The objective of both programs is to foster the development of physician-scientists who will go on to academic careers in surgery.
The objective of both programs is to foster the development of physician-scientists who will go on to academic careers in surgery.
The Department of Surgery is proud to host the Trauma and Inflammation Research Training Fellowship and the Armand D. Versaci Research Scholar in Surgical Sciences Award.
Both programs provide two years of salary support for residents or fellows to train under the direct supervision of a qualified mentor. The objective of both programs is to foster the development of physician-scientists who will go on to academic careers in surgery.
Since 2004, the Department of Surgery has been proud to host the Trauma and Inflammation Research Training Fellowship. The present NIH-sponsored program is a superb vehicle for residents to establish the basis of a successful academic career through the acquisition of solid training in basic research. The Department of Surgery is committed to supplying all the resources needed to assure the success of candidates participating in this program. Applications from residents from accredited programs throughout the USA are strongly encouraged.
For more information, please contact:
Alfred Ayala, PhD
(401) 444-5158
Email
Sean Monaghan, MD
(401) 444-4296
Email
| Name | Term | Mentor | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Debolina Banerjee, MD |
7/2022 - 6/2024 |
Frank Sellke, MD | Effects of Antidiabetic Agents on Vascular Reactivity and Flow Dynamics | Dr. Banerjee's experiments aim to evaluate the effects of commonly prescribed antidiabetic agents on vascular reactivity and coronary flow. |
Cynthia Xu, MD |
7/2021 - 6/2023 | Frank Sellke, MD | Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles on Diabetic and Non-diabetic Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells | Dr. Xu's research focuses on extracellular vesicles derived from human bone mesenchymal stem cells, and will attempt to determine the mechanisms by which they exert their therapeutic effects in in vitro, and small and large animal models of cardiovascular disease. |
| Emily Hensler, MD | 7/2020 - 6/2022 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Role of the immune checkpoint regulator VISTA in neonatal sepsis | Dr. Hensler's project focuses on how VISTA, an immune checkpoint regulator, modulates the immune response to a septic insult (cecal slurry) in neonatal mice, as well as how its activity affects survival. |
| Elizabeth Tindal, MD | 7/2019 - 6/2021 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Evaluating selective deletion of check-point protein, PD-L1, in neutrophils as it compares to endothelial cells using specialized Cre-lox mice | Dr. Tindal's research looks at the impact on shock/sepsis-induced mortality and systemic inflammation will be studied following the combined effect of hemorrhagic and septic (ie. cecal ligation and perforation) insults. |
| Michelle Wakeley, MD | 7/2019 - 6/2020 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Checkpoint inhibitor protein modulation of immune dysregulation in neonatal sepsis | Dr. Wakeley's research attempts to identify novel targets for treatment of septic immune dysregulation by focusing on the role of checkpoint inhibitor proteins and their ligands including PD-1, PDL-1, and HVEM in modulation of neonatal sepsis in mice. |
| Chelsey Ciambella, MD | 7/2018 - 6/2020 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Identification of a damaging subset of neutrophils that arises in septic patients | Dr. Ciambella will investigate the role of a distinct subset of neutrophils on endothelial barrier function, disease severity and host survival. Her aim is to demonstrate these cells are a target for a therapeutic blockade that could benefit the septic host. |
| Joshua Cohen, MD | 7/2018 - 6/2020 | Craig Lefort, PhD | Investigating the role of neutrophil progenitor transplantation following hemorrhage in the prevention of ARDS | Dr. Cohen aims to utilize the the mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells from the bone marrow following hemorrhage and trauma as conditioning for transplant of donor hematopoietic progenitor cells. His project's goal is to develop an off-the-shelf neutrophil progenitor cellular therapy for use in the acutely ill trauma patient |
| Roberto Cortez, MD | 7/2017 - 6/2019 | Jack Elias, MD | Dr. Cortez's goal is to further define the complex and important roles of chitinase-like protein (CLP) Chi3l1/YKL-40, PLSCR, and PD-1/PDL1 in relation to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, inflammation, and lung cancer in the mouse model. With the advent of PD-1 antibody therapy to treat advanced melanoma, further developing an understanding for said pathways may allow for the continued development of novel immunotherapeutic options. | |
