Alumni Spotlights

TARDIS Alumni

Dr.  Munir Buhaya

Munir Buhaya, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2023-2025
PI Mentor: Emina Huang, M.D.
Project: Role of inflammatory fibroblasts and immune infiltrates in early-onset colorectal cancer in Hispanics

Dr.  Jillian Jcaobson

Jillian Jacobson, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2022-2024
PI Mentor: Dai Chung, M.D.
Project: Neuroblastoma Research


Dr.  Raghav Chandra

Raghav Chandra, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2020-2022
PI Mentor: John Minna, M.D.
Project: Investigating the tumor microenvironment and targets for macrophage polarization for Non Small-Cell Lung Cancer.


Dr.Ye Jin Kang

Ye Jin Kang, M.D.

Residency Program: Pediatrics
TARDIS Program: 2021-2023
PI Mentor: Lenette Lu, M.D., Ph.D.
Project: Examining Humoral Immune Response in Pediatric TB


Dr. John Karalis

John Karalis, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2020-2022
PI Mentor: John Minna, M.D.
Project: Elucidating the basic mechanisms of gastric carcinogenesis, focusing on the outcomes disparity of the Hispanic population, and developing therapeutic targets for anti-neoplastic agents.


Dr. Gilbert Murimwa

Gilbert Murimwa, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2021-2023
PI Mentor: Rolf Brekken, Ph.D.
Project: Transforming growth factor β as a therapeutic target in SMAD4 mutant pancreatic cancer


Dr. Colin Bergstrom

Colin Bergstrom, M.D.

Residency Program: Internal Medicine
TARDIS Program: 2020-2022
PI Mentor: Ezra Burstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Project: Investigating biomarkers and their relationship to the tumor micro-environment as well as tumorigenesis.


Dr. Roy Elias

Roy Elias, M.D.

Residency Program: Internal Medicine
TARDIS Program: 2019-2021
PI Mentor: James Brugarolas, M.D., Ph.D.
Project: Examining the technologies of Immuno-PET and tumor xenograft models in immunocompetent mice.


Dr. Grey Leonard

Grey Leonard, M.D.

Residency Program: Surgery
TARDIS Program: 2018-2020
PI Mentor: Herbert Zeh, M.D. 
Project: Examining the role of physician physiological and cognitive biology in the performance and outcomes of computer-assisted surgery.


Dr. Ari Bennett

Ari Bennett, M.D.

Residency Program: Internal Medicine
TARDIS Program: 2019-2020
PI Mentor: Nikhil Munshi, M.D., Ph.D.
Project: Determining the dynamics of detectable serum cell free DNA before and after SVT ablation; and identifying markers that predict time to progression of complete heart block in patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.


Dr. Noor Nema

Noor Nema, M.D.

Residency Program: Pediatrics
TARDIS Program: 2019-2020
PI Mentor: Ezra Burstein, M.D., Ph.D.
Project: Evaluating the genetic causes of early-onset and familial inflammatory bowel disease