2023 Graduates

Ayad Ali

Graduate Program: Immunology (Stephen Waggoner, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Nine publications, including one first-author manuscript, Albert J. Ryan Fellowship, Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence
Residency: Otolaryngology, Duke University (R25 Research Track)
Email: aliay@mail.uc.edu

Corinne Foley

Graduate Program: Immunology (Vivien Hwa, PhD; David Hildeman, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author publications, Yates Scholarship, GSG Research Fellowship 
Residency: Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital of Oakland
Email: foleyco@mail.uc.edu

Rohit Rao

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Richard Lu, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Eleven manuscripts, including a first-author publication and a co-first author publication, Albert J. Ryan Fellowship
Residency: Internal Medicine and Hem/Onc, Case Western Reserve University (Physician Scientist Training Pathway)
Email: raorr@mail.uc.edu

Brian Upton

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Richard Lang, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Fourteen publications, including four first-author manuscripts and co-author on a book chapter
Residency: Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati
Email: uptonba@mail.uc.edu

Ben Wissel

Graduate Program: Biomedical Informatics (Judith Dexheimer, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Ten publications, including five first-author publications, F31 Training Grant, John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award
Residency: Neurological Surgery, Duke University
Email: wisselbd@ucmail.uc.edu

2022 Graduates

Tammy Gonzalez

Graduate Program: Immunology (Andrew Herr, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Nine manuscripts, including three first-author manuscripts/reviews and two first co-author manuscripts, three additional manuscripts in the last two years of medical school including two first-author manuscripts, Chrysalis Award (AAAAI), Travel Awards (AAAAI), ASM Graduate Capstone Fellowship, AAD Diversity Mentorship Award, Nth Dimensions Dermatology Medical Student Symposium Travel Award, Yale Ciencia Fellowship
Residency: Dermatology (Research Track), University of Miami
Email: hunterte@mail.uc.edu

Robert Kleven

Graduate Program: Biomedical Engineering (Christy Holland, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Six publications, including three first-author author manuscripts 
Residency: Diagnostic Radiology, Yale New Haven Health
Email: klevenrt@mail.uc.edu

Talia Nasr

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Aaron Zorn, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First-author publication, a co-first author publication, a co-first author review, and three additional co-authorships, F30 Award, two presentation awards (UC College of Medicine, MDB), work featured on two journal covers
Residency: Triple Board (Pediatrics/Psychiatry/Child Psychiatry), Indiana University
Email: nasrta@mail.uc.edu

Michael Petrany

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Douglas Millay, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Five publications, including two first-author papers and one first-author review, Jeffrey A. Whitsett Physician Scientist Fellowship (UC College of Medicine), Travelling Fellowship to Haifa, Israel (Journal of Cell Science), Alpha Omega Alpha (UC College of Medicine), John J. Hutton Academic Excellence Award (UC College of Medicine)
Residency: Adult Neurology, Washington University at St. Louis
Email: petranml@mail.uc.edu

Joseph Salomone

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Brian Gebelein, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Two first-author publications and eight other manuscripts
Residency: Internal Medicine (Physician Scientist Training Pathway), University of Iowa 
Email: salomojh@mail.uc.edu

Camille Sullivan

Graduate Program: Cancer & Cell Biology (Susan Waltz, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First-author manuscript, NIH F31-Diversity Predoctoral Fellowship, STEMmys™ Graduate Student of the Year Award (STEMmys™ and Gaskins Foundation), MSTP Student Service Award (UC College of Medicine, MSTP)
Residency: Orthopedic Surgery (Research Track), University of California San Francisco
Email: sullici@mail.uc.edu

Kevin Zhang

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Richard Lang, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: First-author manuscript in Nature, co-first author publication in Cell Reports, nine additional publications in the last two years of medical school including two first-author manuscripts, presentation awards and outstanding abstract awards (The Endocrine Society and Council of Graduate Schools)
Residency: Ophthalmology, Northwestern University
Email:  zhangxk@mail.uc.edu

Sandra Zoubovsky

Graduate Program: Molecular & Developmental Biology (Louis Muglia, MD, PhD; Kenneth Campbell, PhD)
Accomplishments & Awards: Five publications, including three first-author manuscripts, Research Council Award (UC College of Medicine), Medical Student Scholarly Research Paper (Ohio Psychiatry Physician Foundation)
Residency: Pediatrics, University of Colorado – Denver
Email: zoubovsp@mail.uc.edu 

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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (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:  Molecular & Developmental Biology (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: Molecular & Developmental Biology (James Wells, 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