Meet Inspira Advantage’s Research Mentors

Dr. Castro earned a BA in chemistry from Florida International University, an MPH from George Washington University, and a DO from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a future psychiatrist with a strong background in biomedical and clinical research, Dr. Castro has delivered 10+ poster and oral presentations throughout his medical education journey.

Dr. Ozeryansky is an interdisciplinary global health researcher and Assistant Professor of Public Health at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Ozeryansky earned her PhD in interdisciplinary studies (migrant/refugee health) from the University of Washington, an MPH in maternal and child Health from George Washington University, an MS in international policy management from Kennesaw State University, and a BS in biology from Oglethorpe University.

Dr. Brahmbhatt is a biochemist with 10+ years of research experience spanning academia and the biotech industry. She attended McMaster University, where she graduated with BS, MS, and PhD degrees in biochemistry and biomedical sciences. Dr. Brahmbhatt has worked as a Senior Scientist, Principal Investigator, and Senior Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific, where she helped develop and establish platform processes and technologies for the manufacturing of viral gene transfer vectors for cell and gene therapy treatment.

Dr. Guirguis is a neurosurgical resident physician at Albany Medical Center with research experience spanning basic science, translational engineering, and clinical outcomes. He graduated with a BS in biology and healthcare management from the University of Texas at Dallas and earned an MD from the University of Texas Southwestern. Dr. Guirguis has co-authored over 30 publications and over 40 presentations at academic conferences.

Dr. Heinrich earned a PhD, summa cum laude, in health psychology and educational research from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She completed a National Institutes of Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Missouri with the Kansas City Built Environment and Health Study (KC BEST). Dr. Heinrich is currently an adjunct professor at Kansas State University and has been a Principal Investigator for research projects funded by the NIH, the State of Hawaii, and other organizations.

Dr. Sanku earned a PhD in microbiology and immunology through the Georgetown–NIH Graduate Partnership Program and is currently pursuing an MD through the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago Medical School Scientist Training Program. Dr. Sanku is a public health researcher and global health consultant whose work bridges immunology, health systems resilience, and translational policy. She has been published as Lead Author on multiple NIH-funded projects and has mentored summer interns at the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Leckey is a quantitative psychology and education researcher with extensive experience leading interdisciplinary research and mentoring students. She earned a PhD in psychology from the University of California, Davis. Her doctoral work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA), and she has served in primary research leadership roles as a Principal Investigator on an NIH-NRSA–funded project and as a Lead Author on multiple studies in early memory and metacognition.

Dr. Secor is a DVM/PhD scientist and board-certified large animal surgeon. She earned a DVM from Cornell University and completed large animal surgical training at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where she also earned a Master’s degree in veterinary clinical medicine. Dr. Secor returned to Cornell University to pursue a PhD in biomedical and biological sciences, where she is currently a postdoctoral associate in the Wagner Laboratory.

Dr. Nowak graduated with a BS from North Carolina State University before earning an MS and PhD in microbiology, immunology, and cancer biology from the University of Virginia. During her graduate training, she was supported by competitive funding, including a National Institutes of Health T32 Brain Immunology and Glia grant and the UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center Trainee Fellowship.

Dr. Schneider is a cardiovascular electrophysiologist with years of research experience and mentorship experience. She earned a PhD in biomedical science with an emphasis in pharmacology, addiction science, and toxicology from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. During her doctoral training, Dr. Schneider served as Principal Investigator on a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NIH F31). She is currently a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Utah Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute.

Dr. Antrobus is a materials scientist with over eight years of experience spanning biomaterial development research, lab-to-market commercialization, and student mentorship. He earned an MS and PhD in biomedical engineering from Columbia University, where he served as a research mentor. His work focused on engineering advanced biomaterials for regenerative medicine and next-generation sustainable textile applications. Dr. Antrobus is a postdoctoral research scientist at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where he develops microbial-grown textiles through work supported by the National Geographic Society and the New York Fashion Innovation Center.

Dr. Rees earned a PhD in medical science with a concentration in neuroscience from Texas A&M University College of Medicine, where she served as a graduate research assistant and mentor. Her doctoral research focused on 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome, a rare genetic condition associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy, and she has served as first author on multiple studies investigating the neurobiological and immune consequences of this disorder.

