Want to know what it's like to be in the MSTP? Ask one of our students!
Sunny Eoh
- Entering Class: 2024
- PhD Program: Genetics & Genomics
- Undergraduate Institution: University of Southern California
- Hometown: New York, NY
- Research Interests: My research interest lie in investigating the role of enteric glia, part of the enteric nervous system, in colorectal cancer tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis.
- About Me: I love going on hikes at the Metro Parks and watching musicals at Playhouse Square in Cleveland! You can also catch me cooking food and preparing treats for my friends and family.
- Comment about the MSTP program: CWRU's MSTP is amazing in the welcoming and supportive environment that we cultivate. I have never seen a group of admin and students more driven by the desire to provide mentorship and guidance through both the highs and lows of graduate school.
Email Sunny at yxe39@case.edu
Sophia Gavalas
- Entering Class: 2024
- PhD Program: Pathology
- Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia
- Hometown: Dunwoody, GA
- Research Interests: Identifying and characterizing molecular mechanisms of disease with a specific interest in hematologic malignancies.
- About me: I have several hobbies that I love to work on during my free time. Making things by hand has always been something that I enjoy. I love to crochet and knit, paint and draw, and even tried pottery for the first time this year at a local studio in Cleveland. I also enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. There are so many wonderful farmers markets nearby, including West Side Market, that are always full of seasonal fresh produce and quality ingredients. When I’m not crafting or cooking, I’m usually curled up at home with a cup of coffee and a good book next to my cat, Ivan, who I rescued during undergrad. I love exploring the local book shops to find my next great read!
- Comment about the MSTP program: Moving across the country for medical school was something I didn’t originally expect when going through my medical school application cycle. I remember having my interview with Case MSTP and feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for how welcoming and genuine the students and faculty were. I could sense that Case MSTP fosters a strong environment of support that allows students to not only be successful in academics and research, but truly thrive as budding physician-scientists. This is ultimately the reason why I chose to come here and I’m incredibly thankful that I did. Cleveland as a city also has so many wonderful things to offer including a great food scene, performing arts, cultural diversity, scenic parks and nature trails, and local sporting events. Some of my favorite memories since starting the program have been exploring new things in Cleveland and bonding with classmates from my MSTP cohort. We’ve supported each other throughout the first two years of medical school, shared study resources, hosted potlucks and game nights, celebrated birthdays, and grown together as close friends. I’m grateful that I get to experience Case MSTP with such a wonderful group of people by my side
Email Sophia at stg57@case.edu
Uyen Mai
- Entering Class: 2024
- PhD Program: Clinical Translational Sciences
- Undergraduate Institution: University of California- Irvine
- Hometown: Camarillo, CA
- Research Interests: Cancer epidemiology, Health disparities, Preventative health
- About me: I was born in Vietnam and grew up in southern California (West Coast = best coast!). I went to undergrad at UC Irvine, where I studied public health sciences, international studies, and philosophy. I’ve brought a lot of those interests here to Cleveland, from conducting public health research to supporting asylum-seekers as part of the Human Rights Initiative. Being in the CWRU MSTP has afforded me many opportunities to explore new hobbies (dancing/singing in DocOpera, trying out pottery, learning how to bake cakes) while also making time for my previous interests! In my spare time, I love traveling locally and abroad, baking French pastries, going to classical/rock/pop concerts, and exploring new restaurants with my friends. There is so much to do and explore in Cleveland!
- Comment about the MSTP program: I feel so lucky to be pursuing my MD-PhD at Case MSTP. There are a wide variety of research mentors to work with, and they are all enthusiastic about working with MSTP students. The MSTP administrative staff are also warm and welcoming; I always feel like everything is going to be okay because they’re always making sure we feel supported. Most of all, I love spending time with the diverse community of MSTP students who bring a lot of energy to the program – celebrating birthdays, spending holidays together, and having board game nights!
Email Uyen at utm@case.edu
Tommy Nguyen
- Entering Class: 2024
- PhD Program: Pharmacology
- Undergraduate Institution: University of Pennsylvania
- Hometown: Atlanta, GA
- Research Interests: Drug delivery, Precision oncology
- About me: If I am not in the lab, you’ll probably find my in the kitchen or crafting. I love baking, anything from sourdough bread to brown butter chocolate chip cookies. I am currently on journey to learn how to make the perfect macrons! I also love to draw and crochet whenever I have free time, which has been especially helpful for the Cleveland winters. I am also a huge coffee enthusiast, so I spend many mornings choosing from my collection of espresso beans for the day and perfecting my latte art! A fun fact about me is that I climbed an active volcano in Hawaii!
- Comment about the MSTP program: I chose Case MSTP because of its incredibly interdisciplinary and diverse research and medical environment, emphasis on work-life balance, and early exploration of career opportunities. One thing I appreciate most about Case MSTP is the strong sense of support and collaboration between faculty and students. They are truly there for you 100% when it comes to picking out mentors, growing as a graduate student, and learning to balance the clinician-scientist career. Case MSTP particularly shines in having an approved mentor process, ensuring your mentors understand the MD-PhD route, unique timeline, and requirements. This tremendously helps when it comes to balancing clinical requirements, STEP studying, and career exploration during your grad school phase.
