Doctor ² Newsletter

The MD-PhD Surgical Society was founded in Summer 2024 by Elena Wilson (Yale MD-PhD Student) and Sabrina DaSilva (University of Pennsylvania MD-PhD Student) to support the personal and professional development of MD-PhD students working towards careers as surgeon-scientists. The hope is that this will be a community of MD-PhD students, residents, and faculty that can work together to meet the unique needs of students in the MD-PhD training path, who have found a passion for surgery and its subspecialties. Our hope is that this society will provide mentorship and  potential research opportunities, camaraderie, and resources specific to building skillsets important for success as both surgeons and scientists. Currently, the Society is working at building its network across MD-PhD programs nationwide, while compiling faculty and resident mentors who themselves are MD, PhDs, to match students with. We plan to distribute monthly newsletters and host quarterly events focused on representing the diverse career paths of MD-PhD surgeon-scientists nationwide. We are looking forward to kicking off with our fall meet and greet in September and are excited to see how this group continues to grow. If you are interested in supporting the society as a mentor, or more generally, please feel free to reach out at mdphdsurgicalsociety@gmail.com.

Twitter: https://x.com/mdphdsurgsoc

Website: https://mdphdsurgicalsocie.wixsite.com/mdphdurgicalsociety

MYTIEN NGUYEN was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION for her leadership, commitment and impact that she has had at YSM and nationally on medical student DEI initiatives. 8 years ago, Mytien helped to create SPIDY (Student Perspectives on Inclusion and Diversity at Yale) which is now a critical part of recruitment and now peer-to-peer mentorship in the program. One nominator wrote, "Mytien has done extensive research on addressing diversity and equity in MD and MD/PhD admissions, diversity and team science, and the association between socioeconomic status, sex, race, and ethnicity and career choices. Her groundbreaking studies have significant implications and will guide our efforts both short and long-term to promote diversity and build an inclusive community among physician-scientists." Here are just two examples of her latest publications:

Nguyen M, Meeks LM, Sheets ZC, Betchkal R, Pereira-Lima K, Moreland CJ, Boatright DH. Outcomes of the Main Residency Match for Applicants With Disability. JAMA. 2024 May 14;331(18):1590-1592. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.5000. PMID: 38630504; PMCID: PMC11024793.

Nguyen M, Cavazos JE, Venkataraman S, Fancher TL, Chaudhry SI, Desai MM, Boatright D. Socioeconomic Diversity in Admissions to MD-PhD Programs, 2014-2019. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Mar 4;7(3):e241951. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.1951. PMID: 38470423; PMCID: PMC10936114.

JOSH SASKIN was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to COMMUNITY given to students who engage in ongoing service, leadership, mentorship, and other activities that promote the social and academic connections that are at the core of our MD-PhD Program community. Nominations lauded his enthusiastic and generous efforts to bring MD-PhD students together; just a few contributions Josh has made in his short time in the program include representing the M1s in Student Council and making connections to older students, pouring his heart into ensuring that "all voices were represented" during a controversial Holiday Fundraiser, and collaborating with his classsmates to make Second Look "robust, engaging and incredible" for all.

SAM LIBURD was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to the PROGRAM. Nominations were submitted for students committed to creating positive and enduring change in our program and their efforts have made significant contributions to enhance physician-scientist training at Yale. "Without Sam, the House System would not have survived COVID", and he continues to work tirelessly to not only sustain but drive the mission of the MD-PhD HOUSE SYSTEM to promote vertical integration of students and foster an environment and culture that allows students across all years in the program to meet, have fun, and form meaningful, long-lasting connections with each other.

Shawn Ahn, MD'24, PhD'22
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in General Surgery
Biomedical Engineering with James Duncan, PhD

Adriana Cherskov, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital in Psychiatry (Child and Adult)
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Nenad Sestan, PhD

Tyrone Despenza, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Duke University Medical Center in Neurological Surgery
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Kristopher Kahle, MD PhD

Carrie Flynn, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Internal Medicine
Microbiology Graduate Program with Barbara Kazmierczak, MD PhD

Rachel Hennein, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: Yale-New Haven Medical Center Program in Psychiatry (Child & Adult)
Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases with Luke Davis, MD MA

Grant Higerd-Rusli, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Stanford Health Care-Stanford University Program in Pathology (Clinical)
Cellular & Molecular Physiology with Stephen Waxman, MD PhD

Corey Horien, MD'24, PhD'22
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Psychiatry (Research)
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Todd Constable, PhD

Jonathan Klein, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: University of California-San Francisco in Internal Medicine
Immunobiology with Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

Zachary Kloos, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine in Otolaryngology (Research)
Microbiology Graduate Program with Christine Jacobs-Wagner, PhD

