Scholarly Opportunities

2020 Summer Research Program

2020 Summer Research Program

The 26th Annual Pritzker Summer Research Program proved to be another successful year of scholarship for a large number of second-year students. Funded in part by the NHLBI,  NIA, the Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence, and The Center for Healthcare Delivery Science. The Summer Research Program allowed students to work closely with faculty mentors across the clinical, translational, and basic sciences. Thanks in large part to the continued guidance of Drs. Vineet Arora, Sola Olopade, David Meltzer, Erika Claud, and V. Leo Towle, the Summer Research Program has often given students a platform for ongoing research and a chance to present and publish their work on a national level.

After presenting their work to a panel of faculty judges, the following students were recognized for their excellence. The Pritzker School of Medicine would like to congratulate these second-year medical students:

The Joseph B. Kirsner Research Award for Excellence

Michael Sun
Mentor: Elizabeth Tung, MD
Recorded Bias: Patient Descriptors as a Potential Source for Bias Transmission in the Electronic Health Record

The Sigma Xi Award for Impact on Society

Louisa Baidoo
Mentor: Elizabeth Tung, MD
Police Reporting and Access to Resources for Domestic Violence During the COVID-19 Shelter-In-Place Order in Chicago

The Brain Research Foundation Award for Neuroscience

Matthew Du
Mentor: Fernando Goldenberg MD
Clinical Characteristics of Progressive Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury on Head Computed Tomography Post-Cardiac Arrest

The Healthcare Delivery Science Award

Sukarn Chokkara
Mentor: Valerie Press, MD                 
Quality of Care for Patients Hospitalized for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Overall Excellence in Scientific Quality, Content, and Ability to Respond to Questions in the Performance of Research in Clinical or Social Sciences

Ellen Goldberg
Mentor: Oliver Eng, MD
Differences in Sociodemographic Disparities in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Advanced Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer

Gabriel Kaufmann
Mentor: Jayant Pinto, MD
Are Social and Sexual Behaviors Mediated by the Human Chemosignal Androstadienone via Genetic Variation in OR7D4, its Receptor?

Overall Excellence in Scientific Quality, Content, and Ability to Respond to Questions in the Performance of Research in Basic Science

Mohan Chennakesavalu
Mentor: Mark Applebaum, MD
Identifying Drivers of Aggressive Neuroblastoma from 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Profiles in Cell-Free DNA 

Willa Li
Mentor: Narutoshi Hibino, MD, PhD
A Solid Mechanics Approach to Modeling Coarctation of the Aorta

Overall Excellence in Scientific Quality, Content, and Ability to Respond to Questions in the Performance of Research in Applied Science

Maya McKee
Mentor: Sarah Hoehn, MD
The Impact of Race and Ethnicity on the Incidence of Inpatient Palliative Care for Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

Julia Ran
Mentor: William Parker, MD
Geographical Variations in the Response to 2018 Heart Transplant Allocation Policy

Honorable Mention for Excellence

Max Ackerman
Mentor: Benjamin Shogan, MD
The Need for Re-Intervention Following Intra-Abdominal Drainage in Patients with Colorectal Disease

Kevin Ashi
Mentor: Funmi Olopade, MD
Validation of the Nigerian Breast Cancer Study Model for Predicting Individual Breast Cancer Risk in Uganda and Cameroon

Karina Grullon Perez
Mentor: Dana Suskind, MD
A Randomized Controlled Trial of An Early Childhood Educators Online Professional Development Curriculum

Manizha Kholmatov
Mentor: Sam Armato, PhD
Measurement Methods and Patient Outcomes in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Aaditya Manirajan
Mentor: Jason Strelzow, MD
Total Hip Arthroplasty After Acetabular Fractures in the Older Population: Timing of Intervention May Be Everything for Success

Leslie McCauley
Mentor: Kathryn Keenan, PhD
Examining the Relationship Between Contraceptive Use, Sexual Orientation, and Race: Results From the Pittsburgh Girls Study

Joseph Riehm
Mentor: Nicola Orlov, MD, MPH
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nighttime Room Entries and Sleep Disruptions for Pediatric Patients

Teresa Xiao
Mentor: Jayant Pinto, MD
Olfactory Dysfunction Predicts Development of Vascular Disease in Older Adults

Amanda Zhang
Mentor: David Meltzer, MD, PhD
Characterizing No-Show Risk Factors to Inform Intervention Strategies to Improve Appointment Attendance