Resident Research Projects
Browse below to learn about the investigations recently conducted by our residents. For information on residents' quality improvement projects as part of their research fellowships, visit the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research & Education in Surgery page.
Current Research Projects
Paola Barrios, MD, MS
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentor: Daniela P. Ladner, MD, MPH
Dr. Barrios' research interests include Surgical Outcomes as well as Translational Research in the field of Transplantation. Her current research focuses on finding biomarkers for progression of liver cirrhosis and decompensation. She is also using national databases to study trends in hospitalizations among cirrhotic patients. Dr. Barrios is currently a Transplant Surgery T32 Research Fellow and additionally received funding through the Steven J. Stryker, MD, Gastrointestinal Surgery Research and Education Endowment. Dr. Barrios is also interested in the use of Artificial Intelligence for conducting clinical research as well as for quality improvement. She is perusing a Master's in Artificial Intelligence through the Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering.
Raheem Bell
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
2024-Present
Mentor: Brian Hitsman, PhD
Dr. Bell's research and career focus is on Thoracic Oncology, with a strong emphasis on health equity and policy. He aims to improve cancer care quality and optimize patient outcomes. Currently, he is partnering with Friend Health, a federally qualified health center, to develop a QR-code-based lung cancer screening tool to address screening disparities in the community. Dr. Bell is also a postdoctoral research fellow with the American College of Surgeons Cancer Programs, where he is gaining expertise in big data, statistical coding and formulating clinically and organizationally relevant questions to advance cancer care for the broader population.
Ryan Jacobs
General Surgery Resident
2023 - 2025
Mentors: David Odell, MD, MMSc; Nisha Mohindra, MD; David Bentrem, MD
Dr. Jacobs' research interests are in minimizing variation in the delivery of lung and esophageal cancer care using quantitative, qualitative, and implementation science methods. As part of his fellowship, he has been working closely with the Illinois Cancer Collaborative studying the process and use of molecular testing in lung cancer across hospitals in the state of Illinois. He completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. He is taking dedicated time away from his general surgery residency at Northwestern University as an R38 postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research, and Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) program funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and graduated with a Master of Science in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine during his fellowship.
Whitney Jones
General Surgery Resident
2023 - Present
Mentor: Leah Tatebe, MD
Dr. Jones' research is focused on gun violence prevention, surgical quality improvement, and medical education. Dr. Jones holds a bachelor's Degree in Biology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, a medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine, and completed her MBA in Finance prior to beginning general surgery residency at Northwestern. She is a T37 postdoctoral research fellow with the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research & Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) group.
Daniel Liesman
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentors: Aimen Shaaban, MD; Isabelle De Plaen, MD
Dr. Liesman is investigating a line of immunosuppressive erythroid precursors and their effect on neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. I do animal studies as well as human biospecimen work to determine why premature infants are at higher risk of NEC in relation to this cell line. I also do fetal intervention research, device development, and fetal outcomes research.
Marjorie Liggett
General Surgery Resident
2023 - Present
Mentor: Hasan Alam, MD
Dr. Liggett's research is focused on hemorrhagic shock, septic shock and traumatic brain injury. She is currently using a large animal (swine) model to investigate pro-survival strategies in the setting of prolonged damage control resuscitation and the use of the Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) device. Additionally, she is investigating various novel therapies in the treatment of traumatic brain injury and septic shock. She is pursuing a Masters Degree in Clinical Investigation from the Northwestern University Center for Clinical and Translational Science Institute. She is a T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Lara Lopes
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentors: Ashley Vavra, MD, MS; Karen Ho, MD; Tulio Navarro, MD, PhD
Dr. Lopes' research focuses on outcomes and quality improvement in peripheral artery disease. Under the mentorship of Dr. Ashley Vavra, she is investigating the relationship between living in areas with low access to food and adverse outcomes following revascularization. Her goal is to identify targets for novel interventions that reduce the amputation burden in patients with peripheral artery disease. Additionally, she is studying the outcomes of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in the Brazilian public healthcare system. Dr. Lopes' other interests include global disparities in vascular surgery training and strategies to improve vascular education in underdeveloped countries. She is currently pursuing a Fellowship in Training from the Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Quality Initiative, as well as a Master's degree in Sciences Applied to Surgery from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Nicole Ontiveros
