47th-Annual Medical Student Research Fellowship Presentations Mark a Record Year

For 47 years, the Medical Student Research Fellowship (MSRF) program has provided competitively selected UT Health Sciences medical students the opportunity to conduct individualized research under the mentorship of College of Medicine faculty in both basic science and clinical science departments over the summer.

The program served as an introduction to biomedical research and careers in academic medicine, offering students a valuable opportunity for professional and academic development.

On July 24, faculty, fellows, postdoctoral researchers, and residents in the College of Medicine gathered for the final MSRF presentations. The event was held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. in the General Education Building on the Memphis campus.

The MSRF program will conclude because the program's summer research window, previously available to students between their M1 and M2 years, is being phased out as part of a revised College of Medicine curriculum.

Beginning this year, incoming M1 students started coursework on July 20 rather than in mid-August, allowing the college to move students into clinical training earlier and expand the range of career exploration opportunities available to them throughout medical school.

While the MSRF program's summer format will be missed, its legacy of fostering student research and mentorship will continue to shape the College of Medicine's approach to training future physician-scientists.

Co-directed by Matthew Ennis, PhD, John Boughter, PhD, professors of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Steve Goodman, PhD, professor of Pediatrics, the 2026 MSRF program included a record 112 M1 students. Dr. Ennis' leadership in organizing this year's event helped ensure a fitting and successful conclusion to the program's distinguished history.

Student presentations addressed a wide range of research areas, including epidemiology, social determinants of health, population and global health, surgery, cancer biology, immunity and inflammation, neuroscience, and ophthalmology. Faculty and attendees noted that this year's presentations were among the strongest in the program's 47-year history.

2026 Top 10 Awardees

• Benjamin Burks - mentored by Lawrence Pfeffer, PhD
• Aja Ceesay - mentored by ElAbiad, MD
• Madeline Eskin - mentored by Andrew Murphy, MD
• Andrew Lancaster - mentored by Amber Smith, PhD
• Sammy Mardini - mentored by Aman Bajwa, PhD
• Ahmad Motiwala - mentored by Matt Wilson, MD
• Alissa Nam - mentored by Rajeshwary Ghosh, PhD
• Roxanna Ray - mentored by Satya Surbhi, PhD
• Joseph Rodriguez - mentored by Monica Jablonski, PhD
• Elizabeth Savard - mentored by Dr. ElAbiad, MD

The MSRF program is supported by the Office of the Executive Dean of the College of Medicine, participating departments and faculty mentors, and Carol and Greg Houser.