2022 Cohort 

 

Tamara Cadet, PhD, LICSW, MPH

Affiliation: University of Pennsylvania

I applied to EIAP because  I want to become an independent investigator conducting cancer health disparities and EIAP is instrumental to making this happen.

In my spare time, I enjoy listening to smooth jazz, walking, binge watching Marvel shows on Netflix.

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for someone who is engaging and committed to the work of cancer health disparities that include patients/clients. I am looking for someone who will provide me with support as needed to get me thinking about my current and future research and possibilities  

 

Tara Castellano, MD

Affiliation: Louisiana State University

I applied to EIAP because  I am passionate about achieving my research goals and in order to further my research concepts through successful grant preparation and building good habits for grant writing.

In my spare time, I enjoy running, biking or soaking in the sights and sounds of my city.

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for a clinician that is approachable and pragmatic; someone who can teach through their lived experiences and anticipate my barriers by ‘knowing what we (as mentees) don’t know’. 

 

 

Huy Dinh, PhD

Affiliation: University of Wisconsin

I applied to EIAP because  I want to learn how to win an NCI R01 grant.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing with my son and reading.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for someone running a hybrid lab with a computational background who has been awarded NCI R01s related to cancer immunology and/or immunotherapy. It would be greatly appreciated if they have experience in neutrophils, myeloid cells and single-cell analysis.  

 

 

David Garcia, PhD

Affiliation: University of Arizona

I applied to EIAP because I want to continue my trajectory towards an independent research agenda focused on developing precision prevention and therapeutic lifestyle interventions for obesity-related cancers in Mexican-origin populations. I believe my participation in EIAP will afford me this opportunity and I look forward to this experience.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife (Shannon) and kids (Mateo and Stella).

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for someone that can provide me with an unbiased and objective feedback on my research proposals. Relevant expertise in community engaged research, mixed-methods multi-level lifestyle interventions, Mexican-origin populations, and cardiometabolic biomarkers would be helpful from a content expertise perspective  

 

Rachel Issaka, MD, MAS

Affiliation: University of Washington

I applied to EIAP because  I wanted to learn about tools and strategies that health services researchers use to successfully transition from K to recurring R awards.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, exercising, and traveling (once we can move about again safely).

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for individuals or groups who fulfill different purposes. Depending on the reason and season, this can vary from someone who will provide line by line feedback on a document to someone who can provide big-picture perspective and help me strategize to achieve my long-term career goals. Some common themes would be individuals or groups genuinely invested in my success and willing to invest their time, energy, and wisdom.  

 

Marquita Lewis-Thames, PhD

Affiliation: Northwestern University

I applied to EIAP to gain the skills and accountability to develop a compelling, timely, innovative, and fundable R01 proposal that aims to improve cancer survivorship outcomes and healthcare delivery for rural cancer patients and their caregivers.

In my spare time, I enjoy the great outdoors, physical activity, spending time with my husband and friends, and sleeping.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for someone who mentors to my weaknesses. I’m candid, thoughtful, and disciplined, but I do not pick up on context clues very well. Just be directive with me—platitudes or pleasantries are nice, but I may miss the message. As a disciplined and driven individual, I value a coaching mentor to help me cultivate my bigger picture. Help me see the "forest for the trees", kind of mentoring. Last, I am learning to advocate for myself, but I value a mentor that encourages me to shoot and aim higher and lets others know I am ideal for these opportunities. Last, I value a trustworthy and confidential mentor, at times when I need to be more human than researcher.  

 

 

Daniel Liefwalker, PhD

Affiliation: Oregon Health & Science University

I applied to EIAP  to improve and foster my career development activities, enhance my grantsmanship and other professional skills, and to engage and personally connect with a community of talented early-stage researchers.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, and gardening, reading, and enjoying the outdoors.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I seek someone that creates a mentor/mentee plan as a collaboration, and is able to adapt to my needs as new directions are explore, and someone who cultivates or challenges my personal growth in new areas.  

 

Angeles Lopez-Olivo, MD, PhD, MSc

Affiliation: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

I applied to EIAP because  the guidance through the grant-writing process will help me in drafting the different grant sections, the seminars will help me better understand the process of NIH review committees, the workshop will provide the feedback necessary to improve the grant sections prior to submitting the application, and the input from the mentors and the mock review will help me to refine the final document to be submitted.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and pets and listening to music.

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for a person I can trust with enough experience that can help me navigate through challenges, willing to invest in my growth, and who can provide both positive and negative feedback.  

 

Ray Mailhot, MD, MPH

Affiliation: University of Florida

I applied to EIAP because  my goal is to obtain R01 funding in the fall cycle, and I appreciate the intentionality with which EIAP is approaching early investigators from historically excluded populations. I am eager and hungry for mentorship and career development and to gain the skills I need to succeed to secure funding and realize my research dreams.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, traveling, weightlifting, and playing kickball.

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for an individual with an expertise in health services research, large databases, and healthcare disparities research. My clinical idea is focused on Hodgkin lymphoma for both pediatric and adult populations, but particular clinical knowledge would not be as requisite.  

 

Ursula Martinez, PhD

Affiliation: Moffitt Cancer Center

I applied to EIAP because I think it is an excellent opportunity to learn how to navigate the grant writing process having the support of peers and mentors.

In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new places and cultures.

What you are looking for in a mentor? guidance in refining my research question, feedback on application drafts, and support during the process (e.g., resources, advice on how to navigate the process).  

