RESEARCH FELLOWS
![Nikathan Kumar, MD, MS](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_8f0234bfef2e47ad9ad96e55a8e24a75~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_970,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_8f0234bfef2e47ad9ad96e55a8e24a75~mv2.jpg)
Nikathan grew up in Nashville, TN and Connecticut and is currently a general surgery resident at UCSF East Bay in Oakland, CA. He received his B.A. in Spanish and Music from Vanderbilt University, an M.S. in developmental biology from New York University and received his medical degree from New York Medical College. His interests include surgical infrastructure development, financial burden of surgery and global health disparity.
![Mehreen Zaigham, MBBS, PhD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_30486ab63a354f1882b23353142acb99~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1306,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_30486ab63a354f1882b23353142acb99~mv2.jpg)
Mehreen is a Swedish Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist of Pakistan origin. She works at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden and completed her PhD from Lund University studying the role of umbilical cord blood sampling in predicting neurodevelopmental handicap in infants later on in life. Her research interests include maternal-fetal medicine, COVID-19 in pregnancy, health equity, maternal health advocacy and strengthening of Ob/Gyn healthcare systems in low resource settings.
![Taylor Wurdeman, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_b94768f067df45958d49cb3a55a29f28~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_500,h_500,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_b94768f067df45958d49cb3a55a29f28~mv2.jpg)
Taylor Wurdeman is a General Surgery Resident at Loma Linda University. He graduated from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with a combined MD/MPH degree. During his medical school, he spent a research year with the PGSSC and confirmed his dedication to both surgery and global health. He has clinical interests in trauma/critical care and research interests in large database work, the intersection of technology and global health, and surgical education.
![Gabriella Y. Hyman, MBBCh](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_918812806acb44da8fde6918a8f1d41b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_388,h_479,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_918812806acb44da8fde6918a8f1d41b~mv2.jpg)
Gabriella was born in South Africa where she grew up on a farm. She received her MBBCh, and is a PhD student in surgery and public health, at the University of the Witwatersrand Department of Surgery. She is an inaugural recipient of the South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) Institutional Clinician Researcher Program scholarship. Gabriella is a fellow in the Wits SADC Regional Collaboration Centre for Surgical Healthcare (WitsSurg).
![Simon Fabry, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_1036210d90354ab48275ec7466a9d0f4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_1036210d90354ab48275ec7466a9d0f4~mv2.jpg)
Simon was born and raised in Dusseldorf, Germany. He received his M.D. from Innsbruck, Austria, and went on to complete a full training in General Surgery in Germany, earning Board Certification in 2021. Simon is passionate about global health and surgery, exemplified by his one-year appointment with a German INGO in South Kordofan, Sudan. He is committed to education and addressing Human Resources gaps through partnerships.
![Afra Jiwa, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_8ccfb932b3ca4844994fefe6238e520c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_466,h_606,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_8ccfb932b3ca4844994fefe6238e520c~mv2.jpg)
Afra is a General Surgery Trainee in Edinburgh, Scotland. She gained her MBBS from King’s College London and a Masters degree from the London School of Hygeine and Tropical Medicine before completing her Foundation Training in Jersey. She is continuing her Post Graduate study in Data Science, Technology and Innovation at the University of Edinburgh. She has an interest in big data and global surgery research
![Isaac Alty, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_c73b1e779e584b13913caa173f8d238d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_375,h_477,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_c73b1e779e584b13913caa173f8d238d~mv2.jpg)
Isaac was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia and is currently a general surgery resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He received his B.S. in Chemistry at the College of William & Mary where he also completed a double major in Ancient Greek. He received his MD from Harvard Medical School, where his research focused on access to surgical care in rural Burundi. His interests include surgical capacity building, trauma systems development, and surgical education
![Kate Obayagbona MD, MPH, MWACS](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_8e4b66eb5e564f7285e7015eb2a09bcc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_693,h_855,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/d9a674_8e4b66eb5e564f7285e7015eb2a09bcc~mv2.jpg)
Kate is a specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with the West African College of Surgeons, prior to this she had obtained a masters in Public Health from Leeds University UK and had spent several years working within various capacities and several projects for different development Organizations. She is very passionate about Health systems strengthening, Research development and management, capacity building, disease prevention and control and improving quality of women and child Health.
![Phillip Hsu, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_73710aa68d6b479dbbc002ee73e11567~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1306,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_73710aa68d6b479dbbc002ee73e11567~mv2.jpg)
Phil was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and is currently a general surgery resident at the University of Michigan. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, where he used his research training to facilitate healthcare utilization among underserved immigrant populations. He is passionate about increasing access to surgical care in resource limited settings through quality improvement and education.
