K12/KL2 Awardees

2025 - 2027

Presenting the 2025 to 2027 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Krishnaiah Maddeboina, PhD

Eleftherios Makris, MD, PhD

Joanna Robles, MD

About the 2025 - 2027 Scholars and Their Projects

Krishnaiah Maddeboina, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biochemistry

Bio:

Krishnaiah Maddeboina, PhD is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM), and member of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (AHWFBCCC) in the Molecular and Cellular Oncology (MCO) program and a Research Assistant Professor of the Molecular Targeted Therapeutics Lab at Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute where he conducts in silico design and development of novel multitarget inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.

Project Title and Overview:

"In Silico Design, Synthesis and Development of Novel Chemotypes Targeting Synthetic Lethalities Against Kinase/Epigenetic Targets; PI3Kδ-CDK4/6-BRD4 and PI3Kδ-CDK4/6-EZH2 Inhibitors For The Treatment Drug Resistant Cancer"

Drug resistance is a significant problem in cancer therapeutics and a consequence of treatment with single targeted drugs resulting an adaptive kinome and epigenetic rewiring of the cancer cell. Our central hypothesis is simultaneous targeting of oncogenic and epigenetic regulators with one small molecule represents an effective strategy to treat ibrutinib resistant mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and other cancers. This K12 project will optimize of lead candidate potency, selectivity, and PK, as well as evaluate safety and efficacy in vitro and in vivo using MCL model.

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Eleftherios Makris, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology

Bio:

Dr. Eleftherios Makris is an Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology at Wake Forest School of Medicine whose research integrates cancer tissue engineering and immunotherapy to advance personalized treatments for pancreatic cancer.

Project Title and Overview:

"Elucidating the Biochemical, Biomechanical, and Hypoxic Dynamics of Pancreatic Cancer to Overcome Therapeutic Resistance"

This project aims to develop patient-derived biomimetic models of pancreatic cancer to investigate how targeting tissue stiffness and hypoxia can improve chemotherapy and immunotherapy effectiveness.

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Joanna Robles, MD

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Bio:

Dr. Robles is a pediatric hematologist oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. Her research focuses on addressing unmet health-related social needs to enhance pediatric cancer care delivery and outcomes.

Project Title and Overview:

"Developing and Refining an Intervention to Assess and Address Health-Related Social Needs Among Families of Children with Cancer"

This K12 study will utilize community engagement methods to develop and refine an intervention to assess and address the unique health-related social needs faced by families of children with cancer.

2024 - 2026

Presenting the 2024 to 2026 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Dori Beeler, PhD

Mitchell Ladd, MD

Mariana Wingood, PhD, PT, DPT, MPH

About the 2024 - 2026 Scholars and Their Projects

Dori Beeler, PhD

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Hematology & Oncology

Bio:

Dori Beeler, PhD is an adjunct assistant professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology and a research scientist in the Department of Supportive Oncology at Atrium Health’s Levine Cancer Institute where she conducts symptom science research with a focus on cancer-related fatigue.

Project Title and Overview:

"Patient Descriptors of Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study of Cancer Survivors"

This K12 mixed-methods pilot study will create a CRF visual aid to help alleviate patient-clinician communication barriers, support the systematic assessment of in cancer-related fatigue, and serve as an assessment catalyst among survivors.

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Mitchell Ladd, MD

Assistant Professor, Surgical Sciences - Pediatrics

Bio:

Dr. Ladd is an assistant professor in Pediatric Surgery whose main research focus is in developing tissue-engineered small intestine to cure short bowel syndrome. He also participates in clinical and translational research on necrotizing enterocolitis, one of the main causes of short bowel syndrome in infants and children.

Project Title and Overview:

"Tissue Engineering Small Intestine for the Treatment of Intestinal Failure in Children"

Short bowel syndrome is a disease where patients do not have enough intestine to live without receiving nutrition through their veins. Short bowel syndrome frequently affects children and has a high mortality rate that approaches 30%. There are no cures, and most patients are managed with lifelong venous nutrition. This K12 aims to be the first step in engineering replacement intestine to serve as a cure for these children.

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Mariana Wingood, PhD, PT, DPT, MPH

Assistant Professor, Implementation Science and Gerontology

Bio:

Dr. Wingood is a physical therapist and an assistant professor with a primary appointment in Implementation Science and a secondary appointment in Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. Her main research focuses on integrating physical activity assessments and behavior change techniques into Geriatrics.

Project Title and Overview:

"Increasing Physical Therapists’ Adoption of Techniques that Address Older Adults' Inadequate Physical Activity Levels: Testing an Implementation Blueprint"
Dr. Wingood has developed a three-step algorithm for assessing and addressing inadequate physical activity among older adults. This K12 project will evaluate an implementation plan aimed at increasing the use of the three-step algorithm in outpatient physical therapy.

2023 - 2025

Presenting the 2023 to 2025 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Mohsen Bahrami, MS, PhD

Thomas Lycan, Jr., DO, MHS

Morgan Walls, MD, MS

About the 2023 - 2025 Scholars and Their Projects

Mohsen Bahrami, MS, PhD

Assistant Professor, Radiology

Bio:

Dr. Bahrami is an assistant professor of Radiology whose main research focus is on developing novel fusions of statistical and machine learning tools with network science to study the complex impacts of brain disorders.

Project Title and Overview:

"Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Brain Networks: Defining Resilience and Global Disruption"

The vascular contributions to cognitive dysfunction and decline are seen as key modifiable risk factors; however, the extent to which vascular lesions in the brain impact global integrity of brain networks are still unclear. This KL2 Award aims to address this important gap.

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Thomas Lycan, Jr., DO, MHS

Assistant Professor, Hematology and Oncology

Bio:

Dr. Lycan is a thoracic medical oncologist who conducts translational and clinical research on immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Project Title and Overview:

"Mixed-Methods Implementation of a COPD Care Pathway Among Patients with Cancer"
Our study team will design a novel care pathway to improve COPD control among cancer patients during routine immunotherapy infusions in the oncology clinic.

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Morgan Walls, MD, MS

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics

Bio:

Dr. Walls is an assistant professor of Pediatrics whose main research focus is on reducing health gaps for children with developmental and behavioral disabilities and disorders such as autism spectrum disorder.

Project Title and Overview:

"Developing a Primary Care Intervention to Improve Family-Centered, Culturally Sensitive Care for Black Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder"

This KL2 project will examine the unmet needs, barriers, and facilitators related to care consistent with a patient-centered medical home for Black children with autism spectrum disorder.

2019 - 2021

Presenting the 2019 to 2021 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Halley Alexander, MD

Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Bailey Fearing, PhD

About the 2022 - 2024 Scholars and Their Projects

Halley Alexander, MD

Assistant Professor, Neurology

Bio:

Dr. Alexander is an assistant professor of Neurology with subspecialty in epilepsy whose main research focus is to improve treatment options for people with epilepsy, with special attention to epilepsy-associated comorbidities.

Project Title and Overview:

"A Feasibility Study of a Step-Goal Based Physical Activity Intervention in People with Epilepsy"
This KL2 project aims to test the feasibility of a telehealth-delivered, step-goal based physical activity intervention in people with epilepsy utilizing wearable devices, with an emphasis on sustainable behavior change.

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Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatology

Bio:

Dr. Cilvik is a board-certified neonatologist and physician scientist with a passion for research in maternal-fetal physiology and how adverse perinatal exposures affect chronic disease development in offspring (i.e.developmental origins of health and disease).

Project Title and Overview:

"Investigation of Placental Dysfunction in Nonhuman Primate Pregnancies at Advanced Maternal Age: A Pilot Study"
This research project will investigate how advanced maternal age affects placental blood flow and pregnancy outcomes in nonhuman primates.

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Bailey Fearing, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute

Bio:

Bailey Fearing, PhD is a research assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Atrium Health’sMusculoskeletal Institute, where she conducts research in basic and translational science of musculoskeletal pathologies.

Project Title and Overview:

"Efficacy of Coating Strategies to Reduce Orthopaedic Implant-Related Infections"
Despite improved surgical techniques and prophylactic procedures, orthopaedic implant-associated infections remain high with complications that can lead to devastating patient outcomes. This project will be the first to study human host cell interaction with physician-directed coatings and establish a time course for use of implant coatings.

2021 - 2023

Presenting the 2021 to 2023 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Samuel P. Carmichael II, MD, MS

Michael K. Farris, MD

Onengiya Harry, MD, MPH, MSc, FAAP

About the 2021 - 2023 Scholars and Their Projects

Samuel P. Carmichael II, MD, MS

Assistant Professor, Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of General Surgery

Bio:

Following completion of a general surgery residency at the University of Kentucky and an Acute Care Surgery fellowship at Wake Forest, Dr. Carmichael currently serves an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgery.

Project Title and Overview:

"Anti-Fibrotic Therapies for Prevention of Abdominal Adhesions"

Project seeks to develop a preventative strategy for the development of scar (i.e adhesions) within the abdominal cavity following operation.

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Michael K. Farris, MD

Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology

Bio:

Dr. Farris isthe lead of thoracic radiation oncology and co-director of the lung cancer disease oriented team at Wake Forest, with a research focus on improving radiation quality assurance and minimizing normal tissue toxicities.

Project Title and Overview:

"Investigating Radiation Induced Bone Loss Following High Dose Thoracic Irradiation with Stereotactic Body Preventative Radiotherapy (SBRT) and Potential Preventative Strategies"

This project is investigating a novel way of visualizing radiation induced bone loss after high dose lung irradiation to peripheral tumors, and potential strategies to prevent bone fractures with prophylactic bisphosphonates.

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Onengiya Harry, MD, MPH, MSc, FAAP

Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Rheumatology, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention

Bio:

Dr. Harry is an assistant professor in Pediatric Rheumatology with clinical and research expertise in treatment adherence, transition, and self-management in systemic autoimmune disorders, primarily pediatric-onset lupus.

Project Title and Overview:

"Enhancing Self-Management in Adolescents with Lupus"

Project targets caregiver and individual factors to improve self-management, and ultimately health outcomes, in adolescents with lupus.

2020 - 2022

Presenting the 2020 to 2022 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Shivani Ghoshal, MD

Ashish Khanna, FCCM, FCCP, MD

Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

About the 2020 - 2022 Scholars and Their Projects

Shivani Ghoshal, MD

Assistant Professor, Neurology

Bio:

Dr. Shivani Ghoshal is a neuro-intensivist and board-certified neurosonologist. Her research evaluates intradialytic changes in cerebral hemodynamics and their impact on cognitive decline in end-stage renal disease.

Project Title and Overview:

"Relationships Between Cerebral Hemodynamics as Measured by Transcranial Doppler (TCD) During Dialysis on MRI-measured Anatomy and Cognitive Function"

In this KL2 project I propose the use of Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography to identify potentially useful predictors of cognitive impairment in dialysis patients.

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Ashish Khanna, FCCM, FCCP, MD

Associate Professor, Anesthesiology

Bio:

Dr. Ashish Khanna is an intensivist and anesthesiologist, associate professor and section head for research within the Department of Anesthesia, Section on Critical Care Medicine with a keen interest in perioperative clinical outcomes research both within and outside the critical care environment. His research will examine the need for continuous portable hemodynamic and respiratory monitoring on hospital wards with an emphasis on detection of events, accessing alarm fatigue and decreasing myocardial injury from undetected hypotension.

Project Title and Overview:

"A Pilot Trial of Continuous Portable Postoperative Hemodynamic and Saturation Monitoring on Hospital Wards"

This project’s primary objective is to show that continuous portable hemodynamic and respiratory monitoring on hospital wards allows clinicians to intervene early and effectively, thus reducing patient exposure to hypotension, tachycardia, and hypoxemia.

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Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

Bio:

Dr. Jason Stopyra is double certified emergency physician and EMS medical director that found a passion in EMS research.Jason has nearly 20 years of experience treating patients that live in rural areas of North Carolina.

Project Title and Overview:

RURAL STEMI "RUral dispaRities in prehospitAL STEMI"

The goal of his KL2 research is to improve outcomes for patients with heart attacks living in rural areas that receive their initial care by EMS.

2019 - 2021

Presenting the 2019 to 2021 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Halley Alexander, MD

Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Bailey Fearing, PhD

About the 2022 - 2024 Scholars and Their Projects

Halley Alexander, MD

Assistant Professor, Neurology

Bio:

Dr. Alexander is an assistant professor of Neurology with subspecialty in epilepsy whose main research focus is to improve treatment options for people with epilepsy, with special attention to epilepsy-associated comorbidities.

Project Title and Overview:

"A Feasibility Study of a Step-Goal Based Physical Activity Intervention in People with Epilepsy"
This KL2 project aims to test the feasibility of a telehealth-delivered, step-goal based physical activity intervention in people with epilepsy utilizing wearable devices, with an emphasis on sustainable behavior change.

_____________________________________________________________

Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatology

Bio:

Dr. Cilvik is a board-certified neonatologist and physician scientist with a passion for research in maternal-fetal physiology and how adverse perinatal exposures affect chronic disease development in offspring (i.e.developmental origins of health and disease).

Project Title and Overview:

"Investigation of Placental Dysfunction in Nonhuman Primate Pregnancies at Advanced Maternal Age: A Pilot Study"
This research project will investigate how advanced maternal age affects placental blood flow and pregnancy outcomes in nonhuman primates.

_____________________________________________________________

Bailey Fearing, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute

Bio:

Bailey Fearing, PhD is a research assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Atrium Health’sMusculoskeletal Institute, where she conducts research in basic and translational science of musculoskeletal pathologies.

Project Title and Overview:

"Efficacy of Coating Strategies to Reduce Orthopaedic Implant-Related Infections"
Despite improved surgical techniques and prophylactic procedures, orthopaedic implant-associated infections remain high with complications that can lead to devastating patient outcomes. This project will be the first to study human host cell interaction with physician-directed coatings and establish a time course for use of implant coatings.

2018 - 2020

Presenting the 2018 to 2020 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Erin Barnes, MD

Amber Brooks, MD

Deepak Palakshappa, MD

Jaime Speiser, PhD

About the 2018 - 2020 Scholars and Their Projects

Erin Barnes, MD

Assistant Professor, Infectious Disease

"Development of an E.H.R. Case Identification Tool for Intravenous Drug Use Infective Endocarditis (IDU-IE)"

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Amber Brooks, MD

Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology

Bio:

Dr. Amber Brooks isa board certified anesthesiologist and comprehensive pain management physician who specializes in treating a variety of different pain conditions using a multimodal approach that includes treatments such as medication, injection therapies, and movement therapies. Dr. Brooks works closely with her patients to develop a treatment plan that focuses on improving physical function and quality of life.

Project Title and Overview:

"Development of Behavioral eHealth Treatment for Obese, Older Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain"

We propose to develop Health-Pad to build patient knowledge of the utility of behavioral pain treatments and to facility delivery of eHealth behavioral treatment tools to a vulnerable patient population: obese, older adults with chronic low back pain.

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Deepak Palakshappa, MD

Associate Professor, General Internal Medicine

Project Title and Overview:

"Impact of Food Insecurity on Obesity Care for Obese Children and Adults"

This project seeks to determine if children and adults with obesity who are food insecure are more likely to have medical co-morbidities and develop a web-based tool to enhance obesity care among patients in food insecure households.

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Jaime Speiser, PhD

Assistant Professor, Biostatistics and Data Science

Bio:

Dr. Jaime Speiser's main research interest is developing machine-learning methodology for prediction modeling. Specifically, her recent work focuses on extending decision tree and random forest algorithms for clustered and longitudinal data.

