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Medical Student Fellowship Awardees

The ASTRO Medical Student Fellowship Awards (formerly Minority Summer Fellowship Award) program introduces medical students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in medicine to the discipline of radiation oncology early in their medical education. Congratulations to the 2024 Medical Student Fellowship (MSF) awardees.

Launched in 2010, the MSF Awards Program has quickly grown into ASTRO's premier research and training program for medical students from groups underrepresented in medicine. Meet the ASTRO MSF Alumni below.

Special congratulations to the ASTRO-BCRF MSF: Mentor Award Recipients.
 

Current MSF Awardees

  Amie Brint, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  • Project Title: Optimizing spatial fractionation peak/valley doses in (hyp)oxic tumor cells and consequences on bystander cells
  • Mentor: Robert Griffin, PhD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

  Anna Dos Santos, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
  • Project Title:  Correlating Genetic Mutations Found on Next Generation Sequencing with Tumor Recurrence Following Radiation
  • Mentor: Matthew Deek, MD, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

  Ayanfeoluwa Kolawole, 2024 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School:  Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Project Title: Repurposing of benztropine for radiation sensitization in glioblastoma
  • Mentor: Kelli Pointer, MD, PhD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

  Derealise Garcia Almedina, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General)
  • Project Title: Assessing Upper Extremity Range of Motion Following Breast Reconstruction and Post-Mastectomy Radiotherapy
  • Mentor: Rachel Jimenez, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General)

  Erika Bello-Pardo, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
  • Project Title: A Pilot Study of [18F]-PSMA PET/MR in the evaluation of Progression and Radiation Necrosis in High-Grade Glioma
  • Mentor: Joshua Palmer, MD, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

  Isabella Gomez Gonzalez, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (Hillman Cancer Center, UPCI)
  • Project Title: Disparities in oncologic outcomes for Black and Hispanic women treated curatively with endometrial cancer
  • Mentor: Parul Barry, BA, MD, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (Hillman Cancer Center, UPCI)

  Model Zerfu, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Washington
  • Project Title: Comparison of Scanning Beam Proton Therapy Versus Photon IMRT in Patients with Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung
  • Mentor: Jing Zeng, MD, University of Washington

  Nancy Anabaraonye, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Comparative Intraprostatic Evaluation of PSMA-Based PET-CT vs mpMRI as Imaging Biomarker of Androgen Receptor Signaling in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
  • Mentor: Curtiland Deville, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

  Preston Perez, 2024 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc.
  • Project Title: Predictors of Failure in Diffuse Large B-cell Patients with Incomplete Response Following CAR T-cell Therapy: The Role of Consolidative Radiotherapy
  • Mentor: Nick Figura, MD, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Inc.

  Shaquia Idlett-Ali, 2024 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Project Title: Interrogating contributions of the sensory neuroimmune axis to radioresistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
  • Mentor: Sana Karam, MD, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

 

2023

Mariam Atobiloye, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School:The University of Utah
  • Project Title: The Impact of Rural Residence on Patient Reported Toxicities and Outcomes of Cancer Treatment
  • Mentor: Gita Suneja, MD, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah

Zainab Balogun, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Pittsburgh
  • Project Title: Stopping the Rise of Endometrial Cancer Deaths in Black Women: A Call to Arms
  • Mentor: Parul Barry, MD, University of Pittsburgh

Tyren Busby, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
    Project Title: Evaluating Cardiotoxicity in Radiation Therapy of Thoracic Malignancies
  • Mentor: Eric Miller, MD, PhD, The Ohio State University College of Medicine

Antonio Franco, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of California, Los Angeles Department of Radiation Oncology
  • Project Title: Two-Year Patient-Reported Quality of Life from a Phase II Study of Postoperative Ultrahypofractionated RT for Prostate Cancer
  • Mentor: Amar Kishan, MD, University of California, Los Angeles Department of Radiation Oncology

Olufela Koleoso, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Project Title: The Presence of Extensive Lymphovascular Invasion (LVI) is Associated with Higher Risk of Recurrence in Curatively Treated Breast Cancer Patients
  • Mentor: Atif Khan, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Fatima Madondo, 2023 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
  • Project Title: Repurposing Drugs that Block Human Ether-à-go-go Related Gene for Radiation Sensitization and Significance
  • Mentor: Kelli Pointer, MD, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Elizabeth Olatunji, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Project Title: Characterization of White Matter Injury and Its Correlation with Neurocognitive Outcomes in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients
  • Mentor: Sahaja Acharya, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Linzi Paul, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New Orleans
  • Project Title: Impact of Pelvic Radiation on Muscle Volume and Pelvic Floor Radiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer
  • Mentor: Eric Donnelly, MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Asya Pitre, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth
  • Project Title: Analyzing the Dosimetric Parameters and Treatment Timing of Adaptive Radiation in Cervical Cancer
  • Mentor: Kevin Albuquerque, MD, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern)

