Heather Jones, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Texas A&M University
• Medical School: M.D., Texas Tech University Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Heather earned a B.A. in Chemistry summa cum laude from Texas A&M University, where she participated in the Undergraduate MiniPharma in the biological assays group and as the fungal group leader. In medical school at Texas Tech in El Paso, she was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha for her academic achievements. Heather also was a teaching assistant, a student mentor, a food bank volunteer, a health fair coordinator, report reviewer, admissions interviewer, and secretary of the Family Medicine Interest Group. She did summer preceptorships in pediatrics and family medicine, but she found her specialty niche through elective experiences in both anatomic and clinical pathology. Heather also is interested in teaching, and the educational aspect of pathology represents part of its appeal. In addition to her activities within the medical school, she served as editor and mentor through Motivate MD, assisting students in preparing professional school applications and conducting mock interviews. For relaxation, she enjoys hiking and outdoor activities, arts and crafts, cooking, and listening audio books.

Timothy Kirtek, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Michigan
• Medical School: M.D., American University of the Caribbean

Director's Profile:

Tim, who is from Michigan, notes that some of his earliest memories are of his mother’s radiology residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. He attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and received a B.S. degree in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Sciences. After graduation, he worked for three years as a psychiatric care worker in the University of Michigan’s adult psychiatric ICU, until entering medical school. As a medical student, he performed at the top of his class and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Phi Honor and Service Society and served as its Vice President, as well as Judge Advocate and Community Service Chair for the Phi Chi International Medical Fraternity. Tim took advantage of the Caribbean environment to pursue research projects on Chikungunya, Zika and Dengue in the local populations. The strong appeal of Pathology as a specialty choice appears to have taken him by surprise, but it was reinforced by working as an anatomy teaching assistant and by an interest in tutoring and teaching. Tim enjoys studying, building and rehabilitating computers to benefit Habitat for Humanity. His sporting activities include golf, basketball, flag football, snowboarding, curling, swimming, and scuba diving.

Vandana Panwar, M.D., M.B.B.S.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: M.B.B.S., Sarojini Naidu Medical College, India (2000); M.D., Sarojini Naidu Medical College, India (2004)

Director's Profile:

Vandana attended medical school in Agra, India, where she received her M.B.B.S. degree, completed a rotating internship, and then earned her M.D. degree through a pathology residency with a thesis on the appearance of primary hyperplasia in FNAs of the thyroid gland, work recognized as the best research thesis by a pathology resident. She also received a Best Poster award at a meeting of the Indian Association of Pathologists and Microbiologists for a study of angiogenesis in uterine cervical lesions. Coming to the U.S., Vandana worked as a research assistant at the UCLA School of Medicine in a lab studying regulation of arterial blood pressure by norepinephrine in an ovine fetus model. After moving to the Dallas area, she initially performed office laboratory tests for a pediatric practice. She then moved on to a research opportunity at UT Southwestern with Dr. Vitaly Margulis and Dr. Payal Kapur, studying renal neoplasms in the Kidney Cancer Program. After two years with Drs. Margulis and Kapur, she took a position as Senior Research Associate and Research Scientist in the Laboratory of Dr. Satwik Rajaram in the Department of Bioinformatics using histopathology and artificial intelligence to study clear cell renal cell carcinoma and hydatidiform moles. Her work has resulted in co-authorship on eight publications in the past three years. In addition to her interest in genitourinary pathology, Vandana makes time for exploring nature, gardening, and spending time with family.

Jing Sun, D.O.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
• Medical School: M.D., Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Residency Training: Anatomic Clinical Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Director's Profile:

Jing was born in China; however, she received her B.S. degree in Biology from the University of Tulsa. She followed this with an M.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Tulsa, while functioning as a research assistant helping to elucidate the toxicity of quantum dot nanoparticles on mammalial cells. Jing worked for four years as a medical technologist at the Regional Medical Laboratory in Tulsa, performing flow cytometry, PCR for infectious disease and genetic mutations, branched DNA tests for hepatitis B virus, DNA extractions, and assisting at bone marrow aspirations. She then went to medical school at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Science College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, while working part-time as a research assistant on changes in the collagenase activity of C. atrox venom due to protease inhibitor actinonin. Jing was president of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Student Interest Group. Upon completion of her third year of residency in Anatomic & Clinical Pathology, she stepped out to do a fellowship in Genitourinary Pathology at UT Southwestern. Following completion of her fellowship, she has returned to complete her fourth and final year of her AP/CP residency. In her spare time, Jing likes Pilates, watching criminal investigation shows, documentaries (especially on wildlife), exploring nature, culture and new cities.

