MD-PhD Program

Greetings to all as we prepare to begin a new academic year at Yale!

I am excited to welcome the remaining members of our matriculating class of 2033 (!) to New Haven in early August, where they will join five classmates who have gotten an early start on lab rotations this summer. As you can appreciate, our incoming MD/PhD students are a well-travelled bunch, bringing a variety of experiences, perspectives, and motivations for training to our program. They bring us to 160 students in total: a reflection of our growth over the past decade, visible just as funding for science appears to be entering a period of contraction.

I find it hard to read the tea leaves these days and suspect that the only certainty right now is uncertainty. Nonetheless, we are doers as well as thinkers here at Yale, and have plenty to keep us busy. Our students continue to communicate the value of their training and research, adding advocacy and educational outreach to their grant- and paper-writing agendas. Their work – and yours, MSTP alums – is why so many lethal diagnoses and incurable diseases are becoming manageable conditions for those with access to health care. I hope we can share this information broadly and well, and encourage each one of you to join this effort.

I am glad to report that our competing MSTP renewal has been awarded – but, like other renewing programs, with fewer slots than expected. Yale has been nothing but supportive of our graduate and professional students, but we are more appreciative than ever of the philanthropy and gifts that support everything from student emergency funds to conference travel to tuition and stipends. Thank you again to each one of our friends and alums who have contributed to the program this past year, including those of you who have volunteered your time and advice to students with questions about training, residency, and career!

I hope the articles in this newsletter bring you closer to our current students, remind you of things you valued as a trainee at Yale, and inspire you to pay it forward to the students and mentees in your life. And even though the opportunity to celebrate the Yale MSTP’s 50^th anniversary has come and gone – thank you, Covid ☹– we are working to program MD-PhD specific events for the 2026 YSM reunion that may tempt some of you back to New Haven. Read our news, share your accomplishments – and let us know when we can welcome you back to Cedar Street.

With best wishes,

Dr. K.

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Barbara Kazmierczak, MD, PhD
Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation MD-PhD Program Director
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbial Pathogenesis

Emmanuella Asabor, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Mass General/Brigham Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA in Dermatology
PhD in EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases with Ijeoma Opare, PhD, LMSW, MPH
Thesis Title: Segregation and the Infectious Disease Illness Experience: The Cases of HIV and COVID-19 in South Africa and the United States

Andrew Daniels, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD in Otolaryngology
PhD in Immunobiology with Marcus Bosenberg, MD, PhD
Thesis Title: Elucidating the critical effectors of anti-melanoma memory to bolster novel treatment approaches

Justin Goodwin, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA in Emergency Medicine
PhD in EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases with Sunil Parikh, MD, MPH
Thesis Title: Malaria Parasite, Host, and Drug Dynamics in the Context of Artemether-Lumefantrine Treatment and HIV-Infection

Casey Grun, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals, Seattle, WA in Internal Medicine (Physician-Scientist track)
PhD in Microbiology Graduate Program with Barbara Kazmierczak, MD, PhD
Thesis Title: Phage-seq: nanobody phage display and high-throughput sequencing for characterizing the Pseudomonas aeruginosa cell surface

Justin Johnson, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD in Pathology (Anatomic/Clinical)
PhD in Immunobiology with Jordan Pober, MD'77, PhD'77*
Thesis Title: Signaling between intraepithelial T cells and villous enterocytes in celiac disease'

Valentyna Kostiuk, MD'25, PhD'25
Residency: Stanford Health Care, Stanford, CA in Vascular Surgery (Integrated)
PhD in Genetics with Mustafa Khokha, MD
Thesis Title: Mechanisms of Heart and Major Vessel Development: Nup107 and Cacna1g as Novel Regulators

DanDan Li, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA in Psychiatry
PhD in EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases with Sten Vermund, MD, PhD
Thesis Title: Ensuring K-12 School Safety During a Respiratory Viral Pandemic

Anna Lynn, MD'25, PhD'24
Residency: Yale-New Haven Medical Center Program, New Haven, CT in General Surgery
PhD in Biomedical Engineering with W. Mark Saltzman, PhD
Thesis Title: Engineering polymeric nanoparticles for targeted in utero delivery.

Danielle Miyagishima, MD'25, PhD'24
PhD in Genetics with Murat Gunel, MD, FACS, FAHA, FAANS
Thesis Title: Deconvolution of the Meningioma Microenvironment

Taylor Takasugi, MD'25, PhD'23
Residency: Yale-New Haven Medical Center Program, New Haven, CT in Pathology (Clinical)
PhD in Experimental Pathology Program with Sandy Chang, MD, PhD
Thesis Title: The Role of POT1b: Unraveling the Mechanisms Protecting Telomeric Overhangs and the Regulation of Telomere Length

Sangwon Yun, MD'25, PhD'23
Residency: Yale-New Haven Medical Center Program, New Haven, CT in General Surgery
PhD in Genetics with Valentina Greco, PhD
Thesis Title: Investigating stem cell chromatin organization and oncogenic tissue morphogenic change through intravital microscopy

Amy Zhao, MD'25, PhD'23
Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA in Internal Medicine (Physician-Scientist track)
PhD in Genetics with Naftali Kaminski, MD
Thesis Title: Peripheral Immune Signatures of Fibrotic Lung Disease

*denotes alumnus of the Yale MD-PhD Program

YALE BIOMED SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS

Amgen Scholar Fabiola Alanis, a sophomore at Boston University was in the laboratory of Lauren Sansing, MD, in the Department of Neurology.

Amgen Scholar Carlos Candanosa, a junior at University of Texas, San Antonio was in the laboratory of Craig Roy, PhD, in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis.

Amgen Scholar Amalia Jardiniano, a sophomore at Stony Brook University was in the laboratory of Benjamin Goldman-Israelow, MD, PhD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Infectious Diseases).

Amgen Scholar Matthew Liu, a junior at Brown University was in the laboratory of Anton Bennett, PhD, in the Department of Pharmacology.

Amgen Scholar Ricky Liu, a junior at Wesleyan University was in the laboratory of Kristen Brennand, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry.

Amgen Scholar Zuri Omari-Muhammad, a junior at Emory was in the laboratory of Bluma Lesch, MD, PhD, in the Department of Genetics.

Amgen Scholar Ohm Patel, a sophomore at Brown University was in the laboratory of Kathryn Miller-Jensen, PhD, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Amgen Scholar Valeria Rivera Almodovar, a junior at University of Rochester was in the laboratory of Daniel Vatner, MD, PhD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology & Metabolism).

Amgen Scholar Aniya (Clover) Satchell, a junior at Mount St. Mary University was in the laboratory of Marc Schneeberger Pane, PhD, in the Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology.

Amgen Scholar Isaac Schultz, a junior at Vanderbilt was in the laboratory of Jess Cardin, PhD, in the Department of Neuroscience.

Amgen Scholar Zahren York, a sophomore at Bowdoin College was in the laboratory of Alicia Che, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry.

BioMed SURFer Drealle Estrada, a senior at Navajo Technical University was in the laboratory of Claudio Alarcon, PhD, in the Department of Pharmacology.

BioMed SURFer Layla Marie James, a senior at Navajo Technical University was in the laboratory of Valentina Greco, PhD, in the Department of Genetics.

BioMed SURFer Brandon Juarez-Ramos, a freshman at Washington University St Louis was in the laboratory of Silvia Vilarinho, MD, PhD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Digestive Diseases).

BioMed SURFer Nicole Smith, a freshman at Penn State was in the laboratory of Katie Politi, PhD, in the Department of Pathology.

BioMed SURFer Davidi Tawfiles, a freshman at U Penn was in the laboratory of Esen Sefik, PhD, in the Department of Immunobiology.

BioMed SURFer Kailynn Weaver, a sophomore at Prairie View A&M University was in the laboratory of Daniel Greif, MD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology).