Abizairie Sánchez-Feliciano, 2023 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Case Western Reserve University - School of Medicine
  • Project Title: Validation of Spanish-Language Surveys for the Navigator-Assisted Hypofractionation (NAVAH) Program to Aid Hispanic-American Breast Cancer Patients
  • Mentor: Shearwood McClelland, MD, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

 

2022

Justin Chestang, 2022 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Columbia University Irving Medical Center
  • Project Title: Neighborhood Level Impact of Social Determinants and Built Environment on Screening Behaviors and Outcomes in African American Men with Prostate Cancer
  • Mentor: James Byunghoon Yu, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Matthew Eximond, 2022 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Project Title: Combination Immune Checkpoint Therapy and Radiotherapy for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
  • Mentor: Austin Kirschner, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Omar Guerrero, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: A.T. Still University of Health Sciences
    Project Title: Medical Ineligibility for Liver-Directed Therapies for HCC Patients with Advanced Cirrhosis and Subsequent Transplant Drop-Out Rates
  • Mentor: Nima Nabavizadeh, MD, Oregon Health & Science University 

Andjie Jeudy, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: St. George's University - Grenada
  • Project Title: Preoperative Radiosurgery in Glioblastoma: An Analysis of Perioperative Complications and Patient Reported Quality of Life 
  • Mentor: Daniel Trifiletti, MD, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville

Valeria Londono, 2022 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine
  • Project Title: Addressing Diagnostic Challenges for Hepatocellular Carcinoma through LIRADS Machine Learning Algorithm and Determining HCC Selective Biomarkers
  • Mentor: Freddy Escorcia, MD, PhD, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research

Jacob Mapp, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center
  • Project Title: Outcomes of a Single Isocenter Brain Multi-Metastases Linear Accelerator Delivered Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Mentor: Jared Robbins, MD, University of Arizona, College of Medicine-Tucson

Aliah McCalla, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Central Michigan University
  • Project Title: SRS as an Alternative to WBRT for Patients with Greater than 15 Brain Metastases
  • Mentor: Joshua Palmer, MD, The Ohio State University

Judith Njoroge, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center
  • Project Title: Assessing the Accuracy of a Novel Deep Learning-Based Auto-Segmentation Tool for Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy
  • Mentor: Joseph Caster, MD, PhD, University of Iowa

Miguel Noy, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Albany Medical College
  • Project Title: Dose-Volume Parameters to the Urinary Tract Sub-Volumes and Predictors of Genitourinary Toxicity in a Phase 2 Clinical Trial
  • Mentor: Alan Dal Pra, MD, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami Health Systems

Sonile Peck, 2022 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Florida
  • Project Title: Evaluating Childcare Support in NCI Designated Cancer Centers for Patients with Young Children Undergoing Treatment
  • Mentor: Raymond Mailhot Vega, MD, MPH, University of Florida

 

2021

Valencia Henry, 2021 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus
    Project Title: The Determinants of Cancer Treatment Decision-making In the HIV Population: A Survey of US Oncologists
  • Mentor: Gita Suneja, MD, MS, University of Utah

Abigail Nwiloh, 2021 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: Meharry Medical College School of Medicine
  • Project Title: Targeting NPM1 in irradiated cells inhibits NPM1 binding to RAD51, RAD51 foci formation and radiosensitizes NSCLC
  • Mentor: Michael Freeman, MD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Annie Nwiloh, 2021 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Meharry Medical College School of Medicine
    Project Title: Evaluation of the STING pathway in castration-resistant and -sensitive prostate cancer cell lines
  • Mentor: Austin Kirschner, MD, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Jazmyne Tabb, 2021 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of South Alabama
  • Project Title: Brain Morphology of Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
  • Mentor: Andrew McDonald, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham
2020

Alikem Miriam Agamah, 2020 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
    Project Title: Analyzing the Predictors of Cognitive Outcome in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients Undergoing Proton Beam Radiation
  • Mentor: Jeff Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO, Washington University in Saint Louis

Ian Keith Cruickshank, 2020 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: The Howard University Inc.
  • Project Title: Comparative in Silico Analysis of Scanning Beam Proton Therapy (PT) and Intensity Modulated Photon Radiation Therapy (IMRT) for Post-Prostatectomy
  • Mentor: Curtiland Deville, MD, Johns Hopkins University

Elizabeth Obi, 2020 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Case Western Reserve University - School of Medicine
    Project Title: A Proposed Community- Based Interventional Program That Educates, Identifies, And Overcomes Barriers to Screening Mammography Among Homeless Women
  • Mentor: John Suh, MD, FASTRO, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

John Placide, 2020 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
  • Project Title: Conditional Survival Analysis in laryngeal cancer: Patient-physician shared decision support in radiotherapy using precision risk clinical nomograms
  • Mentor: Clifton Fuller, MD, PhD, MD Anderson Cancer Center
2019

Jonathan Smith, 2019 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
    Project Title: Clinical outcomes and management of patients with a RT-induced lung cancer following breast radiotherapy
  • Mentor:  Rachel B. Jimenez, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Rehema Thomas, 2019 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
  • Project Title: Comparative Analysis of Scanning Beam Proton Therapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, and 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
  • Mentor: Curtiland Deville, MD, Johns Hopkins University

