Doctor ² Newsletter
MD-PhD Program
Issue 13
Letter from the Director
Eudaimonia
As I drove to work this morning, listening to NPR (what else?), I heard a story featuring a word that was new to me: eudaimonia. For those of you who also do not have a working knowledge of Greek, eudaimonia can be translated as “happiness as the result of an active life governed by reason”. In the NPR story, researchers who were studying success in school found that believing that one was engaged in something with meaning and purpose was the key to doing well – not being “happy” per se. Intuitively, it makes sense; but articulating this also helps me realize that this is what we hope to model and ingrain through our MD-PhD programs, workshops and courses. To wit: our pipeline programs (whose current students are featured below) are designed to show our scholars the value and impact of service through research and/or clinical care – and how a mission to serve can motivate someone through long years of graduate school and medical training. But finding your true mission – not the one that well-meaning others find for you – takes work.
We’re clearly proud of the accomplishments and achievements of our students. This newsletter highlights many of them: service awards, thesis defenses, NRSA fellowships, graduations and wonderful residency matches. What’s harder to list and measure are those moments when somehow, perhaps briefly, it all makes sense. The never-ending experiments, hours of debugging code, staring at computer screens till your head hurts…become an insight into how pathology can be interrupted and health restored. EMRs, ICD-10s, rubrics of MDM complexity handed out by the billing department…forgotten when a patient successfully connects with resources and support that give them another chance at their own version of eudaimonia.
This summer, I hope you take time to step away (even briefly) from the daily grind and take a vacation. May your vacation be happy, full of pleasurable experiences and a respite from the pressures and deadlines of work. May it also be a chance to reflect on what gives you meaning and purpose in life, and how you align your time and energy to live what is truly a good life.
Wishing you eudaimonia,
Barbara
___________
Barbara Kazmierczak, PhD, MD
Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation MD-PhD Program Director
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbial Pathogenesis
Congratulations to our 2023 MD-PhD Program Graduates!
Matthew Alsaloum, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Stephen Waxman, MD PhD
Daniel Barson, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisors: Michael Crair, PhD and Michael Higley, MD PhD
Jessica Cerdena, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Marcia Inhorn, PhD
Jennifer Shuen Chen, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisors: Stephanie Eisenbarth, MD PhD and Craig Wilen, MD PhD
Ryan Dz-Wei Chow, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Sidi Chen, PhD
Stefano Giovanni Daniele, MD'23 PhD'20
Advisor: Nenad Sestan, MD PhD
Matthew Dong, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Sidi Chen, PhD
Nicholas George Economos, MD'23 PhD'23
Advisor: Peter Glazer, MD PhD
Margret C. Erlendsdottir, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Forrest Crawford, PhD
Alborz Feizi, MD'23 PhD'23
Advisor: Gregory Tietjen, PhD
James Garritano, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Yuval Kluger, PhD
Abigail Greene, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Todd Constable, PhD
Kenneth Suranga Gunasekera, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Theodore Cohen, PhD
William Hancock-Cerutti, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Pietro DeCamilli, MD PhD
Woong Yul Hwang, MD'23 PhD'23
Advisor: Mustafa Khokha, MD PhD
Daniel Jong-Woong Kim, MD'23 PhD'21
Advisor: Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Katherine Louise Leiby, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Laura Niklason, PhD
Jonathan Liang, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Iain Fraser, PhD (NIH) and Clare Bryant, PhD (Cambridge University)
Raman Venkat Nelakanti, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Andrew Xiao, PhD
Jonathan Joon-Young Park, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Sidi Chen, PhD
Duy Phan, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisors: Kristopher Kahle, MD PhD and Nenad Sestan, MD PhD
Tyler James Shelby, MD'23 PhD'22
Advisor: Lucian Davis, MD PhD
See their residency matches here: https://medicine.yale.edu/mdphd/outcomes/residencymatch/
Thesis defense titles and PhD departments are listed here: https://medicine.yale.edu/mdphd/outcomes/thesis/
MD-PhD Program Graduation Awards & Prizes
The MD-PhD Award
This prize is awarded to an outstanding member of the graduating MD-PhD class who has shown excellence in both research and clinical activities.