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentors: Seema Khan, MD; Robert Galiano, MD
Dr. Ontiveros’ research focuses on addressing health disparities in breast cancer and breast reconstruction, optimizing wound healing, and exploring the genetic and molecular factors that contribute to increased fibrosis and poorer surgical outcomes in minority patients. She is currently investigating why breast reconstruction rates are lower in marginalized populations, aiming to overcome barriers to access and develop innovative patient education strategies to mitigate these disparities. Additionally, she is dedicated to advancing precision-based medicine in breast cancer treatment. Dr. Ontiveros holds a Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (SMART) R38 National Cancer Institute Training Grant for this work and is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research, and Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) group. Additionally, she is pursuing a Master of Science in Health Services and Outcomes Research (HSOR) from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Megan Perez
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentor: Chad A. Purnell, MD
Dr. Perez's research, funded by Shriners Childrens Hospital, is focused on optimizing outcomes in pediatric craniofacial surgery by exploring diverse areas such as the impact of sleep apnea in cleft lip/palate patients undergoing orthognathic surgery, enhancing recovery pathways for complex facial osteotomies, and evaluating the long-term effects of multiple early surgeries on jaw position. Dr. Perez holds a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a Medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Saieesh Rao
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentor: Anne Stey, MD, MS
Dr. Rao is interested in using advanced computational methods to understand how timeliness of surgical care influences patient outcomes and healthcare system spending. His particular interest is in combining methods from econometrics with machine learning to predict the effects of policy proposals aimed at tackling rising healthcare costs. His current project studies the clinical and economic implications of a policy proposal expanding access to rehabilitation care for traumatic spinal cord injury patients. Dr. Rao is independently funded by an F32 National Research Service Award from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as well as by a two-year Resident Research Scholarship from the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He is currently a postdoctoral research fellow with the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research & Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) group and is concurrently pursuing a Masters in Health Services and Outcomes Research (HSOR) through Northwestern's Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM).
Margaret Reilly
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident, PGY-3
Mentors: Karen Ho, MD, Julie Johnson, MSPH, PhD, Mark Eskandari, MD
Research interest: Dr. Reilly's research is focused on evaluation of patient knowledge and education about peripheral artery disease. Specifically, she is working with Dr. Karen Ho in the STEPUP trial, investigating the use of novel patient education techniques to improve patient knowledge, activation, and outcomes. She is also working on the Vascular Surgery arm of the SECOND Trial, evaluating resident well-being and burnout. Additional areas of interest include improving the operating room's environmental footprint. She is obtaining a Master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University's Graduate School. She is a T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
John Rode
General Surgery Resident
2021-Present
Mentors: Thomas Inge, MD, PhD. Justin Ryder, PhD
Dr. Rode's research interests are in pediatric obesity and weight-loss surgery, healthcare policy, health equity, and quality improvement. He is a T32 postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research, and Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) program and is pursuing a Master of Science in Health Services and Outcomes Research at Northwestern University.
Joseph E. Sanchez
General Surgery Resident
2023 - Present
Mentors: Anne Stey, MD, MS; Ezra Teitelbaum, MD, MEd; Yue-Yung Hu, MD, MPH
Dr. Sanchez's research interest is in disparity work in the realm bariatric surgery. He is currently investigating the barriers in the bariatric referral and evaluation process for patients within the Chicago area, as well as guiding quality improvement strategies to allow for better access to care. He is currently pursuing a two-year research fellowship with NQUIRES under a K23 award. Dr. Sanchez is also pursuing a master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
Dominic Vitello
General Surgery Resident
2024-Present
Mentors: David Bentrem, MD; Daniela Ladner, MD, MPH; Akhil Chawla, MD
Dr. Vitello's research interests are in outcomes and quality improvement in gastrointestinal surgical oncology. His focus is in data science and translational studies in hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancy. He is a R38 postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research, & Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) group with Drs. David Bentrem, Daniela Ladner, and Akhil Chawla. He is completing a Master's Degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University.
