Matriculating 2019
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Vincent N. Azzolino
Hometown: Acton, MA
Undergraduate College: WPI, 2016
Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Celia Schiffer
Clinical Interests: Dermatology
Hobbies: Pretty much everything -
Jillian Belgrad
Originally from Weston, MA, Jillian graduated from Colgate University in 2017 with a B.A. in Cellular Neuroscience and a minor in Biology. After graduation, Jillian worked for two years as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. There, she researched the development of myelinating glial cells, in particular oligodendrocytes, in the lab of Dr. R. Douglas Fields.
As a first-year student in the MD/PhD program, Jillian is now excited to continue in the field of neurobiology investigating the contributions of neuron-glia interactions in neurological disorders. During the summer of 2019, Jillian rotated in Dr. Paul Greer’s lab, inquiring how olfactory chemoreceptors expressed on the brain’s resident immune cells, or microglia, regulate the microglia’s ability to phagocytose synapses. She will select a thesis advisor after completing two additional lab rotations during the summer of 2020.
In her free time, Jillian loves to run, bake cookies, and is excited to become involved in neurology and pediatric interest groups on campus. Jillian’s favorite aspect about UMassMed are the people, especially the incredibly warm, brilliant, and dedicated professors and the immense support and mentorship networks on campus. -
Theodore Carrigan-Broda
A College of Charleston graduate, Theodore is an aspiring physician-researcher with a liberal-arts BS in biochemistry and chemistry. In addition to performing heterocyclic organometalloid synthesis and computation-based conformational analysis research under Dr. Gamil Guirgis during his undergraduate education, Theodore conducted investigations into antimalarial drug candidates derived from natural sponge products in the lab of Dr. Mark Hamann at the Medical University of South Carolina. Theodore is also a licensed Emergency Medical Technician.
Theodore’s interdisciplinary research interests reside in the basic-science fields of biochemistry, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry; he is particularly drawn to small-molecule therapeutics research. Theodore has completed a research rotation in the lab of Dr. Celia Schiffer, where he chemically synthesized putative inhibitors of flavivirus proteases and characterized their in vitro biological activity. Theodore will select his thesis advisor following the completion of his further research rotations in summer 2020. -
Jason Freedman
Hometown: Needham, MA
Undergraduate College: Oberlin College, 2016
Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Paul Greer
Clinical Interests: Neurology, Internal Medicine, Autoimmunity, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Primary Care
Hobbies: Ultimate Frisbee, Soccer, Music (Drums/Guitar), Hiking/Camping, Cooking -
Abigail J. Hiller
Hometown: Arlington, MA
Undergraduate College: Vassar College, 2017
Thesis Research Lab: Drs. Paul Greer and Robert Brown
Clinical Interests: Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry
Hobbies: Cross-stitch, juggling, concerts, hiking, playing with my cats -
Ayush Kumar
Hometown: Worcester, MA
Undergraduate College: Washington University in St. Louis, 2019
Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Arthur Mercurio
Clinical Interests: Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology
Hobbies: Basketball, Hiking, Swimming
Ayush.Kumar@umassmed.edu -
Eli Min
Eli Min graduated from Columbia University with a major in biology in 2016. He then conducted biological psychiatric research from 2016 to 2019 at Columbia University-New York State Psychiatric Institute Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Department. His research focused on genetic and epigenetic changes in Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. In addition, he studied Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase mRNA and protein level changes in alcoholic post mortems using gender and aged-matched brain samples. Since matriculating into the MD/PhD program at UMassMed in 2019, he has rotated in the lab of Dr. Alexandra Bryne and plans to continue rotating and exploring his interests in Neuroregeneration and degeneration.
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Laël Nethania Ngangmeni
Hometown: Loum, Cameroon
Undergraduate College: Bard College at Simon's Rock, 2020
Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Kristin Mattocks
Clinical Interests: OB/GYN
Hobbies: traveling, singing, reading, eating, dancing, social media, workout classes
Lael.Ngangmeni@umassmed.edu -
Yen Anh H. Nguyen
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Undergraduate College: Denison University, 2017
Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Jonathan Watts
Clinical Interests: Pediatrics, Geriatrics
Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting, baking and eating desserts, tennis, swimming