The Pauley Heart Center’s 2023 Undergraduate Research Fellowship concluded on July 28, bringing to a close the program’s fourth summer. This year’s program was Pauley’s largest ever, with 29 fellows enrolled and students attending from both VCU and institutions across the Commonwealth—Christopher Newport University, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Union University, and The College of William & Mary. The 2023 cohort was supported through pathways provided by an American Heart Association grant, an R25 grant through the National Institutes of Health, and the REACH program partnership between the Pauley Heart Center and William & Mary.

During the ten-week program, fellows pursued a research project with a faculty mentor, attended clinical rotations in various cardiac care departments (everything from open-heart surgery to cardiac MRI to electrophysiology), and participated in three weekly workshops: Skills and Foundations (an overview of the disease processes contributing to cardiovascular disease, taught by Pauley Director Greg Hundley, MD), Journal Club (taught by Jennifer Jordan, PhD, in which students read and discussed scientific articles), and Professional Network (featuring weekly "career stories" from a variety of faculty). Finally, at the conclusion of the program, fellows delivered their research findings to their peers and VCU faculty and staff in a formal poster presentation.

"The highlight of my time at the Pauley Heart Center has undoubtedly been having the opportunity to observe, learn from, and engage with incredible PHC researchers and physicians, like Dr. Fadi Salloum, Dr. Gabriele Mauro, and Dr. Gregory Hundley,” said 2023 fellow Brian Bao. “The support within the community—from my research mentors to fellow students and the accomplished physicians I shadowed—has been truly incredible. From day one, it was evident that everyone was invested in our progress and success.”

"The opportunity to shadow physicians [was incredible],” noted fellow Reuben Laryea. “I saw an open human heart and was amazed at science's wonders. My relationship with my mentor has also been a highlight—his lessons and teachings improved my critical thinking skills and helped shape my sense of purpose for why I wanted to be a physician.”

You can learn more about this year’s fellows below.

Chelsea Agyei | Hampton University
Mentor: Arnethea L. Sutton, PhD
Chelsea is a freshman from Virginia Beach, VA. At Hampton University, she is a Biochemistry major and Material Science and Engineering minor. Her goal is to obtain an MD/PhD and conduct research to help dismantle health inequities and also expand accessibility to treatments overseas. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with friends, listening to Afrobeats, and participating in community service.

Brian Bao | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Fadi Salloum, PhD and Adolfo Mauro, PhD
Brian is a rising junior from Roanoke, Virginia. At William & Mary, he majors in Neuroscience and intends to minor in Mathematical Biology (CAMS). Outside of class, Brian is engaged in tutoring with Griffin School Partnerships and works as a Chemistry Lab TA. He hopes to further his interests in teaching and research as he continues on the pre-medical track.

Ena Baral | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Anindita Das, PhD
Ena is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry at VCU. Upon graduation, she plans to attend medical school. In her spare time, she enjoys engaging in various hobbies such as hiking, binge-watching shows, and painting.

Yvonne Boadi | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Cory Trankle, MD
Yvonne is a sophomore from Norfolk, VA. At William & Mary, she is a Kinesiology & Health Science major on the pre-medical track. Her career interests primarily lie in working with nonprofits or government organizations to help African countries struggling with healthcare. In her free time, Yvonne loves to relax and watch her favorite comfort Disney + shows, read, and hang out with friends and family.

Mark Carroll | Christopher Newport University
Mentor: Martin Mangino, PhD
Mark is a sophomore from Fairfax Station, VA. He is pursuing a Biochemistry major with a Biology minor on the pre-medical track at Christopher Newport University. He is currently researching the enzyme BA0150 involved in defensive mechanisms against host immune cells for class A bioterrorism agents. In his free time, he likes to ski with his family, play golf with friends, and tutor at local schools.

Rayven Cobb | Virginia Union University
Mentor: Vanessa Sheppard, PhD
Raven is a rising senior at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. She is currently pursuing a degree in Chemistry. Rayven is the active president of the chemistry club at Virginia Union University. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school to become an evidence specialist for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In her free time, Rayven enjoys roller skating, reading manga, and trying new activities.

Madison Cruz (not pictured)| Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentors: Edward Lesnefsky, MD and Qun Chen, MD

Lauren Daniel | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: W. Gregory Hundley, MD
Lauren is a returning Pauley fellow (having first participated in the program in summer 2022) and a rising senior at William & Mary from Rocky Mount, VA. She is a Neuroscience major and hopes to attend medical school after graduating. In her free time, she enjoys horseback riding, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Sidy Diawara | Old Dominion University
Mentor: Salvatore Carbone, PhD
Sidy is a freshman at Old Dominion University hailing from the Hampton Roads area. At ODU, he is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Statistics/Biostatistics. He is interested in anything related to cell biology, nutrition, & cancer, and can help you understand the data behind certain scientific phenomena (to an extent). In his free time, Sidy is an enthusiast of Spider-Man and Doctor Who related content, Legos, reading, music, swimming, and most importantly, sleep.

Alexis Fletcher | Old Dominion University
Mentor: W. Gregory Hundley, MD
Alexis is a returning Pauley fellow (having first participated in the program in summer 2022) and a recent graduate of Old Dominion University. She earned a degree in Chemistry with a pre-medicine concentration. She is very interested in the intersection of cardiac health and cancer and hopes to become involved with oncology in the future. Recently, with the help of her mentor Dr. Gregory Hundley, and co-authors, Alexis was able to publish her first abstract in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). She hopes to finish the manuscript for her abstract this summer.

Kwannya Foster | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Jose F. Huizar, MD, FACC, FHRS, FAHA
Kwannya is a returning Pauley fellow (having first participated in the program in summer 2022) and a rising senior at The College of William and Mary from Danville, VA. She is on the pre-medicine track majoring in Neuroscience. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school and become a neurologist. She is very interested in how disparities play into health and wellness and hopes to be able to focus on underrepresented communities in her career. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dog, traveling, and coloring.

Ali Ghadiri | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Salvatore Carbone, PhD
Ali is a graduating senior at Virginia Commonwealth University where he is majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Chemistry and Biology while on the pre-medicine track. For the last two years, he has been working as a research assistant with MS specialist Dr. Myla Goldman at MCV and also at the VCU NOW center. He has worked on multiple studies, including a retrospective Ocrevus study which looked at the efficacy of the drug on different patient populations. He has a great passion for research and working with patients and hopes to become a doctor after he graduates.

Sara Hammel | Old Dominion University
Mentor: Anindita Das, PhD
Sara recently graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Old Dominion University in May 2023. Sara is currently an EMT in Virginia Beach and has been passionate about medicine ever since she was a child. She is applying to medical school this cycle to pursue her dream of studying anesthesia. In her free time, Sara enjoys traveling, spending time with her Samoyed, Aspen, and relaxing by binging Netflix or playing Fallout.

Javi Haworth | Christopher Newport University
Mentor: Justin Canada, PhD
Javi is a Neuroscience major at Christopher Newport University. He is also a sprinter on the track team at CNU and loves boxing and going outdoors. In his spare time, he likes to fold origami and play Dungeons and Dragons. He is excited to be a part of the VCU Pauley Heart Center Program!

Sheila Hernandez-Rubio | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Moe Makkiya, MD
Sheila is a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University majoring in Sociology on the pre-medicine track. Her future career aspiration is to become an MD-MPH, specifically a cardiologist bridging the gap between health disparities and socioeconomic status in cardiovascular health. She enjoys shopping and visiting different restaurants with her friends and family in her free time.

Hunniah Iqbal | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Bernard Fuemmeler, PhD, MPH
Hunniah is a rising Senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is majoring in Psychology on a pre-medicine track. She hopes to attend medical school after graduating and eventually move out of Richmond where she was born and raised. In her free time, she enjoys baking, cooking, watching tv shows, hiking, and spending time with friends.

Reuben Laryea | Christopher Newport University
Mentor: Arturo Cardounel, MD
Reuben is a junior at Christopher Newport University majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Leadership and comes from Fredericksburg, VA. He is currently involved in anti-cancer research focused specifically on the colchicine binding site. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He loves basketball and soccer and watches almost every NBA game.

Gabriella Lentini | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Alex Lucas, PhD
Gabriella is a first-generation senior at Virginia Commonwealth University where she is majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry on a Pre-Physician Associate track. She is originally from Auburn, NY. Throughout the school year, Gabriella is a supplemental instructor for Organic Chemistry. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and trying out new things.

Dhuha Manhil | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Jordana Kron, MD
Dhuha is a rising senior from Richmond, VA. She is pursuing a Bioinformatics degree with a concentration in Quantitative/Statistical Sciences along with a Statistics minor at Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduation, Dhuha hopes to earn her masters and pursue a career as a Biostatistician. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her cats, and hanging out with friends.