Limin Yang, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: M.D., Henan Medical University; Ph.D., Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

Director's Profile:

After receiving her medical degree from Henan Medical University in China, Limin obtained a Master’s in Physiology and a PhD in Pathology from Huazhong University of Science and Technology with a thesis on overexpression of inflammatory proteins in atherosclerosis. After two additional years there as a lecturer in Pathology, she spent three years as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany studying the regulation of sodium channels in the distal nephron of the kidney; and in 2007, she came to UT Southwestern as a Research Assistant Professor, working with Dr. Paul Blount on mechanosensitive channels of large conductance in a bacterial system as well as in the human brain. Her work on disease mechanisms and theranostic nano-devices has led to 16 publications. While at Southwestern, Limin found time for observerships with our Hematopathology and Pediatric Pathology groups. Limin enjoys jogging and walking with her family, cooking, and listening to favorite radio programs such as Insight for Living and the PBS News Hour. She is active with the Boy Scouts and has served as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Advancement Chair.

Sajjad Afraz, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Director's Profile:

Sajjad actually spent most of his childhood and youth in Japan but returned to Iran for medical school and a rotating internship at Tehran University, where he also participated in research on pharmacologic preconditioning in ischemic-reperfusion injury. During medical school and again during the period of his national service practice, he participated in Iranian earthquake emergency relief efforts. In 2013, he relocated to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, for a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. With the encouragement of his faculty advisors, he subsequently entered the doctoral program at McMaster, working with Dr. Anthony K. C. Chan in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. His research with a mouse model of hemophilia A focused on management of the immune response against infused Factor VIII through co-injection therapy with IVIG as well as oral delivery of proteins using nanoparticles. His work, which earned a young investigator travel award in 2018, has been presented at national and international conferences on thrombosis and hemostasis and has resulted to date in four publications, in two of which he is first author. In addition to his research, Sajjad worked part-time as a medical assistant and as a scientific advisor for a consulting company active in digital transformation and artificial intelligence. He confirmed his interest in pathology through observerships at the University of Miami and at a private pathology laboratory in Georgia. His hobbies include soccer, photography, mountain climbing, and reading Japanese novels (in the original language).

Yoo Min Ahn, D.O.

• Training Track: AP
• Undergraduate School: Brandeis University
• Medical School: Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

Director's Profile:

Yoo Min received her B.S. degree with Honors in Neuroscience, Biology and Chemistry from Brandeis University. During college, she worked part-time in a neuroscience research lab and spent a summer at Dongguk University International Hospital in Korea as a volunteer in a molecular imaging and neurovascular research lab. She spent a year after college teaching English in Korea to elementary and middle-school students and participated in two medical volunteer missions to East Timor. Returning to the U.S., Yoo Min obtained a Master’s degree in Forensic Science in the Center for Health and the Environment at the University of California at Davis, where she studied the induction of adult-onset asthma using a mouse model. Her work was presented at the American Thoracic Society and resulted in two publications, including one as first author. She was also selected to conduct death and fire death investigation courses to train police, firefighters and coroners using staged scenes with donated cadavers. As a medical student, she was active in her school’s COVID-19 response. She ranked in the top 15% of her class and was inducted into the Psi Sigma Alpha Osteopathic Honor Society. Yoo Min plays the cello and enjoys listening to music as well. She likes the social culture of brewing and drinking coffee and is a practitioner of latté art. She swims, rows and hikes for exercise and is a lover of animals, especially cats.

Allen Green, M.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC; American Military University, Charles Town, WV
• Medical School: M.D., Medical University of South Carolina, College of Medicine, Charleston, SC

Director's Profile:

