Matriculating 2019

Hometown: Acton, MA

Undergraduate College: WPI, 2016

Thesis Research Lab: Dr. Celia Schiffer

Clinical Interests: Dermatology

Hobbies: Pretty much everything

Vincent.Azzolino@umassmed.edu

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.

Jillian.Belgrad@umassmed.edu

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.

theodore.carrigan-broda@umassmed.edu

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

Jason.Freedman@umassmed.edu

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

Abigail.Hiller@umassmed.edu

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 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.

Eli.Min@umassmed.edu

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

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

YenAnh.Nguyen@umassmed.edu