Arianna Martinez | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Sangeeta Shah, MD
Arianna is a sophomore at William & Mary from Woodbridge, VA. She is a Kinesiology major and intends to become a physician’s assistant. She is interested in learning about the healthcare struggles confronting vulnerable populations. Arianna enjoys starting her day with a daily affirmation, a protein-packed smoothie, and music.

James Owens | Old Dominion University
Mentor: Yaorong Ge, PhD
James is a returning Pauley fellow and a rising senior, majoring in Computer Science and Game Studies at Old Dominion University. He plans on attending graduate school to pursue a PhD in computer science or a related field. His goal is to use data science to improve healthcare and public health. He is currently doing research in the Neuro-Information Retrieval and Data Science Lab (NIRDS Lab) at Old Dominion University. In his free time, he enjoys running, playing the piano, and skiing.

Neil Patel | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Yaorong Ge, PhD
Neil is a junior studying biology at the College of William and Mary. He is pursuing a career in medicine and is hoping to integrate his skills in data science and executive management to improve and address systemic issues within healthcare. Neil is a former resident of Northern VA and enjoys hiking and racing in his free time. Right now, he’s reading The Brothers Karamazov which has also become his favorite book!

Trung Phi | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Frank Raucci, MD, PhD
Trung Phi is a sophomore from Arlington, VA. At William and Mary, he is pursuing the pre-medical track as a Biology major, researching gene regulation pathways in gastric cancer-causing bacterium and advocating for students with rare diseases. In his free time, Trung loves working with middle school students, writing poetry, and dancing for culture shows.

Jacob Rodrigues | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: W. Gregory Hundley, MD and Moriah Bellissimo, PhD, RD
Jacob is a junior from Chantilly, VA who is pursuing the pre-medical track and majoring in Biology at William and Mary. Academically, he is interested in how social dynamics affect patient-provider interactions, and how internal relationships within the healthcare system mold the methods by which care is provided across communities. Outside of school, he spends much of his free time practicing guitar, listening to Van Halen, and playing baseball for the club team at W&M.

Christina Romano | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Jennifer Jordan, PhD
Christina is a returning Pauley fellow (having first participated in the program in summer 2022) and is a rising senior studying chemistry at William & Mary from McLean, VA. This is her second year participating in the Pauley Heart fellowship. After graduation, she hopes to gain some more research and clinical experience before attending medical school. She is primarily interested in maternal and child health and advocates for justice in healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, reading, and spending time with her dog.

Priya Sharma | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Frank Raucci, MD, PhD
Priya is a returning Pauley fellow (having first participated in the program in summer 2022) and is a rising junior at Virginia Commonwealth University pursuing a double major in Biology and Philosophy on a pre-medicine track. She hopes to attend medical school after graduation and would like to focus on inequalities within the healthcare field. Besides her academic interests, she enjoys spending time with her two dogs, hiking, kickboxing, reading and yoga.

Priya Singh | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: Fadi Salloum, PhD and Adolfo Mauro, PhD
Priya Singh is a rising senior from Stafford, VA. At William & Mary, she is pursuing the pre-medical track with a major in Biology and a minor in Data Science. She has interests in preventative medicine and improving health access and education for low-income communities. In her free time, Priya dances for W&M Griffin Bhangra, volunteers at the Campus Food Exchange, and bakes for her friends and professors.

Victoria Thomas | Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Jennifer Jordan, PhD
Victoria is a rising senior at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is majoring in Biology and minoring in African-American Studies and Chemistry, on the pre-medical track. During her career, she hopes to combine clinical and sociological research to tackle health disparities from a multifaceted perspective, especially focusing on the health of Black women. Outside of school, she works as a Peer Health Educator on VCU's undergraduate campus and loves talking to students about how to change their habits and make progress with their personal health and well-being. She also serves as an Obstetrics & Gynecology scribe at a free clinic in Richmond. Her hobbies include playing the flute, bike riding, and reading as many books as possible.

Eva Trakhtman | The College of William & Mary
Mentor: W. Gregory Hundley, MD and Emily Heiston, PhD
Eva is a sophomore from Houston, TX. At William and Mary, she is pursuing the pre-medical track and majoring in Biology with a minor in creative writing. In her free time, Eva enjoys rock climbing, writing science fiction stories, playing piano, and sharing fun medical facts with anyone that will listen.