Allen served in the U.S. Air Force as an Airman First Class and Squadron Trainer based in South Korea.  He completed a B.A. degree in Business Management through the American Military University, while working in management and as a certified personal trainer and serving in the Army Reserve as an Information Technology Specialist. Prior to entering medical school, he obtained a second baccalaureate degree, a B.S. in Biology from Coastal Carolina University, and then matriculated at the Medical University of South Carolina. Early on, he served as President of the Psychiatry Student Interest Group; however, a summer research fellowship on the neuroscience of drug abuse sparked a desire for a more scientifically grounded specialty.  He went on to participate in MUSC’s Team Science in Clinical Research course and served as Student Government Liaison for the Pathology Student Interest Group. He also worked as a research assistant on machine learning with the Pathology Informatics Innovation Group and did research on the accuracy of automated hematology analyzers and pediatric hereditary spherocytosis with Dr. Kathryn Lindsay (a UTSW alumna).  Upon completion of his second year of a Clinical Pathology residency at UT Southwestern, Allen left the program to pursue a Family Medicine Residency, with a goal of doing a transfusion medicine fellowship. Upon completion of his first year of Family Medicine, Allen has transferred back to UT Southwestern and is now completing his third and final year of CP training. Allen enjoys competitive swimming, reading, computer science, and playing Super Mario Brothers with his daughter.

Hanan Hamdan, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Lebanese American University, Lebanon
• Medical School: Lebanese American University, Lebanon

Director's Profile:

Hanan attended college at the Lebanese American University, earning her B.S. in Biology. She continued for her medical degree at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie School of Medicine in Byblos, where she was also active in the Lebanese Medical Students International Committee through service on LeMSIC standing committees on Public Health, Reproductive Health, and Human Rights and Peace, which included educating children in Syrian refugee camps on hygiene measures. Her final year of medical school included an international visiting student rotation in geriatric medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Upon graduation, she did a preliminary year of Internal Medicine residency at the Rizk Hospital of the LAU Medical Center in Beirut, before moving on to a four-year Clinical Pathology residency at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, where she was named “Resident of the Year” in her first year. The final year of her residency allowed her a selective focus on hematopathology and flow cytometry, and she pursued a project on distinguishing hematogones from lymphoblasts in B lymphoblastic leukemia by MF1 antigen expression ratio. She served in the Resident Staff Organization and as president of the Student Counseling Committee, and she was active in the COVID-19 response and in the disaster response after the Beirut port explosion of 2020. Hanan enjoys drawing and painting, running and hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time with her African grey parrot.

Evelyn Ilori, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Maryland at Baltimore County
• Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Evelyn earned her B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, where she also tutored, volunteered, and sang with the college gospel choir. In medical school at Case Western Reserve University, Evelyn entered the Cancer Biology Program of the Medical Scientist Training Program. Her Ph.D. in Pathology in the laboratory of Dr. David Wald of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center involved the development of methods to expand and activate NK cells and enhance their anti-tumor effectiveness in a mouse model of colon cancer, work which resulted in three publications, two of them with Evelyn as a first author. An additional year as a Melvin Markey Clinical Research Scholar resulted in another first-author publication with the Department of Dermatology on scalp dermatitis due to sensitization to components of hair products. While in medical school, Evelyn volunteered at a food pantry and, as a Gelfand Fellow, served as a resource for K-12 students and teachers promoting science-related activities. She was a graduate student representative on Case Western’s Provost Office Strategic Committee and the Faculty Senate Research Committee, and she was responsible for organizing a student-selected invited lectureship. She served as vice-president of the local chapter of the American Medical Student Association and as secretary and co-president of the SNMA/LMSA chapter, supporting and advocating for minority students at Case Western. Evelyn has been chosen as one of the Society of ’67 Kinney Scholars for 2021 by the Association of Pathology Chairs. Her hobbies include singing, songwriting and creative writing.

Andrew Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Medical School: University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Director's Profile:

After receiving his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Andrew entered the UTMB Medical Scientist Training Program, which combined clinical training at the Galveston campus with Organic Chemistry research through the University of Texas at Austin. Andrew’s doctoral research was performed in the laboratory of Dr. Dionicio Siegel, beginning at UT Austin and moving to the University of California at San Diego, when Dr. Siegel’s lab relocated. Andrew’s initial work focused on natural neuroprotective compounds, but when the lab moved, he shifted to the determination of structure-activity relationships and biosynthesis of anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory fatty acid esters of hydroxy-stearic acid. He has been the recipient of the NIH Ruth L. Kirchstein National Research Service Award, a UTMB Dean’s Prestigious Fellowship Supplement, and an AMA Foundation Seed Grant. Upon completion of his Ph.D., a Chateaubriand Fellowship allowed him to continue his research at the University of Montpellier in France for 6 months in the lab of Dr. Thierry Durand. His work has resulted in 11 publications, including two as first author. Andrew used the summer breaks in his pre-clinical years for Spanish-immersion experiences in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Peru; and he received the UTMB Hispanic Center of Excellence Rosetta Stone Award after his first year. While in San Diego, he was an adult literacy volunteer. He is a running, cycling and swimming enthusiast; plays and composes piano music; and sings and performs on the guitar.