 

 

Laurie McLouth, PhD

Affiliation: University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Markey Cancer Center

I applied to EIAP because  I am trying to transition to an independent investigator. I have benefited from outstanding training opportunities and mentorship, but would benefit from continued, targeted mentoring and being connected to a group of peers who are at a similar career stage, face similar challenges, and have similar interests in diversity, equity, and inclusivity in cancer research. I hope to be a part of and support an emerging community conducting impactful cancer equity research.

In my spare time, I enjoy playing with our son, cooking, walking with our dogs, reading, playing board games and                                     cards, and working in the yard.

 What you are looking for in a mentor? an NCI-funded cancer prevention and control investigator or program officer with expertise in multilevel interventions, cancer care delivery research, or supportive care interventions for advanced stage cancer patients. I would love to connect with someone who has extended their work to examine equity in the context of interventions or implementation science. I would like to meet with someone who will review drafts, facilitate contact with other researchers who share methodological or population foci, and “sponsor” me by forwarding relevant opportunities and trainings and helping me be a part of other activities that would advance my career and professional development (e.g., joining the early career study section review program, helping with national workshops or seminars related to my research interests, etc.).  

 

Edjah Kweku-Ebura Nduom, MD

Affiliation: Emory University

I applied to EIAP because I wanted to join a community of diverse early stage investigators who are all striving to succeed as independent scientists.

In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family and friends, golfing, playing soccer, and eating out.

What you are looking for in a mentor?  I am looking for someone who understands the challenges of succeeding as an underrepresented minority surgeon-scientist (preferably neurosurgeon-scientist), while taking on significant                                     leadership roles, both locally and nationally/internationally. 

 

 

Esther Obeng, MD, PhD

Affiliation: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

I applied to EIAP because  I did not want to lose the advantage of applying for an NIH award with early investigator status and this program has the structure, guidance, and exposure to successful mentors that will help me build the best grantsmanship habits for a successful R01 submission.

In my spare time, I enjoy  being a COVID cliché and taking care of my French Bulldog puppy and aspiring to going back to working out at the gym.

What you are looking for in a mentor? someone that is approachable and has had experience mentoring junior faculty. I would like to work with someone that can be candid about the quality of my research plan and scientific writing but also provide advice on navigating the process of building a successful basic science research career in academia.  

 

Hatice Osmanbeyoglu, PhD

Affiliation: University of Pittsburgh

I applied to EIAP because  I'd like to enhance my professional skills and network with other scientists.

In my spare time, I enjoy  reading and walking

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for constructive feedback for my career and research advancement. 

 

 

Marjan Rafat, PhD

Affiliation: Vanderbilt University

I applied to EIAP because I am interested in honing my grant preparation skills for an R01 application, expanding my network, and having access to additional career development resources.

In my spare time, I enjoy trying new restaurants and new recipes.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for the following: the ability to give honest and constructive criticism, to provide detailed feedback, to point me to valuable resources, to support my career development, and to help me further build a community of mentors and colleagues if possible. 

 

 

Suhn Rhie, PhD

Affiliation: University of Southern California

I applied to EIAP because I would like to build my grant preparation skills, enhance my professional skills, and learn and grow by connecting with mentoring and peer network.

In my spare time, I enjoy listening to music, cooking, and baking.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for someone who can give me practical advice to write competitive grant applications, enhance professional skills to collaborate with other researchers, and effectively manage lab members from diverse backgrounds.  

 

 

Analiz Rodriguez, MD,PhD

Affiliation: University of Arkansas

I applied to EIAP because I am in the process of preparing for a R01 grant submission. I hope to gain skills that will aid me in having a successful application. I also look forward to joining a community that promotes research in cancer health disparities.

In my spare time, I enjoy trying to do new yoga poses, eating at new restaurants, watching TV/movies.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for someone who specializes in precision medicine and/or brain tumors. Ideally, a mentor would have experience with clinical translational work that is more clinical than mechanistic. I also would like to work with someone who can aid in clinical trial design.  

 

 

Julia Unternaehrer, PhD

Affiliation: Loma Linda University

I applied to EIAP because  it looks like an excellent way to improve the grant application that I will submit this year. I also look forward to interacting with all of the participants.

In my spare time, I enjoy  hiking in the Sierras and elsewhere, cooking, reading, and hanging out with my German shepherd.

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for advice on science and grantsmanship, openness, honesty, willingness to go over the details of a proposal.  

 

 

Ester Villalonga, PhD

Affiliation: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

I applied to EIAP because it is a unique opportunity to get feedback from NIH staff and improve my grant writing skills.

In my spare time, I enjoy  being with my children, discovering new restaurants with my friends, reading, working out, and traveling. I have lived in 5 different countries and have visited many more!

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for guidance, support and encouragement. I like feedback and constructive criticism from my mentors. I see constructive criticism as an opportunity to grow as a researcher.                                                

 

 

Angela Walter, PhD

Affiliation: University of Massachusetts Lowell

I applied to EIAP because  I need mentorship and guidance to successfully obtain NIH funding as a Principal Investigator to further disparities research on behavioral health interventions to improve alcohol, tobacco and other drug use (ATOD) and co-occurring mental illness in the cancer care continuum.

In my spare time, I enjoy  travelling and physical activity (running, hiking, cross training)

What you are looking for in a mentor? I am looking for expertise in the following: • Content: Behavioral health interventions to address substance use (alcohol and other drug use), mental health, and co-occurring communicable diseases (e.g., Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS) in the cancer care continuum • Methods: Implementation science • Setting: ECOG-ACRIN NCORP research network or similar networks supporting behavioral intervention research