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.
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Richa Bist, M.D.Hometown: Tampa, FL Undergraduate school: University of South Florida Medical school: University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine (7 Yr BS/MD Program) Residency program: Mayo Clinic General Surgery Subspecialty: No associated fellowship linked with CI, however 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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Jenny Cao, M.B., B.Chir. (Chief)Hometown: New Zealand Undergraduate school: University of Cambridge Medical school: University of Cambridge Residency prrogram: Mayo Clinic, Rochester Subspecialty: Cardiovascular medicine |
Principle investigators: 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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George Cholack, M.D., M.S.Hometown: Northville, MI 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 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 Undergraduate school: N/A (6-yr medical program starts right after high school in Turkiye) Medical school: Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University of Medicine Residency program: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN Subspecialty: Cardiovascular medicine |
Principle investigator: Michael J. 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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Frank Lee, M.D.Hometown: Lancaster, PA Undergraduate school: Duke University Medical school: University of South Florida Residency program: RST 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, IL 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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Emily Siegler, M.D.Hometown: San Diego, CA 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 |
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Steven Tessier, M.D., M.S. (Chief)Hometown: Lancaster, PA (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 |