, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Seven published manuscripts; presentations at national/international meetings
Residency: University of Cincinnati, Internal Medicine; Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
Email: leddonjl@mail.uc.edu

Kyle McCracken

Graduate Program: MDB (James Well, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Eight published manuscripts; numerous professional conferences including the 64th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting; Alpha Omega Alpha (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Children’s Hospital of Boston, Pediatrics
Email: mccrackw@mail.uc.edu

Maggie Schneider

Graduate Program: Neuroscience (Melissa DelBello, MD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four published manuscripts; Gold Humanism Honor Society, Arnold P. Gold Foundation; Honorable Mention, Medical Student Research Award, Ohio Psychiatric Physician’s Foundation
Residency: Harvard Longwood, Psychiatry
Email: reidmt@mail.uc.edu

Sam Vaughn

Graduate Program: Immunology (John Harley, MD, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four published manuscripts; research presentation Milan, Italy
Residency: University of Cincinnati, Psychiatry; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Email: vaughnsu@mail.uc.edu

Inuk Zandvakili

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Yi Zheng, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Numerous published manuscripts
Residency: Mayo Clinic, Rochester Minnesota, Internal Medicine
Email:zandvaik@mail.uc.edu

Nicholas Boespflug

Graduate Program: Immunology (Christopher Karp, MD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four published manuscripts (one as first author); Image of Nick's research selected as cover art for issue of Blood; Alpha Omega Alpha (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Oregon Health Sciences University, Emergency Medicine
Email: boespfnd@mail.uc.edu

Adam Burr

Graduate Program: Molecular and Developmental Biology (Jeff Molkentin, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Four published manuscripts (one as first author); Alpha Omega Alpha (UC College of Medicine); John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: University of Wisconsin, Radiation Oncology
Email: burram@mail.uc.edu

Jeeyeon Cha

Graduate Program: Molecular and Developmental Biology (SK Dey, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Sixteen published manuscripts (eight as first author); two book chapters; The Philanthropic Educational Organization International Women’s Scholar Award; NIH F30 NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship; Harrison Society Scholar
Residency: Vanderbilt University, Internal Medicine, Endocrinology Fellowship
Email: chaj@mail.uc.edu

Norris Hollie

Graduate Program: Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine (David Hui, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Three first-author manuscripts; Funding from the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH); Preparing Future Faculty certificate (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Pathology
Email: hollien@mail.uc.edu

Eugene Oteng

Graduate Program: NIH Oxford-Cambridge Scholars Program (Carole Long, PhD and Dr. Chris Newbold)
Residency: Howard University, Internal Medicine
Email: otenge@mail.uc.edu

Benjamin Kay

Graduate Program: Neuroscience (Scott Holland, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Five published manuscripts (three as first author)
Residency: St. Louis Children’s Hospital/Washington University, Child Neurology
Email: kaybp@mail.uc.edu