Anthony Aggouras is a sophomore at the Rochester Institute of Technology and is studying biomedical engineering. This summer, he is working with Nicholas Leigh, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow working in the Whited Lab. This lab focuses on genome classification and the biology of limb regeneration in axolotls. Anthony is interesting in improving the medical field and forming connections between research and clinical work. He hopes to make a positive impact on his lab and gain experience in understanding the nuances of research. He is especially excited to study the biological factors of regeneration and witness the biological phenomena of limb regeneration among highly skilled and knowledgeable researchers. He hopes to continue research after graduation with the goal of creating improved medical treatments.
Category: Musculoskeletal
Anna Nachbor is a junior at Carleton College majoring in biology. This summer, she is working in the Shadick lab under the guidance of Nancy Shadick, MD, MPH, and focusing on rheumatoid arthritis. Specifically, she is working on the BRASS project, which assesses genetic markers as a means of predicting how severe a case of arthritis is or will be and how individuals will respond to different treatments. Her interests include both the clinical and research aspects of immunology and epidemiology, and she hopes that through this internship, she will gain invaluable and tangible research experience. She anticipates that the most difficult part of her internship will be mastering the already-established workflow. However, she is excited to explore the patient aspect of research and plans to pursue an MD/PhD program after graduation, focusing on medical research.
Adel Andemeskel is a senior at Stanford University majoring in biology. This summer, she is working with Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH, a rheumatologist at the Brigham. They are working together to study biomarkers that help identify the development of rheumatoid arthritis and the effects of psychosocial factors, such as stress and depression, on the outcome of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Adel is interested in the effects of disparities, such as ethnicity as socioeconomic status, on a patient’s overall health and well being and is excited to work at the Brigham, which attracts such a diverse patient population. She is most excited to attend the various conferences and events that Brigham offers and challenge herself in the clinical setting. In the future, Adel hopes to work in a community clinic, working with undeserved populations and doing research.
Isaac Donnell, a third year chemistry major at Carleton College, is working with Jeffrey Duryea, PhD, researching quantitative musculoskeletal imaging group (Q-MIG) to provide a more quantitative analysis of osteoarthritis severity. He is interested in medical research and surgery and hopes throughout his internship that he will gain insight into the field and learn more about the inner workings of the hospital and research laboratories. Having not had much experience with osteoarthritis and the process of medical imaging, Isaac is excited to learn more about both through hands-on experience. Before applying to medical school (or possibly an MD/PhD program), Isaac hopes to work in a research laboratory for at least a year, but is open to other options as well.
The Brigham Musculoskeletal (MSK) Internship Program, launched for the first time this summer, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain experience working in cutting-edge musculoskeletal research laboratories under the guidance of experienced mentors.
Five undergraduate students were chosen to participate in this 8-week program, which began in late June, each of whom was assigned a Brigham researcher as their mentor.
Each day this week, we will be introducing our MSK interns, their scientific interests, what they have been researching with their mentors, and what they hope to have gained from this experience at the completion of their internship.
Above is a photo from the MSK Welcome Luncheon featuring (from left to right): Adel Andemeskel, Anna Nachbor, Anthony Aggouras, Janis Lee, Isaac Donnell, and Jeffrey Duryea, PhD.