Medical Student Mentorship Opportunities
Dr. Shahrzad Latifi:
Dr. Latifi's lab has the following three project options available:
1) Employing connectomics-based approaches to understand brain networks dynamics after stroke and/or traumatic brain injury.
2) Application of advanced drug delivery platform to enhance motor recovery in stroke and/or traumatic brain injury
3) Applicaiton of machine learning / artificial intelligence models to decode complex motor behavior
If you're interested in working in Dr. Latifi's lab, please reach out to her at shahrzad.latifikhereshky@hsc.wvu.edu.
Dr. Peter Stoilov:
The focus of the Stoilov lab is post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. They use vertebrate retina as a model to study how RNA binding proteins support the development and functions of photoreceptor cells. In their research they use genetically engineered mouse models and a broad set of tools ranging from genomics and proteomics to basic biochemistry. If you're interested in working in Dr. Stoilov's lab, please reach out to him at pstoilov@hsc.wvu.edu.
Dr. William Walker:
Current projects within the Walker lab include: (1) examining the effects of chrono-chemotherapy treatment for brain metastases of breast cancer, (2) investigating whether chronotherapeutic treatment of cancers can improve cancer survivors’ quality of life, and (3) examining the effects of timed CAR T-cell administration on anti-tumor efficacy in solid tumors. If you're interested in working in Dr. Walker's lab, please reach out to him at william.walker2@hsc.wvu.edu.
Dr. Zachary Weil:
Dr. Weil's lab looks at animal models of the behavioral and functional outcomes of traumatic brain injury. They are particularly interested in the vascular and metabolic consequences of injury and strategies for promoting recovery and preventing long term decline. If you're interested in working in Dr. Weil's lab, please reach out to him at Zachary.Weil@hsc.wvu.edu.
Dr. Sergiy Yakovenko:
The principles of movement control—underlying strategies, planning, and execution—remain insufficiently identified for real-time applications in brain-computer interfaces or prosthetics. The Yakovenko lab's projects combine theoretical and experimental approaches to bridge these gaps in healthy humans and those with pathologies. Using physiology, engineering, and computer science methodologies, they test real-time interfaces during locomotion and reaching movements using peripheral (electrical or vibrotactile) and central (TMS, VR/AR) stimulation. The impact of this effort is in developing theoretical frameworks, rehabilitation approaches, and intellectual property for technology. If you're interested in working in Dr. Yakovenko's lab, please reach out to him at seyakovenko@hsc.wvu.edu