2008 DCEG Summer Fellows

DCEG summer fellowships continue to provide bright and dedicated students with invaluable experience conducting cancer epidemiology and genetics research. This year DCEG accepted 29 students, making this the largest group of summer fellows to date.

Students worked on a range of research projects and presented their findings at the Tenth Annual DCEG Summer Recognition and Poster Event, organized by Kristin Kiser, M.H.A., Fellowship Program Coordinator in the Office of Education (OE). The event featured posters by 16 students, who also participated in the NIH Summer Student Poster Session. A recognition ceremony and discussion with Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr., M.D., DCEG Director, Shelia Hoar Zahm, Sc.D., DCEG Deputy Director, and Jackie Lavigne, Ph.D., M.P.H., Chief of OE, concluded the day.

Students interested in applying for 2009 summer fellowships at DCEG may submit an application to the NIH Summer Application site starting in mid-November. Students with a specific interest in cancer epidemiology and genetics are encouraged to learn more about DCEG research and complete a supplemental application.

Reflections from 2008 DCEG Summer Fellows

“This summer has been terrific! The summer fellowship isn’t just a way of doing hands-on projects, but also it provides an opportunity for networking with other students and investigators, learning how the Division operates and how scientists apply their knowledge to different projects and their lifestyles. The mentors here are the best of the best.” –Katherine Lin

“I especially enjoyed the poster presentations at DCEG as I was able to share the knowledge I gained from my lab while learning from other students about the research they were involved in over the summer. This new knowledge helped me see that the genotyping I was performing was truly helping the various cancer studies occurring across DCEG.” –Hiren Mistry

“I appreciated the guidance of my mentors because without their enthusiasm, I wouldn’t have learned as much as I did. I enjoyed being part of the research that I know will continue after I leave, and I’m glad that I have made a contribution.” –Julia Tse

“My summer here at NIH has truly been a unique and enriching learning experience. It’s such an amazing place with lots of intellectual candy to nibble on.” –Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk

“This summer internship was an unforgettable experience, and I plan on coming back next summer to continue this exciting research!” –Alexander Fischer

“I have really enjoyed my work experience here at NCI, and the work I have done this past summer has really opened my eyes to a very intriguing career field.” –Dara Khatib

—Kristin Kiser, M.H.A.

DCEG summer fellows and mentors

DCEG Summer Fellows and Their Mentors

Priya Baliga, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. Mentor: Maureen C. Hatch, Ph.D. (Radiation Epidemiology Branch [REB])

Madeleine Blank, University of Michigan School of Public Health. Mentor: Yikyung Park, Sc.D. (Nutritional Epidemiology Branch [NEB])

Amanda Bowes, Bryn Mawr College. Mentor: Ruth A. Kleinerman, M.P.H. (REB)

Jacob Calcei, Kenyon College. Mentor: Jesus Gonzalez-Bosquet, M.D., Ph.D. (Laboratory of Translational Genomics [LTG])

Maria C. Camargo, University of Illinois at Chicago. Mentors: Charles S. Rabkin, M.D., and Hui-Lee Wong, Ph.D. (Infections and Immunoepidemiology Branch [IIB])

Cyril William Draffin, Winston Churchill High School. Mentors: Jun Fang, M.D., Ph.D., and Laufey Amundadottir, Ph.D. (LTG)

Alexander Fischer, University of Maryland, College Park. Mentor: Dalsu Baris, M.D., Ph.D. (Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch [OEEB])

Allison Gathany, Yale University School of Public Health. Mentor: Sophia S. Wang, Ph.D. (Hormonal and Reproductive Epidemiology Branch [HREB])

Alison Glassman, Florida State University. Mentor: Dr. Park

Matthew Herman, Washington University in St. Louis. Mentors: Jorge R. Toro, M.D. (Genetic Epidemiology Branch), and Ming-Hui Wei (SAIC)

Sarah Kramer, Walt Whitman High School. Mentor: Dr. Amundadottir

Katherine Lin, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Mentors: Mary H. Ward, Ph.D. (OEEB), and Sonya Heltshe, Ph.D. (Biostatistics Branch [BB])

Jacqueline Major, University of California, San Diego. Mentor: Demetrius Albanes, M.D. (NEB)

Christina McIntosh, Spelman College. Mentors: Philip S. Rosenberg, Ph.D., and William F. Anderson, M.D., M.P.H. (BB)

Alison Meisner, University of Connecticut. Mentors: Dr. Rosenberg and Lee E. Moore, Ph.D. (OEEB)

Samantha Miner, Middletown High School. Mentor: Allan Hildesheim, Ph.D. (IIB)

Hiren Mistry, Richard Montgomery High School. Mentor: Amy Hutchinson, M.S. (Core Genotyping Facility)

Julia Molony, University of Minnesota Graduate School. Mentor: Ethel S. Gilbert, Ph.D. (REB)

Brietta Oaks, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. Mentor: Rachael Z. Stolzenberg-Solomon, M.P.H., Ph.D. (NEB)

Leah Pedoeim, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, and Dara Khatib, Winston Churchill High School. Mentor: Farin Kamangar, M.D., Ph.D. (NEB)

Jessica Rinsky, University of Kentucky College of Public Health. Mentor: Dr. Moore

Jamie Ritchey, University of South Carolina School of Public Health. Mentor: Ann W. Hsing, Ph.D. (HREB)

Anushi Shah, Syracuse University. Mentors: Sam M. Mbulaiteye, M.D., and Mercy Guech-Ongey, Ph.D. (IIB)

Julia Tse, Dartmouth College. Mentor: Dr. Anderson

Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mentor: June A. Peters, M.S., C.G.C. (Clinical Genetics Branch [CGB])

Aaron Wacholder, Stanford University. Mentor: Liudimla Prokunina-Olsson, Ph.D. (LTG)

Sarah Weinstein, University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Mentor: Neelam Giri, M.D. (CGB)

Sara Wichner, University of Chicago. Mentor: Peter D. Inskip, Sc.D. (REB)