Translational Investigators — the Future of Team Science
Translational Investigators — the Future of Team Science
Given their dual scientific and clinical talents, TIP trainees are perfectly poised to advance the basic understanding, diagnosis, and new treatment of human disease.
“The Translational Investigators Program (TIP) stood out to me because of the unique culture of innovation and discovery that is infused across campus. There’s not only a history of discovery — there’s a palpable sense that Stanford is on the tip of changing the practice of medicine,” says Chad Weldy, MD, PhD, a graduate of the program, who is now a cardiologist and faculty member in the division of cardiovascular medicine and the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease.
New TIP members are welcomed into the vibrant community of established physician-scientists at Stanford. They join the more senior trainees in both formal and informal meetings to exchange ideas with a range of faculty. The Pathways of Distinction initiative allows them to select a track that best aligns with their academic interests. All interns are paired with mentors who best suit their career interests.
Monthly events are held for TIP members at every training level. Activities range from discussions with leading investigators to skill-based sessions, such as learning how to write successful grant applications. In addition, numerous social events promote a sense of community and offer opportunities to exchange ideas and form bonds across disciplines.
“We are committed to fostering the growth of physician-scientists as they tackle the greatest challenges in medicine,” says Joshua Knowles, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine and one of the co-directors of the program. “Given their dual scientific and clinical talents, TIP trainees are perfectly poised to advance the basic understanding, diagnosis, and new treatment of human disease,” adds fellow program director Alice Fan, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine.
The TIP directors were especially excited to welcome this year’s class of interns, having successfully recruited a group with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, training, and perspectives that will provide fertile ground for their careers as team scientists.
MEET SOME 2023 TIP INTERNS
Reem Elorbany
Shannon Esswein
Sunil K. Joshi
Christine McIntosh
Raman Nelakanti
Axel Stenmark Tullberg
Jimmy Zheng
Reem Elorbany
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 29 years old
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI / Chicago, IL
Languages Spoken at Home:
English, Arabic
Hobbies:
3D printing, Dungeons and Dragons, science fiction novels, crossword puzzles.
Research Field:
Cardiology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
When I was 6, I had an illness that put me into the hospital for a month. The confusion around my diagnosis and lack of patient communication made a big impression on me and ultimately led me to this path.
What drew you to Stanford?
Stanford had the combination of strength in clinical care, scientific research, and education that I was looking for.
Reem Elorbany
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 29 years old
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI / Chicago, IL
Languages Spoken at Home:
English, Arabic
Hobbies:
3D printing, Dungeons and Dragons, science fiction novels, crossword puzzles.
Research Field:
Cardiology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
When I was 6, I had an illness that put me into the hospital for a month. The confusion around my diagnosis and lack of patient communication made a big impression on me and ultimately led me to this path.
What drew you to Stanford?
Stanford had the combination of strength in clinical care, scientific research, and education that I was looking for.
Shannon Esswein
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 30 years old
Hometown: Simi Valley, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
English
Hobbies:
I enjoy piano, rock climbing, reading, writing, supporting women in STEM, and spending time with my cats.
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
My experiences of seeing one of my best friends and my mother battling cancer led me to pursue a career as a physician-scientist to care for patients with difficult diagnoses while also developing new therapeutics.
What drew you to Stanford?
Stanford has excellent clinical training and strong research opportunities while also being close to my family in California.
Shannon Esswein
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 30 years old
Hometown: Simi Valley, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
English
Hobbies:
I enjoy piano, rock climbing, reading, writing, supporting women in STEM, and spending time with my cats.
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
My experiences of seeing one of my best friends and my mother battling cancer led me to pursue a career as a physician-scientist to care for patients with difficult diagnoses while also developing new therapeutics.
What drew you to Stanford?
Stanford has excellent clinical training and strong research opportunities while also being close to my family in California.
Sunil K. Joshi
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 34 years old
Hometown: Fairfield, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Hindi, Punjabi
Hobbies:
Being in the outdoors, hanging out with family and friends, working out, running
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Serving as my grandfather’s caretaker as he fought terminal prostate cancer ignited my interest in medicine. I chose to pursue an MD/PhD to deepen my understanding of cancer biology and to advance treatment options.
What drew you to Stanford?
I was drawn by the collaborative spirit and the translational research, with access to world-renowned scientists and state-of-the-art facilities.
Sunil K. Joshi
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 34 years old
Hometown: Fairfield, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Hindi, Punjabi
Hobbies:
Being in the outdoors, hanging out with family and friends, working out, running
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Serving as my grandfather’s caretaker as he fought terminal prostate cancer ignited my interest in medicine. I chose to pursue an MD/PhD to deepen my understanding of cancer biology and to advance treatment options.