Project Title:

"Random Forest Methodology for Longitudinal Outcomes in Aging"

2017 - 2019

Presenting the 2017 to 2019 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Ken Kishida, PhD

About the 2017 - 2019 Scholars and Their Projects

Ken Kishida, PhD

Associate Professor, Physiology and Pharmacology

Project Title and Overview:

"Neurobiology of Dopamine and Serotonin Signaling During Social Exchange in Humans"

This project will determine the impact of indirect social exchange (i.e. ‘observed behavior’) on subsecond dopamine and serotonin fluctuations in humans during adaptive decision-making and measure the impact of direct social exchange on sub-second dopamine and serotonin fluctuations using two established neuroeconomic tasks.

2016 - 2018

Presenting the 2016 to 2018 cohort. More information about the scholar and their project is included in the section below.

Zach McIver, DO, PhD, FACP

Roy Strowd III, MD, MEd, MS

Jillian Urban, MPH, PhD

About the 2016 - 2018 Scholars and Their Projects

Zach McIver, DO, PhD, FACP

Associate Professor, Hematology and Oncology

Project Title and Overview:

"Photodepletion Techniques to Prevent Graft-Versus-Host-Disease (GVHD) in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation"

The primary objective of this project is to develop the ex-vivo SD technique with 2-Se-Cl using familial haploidentical human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by comparing reactivity after photodepletion against the original cells.

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Roy Strowd III, MD, MEd, MS

Assistant Professor, Neurology

Bio:

Dr. Roy Strowd III is aneurologist, neuro-oncologist, clinical trialist, and educator who specializes in brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve tumors. He is an expert in brain tumor treatment and has led several national, multi-institution clinical trials through large cooperative groups including the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium (ABTC) and Alliance for Clinical Trials in Neuro-Oncology.

Project Title and Overview:

"Determining the Competence of the Immune System Over the First Year of Therapy in Patients with Malignant Glioma: A Battery of Quantitative, Qualitative and Functional Measures of Immune Readiness"

In this KL2, we propose a clinical trial of patients with newly diagnosed malignant gliomas to determine the changes in blood leukocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations to measure and compare the readiness of the immune system to respond to immunotherapy using an influenza vaccine model of the memory response and a hepatitis vaccine model of the naïve response prior to and following chemoradiation.

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Jillian Urban, MPH, PhD

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering

Bio:

Dr. Jillian Urban's primary research focuses on combining injury biomechanics and public health to inform evidence-based recommendations to reduce head impact exposure and improve sport safety in youth populations. She has conducted observational, quantitative analyses of head impact data and has a strong background in collecting, analyzing and interpreting on-field data from head-impact sensors in youth sports. She also has specialized training in injury biomechanics and public health with a publication record using contextualized biomechanical data to understand factors influencing head impact exposure in sports.

Project Title and Overview:

"Cumulative Exposure to Subconcussive Head Impacts in Youth Football Athletes"

This project aims to better understand the biomechanical basis of concussion in on-field head impact exposure in youth and high school football athletes using helmet-mounted sensors to collect and analyze on-field head impact data. The data gathered and methods developed as part of this effort will be used to support research on epidemiological modeling of head impact exposure for the development of prevention strategies and behavioral interventions in youth sports.

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K12/KL2 Awardees

2025 - 2027

Krishnaiah Maddeboina, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Eleftherios Makris, MD, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Joanna Robles, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2024 - 2026

Dori Beeler, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Mitchell Ladd, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Mariana Wingood, PhD, PT, DPT, MPH

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2023 - 2025

Mohsen Bahrami, MS, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Thomas Lycan, Jr., DO, MHS

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

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Morgan Walls, MD, MS

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2019 - 2021

Halley Alexander, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Bailey Fearing, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2021 - 2023

Samuel P. Carmichael II, MD, MS

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Michael K. Farris, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Onengiya Harry, MD, MPH, MSc, FAAP

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2020 - 2022

Shivani Ghoshal, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Ashish Khanna, FCCM, FCCP, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2019 - 2021

Halley Alexander, MD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Sarah Cilvik, MD, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

Bailey Fearing, PhD

Bio:

Project Title and Overview:

2018 - 2020

Erin Barnes, MD

Amber Brooks, MD