![Avery Thompson, MD, MPH.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_3c308ce450994e8096731120d5efbbf6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_980,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_3c308ce450994e8096731120d5efbbf6~mv2.jpg)
Avery is originally from Portland, Oregon and is currently a General Surgery resident at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Development Biology from Yale College followed by an MPH in Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Global Health from the Yale School of Public Health. She received her MD from UCSF. Research interests include health disparities, surgical education, and trauma systems.
![Lauren Kratky,MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_2006b59391304f6abba455a4b5ea7533~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_375,h_525,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_2006b59391304f6abba455a4b5ea7533~mv2.jpg)
Lauren Kratky grew up in Connecticut and is currently a general surgery resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. She received her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University where she graduated with honors in Health and Exercise Science with a studio art minor. Her MD was obtained from Wake Forest School of Medicine during which she was director of a student-run free clinic which provided free healthcare to underserved patients.
![Orit Abrahim, MD, MPH](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_d99c4589ed4447389652b7a5b117d6a3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1433,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_d99c4589ed4447389652b7a5b117d6a3~mv2.jpg)
Orit was born and raised in Michigan. She is currently a general surgery resident at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She received her undergraduate degree in the History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health at Yale University and as well as her M.P.H in Chronic Disease Epidemiology with a Global Health Concentration at the Yale School of Public Health.
![Nardos Bulfeta, MD](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_00853b2c16af416ea9ea3be10192b4fb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_996,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_00853b2c16af416ea9ea3be10192b4fb~mv2.jpg)
Nardos is an Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck surgeon. She received her Medical Degree and Otolaryngology Specialty Certificate from Addis Ababa University and is an Assistant Professor there. Her clinical interests include Rhinology & Facial Plastic surgery, and her research interests include financing surgical health care and surgical education.
RESEARCH COLLABORATORS
![Nithya Gillipell](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_41a12aec0c5f48a88c58d739d7e63c22~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_464,h_538,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_41a12aec0c5f48a88c58d739d7e63c22~mv2.jpg)
Nithya Gillipelli is a current MD candidate at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and a current Fulbright-Fogarty NIH Fellow. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Rice University. Her professional interests lie in global health disparities, particularly in the field of global plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on developing national policies and local education to improve access to surgical care.
![Riya Sawhney](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_8a8c16530b7f41fab27321df7487f11f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1099,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_8a8c16530b7f41fab27321df7487f11f~mv2.jpg)
Riya Sawhney is a medical doctor from the United Kingdom, currently undertaking a PhD at McGill University, where she is a Jean-Martin Laberge Fellow in Global Paediatric Surgery. Riya has keen research interests in global health and global surgery, surgical education and innovation, diversity, and equity.
![Dawn Poh](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_a3dc31ee8e874f9997b3a8de1b36815e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_415,h_397,al_c,q_80,enc_auto/d9a674_a3dc31ee8e874f9997b3a8de1b36815e~mv2.jpg)
Dawn was born in Malaysia and grew up in Borneo. She holds an MBBS and a Masters of Research (Cancer) from Newcastle University, where she studied sarcopenia in gynecological malignancies. After medical school, she worked as a clinical doctor in Wales. Her research interests focus on addressing disparities in women's health, particularly in gynaecological cancer care. She is committed to strengthening health systems and improving outcomes for women and their families worldwide.
![Jade Tso](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_3759a6a26a0d4782af2aa491bc917b1b~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1195,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/d9a674_3759a6a26a0d4782af2aa491bc917b1b~mv2.jpg)
Jade Tso is an MD candidate at the University of California, Davis, where she is part of the Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors (ARC-MD) pathway. She earned her Bachelor's degree from Duke University and previously served as a Program Manager for a global health nonprofit, focusing on tuberculosis and COVID-19 control initiatives. During medical school, Jade discovered her passion for surgery and played a pivotal role in implementing a stomach cancer screening program in Honduras.
