Medical students in the 2024 cohort of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials: Clinical Investigator Pathway Program (Winn CIPP) ended their six-week summer service-learning externship in community-based clinical research by presenting their projects at a July 12 culminating event.
The University of Illinois Cancer Center hosted four Winn CIPP students, and the culminating event was held in conjunction with Rush University and their four Winn CIPP students. Students in the program benefit from exposures to clinical research, community engagement experiences and leadership development.
Learn more about the four students at the Cancer Center, their research projects and their mentors below.
Alexandra Blundell, MD
California University of Science and Medicine – School of Medicine
Researh Project: Characterization of Genomic and Demographic Landscape in Underrepresented Individuals who Develop Lung Cancer Enrolled in High-Risk Lung Cancer Screening Program
Mentor: Cancer Center member Frank Weinberg, MD, PhD, a UI Health medical oncologist focused on caring for patients with lung cancer
Mason Burrage-Burton, MD
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Research Project: Systemwide Early Notification Tool for Imminent Nascent Lung Cancer (SENTINL)
Mentor: Cancer Center member Ameen Salahudeen, MD, PhD, a UI Health oncologist focused on thoracic and head and neck cancers
Oscar Gomez, MD
Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Topic: Influence of Daratumumab-Based Induction on Stem Cell Collection and Engraftment in Multiple Myeloma Patients Undergoing Transplantation
Mentor: Cancer Center member Chukwuemeka (‘Emeka) Uzoka, MD, a UI Health oncologist who specializes in blood cancers, bone marrow transplantation and CAR-T cell therapy
Sohail Khan, DO
Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
Topic: Enhancing Aortic Stenosis (AS) Diagnosis: Leveraging AI for Improved Accuracy, Efficiency and Longitudinal Assessment
Mentor: Hema Krishna, MD, who practices in the UI Health Division of Cardiology