Meet Our Trainees
The Clinician Investigator Training Program draws residents and fellows from across the U.S. and around the world. Meet our current trainees and learn about their focus and research interests.
Chief fellows
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Jenny Cao, M.B., B.Chir.Hometown: New Zealand Undergraduate school: University of Cambridge Medical school: University of Cambridge Residency program: Mayo Clinic, Rochester Subspecialty: Cardiovascular medicine Principle investigator: Dr. Naveen Pereira Research project/interests: Clinical translation of AI and multi-omics to advance individualized patient care. Why Mayo? Exceptional dedication to patient care, training and research opportunities Why a CI? Protected research time early in training to build a strong foundation for an academic career Interests/hobbies: Playing the piano, traveling, and spending time outdoors in nature Favorite things to do in Rochester: Lakeside walks, Thursdays Downtown, exploring cuisines Ideal practice: Academic cardiologist integrating clinical cardiology, research and teaching responsibilities. |
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Steven Tessier, M.D., M.S.Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania (originally from Montreal, Canada) Undergraduate school: Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Medical school: Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University/St. Luke's University Hospital Residency program: Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Subspecialty: Hematology and oncology Principle investigator: Dr. Mithun V. Shah Research project/interests: Targeting KIF18A as a Novel Therapeutic Vulnerability in TP53-Mutated Myeloid Neoplasms Why Mayo? Mayo Clinic offers unlimited resources, outstanding clinical training, a highly productive research environment, and the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with world experts. The staff are exceptionally supportive and genuinely invested in career development. Why a CI? To build on my research foundation during training and gain the momentum needed to achieve research/funding independence as an academic faculty member. Interests/hobbies: Fly fishing and reading/collecting books Favorite thing to do in Rochester: Dining out with family and fly fishing for trout Ideal practice: Academic with combined clinical care and research, including running a laboratory |
Fellows
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Richa Bisht, M.D.Hometown: Tampa, Florida Undergraduate school: University of South Florida Medical school: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (B.S./M.D. Program) Residency program: Mayo Clinic General Surgery Subspecialty: No associated fellowship linked with CI; my subspecialty research/surgical interests include surgical oncology and colorectal surgery Principle investigators: Dr. Cornelius Thiels, Dr. Susanne Warner, Dr. William Perry, and others Research project/interests: Surgical outcomes in pancreas cancer, small bowel neuroendocrine tumor, and abdominal sarcomas, intersection of surgery and mental health, registry data automation, surgical outcomes, and artificial intelligence. Why Mayo? Mayo has an abundance of opportunities and mentors who are happy to support your unique interests clinically or through research. Why a CI? CI has allowed me to develop my research skills and pursue additional learning opportunities. Interests/Hobbies: Reading, learning new languages, watching new TV shows or films, spending time with friends and family Favorite things to do in Rochester: Enjoy the summer by attending Thursdays on First, trying new restaurants or different items on the menu, taking road trips to nearby towns Ideal practice: I would like to stay busy clinically but still continue dedicated time for multidisciplinary research |
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George Cholack, M.D., M.S.Hometown: Northville, Michigan Undergraduate school: University of Michigan Medical school: Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Residency program: Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Subspecialty: Hem/Onc Principle investigator: Jim Cerhan, M.D., Ph.D. Research project/Interests: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, biomarkers Why Mayo? I chose Mayo because of the excellent clinical experience I knew I would obtain along with robust research infrastructure, particularly for lymphoma Why a CI? I knew in medical school that I wanted to be a physician-scientist with a significant portion of my career dedicated to research. I just loved the thrill of making new discoveries and continuing new knowledge to the field. Interests/Hobbies: Piano, classical music, hiking, biking, and tennis Favorite things to do in Rochester: Hiking trails, biking, and tennis Ideal practice: Academic |