Dr. Berry is a researcher and educator with a strong background in medical and higher education. He earned a PhD in education with a quantitative emphasis from the University of Houston and has taught courses in statistics, chemistry, physics, and survey design as a college professor. He is also an instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Education, Innovation & Technology, where his research focuses on student motivation, performance, anxiety, and curriculum improvement.

Dr. Schlager is a physician-scientist with over 20 years of excellence in clinical research and development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. He earned an MD from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, followed by an internal medicine residency at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Schlager completed his PhD in immunology at the University of Illinois Medical Center, has written three books, and has co-authored over 100+ articles in scientific journals.

Dr. Pedamallu attended Washington University in St. Louis before graduating from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine MD/MPH program. She is an internal medicine resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who has served as an undergraduate research mentor at the National Institutes of Health, WashU in St. Louis, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center; she also served as a graduate research mentor at Northwestern University.

Dr. Nwankwo has 10+ years of mentorship experience, having supported several pre-med students through their academic journeys. She has advised students on research projects at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and Baylor College of Medicine. Students she has worked with have gained admission to some of the nation's top medical schools, including Duke, Emory, Harvard, Stanford, Northwestern, NYU, UCSF, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Reeson graduated with an MD from Creighton University School of Medicine–Phoenix and is an orthopedic surgery resident at Rush University Medical Center. She has an exceptional record of research productivity, leadership, and mentorship spanning undergraduate training through residency, with previous roles as a Principal Investigator, co-investigator, and undergraduate research mentor.

Dr. Hill is a microbiome scientist with expertise in antimicrobial resistance, host–microbe interactions, and computational translational research. She earned a Master’s degree in medical sciences from Loyola University Chicago before graduating with a PhD from King’s College London, where she served as a graduate research mentor. Dr. Hill worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she managed patient-level data, contributed to IRB protocols and grant writing, and collaborated with physicians on clinical study design.

Dr. Coveleskie earned a BA in biology from Bryn Mawr College and a PhD in molecular, cellular, and integrative physiology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research focused on women’s health and brain-gut interactions using fMRI techniques. Her dissertation is an early example of research on GLP-1 and obesity, specifically around the neural networks of women’s brains. At UCLA, Dr. Coveleskie served as a research mentor, lecturer, and teaching assistant.

Dr. Shahab is a translational scientist and machine learning practitioner with over eight years of experience spanning molecular pharmacology, AI-driven biological discovery, and research and development. She earned a PhD in pharmacology from Wayne State University and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in vision neuroscience at the University of Michigan. Dr. Shahab serves as President of the University of Michigan Postdoctoral Association, representing over 2,000 researchers.

Dr. Zaslavsky is a medically trained scientist passionate about bridging biomedical discovery and clinical impact. She completed her PhD through the joint Molecular Medicine PhD Program at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. She then completed a DO at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), where she received multiple academic honors and conducted epidemiologic research in COVID-19 health policy.

Dr. Singh is a plastic and reconstructive surgery resident at Indiana University Health with advanced training in hand, peripheral nerve, and complex reconstructive surgery. He earned a BS in psychology with honors and a minor in biology from the University of Alabama (UAB), before earning an MD and MBA with emphasis in healthcare management at UAB, graduating with high honors. He is a highly productive clinician-scientist with over 60 peer-reviewed publications and 100+ presentations.

Dr. Brown is a health sciences PhD candidate at Rush University, where she also earned her MS in biotechnology. She holds an MS in health administration from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and a BS in health sciences with university honors from Northern Illinois University. As an adjunct professor and instructor at Rush University, Dr. Brown incorporates health equity and professional development themes into her teaching.

Dr. Vella is an immunologist and biotech strategist with expertise spanning immunology, oncology, translational research, and business development. She earned a PhD in immunology at Dartmouth College, where she was Lead Author on research focused on tissue-resident memory T-cell biology in melanoma-associated vitiligo. Dr. Vella continued this immuno-oncology focus during postdoctoral training at Dartmouth through translational studies examining T-cell function in lung cancer in collaboration with clinical teams, supported in part by an F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship.