Predoctoral Trainees

Joshua Gale
Level Predoctoral trainee
Site Drexel University
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Mentor M. Paula Martinez-Cantarin, MD, MSCE
Research Summary Joshua Gale studies renal tubulointerstitial disease.
Joanne Baek
Level

Predoctoral trainee

Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Benign hematology
Training Period -
Mentor Saar Gill, MD, PhD
Research Summary

Joanne Baek is a Penn bioengineering student studying the expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells using BCL2 mutants.
Bernadette Tiberi
Level Predoctoral trainee
Site Thomas Jefferson University
Focus Benign hematology
Training Period -
Research Summary Bernadette Tiberi studies hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell function.

Postdoctoral Trainees

Sonya Kowalczyk, MD
Level Postdoctoral trainee / MD fellow
Site Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Research Summary Sonya Kowalczyk studies infection and thromboembolism in primary pediatric nephrotic syndrome. Her retreat presentation focused on thromboembolism in primary pediatric nephrotic syndrome.
Daniel Alber
Level

Postdoctoral trainee

Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Research Summary

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Clara Wilson
Level Postdoctoral trainee / MD fellow
Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Research Summary [insert]
Victor Jose Martinez Leon, MD
Level Postdoctoral trainee / attending physician
Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Mentor Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD
Research Summary Integrated Multi-Omics of Human Kidney Tissue Uncovers Genetically Supported Metabolic Targets in Kidney Disease.
Selected Publication Martinez Leon V, Hilburg R, Susztak K. Mechanisms of diabetic kidney disease and established and emerging treatments. Nature Reviews Endocrinology 22, 21-35 (2026).
Professional Link http://linkedin.com/in/victor-martinez-leon-99a570204
Jon Levinsohn
Level Postdoctoral trainee / MD-PhD fellow
Site Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Focus Kidney / renal
Training Period -
Mentor Katalin Susztak, MD, PhD
Research Summary Jon Levinsohn studies kidney development using genetic information.
Max Chappell
Level Postdoctoral trainee
Site Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Focus Benign hematology
Training Period -
Research Summary [insert]
Md. Akram Hossain, PhD
Level Postdoctoral trainee
Site Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Focus Benign hematology
Training Period -
Mentor Wei Tong, PhD
Research Summary Akram Hossain studies bone marrow failure syndromes and hematopoietic stem cells. His retreat presentation focused on how Lnk/Sh2b3 deficiency enhances translesion synthesis to alleviate replication stress and promote hematopoietic stem cell fitness.

Alumni

Clara Fischman, MD
Level

Postdoctoral trainee

Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Kidney / renal
Research Summary

Clara Fischman studied genetic risk alleles of chronic kidney disease.

Highlight

Two first-author publications and an F32 from NIDDK.
Stephanie Kerkvliet, MD
Level

Postdoctoral trainee / nephrology fellow

Focus Kidney / renal
Research Summary

Stephanie Kerkvliet studied barriers and facilitators of living donor kidney transplantation.

Highlight

Promoted to Instructor.
Bryan Ciccarelli, MD, PhD
Level Postdoctoral trainee / physician-scientist fellow
Focus Benign hematology
Mentor Saar Gill, MD, PhD
Research Summary Bryan Ciccarelli studied VEXAS syndrome.
Paul Kaminski
Level Predoctoral / dual-degree trainee
Focus Benign hematology
Mentor Gerd Blobel, MD, PhD
Research Summary Paul Kaminski studied red cell development.
Highlight Received an F30 from NIDDK.
Suhas Bobba, PhD
Level Postdoctoral trainee
Focus Benign hematology
Research Summary Suhas Bobba studied the role of hematopoietic stem cells in mediating protective intestinal granuloma formation.
Highlight Received an F32 from NIDDK.
Eleanor Sams
Level

Predoctoral trainee

Site University of Pennsylvania
Focus Benign hematology
Training Period -
Mentor Vikram Paralkar, MD
Research Summary

Eleanor Sams studies ribosome biogenesis in hematopoiesis. Her retreat presentation focused on differential regulation of ribosomal RNA transcription between hematopoietic cell types.

Highlight

Awarded an ASH Abstract Achievement Award in December 2024