Evan Sica, D.O.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge
• Medical School: William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Director's Profile:

Evan is from Covington, Louisiana, and received his B.S. degree summa cum laude in Biology from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. Experiences as a plastic surgery office assistant, an emergency room scribe and a hospital volunteer confirmed his interest in medicine, and he entered medical school at the William Carey School of Osteopathic Medicine in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He began medical school with broad interests and in his second year served as an officer of both the American College of Obstetricians Club and the American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists Club. However, his ultimate choice of pathology was cemented with a four-week experience in the clinical laboratory of North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, Louisiana, where he had previously volunteered and where he was exposed to a variety of pathology activities, including slide preparation and review, frozen sections, fine-needle aspirations and bone marrow biopsies. Evan enjoys exercise, sports, and weightlifting for fun and the challenge of setting and meeting goals. He likes fantasy and science fiction through reading and audio books. He also likes to travel, and he enjoys exploring both the urban culture of restaurants and coffee spots as well as the natural world of hiking trails.

John Stack, D.O.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• Medical School: Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Director's Profile:

John is originally from Buffalo, New York, but he earned his B.S. degree in Biology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He went directly from college to medical school at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, following the school’s problem-based learning track at its Bradenton, Florida, campus. His experiences in medical school included a summer research opportunity through the 1Voice Foundation, which enabled him to work with Dr. Cameron Tebbi, former Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at the University of South Florida, on a project investigating the role that plasma proteins induced by a mycovirus-containing fungus may have in the recognition of lymphoblastic leukemia. His experiences in Pathology also included a rotation at Tampa General Hospital, which is affiliated with the University of South Florida, and another at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he participated in the preparation of a case presentation of giant cell myocarditis in an allograft heart biopsy for an upcoming ISHLT meeting. John’s activities outside of medicine include weightlifting, running, house and techno music, kayaking, and craft breweries.

Suzanne Tintle, M.D., M.P.H.

• Training Track: AP
• Undergraduate School: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
• Medical School: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

Director's Profile:

Suzanne attended the Syracuse University, S.J. Newhouse School of Public Communications for her B.S. degree in Biology and Health Policy, where she tutored and directed a summer Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program for minority women. She then enrolled in a combined M.D./M.P.H. program at Columbia University through the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Mailman School of Public Health, where she studied biostatistics and epidemiology. She spent much of her final year of medical school as a research assistant in the Department of Pathology studying the role of CD200 in a mouse model of squamous cell carcinoma, after which an NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award enabled her to spend five months as a visiting student in the Laboratory of Investigative Dermatology at Rockefeller University. After a preliminary Internal Medicine residency year at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, she entered the Dermatology residency program at Penn State Hershey Medical Center but had to step out of the program for a medical leave after 18 months. During this time, she did a four-month observership in Dermatopathology at the University of Mississippi and decided that her return to residency would be in Pathology. Suzanne’s scholarly activities during training have generated 15 publications. She enjoys yoga and is a certified Yoga Alliance instructor. She also plays classical piano and relaxes with jogging, walking her dog and spending time on her father’s boat.

Emrah Gumusgoz, M.D.

• Training Track: AP
• Undergraduate School: Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
• Medical School: Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

Director's Profile:

Originally from Horasan in eastern Turkey, Emrah got his medical degree from Marmara University School of Medicine in Istanbul, followed by a rotating internship at the affiliated Pendik Education and Research Hospital. Despite limited prior research experience, he followed his dream of an academic career, coming to the U.S. for a postdoctoral research fellowship in the lab of Dr. Richard Sutton in the Infectious Disease Division at Yale University studying HIV-host interaction and gene regulatory elements (enhancers). In 2018, he moved to Dallas for a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Berge Minassian in the UT Southwestern Division of Child Neurology, where he worked on developing gene therapies for several storage diseases and engineering DNA constructs to enhance the efficiency of gene replacement therapies in the CNS. During his postdoc, he also explored pathology through observerships in the Division of Neuropathology at UT Southwestern and virtually with the University of Miami, confirming his specialty choice. Emrah enjoys hiking spring and fall trails, reading history, psychiatry and philosophy, and watching documentaries on natural history and ancient Middle Eastern civilizations.