Norah Zaza
General Surgery Resident
2023 - Present
Mentor: David Bentrem, MD
Dr. Zaza's research focuses on surgical outcomes, veteran's health, quality improvement and patient safety. I am specifically interested in healthcare disparities in rural and VA populations. I am a Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety at the Jesse Brown VA. This one-year program helps develop expertise in leadership/professional development, as well as the use of quality improvement methods and implementation science at the vanguard of patient safety.
Past Research Projects
Sofia Aronson
Integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident
2021-2022
Mentor: Arun Gosain, MD
Dr. Aronson is a Research Fellow in the lab of Dr. Arun Gosain, where she is primarily focused on studying the impact of tissue expansion on skin. She is investigating the molecular, cellular and biomechanical consequences of tissues expansion, which may pose therapeutic targets to improve the process and clinical outcomes of tissue expansion. She is expanding this investigation to the setting of irradiated tissue, which is of particular relevance to oncologic reconstruction. Dr. Aronson earned her Bachelors and Medical Degrees at Brown University in Rhode Island. In addition to her research interests, she is interested in microsurgery, general plastic and reconstructive surgery, and education and mentorship.
Jenny Bai
Integrated Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident
2021-2022
Mentor: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Dr. Bai is doing a fellowship at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for research year. She is a Senior Staff Fellow working as a Medical Officer at the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) in the Office of Surgical and Infection Control Devices. She is responsible for clinical review of the total product life cycle for plastic and general surgery device files, including pre-market, post-market and compliance work. Dr. Bai went to Dartmouth College for her undergraduate degree and the University of Maryland for her medical degree. In addition to her work at the FDA, she is interested in microsurgery, innovation and opioid reduction.
Brian Brajcich
General Surgery Resident
2019-2021
Mentor: Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Brajcich’s research interests include surgical quality improvement and outcomes research. Specifically, he is studying outcomes related to surgical oncology and colorectal surgery procedures. Additionally, he is researching current practices in surgical residency training and their impact on resident well-being. He is performing this work as part of the Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center of Northwestern University and is a Clinical Scholar in Residence of the American College of Surgeons. He will also obtain a Master’s degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research.
Jonathan Bricker
General Surgery Resident
2023-2024
Mentors: Levi Hargrove, PhD, Robert Galiano, MD
Dr. Bricker's research is focused on understanding the central neurologic mechanisms of phantom limb pain (PLP) following limb amputation and targeted muscle reinnervation. He is working at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in the Center for Bionic Medicine under Dr. Levi Hargrove where his primary project will focus on fMRI imaging of limb amputation patients with phantom limb pain. Additionally, he will be involved with several outcome based clinical projects involving breast reconstruction, wound healing and microsurgery under the direction of Dr. Robert Galiano.
Emily Cerier
General Surgery Resident
2021-2023
Mentors: Ankit Bharat, MD, Scott Budinger, MD, Harris Perlman, MD and Alexander Misharin, MD
Dr. Cerier's research is investigating the pathogenesis of primary graft dysfunction, an important risk factor in chronic lung allograft dysfunction following lung transplant, in cystic fibrosis patients under the mentorship of Dr. Bharat. Specifically, she aims to better understand the impact of the mutated cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene and lung restricted autoantibodies on recipient non-classical monocytes in lung allograft injury and chronic rejection following lung transplantation. She is a T32 post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Aller and Immunology an recipient of the Thoracic Surgery Foundation Research Reward to fund her studies.
Calvin Chao
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentors: Bin Jiang, PhD, Karen Ho, MD, Mark Eskandari, MD
Dr. Chao's research is focused on the development and delivery of biotechnologies for the treatment of vascular disease. Specifically, he is interested in elucidating the pathogenesis of aortic aneurysms and the implementation of novel regenerative therapies. Additional areas of study include the neointimal hyperplastic response after vascular injury and intravascular biomaterial design. He works predominantly in the Jiang Lab, a collaborative effort between the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Division of Vascular Surgery. He is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Matt Chia
Vascular Surgery Resident
2019-2021
Dr. Chia’s research is focused on vascular surgery outcomes and surgical training. His projects are on benchmarking local outcomes of lower extremity bypass against centers in the Vascular Quality Initiative and analysis of selective shunting in carotid endarterectomy. Additional areas of investigation include the implementation of Entrustable Professional Activities in the medical student surgery clerkship and patterns of wellness/burnout in vascular surgery trainees in the United States. He is pursuing a Master’s in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern’s Center for Education in Health Sciences. He is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
PubMed
Courtney Lanese Furlough
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
2018-2020
Mentor: Andrew Hoel, MD
Dr. Furlough is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program. Her research is focused on vascular surgery outcomes and surgical ethics research. Her primary project focuses on long term outcomes following elective aortic aneurysm repairs using the Vascular Quality Initiative-Medicare linked database. Additional projects involve evaluation the ethical decision-making climate in subspecialty intensive care units. She is currently completing a Master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research at the Northwestern Graduate School.