What drew you to Stanford?
I was drawn by the collaborative spirit and the translational research, with access to world-renowned scientists and state-of-the-art facilities.
Christine McIntosh
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 31 years old
Hometown: Clifton, NJ
Languages Spoken at Home:
English, Croatian
Hobbies:
Cooking, hanging out with our American Forest Cat “Bubba.” I was also a competitive fencer throughout college.
Research Field:
Gastroenterology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?My first research mentor was a physician-scientist who discussed clinical questions in our lab meetings. I was inspired by his passion for research, as I could see myself applying my love for molecular and cellular biology toward real-world problems.
What drew you to Stanford?
I fell in love with Stanford during my residency interview day. I met with incredible clinicians and scientists and found it so easy to discuss my research and career goals.
Christine McIntosh
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Age: 31 years old
Hometown: Clifton, NJ
Languages Spoken at Home:
English, Croatian
Hobbies:
Cooking, hanging out with our American Forest Cat “Bubba.” I was also a competitive fencer throughout college.
Research Field:
Gastroenterology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
My first research mentor was a physician-scientist who discussed clinical questions in our lab meetings. I was inspired by his passion for research, as I could see myself applying my love for molecular and cellular biology toward real-world problems.
What drew you to Stanford?
I fell in love with Stanford during my residency interview day. I met with incredible clinicians and scientists and found it so easy to discuss my research and career goals.
Raman Nelakanti
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 31 years old
Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Telugu and English
Hobbies:
I love hiking with my partner and my dog Sandy. I also sing, garden, and play cricket.
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
I became interested in a physician-scientist career while working as an undergraduate at Stanford in Dr. Joseph Wu’s lab in Cardiovascular Medicine.
What drew you to Stanford?
As an undergraduate at Stanford, I loved the warm, collaborative culture. It’s really come full circle going from volunteering as a pre-med at the SCVMC to practicing as a resident at the same hospitals where my friends and family have been treated.
Raman Nelakanti
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 31 years old
Hometown: Sunnyvale, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Telugu and English
Hobbies:
I love hiking with my partner and my dog Sandy. I also sing, garden, and play cricket.
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
I became interested in a physician-scientist career while working as an undergraduate at Stanford in Dr. Joseph Wu’s lab in Cardiovascular Medicine.
What drew you to Stanford?
As an undergraduate at Stanford, I loved the warm, collaborative culture. It’s really come full circle going from volunteering as a pre-med at the SCVMC to practicing as a resident at the same hospitals where my friends and family have been treated.
Axel Stenmark Tullberg
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 29 years old
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Languages Spoken at Home:
Swedish
Hobbies:
Road cycling, sports, outdoor activities
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Writing my master’s thesis as a medical student. I knew then I wanted to dedicate my career to oncology and research.
What drew you to Stanford?
The fantastic research opportunities and fit in terms of my research interests. I look forward to connecting with research mentors and becoming part of such a world-class research institute.
Axel Stenmark Tullberg
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 29 years old
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Languages Spoken at Home:
Swedish
Hobbies:
Road cycling, sports, outdoor activities
Research Field:
Hematology and Oncology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Writing my master’s thesis as a medical student. I knew then I wanted to dedicate my career to oncology and research.
What drew you to Stanford?
The fantastic research opportunities and fit in terms of my research interests. I look forward to connecting with research mentors and becoming part of such a world-class research institute.
Jimmy Zheng
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 28 years old
Hometown: Saratoga, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Mandarin Chinese, English
Hobbies:
Traveling, fitness, coffee shops, amusement parks
Research Field:
Cardiology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Serving as CFO of a mobile health clinic for homeless and housing-insecure communities in Los Angeles inspired me to become a physician to care for underserved patients.
What drew you to Stanford?
Phenomenal clinical research faculty, impressive cardiology footprint, proximity to family, and impeccable weather.
Jimmy Zheng
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Age: 28 years old
Hometown: Saratoga, CA
Languages Spoken at Home:
Mandarin Chinese, English
Hobbies:
Traveling, fitness, coffee shops, amusement parks
Research Field:
Cardiology
What was a formative experience that led you to your career path?
Serving as CFO of a mobile health clinic for homeless and housing-insecure communities in Los Angeles inspired me to become a physician to care for underserved patients.
What drew you to Stanford?
Phenomenal clinical research faculty, impressive cardiology footprint, proximity to family, and impeccable weather.