Email Tommy at thn40@case.edu
Juliana Condoleo
- Entering Class: 2023
- PhD Program: Pharmacology
- Advisor: Sudha Chakrapani, PhD
- Undergraduate Institution: John Hopkins University
- Hometown: Lynbrook, NY
- Research Interests: My research interests are in drug discovery for neurological diseases.
- About me: I am from Long Island, New York, and went to undergrad at Johns Hopkins University where I majored in Neuroscience and Sociology. In my free time in Cleveland, I enjoy trying out the many coffee shops in the different neighborhoods, attending fun local events (Guardians and Cavaliers Games, Picklefest, local concerts), exploring the Cleveland Metroparks/Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and trying out new restaurants. I also got a dog during my time in Cleveland, he is a Mini-Bernedoodle named Alfie with lots of energy and he loves walks, especially out in the snow!
- Comment about the MSTP program: I have really enjoyed getting to know the MSTP students across all the different class years! All of the students have been incredibly welcoming and willing to give advice for the different stages of the program. I have also found the MSTP program directors to be extremely helpful in getting adjusted to the program, choosing a lab, and balancing med school activities with grad school. We have had ample advisors from the MSTP, grad school, med school, and students in the later years that have helped navigate the program and offer support. Also, the many events that the MSTP hosts is a great way to get to know the other students and forms a great community to be a part of!
Email Juliana at jmc406@case.edu
Mahip Kalra
- Entering Class: 2023
- PhD Program: Pharmacology
- Advisor: Johannes von Lintig, PhD
- Undergraduate Institution: Vanderbilt University
- Hometown: Huntsville, AL
- Research Interests: Vision, Protein-protein interactions, Pharmaceuticals
- About me: I've moved around a lot in my life, so the time I will be spending in Cleveland is the longest I'll be in one place by a wide margin. Currently, my hobbies are golf, chess, and various board games, but these change with the seasons! I'm also a huge foodie, so I've been slowly compiling my go to places for each cuisine in Cleveland.
- Comment about the MSTP program: Favorite memory so far: Winning the intramural softball championship with a walk-off home run after being down 4 runs to start the inning. Faculty/student environment: Fantastic! I love the people I have grown to call my friends within the MD and MSTP programs and faculty are always open to making time for you if you need it. Why I chose Case: I was sold on the program during revisit after hearing about the positive experience from all of the students, the flexibility the curriculum offers you, the training and research opportunities available to you being part of four hospital networks, and after walking into the HEC I knew this was going to be my next home.
Email Mahip at mxk934@case.edu
Kayla Klatt
- Entering Class: 2022
- PhD Program: Pathology (Immunology Training Program)
- Advisor: Reshmi Parameswaran, PhD
- Undergraduate Institution: John Hopkins University
- Hometown: Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
- Research Interests: Cancer Immunology, Autoimmunity, NK Cell Biology, CAR-T Cell Therapy
- About me: I grew up in the suburbs of northern New Jersey and studied Molecular & Cellular Biology at Johns Hopkins University, where I also spent two gap years researching how post-translational modifications regulate chromosome dynamics during meiosis. At CWRU, I’m studying the mechanisms that shape lymphocyte biology in cancer and autoimmunity and how these insights can be used to improve CAR-T and CAR-NK cell therapies. Outside the lab, I love playing pickleball at Forest Hills Park, walking my dog around Little Italy, and checking out special exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Comment about the MSTP program: What stands out most about the CWRU MSTP is the genuine excitement everyone has for helping each other and celebrating each other’s successes. This supportive culture spans classmates, students from different cohorts, and the MSTP administration. I’ve really appreciated how my peers and advisors have encouraged me to explore diverse extracurricular activities that align with my professional interests. MSTP students are incredibly engaged, not just in the program itself, but also in building community and taking on leadership roles across the school.
Email Kayla at krk110@case.edu
Jacob Ingber
- Entering Class: 2021
- PhD Program: Pathology/ Immunology
- Advisor: Robert Fairchild, PhD
- Undergraduate Institution: Washington and Lee University
- Hometown: Oak Park, CA
- Research Interests: I am primarily interested in inflammatory cell death, and more broadly the immune response to infection.
- About me: I grew up in Los Angeles, CA before moving to Virginia for college. After college, I took two years before coming to CWRU to get a master’s in immunology. In my free time I love to cook and explore the restaurants and breweries around Cleveland. I also enjoy walking around the many parks and hiking trails around Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
- Comment about the MSTP program: My favorite thing about the Case MSTP is that it truly is a community - from your class, to the older students, faculty, and directors, everyone is there to support you and make you feel at home. The array of interests that you can pursue here, both personally and professionally, is amazing, and you are surrounded by faculty, administrators, and students who are there to help you figure it all out.
Email Jacob at jji20@case.edu