Sahana Kribakaran, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: University of California-San Francisco in Psychiatry (Research)
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Dylan Gee, PhD

Brooks Leitner, MD'24, PhD'23
American Cancer Society BrightEdge Impact Investment Fund and Foresite Capital, New York, NY
Cellular & Molecular Physiology with Rachel Perry, PhD

Kingson Lin, MD'24, PhD'22
Residency: Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital in Radiation Oncology
Experimental Pathology Program with Ranjit Bindra, MD'07 PhD'05

Sarah Meller, MD'24, PhD'22
Residency: University of Colorado School of Medicine in Child Neurology
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Charles Greer, PhD

Alyssa Mitson-Salazar, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: Yale New Haven Medical Center Program in Internal Medicine (Physician-Scientist)
Immunobiology with Ruslan Medzhitov, PhD

Annsea Park, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Stanford Health Care-Stanford University Program in Internal Medicine
Immunobiology with Joan Steitz, PhD and Akiko Iwasaki, PhD

Alexandra Suberi, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Internal Medicine (Research)
Biomedical Engineering with W. Mark Saltzman, PhD

Ronan Talty, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: NYU Grossman School of Medicine in Dermatology
Experimental Pathology Program with Marcus Bosenberg, MD PhD

Diana Yanez, MD'24, PhD'24
Residency: Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital in Family Medicine
Experimental Pathology Program with Keith Choate, MD'04 PhD'01

Ce Zhang, MD'24, PhD'23
Residency: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Neurology (Physician-Scientist)
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program with Kaya Bilguvar, MD PhD

Cheryl Zogg, MD'24, PhD'21
Residency: Duke University Medical Center in General Surgery
EPH: Chronic Disease Epidemiology with Judith Lichtman, PhD MPH

The MD-PhD Award is awarded to an outstanding member of the graduating MD-PhD class who has shown excellence in both research and clinical activities, and was given to TYRONE DeSPENZA Jr., SAHANA KRIBAKARAN, and LEXI SUBERI.

The MD-PhD Alumni Award is awarded to a graduating MD-PhD student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, leadership, and service, and was given to RACHEL HENNEIN, JON KLEIN, ANNSEA PARK, and CHERYL ZOGG.

KINGSON LIN was awarded the MD-PhD Thesis Prize for the most outstanding MD-PhD thesis. Kingson was also awarded the C. Winternitz Prize in Pathology which was established in 1950 in honor of Milton CharlesWinternitz, honorary MA 1917, Professor of Pathology & Bacteriology 1917-1925, Anthony N. Brady Professor of Pathology 1925 to 1950. Awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the staff of the Department of Pathology, has done outstanding work in the course.

The Selma & Karl Folkers Prize in Biomedical Research was awarded to GRANT HIGERD-RUSLI, COREY HORIEN and CE ZHANG.

CARRIE FLYNN and SAHANA KRIBAKARAN were awarded the Yale Student Social Justice Activism Award, in honor of Tehreem Rehman, MD'18 and Robert Rock, MD'18. This award is presented to a graduating student who demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement, advocacy, and social justice.

SADIE MELLER was awarded the John M. Leventhal Award given annual to a Yale medical student who advances child health through advocacy, research and exemplary clinical care, demonstrating the highest level of responsibility and commitment to the care of patients and their families.

Jaycox, Jillian (Defense date: 06/11/2024)
Understanding Autoantibody Responses During Infection, Inflammation and Post-Viral Syndromes
PhD Program: Immunobiology
Advisor: Ring, Aaron

Davoudian, Pasha A (Defense date: 06/03/2024)
Circuit and Cell Class-Specific Effects of Psilocybin and Serotonergic Psychedelics
PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Kwan, Alex

Li, Dandan (Defense date: 05/14/2024)
Ensuring K-12 School Safety During a Respiratory Viral Pandemic
PhD Program: EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Advisor: Vermund, Sten

Zheng, Sijin (Defense date: 05/07/2024)
Development of novel fetal hemoglobin inducers using targeted protein degradation
PhD Program: MCDB: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Advisor: Crews, Craig

Tyagi, Sidharth (Defense date: 05/03/2024)
Engineering analgesia by targeted degradation of a voltage-gated sodium channel
PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Waxman, Stephen

Jensen, Tyler Barry (Defense date: 04/12/2024)
From nucleosomes to chromosomes: Uncovering developmental regulators of genome architecture
PhD Program: Genetics
Advisor: Xiao, Andrew

Goodwin, Justin (Defense date: 04/11/2024)
Malaria Parasite, Host, and Drug Dynamics in the Context of Artemether-Lumefantrine Treatment and HIV-Infection.
PhD Program: EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Advisor: Parikh, Sunil

