The Brigham Research in Infectious Disease and Global Engagement (BRIDGE) Summer Fellowship Program is a 7-week summer research experience in infectious diseases and global health for college students and recent college graduates from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. The first year of this program included 7 interns selected from over 250 applicants nationally. Each intern participated in a mentored experience in basic science, clinical or translational research.
Project themes varied and spanned the following topics:
- Bacterial and fungal diagnostic development
- Pathophysiology of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)
- Intersection of HIV and obesity
- Basic COVID-19 and HIV research
- Transplant infectious diseases
Interns also participated in a tailored weekly lecture series that included dedicated learning about the fundamentals of research, career paths in medicine and global public health, and preparation for health careers, culminating in a presentation by Brigham and Women’s Hospital President Dr. Robert Higgins. The summer experience concluded with a research presentation by each intern, attended by division faculty and peers.
One of the objectives of the BRIDGE program is for mentor-mentee relationships to persist even after the formal internship ends, with ongoing support as mentees pursue postgraduate degrees and job opportunities.
The Harvard University Center for AIDS Research is proud to support the Brigham Research in Infectious Disease and Global Engagement (BRIDGE) Summer Fellowship Program. This year, the program includes 12 interns, and HU CFAR is supporting 5 of the students this summer which includes students mentored by Abigail Batchelder and Peter Chai. Here’s a list of the students with their mentors:
- Emily Afriyie (junior at Tufts, studying chemistry, would prefer epi research but has wet lab experience) | Mentor: Ann E. Woolley, MD, MPH
- Mariana Bouchan (freshman at Duke) focus is on lab or translational research | Mentor: Benjamin E. Gewurz, MD, PhD
- Deja Clement (getting PhD in psychology) is interested in HIV/substance use | Mentor: Abigail (Abby) Batchelder, PhD, MPH
- Lauren Elvrum (junior at BC) is interested in community/mental/public health; HIV; open to SUD research | Mentor: Lisa A. Cosimi, MD
- Whitney Ford (post-college gap year) js interested in HIV or ID-onc (more interested in clinical/translational but has some lab experience | Mentor: Malika Aid-Boudries, PhD
- Tosin Ariwodula (first-year at Meharry med school) is interested in HIV/substance use or other community/public health-focused research | Mentor: Peter R. Chai, MD, MS
- Jeriel Garcia (senior at Salem State) primary interests are HIV (or onc), lab or clinical | Mentors: Amy C. Sherman, MD; Stephen R. Walsh, MD, MDCM
- Karina Garcia (senior at UCLA) has a preference for Clin/epi research but also open to the lab | Mentor: Sophia Koo, MD
- Javier Huerta (first-year MPH student at OHSU) interests are clin/epi, HIV/chronic diseases (has experience with analyzing data) | Mentors: Jen Manne-Goehler, MD, ScD; Andrea Ciaranello, MD, MPH
- Nicholas Malone (post-college gap year) is mainly interested in HIV research (clinical or lab) | Mentor: Athe M. Tsibris, MD
- Anadela Navarrete Gomez is especially interested in COVID | Mentor: Jonathan Z. Li, MD
- Chantelle Yazzie (senior at Utah Valley University) has a preference for clin/epi | Pritha Sen, MD
Special Thanks To Our Sponsors
- Dr. Robert SD Higgins, MD, MSHA, President, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Dr. Daniel R. Kuritzkes, MD, Chair Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Dr. Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD, Harvard University CFAR Co-Director and Principal Investigator
- Dr. Athe M. Tsibris, MD, HU CFAR Developmental & Mentoring Core Co-Director
- Dr. Ingrid V. Bassett, MD, MPH, MGH Center for Global Health, Infectious Disease
- Dr. Shahin Lockman, MD, Infectious Disease, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Dr. Lindsey R. Baden, MD, Vice President of Clinical Research, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Dr. Jamie H. Maguire, MD, Infectious Disease, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
- Dr. Jonathan Z. Li, MD Infectious Disease, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
Please email them with donations to the 2024 Brigham Research in Infectious Disease and Global Engagement (BRIDGE) Summer Fellowship Program at bridge@bwh.Harvard.edu and for more information on the BRIDGE.