Brooke Golisch
General Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentor: Anne M Stey, MD
Dr. Golisch's research interests include surgical quality improvement with an emphasis on innovative methods in surgical education and identifying trends and outcomes in hepatobiliary and oncologic surgery. She is currently pursuing a two-year research fellowship with SOQIC under and R38 training grant. During her fellowship, Dr. Golisch is obtaining a master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University's Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Andres Guerra
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
2020 - Present
Mentors: Ashley Vavra, MD, Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Guerra is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern’s Center for Education in Health Sciences. Dr. Guerra is currently interested in outcomes and quality improvement research, specifically in the field of vascular surgery. Current interests include incorporating patient reported outcome (PRO) measures in patients with critical limb ischemia who undergo either open or endovascular interventions to improve quality of life in this patient cohort. Additionally, looking at our institutions experience performing endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) under monitored anesthetic care and outcomes with carotid bypass and trans-carotid artery stenting (TCAR). Finally, Dr. Guerra is also interested in improving vascular resident training and autonomy via video-based feedback and review of endovascular interventions.
Paige Hackenberger
Plastic Surgery Resident
2023 - 2024
Mentors: Sumanas Jordan, MD, PhD, Lauren Beach, JD, PhD
Dr. Hackenberger's research is focused on promoting equitable healthcare in sexual and gender minority (SGM) patients. Her work evaluates how sex, sexual orientation and gender identity impact clinical decision support algorithms in the electronic medical record. Additionally, she is studying various quality metrics pertaining to gender affirming surgical care and chronic disease outcomes in the SGM population. She is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow through the Northwestern Institute of Sexual and Gender Minority Health (ISGMH).
Courtney Harris
General Surgery Resident
2018-2020
Mentors: Erin Rowell, MD & Monica Laronda, MD
With estimates of childhood cancer survival of 80 percent, awareness of long-term quality-of-life concerns for survivors has increased. Encompassed in this focus is fertility preservation. Unfortunately, some treatment protocols are gonadotoxic, and thus both males and female survivors are more likely to be infertile or have difficulty getting pregnant when compared to their siblings. Dr. Harris’ research aims lie in improving fertility preservation options for prepubertal and young adolescent patients who are diagnosed with both benign and malignant conditions that require gonadotoxic treatments. Specifically, Dr. Harris is investigating the varying techniques of laparoscopic oophorectomy for ovarian tissue cryopreservation, analyzing its effects on ovarian follicle health, and perfecting processing techniques to ensure no tissue is wasted. The overall goal of her research is to create a best practice guideline to ensure the highest quality tissue is cryopreserved and thus give patients the best chance at future fertility restoration. Dr. Harris is currently a Pediatric Surgery Research Fellow at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She is also a Surgical Fellow with the Fertility and Hormone Preservation and Restoration team at Lurie Children’s.
Jessie Ho
General Surgery Resident
2021-2023
Mentor: Hasan Alam, MD
Dr. Ho's research is focused on hemorrhagic and septic shock. She is investigating pro-survival strategies in the setting of prolonged damage control resuscitation and REBOA usage. Additionally, she is developing a project studying mechanisms of a novel pathway affecting cellular dysfunction in sepsis. She is pursuing a Master's in Science in Clinical Investigation from the Northwestern University Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. She is funded by an F32 by the National Institute of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Amy Holmstrom
General Surgery Resident
2019-2020
Mentors: Eric Hungness, MD & Ezra Teitelbaum, MD
Dr. Holmstrom's research aims to better define the anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment of esophageal disorders. Her primary focus is on achalasia, a rare neurodegenerative esophageal motility disorder. Additional areas of investigation include gastroesophageal reflux disease and other non-achalasia esophageal motility disorders. Dr. Holmstrom also works in the Northwestern Simulation Lab, where she is focused on surgical mastery-learning and education. She is in the Medical Education Clinical Scholars Program through McGaw and received the Surgical Education Research Fellowship through the Association of Surgical Education.
