Class of 2026 Showcases Research Projects at 16th Annual Research Day

Congratulations to the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University Class of 2026 for their exceptional research projects that were presented during the 16^th annual CCLCM Research Day, March 13.

This year’s keynote speaker was Debra Dixon, MD, MS (‘16), Assistant Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Dixon presented “The Path of a Physician-Scientist: Investigating the Stages of Heart Failure.” She currently works as a physician-scientist and noninvasive cardiologist, with a focus on cardiovascular imaging. Dr. Dixon’s research has been published in high impact journals including JACC: Heart Failure, Circulation and JAMA: Cardiology, and she serves on national committees within the American Heart Association, Association of Black Cardiologists and American Society for Clinical Investigation.

The graduating students’ names, titles of their research work and names of their research mentors are listed below.

Class of 2026 oral research presentations

Meghana Iyer

Genetic and Epigenetic Drivers of Sex Differences in Vascular Disease: Uncovering Sex-Specific Mechanisms Through a Multi-Omics Approach

Mentor: Paul Cheng MD, PhD

Nandan Kodur

Prognostic Value of Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Heart Failure with Recovered Ejection Fraction

Mentor: W.H. Wilson Tang, MD

Kieran Lewis

A Split Renal Function-Based Approach for Predicting New-Baseline GFR Following Radical Nephroureterectomy

Mentor: Steven Campbell, MD

Temiloluwa Oladeji, BSc

Investigating The Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists Versus Metformin in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Management

Mentor: Mindy Christianson, MD

Victoria Rogness

Long-Term Outcomes of Single-Agent Ibrutinib in High-Risk Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia With 10-Year Follow-Up

Mentor: Adrian Wiestner, MD, PhD

Alan Shen

Photodynamic Therapy and Vitamin D Modulation of the Immune Response in Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Insights from Murine SCC and Human BC

Mentor: Edward Maytin, MD, PhD

Class of 2026 poster presentations

Miranda Arakelian

BMI and Pain Jointly Moderate Ketamine Antidepressant Response in Treatment-resistant Depression

Mentor: Carlos Zarate, MD

Chloe Borden

Utilization of Predictive Modeling to Maximize Benefits of Genetic Testing for Patients with Kidney Disease

Mentor: Xiangling Wang, MD, PhD

Kelly Bowen

Evaluating Racial and Sex-Based Disparities in the Liver Transplantation Process for Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Mentor: Christina Lindenmeyer, MD

August Culbert

Pre-infusion Risk Factors Predict Severe Infectious Complications of CAR T-cell Therapy in Pediatric and Adult Patients with B-ALL

Mentor: Nirali N. Shah, MD, MHSc

R’ay Fodor

Surgical Reconstruction in Patients with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp

Mentor: Bahar Bassiri Gharb, MD, PhD

Alan Gordillo

Microglia Depletion Demonstrates a Time-dependent but Sex-independent Decrease in Survival in a Murine Model of Glioblastoma

Mentor: Justin Lathia, PhD

Maria Gorenflo

Characterizing the Transient Association Between Arginase and Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase in Bacillus Subtilis

Mentor: Paola Laurino, PhD

Martina Hale

Leveling the Playing Field: How Do Sport and Graft Selection Influence Differences in Male and Female Return to Activity After ACL Reconstruction?

Mentor: Kurt Spindler, MD

Hannah Hong

Assessing Real-time Drug and CAR T-cell Therapy Response using Patient-derived Tumor Organoids and Identifying Therapeutic Targets for Cholangiocarcinoma

Mentor: Jan Jospeh Melenhorst, PhD

Emily Knott

Evaluation of a Simplified Prostate MRI Extraprostatic Extension Score

Mentor: Andrei Purysko, MD

Wilhemina Koomson

Identification of de novo Germline Mutations in Neurological Diseases Using Trio-Based Whole-exome Sequencing

Mentor: Ashleigh Schaffer, PhD

Lydia Lewis neé DeAngelo

Sex Differences in Left Ventricular Remodeling and Adverse Outcomes in Chronic Aortic Regurgitation: A Multicenter Cardiac MRI Study

Mentor: Deborah Kwon, MD

Roshan Lodha

Development, Validation, and Deployment of Path2Space: A Deep-learning Framework to Infer Spatial Transcriptomics from Histopathology in Breast Cancer

Mentor: Eytan Ruppin, MD, PhD

Nitesh Mohan

Analysis of Fundus Photographs for Prediction of Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Quantitative Retinal Vascular Characterization

Mentor: Sumit Sharma MD

Leila Momtazi-Marneé Bushweller

Socioeconomic Disadvantage is Associated With Significantly Impaired Semen Parameters and Increased Risk of Male Infertility

Mentor: Scott D. Lundy, MD, PhD

Kelsey Ouyang

Characterizing Clinical and Molecular Differences in Merkel Cell Carcinoma in Organ Transplant Recipients

Mentor: Bryan T. Carroll, MD, PhD

Scott W. Perkins

Compartmental Segmentation and Feature Characterization Utilizing Deep Learning for Biomarker Discovery and Predictive Assessment of Geographic Atrophy Development and Progression in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Mentor: Justis P. Ehlers, MD

Nikhil Pramod

Genomic and Molecular Features of High-risk Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Correlated to 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT Uptake

Mentor: Adam Sowalsky, PhD

Michael S. Ramos

Mid-Term Survivorship and Subsidence of Modular Fluted Tapered Stems in Aseptic Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: Reoperation, Re-revision, and Risk Factors for Failure in a Cohort of 316 Patients

Mentor: Nicolas Piuzzi, MD

Conor Reid

Enhancing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Response through Real-Time EEGTriggered Paired Associative Stimulation of Mu Rhythm

Mentor: Sarah “Holly” Lisanby, MD

Matthew J. Schulgit

The Utilization of Retinal Imaging Findings to Assess Risk of Sequalae of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Mentor: Sunil K. Srivastava, MD

Betemariam Sharew

Arrhythmic Mitral Valve Prolapse: Arrhythmic Burden and Mortality Following Valve Repair

Mentor: Joanna Chikwe, MD

Jeffrey Shu

Repeat Multiplex PCR Gastrointestinal Panel Testing Within 14 days Yields Minimal Additional Diagnostic Information: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Mentor: Abhishek Deshpande MD, PhD

Mario Cyriac Tchaya Tcheukado

Outcomes of Salvage Radiation Therapy for Recurrent Grade 1 Meningiomas

Mentor: Varun R. Kshettry, MD

Claudia Walker-Arefeayne

Characterizing patterns and determinants of sodium glucose cotransporter-2

Mentor: Modele Ogunniyi, MD, MPH

Alison Zhao

Characterization of systemic risk factors and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging microsegmentation biomarkers associated with retinal vein occlusion

Mentor: Rishi P. Singh, MD

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CCLCM Research Day is a powerful celebration of the curiosity, rigor and dedication of the graduating class. The students’ projects reflect not only their commitment to advancing medical science and improving patient care but also the invaluable guidance of their research mentors, whose expertise and steady support helps shape each investigation. Together, students and mentors exemplify the collaborative spirit at the heart of CCLCM and the enduring impact of mentorship on training the next generation of physician investigators.

Photo credit: Matt Kohlmann