| Laura Scrimgeour, MD | 7/2016 - 6/2018 | Frank Sellke, MD | Dr. Scrimgeour’s research focused on investigating treatments for chronic myocardial ischemia in a porcine model. Her research also involved injection of microvesicles isolated from stem cells to improve myocardial blood flow. | |
| Catherine Dickinson, MD | 7/2015 - 6/2016 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Dr. Dickinson's research focused on neutrophils and their role in damaging the endothelial barrier in patients impacted by surgery, trauma, and sepsis. | |
| Brittany Potz, MD | 7/2015 - 6/2017 | Frank Sellke, MD | Dr. Potz' focus was on the discovery of new medical therapies for coronary artery disease using a novel pig model of chronic myocardial ischemia in the setting of metabolic syndrome that translates to patients with CAD and their associated co-morbidities. | |
| Noelle Hutchins, PhD | 7/2013 - 6/2014 | Alfred Ayala, PhD, Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Dr. Hutchins investigated how liver sinusoidal endothelial cells are affected during ALI in sepsis, and the potential mediators and/or signaling pathways involved. | |
| Andrew Blakely, MD | 7/2012 - 6/2014 | John Morgan, PhD | Dr. Blakely's research involved using micromolded hydrogels to create complex microtissues, such as toroids and honeycombs. His focus was on analyzing the mechanical properties of these formed microtissues as well as looking at methods to perfuse the tissues in order to create larger tissues. | |
| Elizabeth Fox, MD | 7/2011 - 6/2013 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Dr. Fox studied the regulation of the barrier function of an endothelial monolayer. Normally, the cells of an endothelial monolayer are in close proximity to each other, in order to keep cells and other components of blood in the intravascular space. In the setting of trauma and sepsis, the space between cells increases, resulting in decreased barrier function, and allowing neutrophils to arrive at a site of tissue damage or infection. Dr. Fox attempted to study the role of CAP37 in the regulation of monolayer integrity, specifically as it functions in the absence of neutrophils. Additionally, she evaluated the structure and function of neutrophils obtained from trauma and septic patients and their effect on endothelial resistance. | |
| Sean Ciullo, MD | 7/2010 - 6/2012 | Thomas Tracy, MD | Ciullo's research focused on liver fibrosis and injury in a rat model of biliary obstruction. Dr. Ciullo's projects focused initially on the development of liver fibrosis over the time of bile duct ligation and then on attempting to activate intrinsic MMP-8 within the liver. To this end, Dr. Ciullo worked extensively with Dr. Reichner’s laboratory to better understand the physiology of neutrophils and what components of them are necessary to activate intrinsic MMP-8 within the liver. | |
| Zachary Gregg, MD | 7/2009 - 6/2011 | John Sedivy, PhD | Gregg's research included elucidating the connections between, or the role of, cellular senescence in both tissue regeneration/wound healing and inflammation. | |
| Samille Brancato, MD | 7/2008 - 6/2010 | Jorge Albina, MD | Brancato worked with Dr. Albina's lab to test the following hypothesis: 1. IL-1 directly modulates the development or stability of keloids and 2. IL-1 modulates the development or stability of keloids through IL-6. | |
| Jill Johnstone, MD | 7/2007 - 6/2009 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Johnstone researched the requirements for VAV guanine nucleotide exchange factors in phagocytosis of zymosan and apoptotic bodies and the effect of sepsis on VAV-mediated host defense. Dr. Johnstone's goal was to determine the effects of sepsis on each phagocytic pathway with the consideration that they are differentially regulated and may not all be affected by sepsis in the same way. This was done in collaboration with Dr. Ayala and furthered the work of a previous Trauma Training resident, Dr. Ryan Swan, who found that sepsis impedes the uptake of apoptotic bodies by murine macrophages. | |
| Gwendolyn Elphick, PhD | 7/2006 - 9/2008 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Elphick explored the effects of activated protein C on leukocyte migration during sepsis in both humans and an animal model. Her specific area of interest was changes in integrin expression and activation during sepsis, and how APC regulates integrin mediated neutrophil migration and how it impacts disease outcome. | |
