KARAT Alumni

Andrea Braganza Jardini, PhD
Mentor: Sruti Shiva, PhD
Career Development Award: NHLBI K99/R00
Current Position:
Associate Scientific Director, Lockwood

Paola Corti, PhD
Mentor: Mark Gladwin, MD
Career Development Award: AHA CDA
Current Position:
Faculty, University of Maryland

Utibe R. Essien, MD, MPH
Mentor: Michael Fine, MD, MSc
Career Development Award: VA Mentored Research Scientist Development Award
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, UCLA

Aditi Gurkar, PhD
Mentor: external
Career Development Award: NIA K99/R00
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine
Principal Investigator, Aging Institute
Subsequent Funding:
Co-PI, R01 HL161106, “Mapping the cell specific DNA damage-induced molecular and bioelectrical responses in the 3D cardiac unit”

Ruya Liu, MD, PhD
Mentors: Toren Finkel, MD, PhD / Vijay Yechoor, MD
Career Development Award: AHA CDA
Current Position:
Faculty, University of Maryland

Keven Robinson, MD
Mentor: John Alcorn, PhD
Career Development Award: NHLBI K08
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Associate Fellowship Director for Scholarly Activity, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Subsequent Funding:
PI, R01 AI153337, “Influenza Attenuates Innate Pulmonary Host Defense against Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis”
PI, R03 AI163730, “T cell diversity during chronic inflammation”
PI, R03 HL154242, “Identification of Pathways and Targets in Post-influenza Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis”

Jason Rose, MD, MBA
Mentor: Mark Gladwin, MD
Career Development Award: NHLBI K08
Current Position:
Associate Dean of Innovation & Physician Science Development, University of Maryland–Baltimore
Subsequent Funding:
Co-PI, R42 ES031993, “Hemoglobin-based antidotes for the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning”
Co-PI, DOD CDMRP Grant, “Targeted Mutation of Recombinant Heme-Containing Proteins to Engineer the Next-Generation Artificial Oxygen Carrier”

Dharendra Thapa, PhD
Mentors: Iain Scott, PhD / Toren Finkel, MD, PhD
Career Development Award: NHLBI K99/R00
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Performance – Exercise Physiology, West Virginia Univeristy
Subsequent Funding:
PI, R00 HL146905, “Investigating the novel role of acetylation in cardiac mitochondrial bioenergetics and function in the aging heart”

Anna Zemke, MD, PhD
Mentor: Jennifer Bomberger, PhD
Career Development Award: NHLBI K23
Current Position:
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Subsequent Funding:
PI, R01 HL162964, “Tracheobronchitis in the Critically Ill”