BioMed SURFer McKenzie Williams, a freshman at Howard University was in the laboratory of Carrie Lucas, PhD, in the Department of Immunobiology.

ACS Scholar Hanan Ahmed, a freshman at Cornell was in the laboratory of Siggy Nachtergaele, PhD, in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.

ACS Scholar Jamiley Avila, a sophomore at Brown was in the laboratory of Luisa Escobar-Hoyos, PhD, in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology.

ACS Scholar Amelia Gura, a sophomore at Fordham University was in the laboratory of Ranjit Bindra, MD, PhD, in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology.

ACS Scholar Rosa Kwon, a junior at Kenyon College was in the laboratory of Ping Mu, PhD, in the Department of Urology.

ACS Scholar Nicholas Le, a junior at Teax A&M was in the laboratory of Mark Lemmon, PhD, in the Department of Pharmacology.

ACS Scholar James Mendezz, a sophomore at California State Polytechnic Pomona was in the laboratory of Stephanie Halene, MD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Hematology).

ACS Scholar LeaPearl Njei, a junior at UMBC was in the laboratory of Don Nguyen, PhD, in the Department of Pathology.

ACS Scholar Dominique Thomas, a sophomore at Universiy of Miami was in the laboratory of Jeffrey Ishizuka, MD, in the Department of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology).

ACS Scholar Serenade Trevino, a senior at University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley was in the laboratory of Mark Lee, MD PhD, in the Department of Laboratory Medicine.

BP-ENDURE Scholar Emily Drucker, a junior at Hunter College was in the laboratory of Amanda Dettmer, PhD, and Karim Ibrahim, PsyD, in the Child Study Center.

BP-ENDURE Scholar Emmanuel Makinde, a junior at New York University was in the laboratory of Hal Blumfield, MD, PhD, in the Department of Neurology.

BP-ENDURE Scholar Isabella Bodziony, a junior at Hunter College was in the laboratory of Marina Picciotto, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry.

PEER MENTORS

Andin Fosam has been the peer mentor student coordinator for the Yale Biomed Summer Undergraduate Research Program for the past two summers. She is pursuing her MD-PhD dissertation research studying intramuscular metabolic responses to resistance exercise with localized hypoxia in the laboratory of Rachel Perry, PhD, in the Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology.

Kyrillos “Cookie” Abdallah is pursuing his PhD dissertation research on mRNA elements that regulate protein synthesis in the laboratory of Wendy Gilbert, PhD, in the Department of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry.

Patricia Bunda is pursuing her MD-PhD dissertation research on the role of lysosomal dysfunction in podocytes in the laboratory of Shuta Ishibe, MD, in the Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology.

Daniel Colón-Ríos is pursuing his MD-PhD dissertation research studying PARP inhibitor resistance in IDH-mutant cancers in the laboratory of Peter Glazer, MD'87, PhD'87, in the Department of Genetics. Danny also participated as a Yale Biomed SURFer in 2016 and completed two postbaccalaureate research years from 2018 to 2020 working in the laboratory of Faye Rogers, PhD.

Rebecca Colón Ríos is pursuing her PhD research on identifying small molecules secreted by P. aeruginosa that kill pathogenic free-living amoeba in Microbiology in the laboratory of Barbara Kazmierczak, MD, PhD. Rebecca began her research in the Kazmierczak lab as a 2018 Yale Biomed SURFer.

Kerri Davidson is pursuing her MD-PhD dissertation research on nuclear mechanosensing and its role in diseases characterized by disrupted extracellular matrix homeostasis in the Program in Translational Biomedicine (PTB) in the laboratory of Megan King, PhD.

Ilhan Gokhan is pursuing his MD-PhD dissertation research on inherited cardiomyopathy in the laboratory of Stuart Campbell, PhD, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Leslie Guereca is pursuing her PhD research in Microbiology on the effects of efflux pump overexpression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the laboratory of Barbara Kazmierczak, MD, PhD.