Mitson-Salazar, Alyssa Noel (Defense date: 04/11/2024)
Regulatory T cell-specific Wnt secretion in intestinal homeostasis
PhD Program: Immunobiology
Advisor: Medzhitov, Ruslan

Johnson, Justin (Defense date: 02/29/2024)
Signaling between intraepithelial T cells and villous enterocytes in celiac disease
PhD Program: Immunobiology
Advisor: Pober, Jordan

Hennein, Rachel Theresa (Defense date: 01/26/2024)
Communities of Practice to Improve the Delivery of Contact Tracing for Tuberculosis by Community Health Workers: Antecedents and Mechanisms of Action
PhD Program: EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Advisor: Davis, Lucian

Lynn, Anna Annie (Defense date: 11/27/2023)
Engineering polymeric nanoparticles for targeted in utero delivery
PhD Program: Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: Saltzman, W. Mark

Miyagishima, Danielle Felipa (Defense date: 09/07/2023)
Deconvolution of the Meningioma Microenvironment
PhD Program: Genetics
Advisor: Gunel, Murat

Takasugi, Taylor (Defense date: 08/04/2023)
The Role of POT1b: Unraveling the Mechanisms Protecting Telomeric Overhangs and the Regulation of Telomere Length
PhD Program: Experimental Pathology Program
Advisor: Chang, Sandy

Yun, Sangwon (Defense date: 07/14/2023)
Investigating stem cell chromatin organization and oncogenic tissue morphogenic change through intravital microscopy
PhD Program: Genetics
Advisor: Greco, Valentina

Grun, Casey (Defense date: 07/13/2023)
Phage-seq: nanobody phage display and high-throughput sequencing for characterizing the Pseudomonas aeruginosa cell surface
PhD Program: Microbiology Graduate Program
Advisor: Kazmierczak, Barbara

A full list of thesis defenses can be found here.

Recognizing that grant-writing is a core competency for physician-scientists, all rising fourth-year students are now required to participate in a month-long Proposal Development Module as part of the Leadership and Research Management for Physician-Scientists curriculum. We recently published a paper in JCI describing the importance of having grantwriting workshops three times per year in advance of each NIH fellowship application deadline (April 8, August 8, Dec 8), providing detailed guidelines and checklists, essential 1:1 coaching and advice, and developing administrative innovations and resources.

Students listed here have received a formal notice of award as of July 30, 2024 for submissions in academic year 2023-2024 but we have quite a few pending applications that have received promising impact scores. The complete list of awarded fellowships will be updated here.

BRANCALE, JOSEPH
Project #: 1F30DK138640
Project Title: Investigating the role of endothelial Gimap5 in maintaining liver homeostasis

ADEJUMO, PHILIP 0
Project #: 1F30HL176149
Project Title: Deep Learning-enhanced Evaluation of Quality of Care and Disparities Among Patients with Heart Failure in the Electronic Health Record

KHATTAR, NIKKITA
Project #: 1F30AG087667
Project Title: Assessing activation in the human brain using ultra-high performance FDG functional PET to investigate neurodegenerative disorders

ELLIS, KATHARINE TAYLOR
Project #: 1F31AR082696
Project Title: Leveraging mosaic genodermatoses to discover genetic and molecular mechanisms of comedogenesis

ROBBINS, CHARLES JOHN
Project #: 1F30CA287869
Project Title: Next-generation diagnostic approaches for HER2-low breast cancer and trastuzumab deruxtecan therapy

TYAGI, SIDHARTH
Project #: 1F31NS135909
Project Title: Targeted degradation of NaV1.8 as a therapeutic strategy for pain

DUNCAN-LOWEY, JEFFREY KARDAS
Project #: 1F30AI181493
Project Title: The role of a Coxiella burnetii effector protein that inhibits RIG-I signaling

GOKHAN, ILHAN
Project #: 1F30HL170584
Project Title: Elucidating the Role of Biomechanical Strain in Atrial Physiology and Arrhythmias

ADKINSON, BRENDAN
Project #: 1F30MD018941
Project Title: Characterizing neuroimaging 'brain-behavior' model performance bias in rural populations

OYAMA, SAKURAKO
Project #: 1F30HD111263
Project Title: Ovarian Function Among Samoan Women with Obesity

JENSEN, TYLER BARRY
Project #: 1F30HD112087
Project Title: H2AJ as a regulator of placental senescence and genome organization

DAVOUDIAN, PASHA A
Project #: 1F30DA059437
Project Title: Subcortical targets involved in the action of psilocybin in learned and innate escape behaviors

ZHENG, SIJIN
Project #: 1F30HL164007
Project Title: Development of novel fetal hemoglobin inducers using targeted protein degradation

LI, DAN
Project #: 1F30HD107932
Project Title: Enhancing K-12 School Safety During a Respiratory Viral Pandemic