Andrew Hu
General Surgery Resident
2020 - Present
Mentors: Mehul Raval, MD, Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Hu's research focuses on health services and outcomes research as well as surgical quality improvement relating to pediatric surgery. His focus is on improving the overall quality of postoperative care in pediatric surgery patients in addition to novel video-based surgical education methods. He is pursuing a Master's Degree in Health Service and Outcomes through Northwestern University
Brandon Jackson
Plastic Surgery Resident
2022-2023
Mentors: David Bentrem, MD, Greg Dumanian, MD and Jason Ko, MD
Dr. Jackson's research focuses on plastic surgical outcomes, veteran's health, quality improvement and patient safety. He is specifically interested in analyzing postoperative complication and follow-up measures in order to enhance perioperative care. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University's Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center (formerly SOQIC, now NQUIRES). Additional his interest in veteran's care has led him to pursue a position as a Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety at the Jesse Brown VA. This one-year program will help Dr. Jackson develop expertise in leadership/professional development, as well as the use of quality improvement methods and implementation science at the vanguard of patient safety.
Lauren Janczewski
General Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentor: Ryan Merkow, MD
Dr. Janczewski's research interests lie in outcomes and quality improvement in surgical oncology, specifically gastrointestinal malignancies. Her focus is on postoperative and oncologic outcomes following hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on providing cancer care. She is a T32 postdoctoral fellow in Surgical Oncology at Northwestern University's Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Collaborative (SOQIC), under the guidance of Dr. Ryan Merkow as well as a Commission on Cancer scholar with the American College of Surgeons. She will also obtain a Master's Degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University.
Rachel Hae-Soo Joung
General Surgery Resident
2020 - Present
Mentors: Karl Bilimoria, MD, Ryan Merkow, MD
Dr. Joung's research interest lie in outcomes and quality improvement in surgical oncology as well as health services and health policy research. Her focus is on identifying predictors of guideline adherence and identifying targets for surgical quality improvement. Additionally, she is interested in utilizing patient reported outcomes to improve cancer care delivery. She is a T32 postdoctoral fellow in Surgical Oncology at Northwestern University's Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center (SOQIC), under the guidance of Dr. Karl Bilimoria. She will also obtain a Master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University.
Julian Klosowiak
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Resident
2020-2021
PubMed
Bona Ko
General Surgery Resident
2020 - Present
Mentors: Karl Bilimoria, MD, MS, Jacqueline Kruser, MD, MS
Dr. Ko's research is focused on surgical outcomes and palliative care in the intensive care unit. Specifically, she is interested in understanding and improving the quality of care that is delivered to patients at the end of life. Additional areas of investigation include projects that involve outcomes related to surgical oncology. She is performing this work as part of the Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center of Northwestern University. She is the recipient of the NIH F32 postdoctoral fellowship, which is funded by the Agency for Health Research and Quality.
Charles Logan
General Surgery Resident
2021-2023
Mentors: David Odell, MD, David Bentrem, MD and Ryan Merkow, MD
Dr. Logan's research focuses on surgical outcomes, health disparities, quality improvement and patient safety. He is specifically interested in rural health, veteran's health, surgical oncology and thoracic surgery. He is a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University's Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center (formerly SOQIC, now NQUIRES). He is also completing a Master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern's Center for Education in Health Sciences.
Simon Moradian
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Resident
2020-2021
Mentors: Levi Hargrove, PhD & Todd Kuiken, MD, PhD
Dr. Moradian’s research is focused on the new and evolving field of osseointegration (OI) and it’s combination with targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR). In OI, a titanium implant is surgically anchored and integrated into bone. This skeletal integration then allows for a robotic prosthetic limb to be attached directly to the implant in lieu of a socket based approach. Additionally, by combining OI with TMR, which was invented by Dr. Dumanian here at Northwestern, this will allow for eventual seamless control of a robotic prosthetic for daily use. Dr. Moradian will be spending this year at the Center for Bionic Medicine at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Levi Hargrove and Dr. Todd Kuiken where he will also be using an animal model to test novel EMG sensing implants to further aid in control of a myoelectric prosthetic. His overarching goal is to help bring this technology to Northwestern and establish a center for osseointegration though collaboration with plastic surgery, orthopedics, and the Shirley Ryan Ability lab for rehab.