Tasnim Alkayyali, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Marmara University School of Medicine, Turkey

Director's Profile:

Tasnim is originally from Amman, Jordan. She did her medical training at Marmara University in Turkey. She has done extensive research in GI pathology. In 2018-19 she studied at the Institute of Gastroenterology in Turkey and has numerous publications, primarily in GI/Liver pathology. Her hobbies include basketball, cycling, public speaking, poetry and reading documentaries.

Jihee Choi, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Inje University College of Medicine, South Korea

Director's Profile:

Jihee did her medical training at Inje University College of Medicine, South Korea, where was elected vice-president of her medical school class. Her research background involves evaluating expression of abnormal prion protein (PrPSc) in brain & retinal tissue of prion disease. Her hobbies include flower arrangement and tennis.

Spencer Cope, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
• Medical School: UT Health Science Center, San Antonio

Director's Profile:

Spencer did his undergraduate and graduate studies at Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. He received his medical training from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Following medical school, he completed three years of an otolaryngology residency at Emory University. His research includes multiple publications/posters in area of otolaryngology and pediatric ophthalmology. In 2017, he was named a FASPE International Medical Ethics Fellow. His hobbies include marathon running, cooking, and recipe innovation.

Cecilia Dusek, M.D.

• Training Track: AP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Texas at Dallas
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Cecilia did her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Dallas where she received a BA in Biology. She did her medical training UT Southwestern Medical Center. During medical school she did research in the role of prothrombin complex concentrate in the managing major bleeds in patients on direct oral anticoagulants. She received the Bronze Presidential Service Award in 2018-2020. In 2019 she was one of the recipients of the Bain Fellowship in Pathology and in 2020 she received the Dorothy E. Lee Scholarship in Pathology. Her hobbies include yoga, interior design, watercolor & acrylic painting, hiking and playing the violin and viola.

Adelaide Kwon, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Texas at Dallas
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Adelaide did her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas Dallas, where she received a BA in Biology. She completed her medical training at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Her research interests include a project reviewing CSF3R T6181 mutation in context of CMML and CNL. She was a 2015 National Merit Finalist and a 2018 Phi Beta Kappa honor society recipient. Her hobbies include creative writing, cooking, karaoke and movies.

Elisa Lin, M.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: Yale University
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Elisa did her undergraduate studies Yale University, where she received a BA in Chemistry, followed by a Masters in Biochemistry from UT Southwestern Medical Center. She completed her Medical Training UT Southwestern Medical Center. Her research interests included developing cancer cell lines into a genetics tool to identify anticancer compounds. In 2018 and 2019 she was a Dean’s Research Scholar recipient and received UTSW alumni scholarships in 2015-18 and 2021-22. Her hobbies include Kirigami, needle felting, painting, weightlifting, reading, gardening and her two cats.

Amanda Means, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio
• Medical School: UT Health Sciences Center, San Antonio

Director's Profile:

Amanda did her undergraduate studies at Sam Houston St University in Huntsville, TX. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. Her hobbies include Drawing (pen, pencil & digital media) and the violin.

Luis Mosquera Gomez, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: College of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Faculty of Medicine, Columbia

Director's Profile:

Luis received his medical training at Del Rosario University School of Medicine in Columbia. During his medical training he was awarded the Top Performer in Medicine Award from the Columbian National Ministry of Education. His hobbies include listening to PathPod, origami and reading.

Bo Zhang, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, China; Peking University Health Science Center

Director's Profile:

Bo received his medical training at West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. He was the recipient of multiple national and academic scholarships during his training. His research interests include laboratory parameters and biomarkers in upper tract urothelial carcinoma. He has multiple publications in urothelial carcinomas and GI lymphomas. His hobbies include swimming, jogging, traveling, photography, cooking and singing.

Ginna Hernandez Velasques, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: College of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Faculty of Medicine, Columbia

Director's Profile:

Ginna received her medical training at College of Nuestra Senora del Rosario Faculty of Medicine, Colombia. She helped establish a pediatric epidemiologic database in Colombia. Ginna's hobbies include cooking (trying new recipes weekly), especially Columbian, Italian and S. Korean; drawing; painting (oil, acrylic & watercolor).