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Ozan Dikilitas, M.D.Hometown: Istanbul, Turkiye Medical school: Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University of Medicine Residency program: Mayo Clinic Subspecialty: Cardiovascular medicine Principle investigator: Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. (primary mentor) Research project/Interests: My research sits at the intersection of cardiovascular genetics, precision medicine, and AI/ML. I work on understanding the genetic architecture of a broad spectrum of cardiovascular conditions, such as atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, SCAD, cardiomyopathies, and channelopathies. I am especially interested in integrating monogenic and polygenic signals and building computational tools — from polygenic risk scores to EHR-based foundation models — that refine risk stratification across diverse populations and translate genomic insight into clinical risk prediction that improves patient and family care. Why Mayo? I have been inspired by my mentors and the physicians I have worked with during my time at Mayo Clinic, first as a visiting medical student and research fellow and now as a clinician investigator. I have seen firsthand how the values of discipline, excellence, and collaboration are upheld with dedication to patient-centered care, and Mayo's genetic cardiology program offers an unmatched setting to pursue genomics that reaches the bedside. Why a CI? I chose to become a clinician investigator to fulfill my passion for directly impacting patient care while concurrently advancing the field of cardiovascular genomics. My ambition is to lead my own research program that bridges the gap between advances in cardiovascular genomics and their practical implementation in the clinical setting. Interests/Hobbies: Programming, electronics (circuit design, Arduino), mechanical keyboards, photography, and traveling Favorite things to do in Rochester: Exploring the local coffee shops and restaurants downtown, staying active at the gym, spending time with friends, and enjoying the parks and trails when the weather cooperates. Ideal practice: A physician-scientist practice in both general and genetic cardiology, paired with leading a computational cardiovascular genomics research program. |
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Joseph Kim, M.D., Ph.D.Hometown: Suwon, South Korea Undergraduate school: Georgia Institute of Technology Medical school: McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston Residency program: Mayo Clinic Florida Subspecialty Hematology and Oncology Interests/hobbies: Traveling, exploring new restaurants, board games, soccer and follow OKC Thunder (NBA) Favorite things to do in Jacksonville: Taking family trips to the zoo and Orlando (Legoland, Busch Gardens, etc) Principle investigator: John Copland, Ph.D. Research projects/interests: My research focuses on translational nanomedicine, specifically developing targeted PLGA-PEG nanoparticles for drug delivery. The goal is to reduce the off-target effects of chemotherapeutic and antimetabolic drugs without compromising treatment efficacy. Why Mayo? I was drawn to Mayo Clinic's unparalleled commitment to patient-centered care and its highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. The robust infrastructure for translational research and the supportive mentorship at the Florida campus provide the ideal setting to grow as a physician-scientist. Why a CI? The Clinician Investigator Training Program offers the protected time and resources necessary to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and clinical application. It is the perfect avenue to seamlessly integrate my Ph.D. background in therapeutics and pharmacology with my clinical focus in hematology and oncology. Ideal practice: An academic medical center practice where I can operate as an independent physician-scientist leading a translational research laboratory focused on nanomedicine and targeted therapies, while directly applying those advancements to the clinical care of oncology patients. |
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Frank Lee, M.D.Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania Undergraduate school: Duke University Medical school: University of South Florida Residency program: General surgery Subspecialty: Interested in abdominal transplant, surgical oncology, HPB Principle investigator: Cornelius Thiels, D.O., M.B.A. Research project/Interests: Early prediction of disease with artificial intelligence; automating surgical workflow with AI, surgical outcomes including transplant-related, cancer quality of life, bias, fairness, and ethics Why Mayo? There were numerous surgeons, physicians, fellows, and senior residents who I met as a rotating medical student here, and I said to myself, I want to be like them when I grow up, and that’s why I came to Mayo. Why a CI? Learning how to do research, critically think and evaluate the literature, and dedicate yourself to an idea or question. Interests/Hobbies: Traveling, cooking, working out, wine Favorite things to do in Rochester: Hanging out with friends, exploring neighboring towns, hiking, and eating out Ideal practice: Large academic/university setting where I am part of a practice group that pushes the envelope on what’s possible surgically in advancing cancer or transplant care. I would like to operate nearly every day and answer clinically relevant, patient-focused questions ranging from healthcare policy to clinical trials and AI. |