Katherine Ott
General Surgery Resident
2019-2021
Mentor: Aimen Shaaban, MD
Dr. Ott's research aims to better define immunologic and physiologic mechanisms underlying neural tube defects in utero. Working under the mentorship of Dr. Aimen Shaaban, her primary focus is on understanding the role of maternal NK cells in the protection from fetal teratogenesis in both mouse and human studies. She is in the Lurie Research Scholars Program through the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital. She was also awarded an NIH Loan Repayment Award for her research.
Vivek Pamulapati
General Surgery Resident
2019-2021
Mentor: Karen Ho, MD
Dr. Pamulapati’s research is focused on exploring the role of the gut microbiome in modulating neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury under the mentorship of Dr. Karen Ho. His research includes the use of germ free mouse surgical models and techniques in molecular biology. He is a T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. He is pursuing a Methodology Certificate through the Northwestern University Health Services and Outcomes Research Department.
Steven Papastefan
Pediatric Surgery Fellow
2022-2024
Mentors: Aimen Shaaban, MD, Evan Scott, PhD
Dr. Papastefan's research is focused on developing in-utero gene therapy strategies for the treatment of congenital and placenta-based disease. He is investigating an mRNA delivery technique utilizing endogenous retroelements as packaging vectors for targeted, minimally-immunogenic gene therapy delivery to the placenta. Additionally, he is working on the development of miniaturized continuous monitoring devices for fetal surgeries, which is being validated in a lamb model of prenatal myelomeningocele repair. His research goal is to improve treatment strategies for developmental diseases prior to the onset of irreversible damage that occurs in utero. Dr. Papastefan is currently a Pediatric Surgery Research Fellow at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital and is funded by the NCATS TL1 Multidisciplinary Training Program in Child and Adolescent Health.
William Phillips
General Surgery Resident
2018-2020
Mentors: Yolonda Colson, MD, PhD & David Odell, MD
Dr. Phillips’ research is focused on improving the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Under the mentorship of Yolonda Colson at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, he is working on sentinel lymph node mapping in non-small cell lung cancer to identify metastatic disease and help minimize the morbidity associated with extensive lymph node dissections. This is accomplished utilizing near infrared technology to visualize a fluorescent dye (indocyanine green) tracking to nearby lymphatics following peritumoral injection. Additionally, with the collaboration of David Odell at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, he is working to expedite the time to diagnosis and standardize the treatment of lung cancer patients identified as vulnerable in the greater Boston area. Dr. Phillips’ research is supported by the American College of Surgeons Resident Research Scholarship.
Eric Pillado
Integrated Vascular Surgery Resident
2021 - 2023
Mentors: Andrew Hoel, MD and Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Pillado's research is focused on health services outcomes research. His focus is on healthcare disparities among diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease and improving patient education in limb salvage. Currently he is working on creating simulators for percutaneous arterial access and closure. He is a T32 postdoctoral fellow in the Vascular Surgery Scientist Training Program funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Audra Reiter
General Surgery Resident
2021-2023
Mentors: Mehul Raval, MD and Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Reiter's research focuses on Health Services and Outcomes Research and delivery of high-quality surgical care to pediatric patients. As a Research Scholar for the (formerly named) SOQIC group and the Northwestern Division of Pediatric Surgery, she spent two yeards working on quality improvement and outcomes research for Pediatric Surgery under the mentorship of Dr. Mehul Raval. Dr. Reiter holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and Romance Languages, her Medical Degree, and a Master in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently taking 2 yeards away from her General Surgery training at Northwestern to focus on her research interests while pursuing the Methodology Certification for Health Services and Outcomes Research through Northwestern University's Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Jes Sanders
General Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentors: Joseph Leventhal, MD, PhD; James Mathew, PhD
Dr. Sanders' research focuses on developing regulatory T cell (Treg), adoptive cellular transfer therapies in the context of solid organ transplantation. He is investigating the large scale, ex-vivo expansion of autologous Tregs with donor specificity in an effort to utilize this therapy in a phase 1 clinical trial of solid organ transplant recipients. His research goal is to develop a post-transplant treatment strategy that would minimize long term immunosuppression. Additionally, he will be functionally characterizing Treg exosomes in order to better understand their role in Treg function through the use of an NSG-skin graft mouse model. Dr. Sanders is currently a Transplant Surgery T32 Research Fellow and additionally received funding through the Steven J. Stryker, MD, Gastrointestinal Surgery Research and Education Endowment.