Albert Budhipramono, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: University of Wisconsin
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Albert did his undergraduate training at the University of Wisconsin, where he received a BS in Molecular Biology. As part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center he received his medical degree as well as earning his doctorate. Albert investigated the mechanism of TASIN, a colorectal cancer toxin; identified CPSF3 as the molecular target of an anticancer compound; and identified the target of a glioblastoma toxin. His hobbies are cooking (Italian and Japanese cuisine), native gardening, piano, acoustic guitar, video games.

Andrew Gerber, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Carleton College, Northfield, MD
• Medical School: University of Nebraska College of Medicine

Director's Profile:

Andrew did his undergraduate training at Carleton College, Northfield, MN, where he received a BA in Biology. He received his medical training at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. Andrew received the American Rheumatology Convergence Med Student Achievement Award. His honors thesis was, "Exploring  the effects of malondialdehyde-acetaldehyde (MAA) protein adducts on macrophage polarization and disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis. Andrew's hobbies are Music production & mixing; ultimate frisbee; golf; running & exercising.

Lina Han, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China

Director's Profile:

Lina received her medical training at Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China, followed by her doctorate in hematology. Afterwards, she studied at Groningen University Medical Center, Netherlands, where she earned a doctorate in leukemia. Lina has multiple publications on the treatment of leukemia, particularly stem cell and other targeted therapies. Her hobbies include walking, jogging, watching tv drama series and time with family.

Lena Hasson, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Medical School: University of Baghdad, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq

Director's Profile:

Lena received her medical training from Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq. She was one of the Top 10 medical graduates in Iraq in 2013. Lena has published multiple manuscripts on the outcomes of valvular heart interventions/surgeries. Her hobbies include Mediterranean cooking, reading ancient Arabic poetry, teaching Arabic, time with family, and hiking.

Christine Kahlow (Wamsley), M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Colby College, Waterville, ME
• Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Director's Profile:

Christine did her undergraduate training at Colby College, Waterville, ME, where she earned a BA in Chemistry, Biochemistry and German. She received her medical training at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. Christine was awarded the 2022 APEX Awar of Excellence for "COVID 19: Trends and Challenges of Telehealth in an Academic Insitution." She completed a two-year research fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center in plastic surgery where she collaborated on 19 publications focused on minimally-invasive aesthetic procedures. Christine's hobbies include soccer, tennis, volleyball, ping pong, and pickleball.

Aloysus Lawong, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: CP
• Undergraduate School: Clevland State
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Aloysus did his undergraduate training at Cleveland State where he earned a BS in Chemistry and Biology. As part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center he received his medical degree as well as earning his doctorate. Aloysus has multiple publiations in the area of antimalarial treatment, specifically P. Falciparum. His hobbies include global health, MedWish International, civic engagement and soccer.

Joshua Mehr, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Johns Hopkins University
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Joshua did his undergraduate training at Johns Hopkins University where he earned a BA in Economics. He received his medical training at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Joshua has been involved in multiple research projects including demineralized bone matrix grafting in primary ACL reconstruction, tenosynovitis department distribution in MRI scans, and lumbosacral plexus MR neurography in Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. His hobbies include Ice hockey, baking; reading and crossword puzzles.

Nikitha Samy, M.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: The University of Texas, Dallas
• Medical School: McGovern Medical School at UT Health Science Center Houston

Director's Profile:

Nikitha did her undergraduate training at UT Dallas where she earned a BS in Biology. She received her medical training at McGovern Medical School at UT Heahth Science Center Houston. Nikitha earned 2nd place in the Healthcare Innovation Challenge. She has done a chart review analysis of opioid use and risk factors in patients with cancer. Nikitha's hobbies include cooking, puzzle solving, watching meteor showers, and roller coasters.

Noah Sorrelle, M.D., Ph.D.

• Training Track: AP/CP
• Undergraduate School: Western Michigan University
• Medical School: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Director's Profile:

Noah did his undergraduate training at Western Michigan University where he earned a BS in Biological Science, followed by his Doctorate in Medicine in the lab of Dr. Rolf Brekken at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He completed his medical training at UT Southwestern. Noah was awarded the Bain Fellowship Award in Pathology during the summer of 2020. He has multiple publications related to the treatment of pancreatic cancer, including projects examining tumor microenvironments. Noah's hobbies include repairing/soldering old electronics, politics, time with family, and strategy board/video games.