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Michael Rigby, M.D., Ph.D.Hometown: Glen Ellyn, Illinois Undergraduate school: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Medical school: University of Wisconsin, Madison Residency program: Adult neurology Subspecialty: Movement disorders Principle investigator: Rodolfo Savica, M.D., Ph.D. Research project/Interests: Biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction in early-onset Parkinson’s disease Why Mayo? Unparalleled access to clinical data and biorepositories for bench to bedside research. Why a CI? Protected and mentored research time to launch a career as a physician-scientist. Interests/Hobbies: Gardening, hunting, reading/watching Sci-Fi Favorite thing to do in Rochester: Relax at Café Aqui, go to the park with my family Ideal practice: Majority research time in my own basic and translational laboratory and seeing patients in movement disorder clinic/laboratory |
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Mat Schnorenberg, M.D., Ph.D.Hometown: Mankato, Minnesota Undergraduate school: Harvard University Medical school: University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Residency program: Mayo Clinic, Internal Medicine Subspecialty: Hematology/Oncology Interests/Hobbies: Spending time with my family, weightlifting, running, and trying to keep up with our toddler. Favorite things to do in Rochester: Exploring Rochester’s parks and trails with my family, trying local restaurants and coffee shops, and taking advantage of the community events that make Rochester a great place to live with young kids. Principle investigator: Svetomir Markovic, M.D., Ph.D. Research projects/interests: My research focuses on translational cancer immunology, engineering strategies to modulate the tumor immune microenvironment and promote more effective anti-tumor immune responses. Why Mayo? Mayo offers an exceptional environment for physician-scientist training, with outstanding clinical training, world-class translational research infrastructure, and a deeply collaborative culture. I was drawn to the opportunity to train with mentors who are committed to moving discoveries from the laboratory toward meaningful improvements in patient care. Why a CI? I chose the Clinician Investigator pathway because I hope to build a career that truly integrates patient care and translational cancer immunology research. I am motivated by clinical questions that arise from caring for patients with cancer and by the possibility of bringing discoveries from the lab back toward better treatments. The CI program has given me the protected time, mentorship, and clinical environment to develop toward that goal. Ideal practice: An academic physician-scientist career that combines caring for patients with cancer, leading a translational cancer immunology research group, and mentoring trainees. |
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Emily Siegler, M.D.Hometown: San Diego, California Undergraduate school: UCLA Medical school: California Northstate University College of Medicine Residency program: General surgery Principle investigators: Dr. Mark Truty, Dr. Rory Smoot Research project/Interests: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer, intraoperative minibeam radiotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer, GLP-1 effects in pancreatic cancer, disparities in pancreatic cancer perioperative outcomes, and therapeutic targets in cholangiocarcinoma Why Mayo? Since my sub-internship as a fourth year medical student on the kidney/pancreas transplant service, I thought of Mayo Clinic Rochester as a Disneyland for intellectual creativity in healthcare delivery and biomedical research. We are fortunate to be a high resource institution, and I was enamored to meet so many incredible minds utilizing these resources to provide exceptional patient care and push boundaries. Having spent three years so far at Mayo, two in clinical training and one in research, I can now say this impression was highly accurate. Additionally, every clinician and supporting team member truly embraces prioritizing the needs of patients, making for an exceptionally collaborative clinical and research environment. As one of our former program directors told me, “No one at Mayo says no. If a patient needs something on a Friday night and I’m almost off the clock, I stay to help the patient, and I find this in my colleagues every day.” Having now experienced this exact scenario, I think our training culture is unmatched, and our educational environment is the perfect balance of challenging and supportive. Why a CI? The clinical investigator program immerses you in an individualized track with plentiful opportunity for professional development that supports your research interests, whatever they may be. Having protected research time as a surgical resident is unique and often difficult to obtain, and finding a program so supportive of this opportunity that serves as both a funding mechanism but also a pipeline for innovation, inspiring connections with new mentors and colleagues, and career guidance has been truly rewarding and beneficial for my future career. I am much more confident in my decision to pursue academic surgical oncology after being part of the CI program. Interests/Hobbies: Hiking, skiing, paddleboarding, reading, cooking, building Legos Favorite thing to do in Rochester: Paddleboard at Cascade Lake with a porch beer during summer, try new restaurants with co-residents, movie nights, and long walks on endless bike paths Ideal practice: HPB Surgical Oncology practice with translational research collaborations |