Past Visiting Scholars
Sangchul Yoon, MD PhD, 2020 - 2022
Laura Pompermaier, MD, PhD, 2019 - 2021
Michelle Joseph, MBBS, MSc, PhD, FRCS 2019 - 2021
Past Clinical Fellows
Neema Kaseje, MD, 2015-2016
Ainhoa Costas-Chavarri, MD, 2013-2015
Luther Ward, MD, MPH, 2013-2015
Rowan Gillies, MBBS, FRACS, 2012-2014
Stephen R. Sullivan, MD, 2008-2009
Past Research Fellows
Callum Forbes, MBChB, 2021-2024 ★
Joseph Aryankalayil, MD 2023-2024
Madeleine Carroll, MD, 2022-2024
Saksham Gupta, MD, 2022-2024
Anabelle Jones, MD, 2022-2024
Radzi Hamzah, MD, MPH, 2021-2024
Ali Rae, MD, 2022-2023
Hannah Gilder, MD, 2021-2023
Emad Madha, MD, 2021-2023
Diana del Valle, MD, 2021-2023
Sarah Hill, MD, 2021-2023
Meghan Lim, MBChB, 2021-2023
Jennifer Hon, MBChB, BDS, MA 2021-2023
Shreenik Kundu, MD, 2021-2023
Carolina Torres, MD, 2021-2023
Selam Degu, MD, 2021-2023
Faith Odwaro, MD, 2021-2023
Rashi Jhunjhunwala, MD, MA, 2020-2023 ★
Michael Baird, MD, 2021-2022
Barnabas Alayande, MBBS, PgDTh, MBA, FMCS 2020-2022
Manon Pigeolet, MD, MSc, MPH, 2020-2022
Abbie Naus, MD, 2020-2022
Belain Eyob, MD, 2020-2022
Tarinee Kucchal, MD, 2020-2022
Myron Rolle, MD, MSc, 2020-2022
Rennie Qin, MD, 2020-2022
Isioma Okolo, MBChB, MPH, MRCOG, DTMH, 2020-2022
Adam Ammar, MD 2020 - 2021
Alaska Pendleton, MD, MPH 2019-2021
Alexis Bowder, MD, MPH 2019-2021
Zachary Fowler, MD, MPH 2019-2021
Lisa Miranda, MD, MPH 2019-2021
Paul Truche, MD, MPH 2018-2021 ★
Che-len Reddy, MBChB, MPH 2018-2020
Jacquelyn Corely, MD 2018-2020
Haitham Shoman, MBBcH, DIC, MPH 2018-2020
Vatshalan Santhirapala, MD, MPH 2018-2020
Christopher Strader, MD, MPH 2018-2020
Lina Roa, MD, MPH, 2017-2020 ★
Ernest Barthelemy, MD, MPH 2017-2019
Alexander Peters, MD, MPH 2017-2019
Rachel Koch, MD, 2017-2019
Jordan Pyda, MD, MPH, 2017-2019
Gopal Menon, MD, MPH, 2017-2019
Jacob Lepard, MD, 2017-2019
Katherine Albutt, MD, MPH, 2016-2018
Jamie Anderson, MD, 2017-2018
Isabelle Citron, BMBCH, MPH, 2016-2018
Katie Iverson, MD, MPH, 2017-2018
David Ljungman, MD, PhD, 2016-2018
Kristin Sonderman, MD, 2016-2018
Kerry Vaughan, MD, 2017-2018
Michael C. Dewan, MD, 2016-2017
Yihan Lin, MD, MPH(c), 2016-2017
Saurabh Saluja, MD, MPP, 2015-2017
Swagoto Mukhopadhyay, MD, 2015-2017
Martha P. Vega, MD, MMSc-GHD, 2015-2018
Gabriel Tomasa, MD, 2014-2016
Geoffrey Anderson, MD, MPH, 2014-2016
John Scott, MD, MPH, 2014-2016
Nakul Raykar, MD, MPH, 2013-2016 ★
Joshua Ng-Kamstra, MD, MPH, 2014-2015
Johanna Riesel, MD, 2013-2015
Sarah Greenberg, MD, MPH, 2012-2015 ★
Alexi Matousek, MD, MPH, 2012-2015
Bin Song, MD, MPH, PhD, 2012-2015
Jacky Fils, MD, MPH, 2012-2015
Margarita Ramos, MD, MPH, 2012-2014
Rebecca Maine, MD, MPH, 2012-2014
Lars Hagander, MD, MPH, PhD, 2011-2013
Allison Linden, MD, MPH, 2011-2013
JaBaris Swain, MD, 2011-2013
Tiffany Chao, MD, 2011-2013
Catherine Kress, MD, 2011-2013
Jennifer Rickard, MD, 2011-2013
Jennifer Kreshak, MD, 2011-2013
Christopher Hughes, MD, MPH, 2010-2012
Blake Alkire, MD, MPH, 2010-2011
![Shehnaz Alidina, SD, MPH](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d9a674_3ec23d61aa4048838650eb492a667bc4~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_399,h_349,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/d9a674_3ec23d61aa4048838650eb492a667bc4~mv2.png)
As senior global health systems researcher in the Program for Global Surgery and Social Change, Shehnaz Alidina leads a research team conducting a longitudinal, mixed methods evaluation to examine the impact of a multi-component safe surgery intervention on surgical quality in Tanzania. Shehnaz’s interest is in improving the quality, integration and performance of health delivery systems. She received her MPH and her SD in health policy & management from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health.