 

2018

Amandeep Mahal, 2018 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Yale University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: The Effect of Race and Decision Aids on Physician Recommendation for Prostate Cancer Treatment Planning 
  • Mentor: James B. Yu MD MHS, Yale School of Medicine 

Zachary White, 2018 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: University of South Alabama 
  • Project Title: Impact of ANXA7 I1 Expression on PDGFRA and MET Endosomal Trafficking in GBM 
  • Mentor: Markus Bredel, MD, PhD, The University of Alabama at Birmingham 
2017

Michael LeCompte, 2017 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Wake Forest School of Medicine
  • Project Title: The Role of Hyperglycemia in Clinical Outcomes Predicted by Brain Metastasis Kinetics in Brain Metastasis Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Mentor: Michael Chan, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine

Kekoa Taparra, 2017 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: Mayo Clinic School of Medicine - Rochester Campus
  • Project Title: CT Angiography for Cardiac-Sparing Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
  • Mentor: Nadia N. Laack, MD, Mayo Clinic Department of Radiation Oncology
2016
Gordon

Brittaney-Belle Gordon, 2016 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Racial disparities in treatment and treatment delays for pancreatic cancer 
  • Mentor: Ronald C. Chen, MD, MPH, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine 
Thermozier

Stephanie Thermozier, 2016 Basic Science Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Characterization of TGF-β Signaling in Fancd2-/-, SMAD3-/- and DKO Cell Lines 
  • Mentor: Joel S. Greenberger, MD, FACRO, FACR, UPMC Cancer Institute 
2015
Adenduntan

Rasidat Adeduntan, 2015 Clinical Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Virginia School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Comparison of Coronary Artery Calcium Scores after Mediastinal Radiotherapy with Protons Versus Conventional Photon Therapy 
  • Mentor: Karen M. Winkfield, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School 
Ofori

Maxwell Ofori, 2015 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: University of Tennessee Health Science Center 
  • Project Title: Is the chaperone nucleophosmin-1 a rational target for radiation sensitization of cancer? 
  • Mentor: Michael L. Freeman, PhD, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Padilla

Oscar Padilla, 2015 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Feasibility of IMRT-planned simultaneous integrated boost as a strategy for dose-escalation of spine radiosurgery 
  • Mentor: Kevin S. Oh, MD, The Center for Spinal Metastases at the Massachusetts General Hospital 
2014
Moran

Angel Moran, 2014 Basic Science Awardee

  • Medical School: University of California Davis School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Protracted irradiation generates selective DNA damage linked to radiation resistance 
  • Mentors: Jian Jian Li and Andrew Vaughan, UC Davis Dept. of Radiation Oncology 
Parzuchowski

Aaron Parzuchowski, 2014 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Incidence of Protocol Deviations in Pediatric versus Adolescent and Young Adult Populations with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and its Impact on Clinical Outcomes 
  • Mentor: Stephanie Terezakis, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins 
2013
Adenuga

Paul Adenuga, 2013 Basic Science Awardee 

  • Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: The role of deferoxamine in the prevention of osteoradionecrosis in the rat mandible due to radiation therapy and synergistic bisphosphonate osteonecrosis 
  • Mentor: Davood Varghai, MD, Case Western Reserve University 
Vestal

Tyler Vestal, 2013 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons 
  • Project Title: Impact of radiation and metformin or propranolol on head and neck cancers 
  • Mentor: Tony J. Wang, MD, Columbia University Medical Center
2012
Mailhot

Raymond Mailhot, 2012 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: Washington University in Saint Louis 
  • Project Title: Proton therapy cost-effectiveness in the treatment of four malignancies 
  • Mentor: Shannon MacDonald, Massachusetts General Hospital 
Orisamolu

Abimbola Orisamolu, 2012 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of Pennsylvania 
  • Project Title: Evaluation of Current Standard of Planning Treatment Volume in Head and Neck Cancers 
  • Mentor: Alexander Lin, University of Pennsylvania 
2011
Vyfhuis

Melissa Vyfhuis (née Liriano), 2011 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: A Retrospective Study on Stage III NSCLC Patients: Factors Predicting Pathologic Complete Response Following High Dose Chemoradiation 
  • Mentor: Steven Feigenberg, University of Maryland School of Medicine 
Washington

Iman Washington, 2011 Basic Science Awardee 

  • Medical School: Duke University School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Defining the Role of p21 in Radiation-induced Myocardial Injury 
  • Mentor: David Kirsch, Duke University Medical Center 
2010
Rwigema

Jean-Claude Rwigema, 2010 Clinical Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 
  • Project Title: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Resected Brain Metastases 
  • Mentor: Dwight E. Heron, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 
Thomas

Kimberly Thomas, 2010 Basic Science Awardee 

  • Medical School: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School 
  • Project Title: External Thermal Enhancement with Magnetic Nanoparticles for the Sensitization of Breast 
  • Mentor: Sunil Krishnan, MD Anderson Cancer Center 
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