Residents
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Clayton Brady, M.D., Ph.D.Hometown: Fairport, NY Undergraduate school: State University of New York Brockport Medical school: University at Buffalo Residency program: Internal medicine Subspecialty: Nephrology Principle investigator: Dr. Michael Romero Research project/Interests: I am interested in acid-base physiology and how it relates to the progression and sequela of chronic kidney disease. Why Mayo? I am primarily interested in basic science research, but the depth of resources at Mayo to connect basic-science discoveries to patient centered outcomes is unmatched. This made Mayo an obvious choice for the next step in training as a physician-scientist. Why a CI? For me, much of my job fulfillment comes from treating and building connections with patients, and I take great pride in training as a physician. The CI track at Mayo is uniquely suited to provide exceptional clinical training while still supporting research interests. Interests/Hobbies: Running, restaurants, golf Favorite things to do in Rochester: Minnesota summers can’t be beat whether it’s running in (or away from) town, day trips, or having dinner at any number of local restaurants. Learning to embrace the colder months with winter sports and good friends help too. Ideal practice: Ideally physician-scientist likely splitting time 50/50 between clinical practice and lab research, though this in all likelihood will be a moving target. |
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Ally Maclean, M.D., Ph.D.Hometown: U.S. Air Force Undergraduate school: Colorado State University Medical school: Creighton University, combined M.D./Ph.D. program Residency program: Internal medicine Subspecialty: Infectious disease Interests/Hobbies: Yoga, cycling, gardening Favorite things to do in Rochester: Classes at the local pottery studio, cycling on the Douglas Trail, or dinner at one of our many excellent restaurants Principle investigator: Patricia Simner, Ph.D. Research projects/Interests: Mechanisms of Gram-negative antibiotic resistance, Diagnostic testing design, Predictive AST Why Mayo? I was drawn to Mayo by the collaborative environment, institutional support for research, and access to cutting edge technology. In microbiology, Mayo is on the leading edge of diagnostic development and houses one of the largest bacteriology laboratories in the nation. I was eager to train here to be on the leading edge of scientific development in microbiology. Why a CI? Since my undergraduate education, I’ve known that research would be a part of my medical career. Beyond the lab, I am excited about the opportunities to apply the latest research developments to clinical practice. Pursuing a CI training program allows me to support both my research goals and clinical training in shaping a future at the bench and bedside. Ideal practice: Academic medicine with a combination of inpatient consults and a translational lab |
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Agata Sularz, M.B., B.Ch.Hometown: Warsaw, Poland Undergraduate school: University of Cambridge Medical school: University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Residency program: Internal medicine Subspecialty: Cardiovascular diseases/Cardiology Interests/Hobbies: Traveling the world and exploring U.S. national parks, downhill and cross-country skiing, cycling, hiking, jazz music, reading nonfiction, and spending time with family and friends Favorite things to do in Rochester: Classes at the local pottery studio, cycling on the Douglas Trail, or dinner at one of our many excellent restaurants Principle investigator: Mohamad Alkhouli, M.D., M.B.A. Research projects/Interests: Magnetocardiography (MCG), cardiovascular innovation, interventional and structural cardiology, and clinical trials focused on advancing diagnostic technologies, procedural care, and patient outcomes. Why Mayo? I chose Mayo because it felt like a place where I could grow into the physician-investigator I hope to become. From the moment I arrived, I was struck by kindness, collaboration, and commitment to excellence. Mayo also feels truly international and forward-thinking—a place where diverse perspectives can come together to improve patient care. Why a CI? I chose the Clinician Investigator Track because I hope to become an academic cardiologist who combines clinical care with an independent research program. My long-term goal is to build and lead a laboratory focused on cardiovascular innovation, develop and test new technologies, and create collaborations across academia, industry, venture capital, and startup partners. The CI pathway provides protected research time, mentorship, and institutional ecosystem needed to develop the skills, network and scientific foundation to translate promising ideas into meaningful advances in cardiovascular care. Ideal practice: My ideal practice combines academic interventional cardiology with an innovation-focused research program. I hope to care for complex cardiovascular patients, lead clinical trials, mentor trainees, and collaborate across academia and industry to develop novel noninvasive diagnostic technologies that improve patient care. |