Cary Schlick
General Surgery Resident
2018-2020
Mentors: David Bentrem, MD & Karl Bilimoria, MD
Dr. Schlick’s research interests lie in quality adherence and access to healthcare across geographic and health system boundaries. Specifically, she is interested in adherence to cancer care metrics in relation to geographic and financial variables and how patient outcomes are impacted by treatments available to them. Dr. Schlick is originally from rural Minnesota and ultimately aims to lessen healthcare disparities across America through both her clinical and research efforts. She is a research fellow in the SOQIC group under the guidance of Karl Bilimoria. Additionally, she is working with David Bentrem at the VA to assess the quality of cancer provided to this population. Dr. Schlick is currently completing a Master’s degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research through the Northwestern University Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Matthew Snyder
General Surgery Resident
2020-2021
Dr. Snyder's research aims to better understand the physiology, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of esophageal disorders. Achalasia, a rare neurodegenerative esophageal motility disorder, is his primary focus. Additional areas of clinical investigation include the understanding and utilization of functional lumen imaging probes and their role in interoperative assessment of esophageal physiology. Dr. Snyder also works in the Northwestern Simulation Lab where he designs and implements surgical based mastery-learning curricula for residents and medical students. He has been accepted to the Medical Education Clinical Scholars Program through McGaw and has completed a Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Education Course.
PubMed
Kareem Termanini
Plastic Surgery Resident
2022-2023
Mentor: Arun Gosain, MD
Dr. Termanini is a Research Fellow in the Gosain Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Biology Lab at Lurie Children's. The primary focus of the lab is tissue expansion. He is investigating the molecular, cellular and biomechanical consequences of tissues expansion, which may pose therapeutic targets to improve the process and clinical outcomes of tissue expansion. In addition to his research interests, he is interested in microsurgery, education and international health outcomes.
Cassie Valukas
General Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentors: David Odell, MD, Ryan Merkow, MD, David Bentrem, MD
Dr. Valukas' research interests include minimally invasive and bariatric surgery, quality improvement and health disparities and veteran's health. Her projects focus on identifying barriers to care for different patient populations, examining disparities in surgical outcomes as well as improving access to high quality surgical care for vulnerable populations. Dr. Valukas completed her Masters of Science in Health Services and Outcomes Research at Northwestern University. She is a T32 postdoctoral research fellow with the Northwestern Quality Improvement, Research and Education in Surgery (NQUIRES) group.
Samantha Warwar
General Surgery Resident
2022-2024
Mentor: Dr. Hu
Dr. Warwar's research focuses on surgical outcomes and quality improvement with particular interest in surgical oncology, health disparities and resident education in surgical training. She is currently taking time from general surgery residency at Northwestern to focus on her research interests as a SOQIC Fellow while obtaining a master's degree in Health Services and Outcomes Research at the Northwestern Institute for Public Health and Medicine.
Tarik Yuce
General Surgery Resident
2018-2020
Mentors: Karl Bilimoria, MD & Ryan Merkow, MD
Dr. Yuce’s interests lie in outcomes research as well as surgical quality improvement relating to minimally invasive benign foregut and bariatric surgery. His focus is on identifying possible avenues for improving bariatric outcome measures, such as readmission and surgical site infections. He also is exploring methods to augment minimally invasive surgical training for general surgery residency. He will complete a Master’s in Health Services and Outcomes Research while a T32 postdoctoral fellow at the Northwestern Center for Education in Healthcare Studies.