MSTP Blog
Reflections from the Outgoing Student Advisory Committee (SAC) Chair
Jul. 29, 2024—by Sarah Reed (G4) My tenure as Chair of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) has come to a close, giving me an opportunity to reflect on the many efforts of our students and leadership team over the past year. In my time as Chair and Chair-Elect, I have grown to see SAC’s most important roles...
Life in the MSTP – July 2024
Jul. 29, 2024—Congratulations to Candace Grisham (G4) who recently wed Captain Menon (VMS ‘20)! Some G2s got together on a Friday for happy hour at Double Dogs after lab! The MSTP Summer Scholars and some current MSTP students had a social event at Pins Mechanical! M1s getting to know each other at College Reveal...
Honors and Awards – July 2024
Jul. 29, 2024—Congratulations to our new M1 students who received their white coats at the White Coat Ceremony and officially began their journey to become physicians! Congratulations to Xavier Bledsoe (G5) for being selected to give an oral presentation by the World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics society in the fall! Congratulations to Kyle Enriquez (G3) for...
MSTPublications: July 2024
Jul. 29, 2024—A transcriptomic atlas of the human brain reveals genetically determined aspects of neuropsychiatric health. Bledsoe X, Gamazon ER. Am J Hum Genet. 2024 Jun 19:S0002-9297(24)00208-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.06.002. Online ahead of print. Regulation of gene expression is a vital component of neurological homeostasis. Cataloging the consequences of endogenous gene expression on the physical structure and connectivity...
ADI Highlights
Jun. 28, 2024—Last month we had our first session of our MSTP Health and Research Equity Summer Course that is planned by members of our Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion Council. The course goal is to provide knowledge and skills on health and research equity that are relevant to the future careers of physician-scientists. The first session was with Kia Jarmon on the...
Life in the MSTP – June 2024
Jun. 28, 2024—We had another great MSTPicnic in the Park hosted by the Wellness Committee to welcome newly moved-in M1’s to Nashville summers! Congratulations to Jen Peek (G4) who recently got engaged! We love when MSTPets are involved in these exciting milestones! Our Lunches with Leaders series continued this month with Dean Jeff Balser,...
Honors and Awards – June 2024
Jun. 28, 2024—Drew Kittleson (G3) was awarded a 2024 Graduate Leadership Anchor Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work advocating for and supporting the LGBTQ+ community at Vanderbilt! These awards honor the hard work and leadership of Vanderbilt graduate students across all schools and recognize outstanding service, mentorship, departmental leadership, advocacy, and research excellence. Read more here!...
Meet the 2024 MSTP Summer Scholars
Jun. 28, 2024—This summer the Vanderbilt MSTP is hosting 8 undergraduate MSTP Summer Scholars. This summer program is designed to expose students to the career of a physician-scientist and help prepare them to apply to MD/PhD programs. These students are on campus for 9 weeks completing a research project and gaining clinical shadowing experience. In addition, they have...
Welcome to the Vanderbilt MSTP Incoming Class of 2024!
Jun. 27, 2024—Our incoming M1’s have officially started! With orientation sessions and college reveals at retreat, we are excited to introduce the incoming class of 2024! Omar Avila (he/him) Hometown: Luquillo, Puerto Rico Undergraduate Institution: Florida Atlantic University Research interests: Cancer immunology Hobbies: Cycling, playing the guitar, listening to live music Brendin Flinn (he/him) Hometown: Mineral...
MSTP Retreat 2024
Jun. 27, 2024—by Kimmy Bress (G3) This year’s Annual MSTP Retreat was held at Lake Barkley Resort State Park, celebrating the theme of “Navigating Transitions”. In addition to continuing many retreat traditions such as welcoming the incoming M1 class to their advising colleges and hosting the G1 White Coat ceremony, this year’s retreat featured several new activities...
MSTPublications: June 2024
Jun. 27, 2024—The interictal suppression hypothesis is the dominant differentiator of seizure onset zones in focal epilepsy. Doss DJ, Shless JS, Bick SK, Makhoul GS, Negi AS, Bibro CE, Rashingkar R, Gummadavelli A, Chang C, Gallagher MJ, Naftel RP, Reddy SB, Williams-Roberson S, Morgan VL, Johnson GW, Englot DJ. Brain. 2024 Jun 14:awae189. doi: 10.1093/brain/awae189. Online ahead...
Juneteenth and the (Brief) History of Emancipation Celebrations
May. 31, 2024—by Leigh Ann Gardner (MSTP Senior Grants Manager) Juneteenth is the day that celebrates the ending of slavery. On June 19, 1865, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas and informed the enslaved there of their freedom. Although the Civil War had been over at that point for two months, news travelled slowly to Texas; indeed,...
Mini MSTP
May. 30, 2024—by Ericka Randazzo (G2) On May 7th and 14th, the MSTP Outreach Committee coordinated the annual Mini-MSTP. Over the course of two days, more than 80 children from across Dickson County elementary schools and West End Middle School in Nashville participated in the event highlighting physician-scientist experiences. Stations were led by MSTP students and covered five different...