Matthew Dong and Katherine Louise Leiby
The MD-PhD Alumni Award
This prize is awarded to a graduating MD-PhD student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, leadership, and service.
Daniel Barson, Jennifer Shuen Chen, Nicholas George Economos, Kenneth Suranga Gunasekera and Daniel Jong-Woong Kim
THE MD-PhD Thesis Prize
Abigail Greene
The Selma & Karl Folkers Prize in Biomedical Research
Ryan Dz-Wei Chow and Jonathan Joon-Young Park
Student Fellowships Funded in AY 2033-2023
A critical element of physician-scientist training is the development and practice of skills that promote the success and retention of clinicians in research careers. The ability to craft convincing and compelling training and research proposals is one such foundational skill. Congratulations to the following students who were awarded predoctoral fellowships in AY 2022-2023:
Nathaniel Dale Bachtel
Mast cell regulation of food allergen induced malaise through GDF15-GFRAL signaling
NRSA F30; NIAID
Hannah Marie Batchelor
Plasticity of cortical networks during learning
NRSA F30; NEI
Pasha A. Davoudian
Subcortical targets involved in the action of psilocybin in learned and innate escape behaviors
NRSA F30; NIDA
Sarah E. Fitzpatrick
The Role of the ASD Risk Gene CHD8 in Neural Development
NRSA F30; NIMH
Justin Goodwin
High-resolution malaria parasite and drug dynamics in the context of antimalarial treatment and drug resistance selection
NRSA F31; NICHD
Tyler Barry Jensen
H2AJ as a regulator of placental senescence and genome organization
NRSA F30; NICHD
Rachel Hennein
Communities of Practice for lay health worker-delivered contact investigation for TB: Mechanisms and context
NRSA F30; NHLBI
Brandon Hubbard
Elucidating the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms of renal insulin resistance
NRSA F30; NIDDK
Dan Dan Li
Mast cell regulation of food allergen induced malaise through GDF15-GFRAL signaling
NRSA F30; NICHD
Sijin Zheng
Development of novel fetal hemoglobin inducers using targeted protein degradation
NRSA F30; NHLBI
Welcome to the 2023 Yale Biomed Amgen, American Cancer Society, BP-ENDURE and Summer Undergraduate Research Scholars
Fatech Aswad
American Cancer Society Scholar
New Mexico State University
Lab: Don Nguyen
Leanna Bai
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Brown University
Lab: Elias Lolis
Nia Brooks
Biomed Amgen Scholar
The University of Utah
Lab: Keith Choate
Ayjha Brown
American Cancer Society Scholar
Emory University
Lab: David Braun
Bertila Bruka
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Stevens Institute of Technology
Lab: Mark Saltzman
Isabella Chavez Miranda
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Syracuse University
Lab: Rachel Perry
Nicole Constante
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Northwestern University
Lab: Joseph Contessa
Isaiah Diggs
Biomed SURFer
Pennsylvania State University
Lab: Valentina Greco
Isabela Fuentes
American Cancer Society Scholar
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lab: Luisa Escobar-Hoyos
Jared Gracia-David
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Amherst College
Lab: Naftali Kaminksi
Alessandro Hammond
American Cancer Society Scholar
Harvard University
Lab: Joseph Contessa
Ryan Henry
Hunter College BP-ENDURE
Hunter College
Lab: Ifat Levy
Ta'Aliyah Jones
American Cancer Society Scholar
Pomona College
Lab: Sigrid Nachtergaele
Fabricio Justiniano
American Cancer Society Scholar
Montclair State University
Lab: Ryan Jensen
Zerubabel Kebede
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Johns Hopkins
Lab: Mustafa Khokha
Jehan Khaled
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Marquette University
Lab: Barbara Kazmierczak
Reginald Kwarteng
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of Pennsylvania
Lab: Silvia Vilarinho
Thomas La
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of California, Berkeley
Lab: Jessica Cardin
Azalea Lazaro Varela
American Cancer Society Scholar
University of Texas at San Antonio
Lab: Thomas Hayman
Yuhan Liu
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lab: Nadya Dimitrova
Jaylen Lockhart
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Middlebury College
Lab: William Cafferty
Samuel Lorenzo
Biomed SURFer
Brown University
Lab: Stuart Campbell
Alisha Mason
Biomed SURFer
Johns Hopkins University
Lab: Liza Konnikova
Kevin Mercado-Rosado
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Lab: Kristen Brennand
Rachel Pham
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of California, Berkeley
Lab: Maudry Laurent-Rolle
Julia Purcell
Biomed Amgen Scholar
University of Connecticut
Lab: Ranjit Bindra
Alejandra Rosario
American Cancer Society Scholar
University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
Lab: Luisa Escobar-Hoyos
Safa Sheik
Hunter College BP-ENDURE
Hunter College
Lab: Dylan Gee
Taverylyn Shepard
Biomed Amgen Scholar
Prairie View A&M University
Lab: Vishwa Dixit
Welcome Janiel Jones!
