The CNF Summer Medical Student Scholarship program awards up to ten clinical research scholarships for first- and second-year U.S. and Canadian medical students who have an interest in child neurology.
Awards will be made for clinical research in child neurology, to be conducted under the direction of a child neurologist during the 2008 summer break. Selected applicants receive a $3500 scholarship for their summer project.
This program is made possible by the generous support of Abbott.
2007
CNF Medical Student Scholarship Winners
Rujuta Bhatt
Medical School: George Washington University Medical School-Washington, DC Mentor:Dr. Maria Acosta
Project:Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Are severity and frequency of T2H associated with a higher risk for development of non-visual pathway tumors?
“Through this research I hope to gain a better understanding of the different dimensions of an illness and use this knowledge to provide my patients with the best care possible.”
Victoria Chiou
Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine-Richmond Mentor:Dr. Steven M. Shapiro
Project:Can Wavelet Transform Analysis Predict Seizure Recurrence Following a First Seizure?
"I am thankful to the Child Neurology Foundation for this exciting opportunity to participate in pediatric neurology research and to build upon previous research work in Dr. Shapiro’s laboratory."
Ilana Leben Kahn
Medical School:George Washington University Medical School-Washington, DC Mentor:Dr. Andrea Gropman
Project:Assessing neural mechanisms of injury in inborn errors of urea metabolism using structural, fMRI and magnetic resonance imaging spectroscopy
"The clinical trial we are working on will have a big impact on how we understand the neurologic deficits related to inborn errors of metabolism. The future implication for treatment and diagnosis is not only beneficial to children with these rare disorders, but also takes into account their future."
Austin Larson
Medical School:Brown Medical School-Providence Mentor:Dr. David Mandelbaum
Project:A retrospective analysis of the effect of head circumference to body mass ratio on perinatal incidence of erb palsy
"By supporting me for the summer after my first year of medical school, the CNF is allowing me to immerse myself in the clinical and scientific environment that will further my knowledge, skills and motivation in the realm of child neurology and bring me another step closer to my career goals."
Chie Yu Lin
Medical School:Harvard Medical School-Boston
Mentor:Dr. Laurie Jackson-Grusby
Project:DNA methylation mediated epigenetic regulation of cancer stem cells involved in medulloblastoma tumorigenesis
"I would like to thank the Child Neurology Foundation for supporting my research in studying the tumorigenesis of medulloblastomas, one of the most common forms of primary pediatric brain tumors. This unparalleled opportunity will allow me to simultaneously explore and expand upon both my scientific and medical interests."
Brian Nadler
Medical School:McGill University-Montreal Mentor:Dr. Michael I. Shevell
Project:Typical childhood absence epilepsy
“I am honored to have received this scholarship. This award …provides me with a strong opportunity to step into and contribute toward the amazing and fascinating field of pediatric neurology.”
Lydia Pecker
Medical School:University of Pennsylvania-Philadelphia Mentor:Dr. Sabrina E. Smith
Project:Comparison of receptive and expressive language development following perinatal versus early childhood focal brain injury
"I hope to learn more about clinical research, specifically study design, implementation, analysis and presentation; to develop a deeper understanding of patterns of language acquisition in typically developing children and children with neurologic injury; to learn to select and administer appropriate developmental assessments to children at a variety of ages; and to gain exposure to pediatric development specialists as this is a career path that greatly interests me."
Samata Singhi
Medical School:Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine-Cleveland Mentor:Dr. Michael Johnston
Project:The relationship between patterns of brain injury and gestational timing in children with cerebral palsy born premature, using MRI and DTI
"I am interested in exploring the field of pediatric neurology, especially in bringing basic science research to the bedside in order to provide more effective diagnosis and treatment for children with developmental neurologic disorders."
David Vargas
Medical School:University of California-San Francisco
Mentor:Dr. Jonathan B. Strober
Project:Mycophenolate mofetil’s effects on dystrophic muscle
"My medical interests center on congenital diseases that cause muscle and bone malformations. The exciting part about this project is that I will be helping to elicit MMF’s mechanism of action in dystrophic muscle with hopes of future human clinical trials using this agent."
Virginia Williams
Medical School:Medical University of South Carolina-Columbia Mentor:Dr. Bernard L. Maria
Project:Generational value differences in pediatrics: looking to shape the future in child neurology
"This (scholarship grant) will allow us to build an in-depth understanding of the value differences of pediatric neurologists and medical students. …By addressing generational issues, we can begin to shape recruitment practices that better align with the values of new generations of trainees in the field of child neurology."