Michele Meline is pursuing her MD-PhD dissertation research on how enhancer transcription regulates enhancer activity in macrophages in the Program in Translational Biomedicine (PTB) in the laboratory of Salil Garg, MD, PhD.

Anthony Minnah is pursuing his PhD dissertation research in the Department of Pharmacology on developing new therapeutic strategies against CCNE1-amplified ovarian cancers in the laboratory of Faye Rogers, PhD.

Akin Sogunro is pursuing his MD-PhD dissertation research on determinants of tumor immune responses to pancreatic cancer in the Department of Genetics in the laboratory of Mandar Muzumdar, MD. Akin also participated in the 2015 inaugural cohort of the Yale Biomed SURF Program in the laboratory of Stephanie Eisenbarth, MD'05, PhD'05.

ANDIN FOSAM was awarded the MD-PhD Program Student Prize for her leadership and commitment to OUTREACH, REPRESENTATION, AND ENGAGEMENT and contributions to upholding the core values of the program through practical action and advocacy. One nominator wrote, "Andin Fosam exemplifies what will be an excellent physician scientist. She has been leading the Committee on Collaborative Excellence for three years and has focused her efforts on community outreach. Andin has gathered volunteers in our program to participate in the New Haven Night Market and has also prepared a curriculum for high schools students as part of the Yale Pathways to Science program. In addition to this, Andin was the peer mentor student coordinator for the 2024 and 2025 Yale BioMed Amgen program and was a writing instructor for the 2024 YSEMA program."

SAM OLYHA and ILHAN GOKHAN were 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.

"...any time I've talked with MD-PhD students about lab-related struggles, almost every time people will say "Oh you should talk to Sam! She helped me so much [and she] is a key reason I've been able to remain optimistic"

"Sam is very supportive ... and has provided meaningful advice, support, and community for younger students with disabilities looking for mentorship."

"Ilhan is an incredibly kind, generous member of our MD-PhD community who brings people together across all class years. As a peer advisor, mentor, and friend to many, Ilhan is always there to listen and provide thoughtful advice. He is an incredible role model; he is passionate about his research and teaching...[and] is committed to inspiring [and mentoring] the next generation of MD PhD students [while] still managing to attend all the fun MD PhD events, play music, row, and attend the monthly Gryphons First Fridays!"

STACY UCEHNDU and JORDAN GALBRAITH were 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. Galvanizing MD-PhD student action in the face of budget cuts to federal funding for training and research, Stacy was instrumental in "creat[ing] opportunities for students to engage with advocacy in a time of intense political pressure on research and science broadly," while "Jordan has been fighting on behalf of our MD-PhD program and science at large on a national scale to protect research funding." Their "efforts have certainly made a impactful contribution to enhance physician-scientist training at Yale."

The MD/PhD Program Prizes were first awarded in June 2022. A small cash prize and commemorative plaque (on the 3rd floor of Harkness) honor students who have gone above and beyond on behalf of the program and its mission. Past winners include Daniel Barson (’22), Drew Daniels (’22), Rachel Hennein, Hannah Batchelor, Anchi Wu (’22), Daniel Colón-Rios (’23), Deanne Yugawa (’23), Anush Swaminathan (’23), Josh Saskin (’24), Samuel Liburd (’24), and Mytien Nguyen (’24). We are so grateful for the amazing students who make our community better in so many ways!

DUNCAN-LOWEY, JEFFREY (Defense date: 06/23/2025) Characterization of the Coxiella Burnetii deubiquitinase EmcB as a RIG-I inhibiting effector PhD Program: Microbiology Graduate Program PhD Advisor: Roy, Craig

ADKINSON, BRENDAN (Defense date: 06/09/2025) Advancing Brain-Behavior Machine Learning Biomarkers PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program PhD Advisor: Scheinost, Dustin

ELLIS, KATHARINE TAYLOR (Defense date: 06/09/2025) Somatic Mosaicism Provides Mechanistic Insight into Congenital and Acquired Skin Disease PhD Program: Genetics PhD Advisor: Choate, Keith

