What I’m Doing on My “Summer Vacation” – Research!
Several members of the Class of 2021 will be busy doing research over the summer, including John Vandenberge, who received a 2018 American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Summer Intern Scholarship in Cardiothoracic Surgery from the AATS Foundation to work with Paul Kurlansky, M.D., associate professor of surgery at Columbia University, studying mechanical circulatory support in advanced heart failure patients, observing surgical techniques and joining in daily clinical rounding to learn more about patient management. In addition, seven students received summer research fellowships from UVM’s Cardiovascular Research Institute, including:
- Juan Conde, who will conduct research on “Smoking, Stroke Biomarkers and Risk of Stroke in a National Cohort” with mentorship from Professor of Medicine Mary Cushman, M.D., M.Sc.;
- Jennifer Holland, who will study “Epicardial Mapping in Atrial Fibrillation” with mentor Peter Spector, M.D., professor of medicine;
- Kristen Keene, who will be focusing on “Re-defining Chronic Hypertension in Pregnancy” with mentorship from Erin Morris, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences;
- Kathryn Kurchena, whose project with mentor Harold Dauerman, M.D., professor of medicine, is titled “Biomarkers of Bleeding and Thrombosis in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)”;
- Matthew Lebow, who will research “Outcomes of Emergency Department Patients with Delayed Diagnosis and Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism” with mentor Neil Zakai, M.D., associate professor of medicine;
- Sean Meagher, who will study “Vaso-protective Treatment for Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury after Acute Myocardial Infarction” with mentorship from Jeffrey Spees, Ph.D., professor of medicine; and
- Hannah Woodruff, who will work with mentor Ira Bernstein, M.D., chair of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, on “Examining Arterial Stiffness in Women with a History of Preeclampsia.”