Current Fellows in the Clinical Genetics Branch

Ms. Akinniyi, postbaccalaureate fellow in CGB, focuses her research on estimating the population prevalence of germline variants in genes associated with telomere biology disorders, under the mentorship of Kelvin C. de Andrade, Ph.D., and Sharon A. Savage, M.D.

Dr. de Andrade, research fellow in CGB, studies genetic and behavioral factors that could be associated with cancer risk, progression, and phenotypic variability in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome patients. His mentor is Sharon Savage, M.D.

Ms. Bess, postbaccalaureate fellow and iCURE scholar in CGB and TDRP/Connect, studies HPV 35 variation in HPV 35-associated cervical cancer and benign infections among women of African ancestry and worldwide, under the mentorship of Lisa Mirabello, Ph.D., senior investigator. In TDRP, she is working on the Connect for Cancer Prevention Cohort Study, under the mentorship of Mia Gaudet, Ph.D., senior scientist.

Ms. Cohen, postbaccalaureate fellow in CGB, studies HPV-associated biomarkers for anal cancer screening and management, under the mentorship of Megan Clarke, Ph.D., M.H.S. and Nicolas Wentzensen, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Chapman Hannah, postdoctoral fellow in CGB, develops machine learning and statistical strategies to identify novel pathogenic variants in pediatric cancer. Her mentors are Douglas Stewart, M.D., and Hormuzd A. Katki, Ph.D. (Biostatistics Branch).

Dr. Cole, clinical fellow in CGB, investigates predisposition to osteosarcoma and genotype-phenotype relationships in Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Her mentors are Lisa Mirabello, Ph.D., M.S., and Matthew Gianferante, M.D.

Dr. Forbes Shepherd, postdoctoral fellow in CGB, is building on earlier studies of the psychosocial challenges facing individuals with Li-Fraumeni syndrome by expanding his studies to those with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. His primary goal is to develop psychosocial interventions for young people with high genetic risk of cancer. His mentors are Payal Khincha , M.B.B.S., M.S.H.S., and Sharon Savage, M.D.

Ms. Koestler, postbaccalaureate fellow in CGB, is helping with several human papillomavirus (HPV) genomics projects, specifically studying the distribution of genetic HPV 35 variants among cervical cancers around the world and particularly in women of African ancestry. Her mentor is Lisa Mirabello, Ph.D., M.S.

Dr. Landy, postdoctoral fellow in CGB, studies the natural history of human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancers, and the appropriate use of risk estimation methods when evaluating cancer screening. Her mentors are Anil Chaturvedi, Ph.D., and Hormuzd Katki, Ph.D.

Dr. Mendez, postdoctoral fellow in CGB, investigates accelerated aging and biomarkers of aging (specifically, telomere length) among people who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, under the mentorship of Shahinaz Gadalla, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Nelson, a research fellow in CGB, is working on studies within the DCEG Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Genomics Projects, with a focus on characterizing the molecular evolution of oncogenic HPVs and their relationships to disease progression. His mentor is Lisa Mirabello, Ph.D.

Mr. O'Donnell, postbaccalaureate fellow in CGB, is building and validating absolute risk prediction models for ovarian cancer, as well as investigating changes in biomarker levels due to different handling and processing procedures in blood specimens taken from Connect cohort volunteers. His mentor is Nicolas Wentzensen, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

Ms. Pearce, predoctoral fellow in CGB, studies telomere length measurement and how donor telomere length impacts recipient survival after hematopoietic cell transplantation. Her mentor is Sharon A. Savage, M.D.

Ms. Phillips, MRSP fellow in CGB, is evaluating markers for cervical cancer in self-collected specimens as well as polygenic risk scores for ovarian cancer, under the mentorship of Dr. Nicolas Wentzensen.  

Dr. Rising, research fellow in CGB, focuses her research on developing a better understanding of health behaviors, communication behaviors, and psychosocial needs of individuals and families living with cancer predisposition syndromes, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome and dyskeratosis congenita and related telomere biology disorders. Her mentors are Sharon A. Savage, M.D., and Payal Khincha, M.B.B.S., M.S.H.S.

Dr. Wijayabahu, postdoctoral fellow in CGB, focuses on understanding etiological relationships and modifiable risk factors of cancers that afflict women, with a special emphasis on endometrial cancer, under the mentorship of Megan Clarke, Ph.D.