| Ryan Swan, MD | 7/2005 - 6/2007 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Swan researched the contribution of macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells to the pathophysiology of sepsis. A hallmark of sepsis in animal models and human studies is widespread immune cell apoptosis, which has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality. Macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic immune cells leads to release of anti-inflammatory cytokines as a physiologic mechanism for controlling inflammation; however, in the setting of massive immune cell apoptosis as seen in sepsis, this process may contribute to the immunosuppressed state seen in septic patients. | |
| Michael Connolly, MD | 7/2004 - 6/2006 | Jorge Albina, MD | Dr. Connolly's work concentrated primarily in developing techniques for laser capture microdissection/RNA extraction from murine wounds. As a result of this work, the laboratory now has at hand detailed protocols leading to the isolation of high purity RNA from wound macrophages. Additional work was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Minsoo Kim, a former faculty member in the Division of Surgical Research. Together, they were able to acquire real time images of the respiratory burst of human neutrophils to correlate such burst with the expression of apoptotic markers. Experiments were also performed to allow the laboratory to switch from the use of anti-Gr1 Ab to the more specific 1A8 anti-Ly6-G Ab for the induction of neutropenia and of neutropenic wounds in mice. |
The Armand D. Versaci Research Scholar in Surgical Sciences Award provides two years of salary support for residents or fellows to train under the direct supervision of a qualified mentor. The objective of the program is to foster the development of physician-scientists who will go on to academic careers in surgery.
This award was established to recognize and support the research initiatives of outstanding residents and fellows to be mentored by Brown Medical School faculty. Aware of the challenges of funding the medical research done by surgical residents and fellows, The Carter Charitable Trust Foundation established the award to help meet the cost of their stipends, and to honor the distinguished career of Armand D. Versaci, MD, who passed away recently on June 17, 2015 at the age of 91.
Application Deadline: December 31
Start Date: July 1
For More information, please contact:
For more information, please contact:
Alfred Ayala, PhD
(401) 444-5158
Email
Sean Monaghan, MD
(401) 444-4296
Email
| Name | Term | Mentor | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madigan Stanley, MD | 7/2022-6/2023 | Frank Sellke, MD | Neurocognitive decline after cardiac surgery | Dr. Stanley's research project focuses on the development of neurocognitive decline among patients who have undergone cardiac surgery and its association with inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. |
| Anna Louie, MD | 7/2021 - 6/2022 | Wafik El-Deiry, MD | Inflammatory and immune effects of TRAIL pathway novel therapeutics: Improving cancer therapy for patients through investigating the tumor microenvironment. | Dr. Louie's research focuses on a translational investigation of the inflammatory and immune effects of imipridone cancer therapeutics and their interaction with immunotherapies to modulate the tumor immune microenvironment |
| Casasandra Parker, MD | 7/2019 - 6/2021 | Wafik El-Deiry, MD | Dr. Parkers' research focused on harnessing the TRAIL pathway with a novel combination treatment regimen to target gastric adenocarcinoma | |
| Michael Danise, MD | 7/2019 - 6/2021 | Craig Lefort, PhD | Neutrophil priming mechanisms and phenotype in hemorrhagic shock | Dr. Danise's research project involved understanding the mechanism and phenotype of hemorrhage induced neutrophil priming in mice, with the eventual goal to genetically alter aspects of neutrophil priming to use in a transient cellular therapy |
| Michelle Wakeley, MD | 7/2018 - 6/2019 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Checkpoint inhibitor protein modulation of immune dysregulation in neonatal sepsis | Dr. Wakeley's research attempted to identify novel targets for treatment of septic immune dysregulation by focusing on the role of checkpoint inhibitor proteins and their ligands including PD-1, PDL-1, and HVEM in modulation of neonatal sepsis in mice. |
| Molly Palilonis, MD | 7/2017 - 6/2019 | Dr. Palilonis researched burn injury and prevention both at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, RI and at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. | ||