Janiel Jones will be joining the MD-PhD Program Office as our new Admissions & Pipeline Coordinator on July 3, 2023. Janiel comes to us with a strong background of administrative experience, and we are excited to get to know and work with her. Please stop by to say hello and introduce yourselves!
Congratulations to Alex on her promotion!
Please join us in congratulating Alex Mauzerall on her promotion to Associate Director for Program Administration! Alex joined the program as our Registrar at the start of 2019, took on the role of Grants and Portfolio Analyst after Cheryl DeFilippo's retirement, and has been a pillar in keeping the office running during the many times when we've been understaffed and stretched during these past years
Announcing the Recipients of the 2023 MD-PhD Program Student Prizes
DANIEL COLÓN-RÍOS was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION for his thoughtful leadership of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Students and faculty were asked to nominate students who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to diversity and inclusion which are central to the mission of the MD-PhD Program.
DEANNE YUGAWA was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to COMMUNITY for her tireless efforts to bring MD-PhD students together by organizing events and tackling the management of the program's social media presence. Nominations were sought for 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.
ANUSH SWAMINATHAN was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for contributions to the PROGRAM. His tireless work to answer admissions inquiries submitted online by prospective applicants, his work to put together an alumni panel and dedication to the work of the Diversity & Inclusion committee were all noted by fellow students and faculty leadership. 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.
Thesis Defense: Academic Year 2022-2023
Adriana Cherskov
Cellular and molecular features of cerebellar evolution in primates
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Nenad Sestan, MD PhD
Corey Leigh Horien
Leveraging Individual Differences to Study the Developing Functional Connectome
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Todd Constable, PhD
Alexandra Suberi
Pulmonary Delivery of mRNA Therapeutics
Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: W. Mark Saltzman, PhD
Sahana Kribakaran
Investigating the Associations Between Trauma Exposure and Conditioned Inhibition of Fear in Development
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Dylan Gee, PhD
Grant Higerd
Specificity and Regulation of Sodium Channel Trafficking: Exploring a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Pain
Cellular & Molecular Physiology
Advisor: Stephen Waxman, MD PhD
Carrie Anne Flynn
Identification of Amoebicidal Compounds Against Pathogenic Free-Living Amoebae Produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Microbiology Graduate Program
Advisor: Barbara Kazmierczak, MD PhD
Annsea Park
Readthrough Transcripts in the Regulation of the Interferon Response
Immunobiology
Advisors: Joan Steitz, PhD and Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Tyrone DeSpenza
PTEN is a critical genetic determinant of human ventricular size: Implications for hydrocephalus and autism spectrum disorder
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Kristopher Kahle, MD PhD
Jonathan Klein
Pathological and Protective Immune Responses in SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Immunobiology
Advisor: Akiko Iwasaki, PhD
Ce Zhang
Human Cerebral Organoids for Modeling Neurodevelopmental and Infectious Disease
Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
Advisosr: Kaya Bilguvar, PhD and Angeliki Louvi, PhD
Ronan Talty
Ferroptosis as a modulator of checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy
Experimental Pathology Program
Advisor: Marcus Bosenberg, MD PhD
Alborz Feizi
Engineering Tools for High-Throughput Ex Vivo Human Organ Research
Biomedical Engineering
Advisor: Gregory Tietjen