Delaware INBRE Summer Scholars Complete Biomedical Research Projects at ChristianaCare
Welcoming students brings fresh talent into the biomedical research field and, ultimately, better care to patients
Eight undergraduate scholars recently completed a 10-week immersion in biomedical research through the Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Scholars Program at ChristianaCare. Their projects, spanning oncology, emergency medicine and community health, culminated in a capstone presentation and celebration on August 13 at Christiana Hospital.
This year’s cohort included students from University of Delaware, Delaware State University and Delaware Technical Community College, as well as Delaware residents attending college out of state. Each student was paired with expert mentors from across ChristianaCare, contributing to research designed to improve patient care and outcomes.
In addition to their primary projects, the scholars explored ChristianaCare’s advanced facilities such as the Gene Editing Institute Learning Lab, gaining hands-on exposure to cutting-edge methods in biomedical research.
“This year’s DE-INBRE program at ChristianaCare was a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Susan Smith, Ph.D., RN, program director of Technology Research & Education at ChristianaCare and the INBRE site principal investigator. “We brought together undergraduates from various academic backgrounds and immersed them in real, hands-on biomedical research with some of our most accomplished investigators.
“Watching these students go from a little unsure on day one to confidently presenting their own findings by the end of the summer was inspiring, and proof that programs like this are building the next generation of biomedical researchers in Delaware.”
Delaware INBRE is a statewide initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health to strengthen Delaware’s biomedical research infrastructure. It supports undergraduate research training, faculty development and core facility investments across partner institutions. At ChristianaCare, the program offers students immersive, hands-on research experiences guided by seasoned investigators, equipping them with the skills, mentorship and exposure essential for careers in science and medicine.
Madeline Rowland, a Delaware resident and rising senior at Williams College in Massachusetts, collaborated with Hank Chen, senior medical physicist at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, to evaluate tattoo-free, surface-guided radiation therapy for breast cancer patients. She also worked with leaders of ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health to explore how different patient populations experience virtual primary care.
Rowland praised the program for the research skills and knowledge she gained as well as the meaningful relationships she built with mentors, health care professionals and fellow scholars she might not have otherwise met.
“Dr. Chen and the whole Radiation team really adopted me into the department,” Rowland said. “From sitting on the CT simulation table in my first week to working on my project, I felt fully welcomed. I’ve learned so much, and the people I’ve met made this summer unforgettable.”
Chen was recognized as the program’s inaugural “Mentor of the Summer” for his exceptional dedication and thoughtful approach to teaching.
Having now mentored INBRE scholars for three years, Chen has a personal connection to the program. His own daughter participated as an undergraduate and recently began her general surgery residency after graduating from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
For Chen, mentoring represents an investment in health care’s future.
“The greatest asset of any institution is its talent,” he explained. “When you welcome students into your environment, you draw good people to your field, and patients ultimately benefit from that.”
Naana Twusami, a rising senior at Delaware State University, spent her summer with the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Hospital Dentistry Department. She examined social determinants of health in facial trauma patients, analyzing how factors like income, education, transportation and insurance status influence recovery.
“Being here showed me that things like income or transportation can matter just as much as the medical care itself,” she said. “The INBRE Summer Scholars Program gave me a real look at how health care works, and how places like ChristianaCare are helping shape where it’s headed.”
Amy Minsker, continuing medical education manager, Academic Affairs, served as manager of the summer scholars program.
Summer Research Scholars
Anna Billings, Delaware Technical Community College
Project title: “Characteristics of Holloway Community Program HIV PrEP Patients: Strategies to Close the Prevention Gap”
Primary mentor: Wayne Duffus M.D., Ph.D.
Secondary mentors: Pam Szczerba, PT, MPT; Elizabeth Weiss, MOT, OTD
Alondra Morillo Colon, Delaware State University
Project title: “Project: Breathing Patterns in Infants Before and After Extubation”
Primary mentor: Kelley Kovatis, M.D.
Secondary mentor: Rosemary Polomano, Ph.D., RN
Angelina Aubain, Spelman College
Project title: “Vowst (SER-109) as a Prophylaxis Against C. Difficile Disease in ICU Patients”
Primary mentor: Alfred Bacon, M.D.
Secondary mentor: Bridget Peters, D.O., Ph.D.
Ian Ondobo, University of Connecticut
Project title: “Bridging the Gap: Evaluating the Impact of a Medical School Pathway Program: A Three-Part Study of the ChristianaCare Harrington MCAT Prep Program”
Primary mentor: Marshala Lee-McCall, M.D., MPH
Secondary mentor: Lee Pachter, DO
Aram Dickerson-Watters, Delaware State University
Project title: “Evaluation of Safety of Early Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients with Concomitant TBI and BCVI: A Retrospective Study”
Primary mentor: Asanthi Ratnasekera, DO
Secondary mentor: David Chen, M.D., MPH
Madeline Rowland, Williams College
Project title: “Impact of Surface Guided Radiation Therapy on Patient Setups”
Primary mentor: Hank Chen, MS
Secondary mentor: Darrell Dow, MS
Julia Querey, University of Delaware
Project title: “Analyzing Delays in Breast Cancer Diagnostic Interval at Helen F. Graham Cancer Center”
Primary mentor: Scott Siegel, Ph.D., MHCDS
Secondary mentor: Sarah Matthews, M.D.
Naana Twumasi, Delaware State University
Project title: “Social Determinants of Health in Facial Trauma”
Primary mentor: Daniel Meara, M.D., DMD
Secondary mentor: Kelsey Kosinski, MS