| Eleanor Fallon, MD | 7/2015 - 6/2018 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Fallon’s research focuseed on investigating neonatal inflammation and sepsis, specifically the role of checkpoint proteins, such as Programmed cell death-1, in the modulation of the sepsis pathway. | |
| Tristen Chun, MD | 7/2014 - 6/2016 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Chun's research focused on investigating the role of innate lymphoid cells in inflammation and sepsis, specifically the role of interleukin-33 in mediating the production of Th-2 associated cytokines by Group 2 innate lymphoid cells, using a murine model of sepsis. | |
| Brittany Potz, MD | 7/2014 - 6/2015 | Frank Sellke, MD | Dr. Potz' focus was on the discovery of new medical therapies for coronary artery disease using a novel pig model of chronic myocardial ischemia in the setting of metabolic syndrome that translates to patients with CAD and their associated co-morbidities. | |
| Whitney Young, MD | 7/2013 - 6/2015 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Young's focus was on the evaluation of immunologic alterations in sepsis, assessing expression and impact of Programmed Death-1 receptor and its ligand on hepatocytes following cecal ligation and puncture as a murine model for sepsis. | |
| John Young, MD | 7/2012 - 6/2014 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Young's area of research was in the role of invariant natural killer T-cells in inflammation and sepsis, specifically the effect of Programmed death-1 and its ligand PD-L1 on these cells. | |
| Maude Kettenman, MD | 7/2011 - 6/2013 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Kettenmann's area of research was the involvement of Herpes Virus Entry Mediator in septic mouse survival. | |
| Nicholas Elisseou, MD | 7/2010 - 6/2012 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Dr. Elisseou's research revolved around mechanosensing; studying how neutrophils interact with and react to the mechanical properties of their environment. | |
| Sean Monaghan, MD | 7/2009 - 6/2011 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Dr. Monaghan studied the role of PD-1 in trauma patients and in mice with indirect acute lung injury resulting from sequential shock and sepsis. | |
| Rajan Thakkar, MD | 7/2008 - 6/2010 | Alfred Ayala, PhD | Research Project: Dr. Thakkar's research focused on the comparative contribution of epithelial vs. endothelial Fas expression to the onset of extra-pulmonary acute lung injury resulting from sequential shock and sepsis. | |
| Dipan Patel, MD | 7/2008 - 6/2010 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Dr. Patel had the opportunity to contribute to advancements in the field of mechanosensing by studying how white blood cells (neutrophils) respond to the mechanical properties of their environment, specifically substrate elasticity. | |
| Alan Thomay, MD | 7/2006 - 6/2008 | Jorge Albina, MD | Dr. Thomay's research included determining the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in sterile inflammation and identifying the phenotypic characteristics of the wound macrophage. Dr. Thomay also investigated the role of Interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R) on the fibrotic response of healing wounds. | |
| Heather (Hansen) Hall, MD | 7/2005 - 6/2007 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | The role of cationic antimicrobial protein-37 in regulation of endothelial barrier function. | |
| Hannah Huddleston, MD | 7/2004 - 6/2006 | Thomas Tracy, MD | Molecular regulation of matrix metalloproteinase gene expression and activity in liver repair. | |
| Hadley (Smith) Ritter, MD | 7/2003 - 6/2005 | Walter Biffl, MD | Hypertonicity attenuates transfusion induced endothelial cell activation via a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. | |
| Liana Tsikitis, MD | 7/2002 - 6/2004 | Jonathan Reichner, PhD | Effect of fungally-derived beta-glucan on neutrophil; endothelial interactions. | |
| Eric Mahoney, MD | 7/2001 - 6/2003 | Jorge Albina, MD | Role of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase in the regulation of inflammation and repair. | |
| David Singer, MD | 7/2001 - 6/2002 | Jeffrey Weinzweig, MD | Midface distraction using a new internal device following cleft palate repair in the congenital caprine model. | |
| Paul Maggio, MD | 7/2000 - 6/2002 | Jack Wands, MD | Overexpression of human aspartyl (asparaginyl) beta-hydroxylase in breast cancer. | |
| Matthew Vrees, MD | 7/2000 - 6/2001 | Piero Biancani, MD, PhD | Inflammatory mediators and abnormal motor function of the colon in ulcerative colitis. | |
| Kevin Roggin, MD | 7/2000 - 6/2001 | Thomas Tracy, MD | The cellular and molecular mechanisms of matrix remodeling during liver repair after chronic injury. |