SILVA, JULIO (Defense date: 06/05/2025) Mucosal and Immuno-Endocrine Responses in Acute and Long COVID PhD Program: Immunobiology PhD Advisor: Iwasaki, Akiko

VETICK, MICHAEL (Defense date: 05/28/2025) Structural and Functional Analysis of Translation Inhibition by Betacoronavirus Non– Structural Protein 1 PhD Program: MBB: Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry PhD Advisor: Xiong, Yong

DE MAN, RUBEN (Defense date: 05/09/2025) Lung cell type-specific aging and senescence signatures PhD Program: C&MP: Cellular & Molecular Physiology PhD Advisor: Kaminski, Naftali

GIVECHIAN, KEVIN (Defense date: 03/24/2025) From Tumor Immunogenomics to Deep-Learning for Immunogenicity Prediction PhD Program: Genetics PhD Advisor: Krishnaswamy, Smita

HOYT, LAURA ROSE (Defense date: 03/06/2025) Murine anaphylaxis to food requires cysteinyl leukotriene-mediated absorption of allergens in the gut" PhD Program: Immunobiology PhD Advisor: Wilen, Craig

DIAB, NICHOLAS SAMI (Defense date: 03/04/2025) Exploring a role for TMBIM4 in the pathogenesis of congenital heart disease PhD Program: Genetics PhD Advisor: Khoka, Mustafa

KOSTIUK, VALENTYNA (Defense date: 02/18/2025) Mechanisms of Heart and Major Vessel Development: Nup107 and Cacna1g as Novel Regulators PhD Program: Genetics PhD Advisor: Khokha, Mustafa

BRANCALE, JOSEPH (Defense date: 01/22/2025) Integrating Genomics and Experimental Models to Uncover Mechanisms of Liver Pathobiology PhD Program: Genetics PhD Advisor: Vilarinho, Silvia

FANG, CALVIN (Defense date: 12/18/2024) “Functional diversity of somatostatin interneurons in visual cortical circuits” PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program PhD Advisor: Cardin, Jessica

GONZALEZ-HURTADO, ELSIE (Defense date: 12/02/2024) Nerve-associated macrophages regulate adipose homeostasis and retrain age related inflammation PhD Program: Immunobiology PhD Advisor: Dixit, Vishwa Deep

JENG, AMANDA T (Defense date: 08/20/2024) Disruption of the RhoGEF Trio in neurodevelopmental disorders leads to impairments in multiple domains of function PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program PhD Advisor: Koleske, Anthony

JOHNSON, ANN (Defense date: 08/20/2024) Implementation Science to Improve Delivery of Evidence-Based Practices for People Living with HIV in Ukraine and Southern Africa PhD Program: EPH: Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases PhD Advisor: Davis, Lucian

WOO, ELIZABETH K (Defense date: 06/28/2024) Investigating chronic calcium leak in the aging brain PhD Program: INP: Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program PhD Advisor: Arnsten, Amy

BACHTEL, NATHANIEL DALE (Defense date: 06/12/2024) Exaggeration of an allergen avoidance circuit drives oral anaphylaxis PhD Program: Immunobiology PhD Advisor: Medzhitov, Ruslan

CHOWDHURY, SHANIN (Defense date: 06/12/2024) Interplay between Liver Endothelium and Hepatocytes: Insights through the Lens of a Rare Disease PhD Program: Experimental Pathology Program PhD Advisor: Vilarinho, Silvia

HUBBARD, BRANDON (Defense date: 06/12/2024) The renal cortex is a primary gluconeogenic organ in insulin resistance PhD Program: C&MP: Cellular & Molecular Physiology PhD Advisor: Shulman, Gerald

OLYHA, SAMANTHA (Defense date: 06/06/2024) ELF4 regulates the inflammatory potential of CD4+ T cells PhD Program: Immunology PhD Advisor: Lucas, Carrie

Doctor ² Newsletter

Supporting student success and unforseen needs

Welcome to the 2025 Incoming MD-PhD Students