Nine PhD students at the University of Notre Dame have joined the Eck Institute for Global Health as graduate fellows. The Institute will support the students as they pursue research on a wide range of topics that impact global health.

Dr. Bernard Nahlen, director of the Eck Institute, said “We are pleased to welcome an exceptionally strong cohort of graduate fellows for the 2022-2023 academic year.” Nahlen, who is also a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, added “these fellows are well equipped to make a major contribution to our understanding of some of the most troubling health problems that confront our world today.”

In addition to financial support, the Eck Institute’s graduate fellowship program provides training, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration with Notre Dame’s internationally recognized global health experts. Graduate fellows also have access to interdisciplinary opportunities, including the Notre Dame Global Health Case Competition.

The Institute’s 2022-2023 graduate fellows are:

• Aurel Holzschuh, a returning fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Holzschuh’s research project is titled “Understanding residual Plasmodium falciparum transmission in Zanzibar through genomics.”
• Maisha Nima, a returning fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Nima’s project is titled “Malarial emergence of resistance to frontline artemisinin drugs in Bangladesh.”
• Lindsay Serene, a returning fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Serene’s research project is titled “Deciphering SecA2-dependent RNA export in pathogenic mycobacteria.”
• Iker Soto Santarriaga, a returning fellow from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Santarriaga’s research project is titled “Characterizing the folding mechanism of the autotransporter virulence factor pertactin.”
• Jessica Carney, a returning fellow from the Department of Psychology. Carney’s research project is titled “Improving access to maternal mental health care within and across cultural contexts.”
• Christopher Winski, a new fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Winski’s research project is titled “Characterization of an atypical ABC transporter involved in antifungal resistance and host interactions in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.”
• Homero Dominguez, a new fellow from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Dominguez’s research project is titled “Penicillin-Binding protein 2x as a target in allosteric inhibition by antibiotics.”
• Mackenzie Sievert, a new fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Sievert’s research project is titled “Mapping determinants of drug resistance in malaria parasites.”
• Quan Tran, a new fellow from the Department of Biological Sciences. Tran’s research project is titled “Rethinking and improving models used to estimate the global disease burden of Yellow fever.”

The Eck Institute’s PhD program supports outstanding graduate students from across the University of Notre Dame who have a specific interest in global health. Graduates of the program have gone on to lead active federal and academic research programs.

Applications for the 2023-2024 graduate fellowship program are due on February 17, 2023. To learn more about the program or review application information, please visit https://globalhealth.nd.edu/education-training/phd/.

The Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame endeavors to promote research, training, and service for the advancement of health standards for all people. The institute recognizes health as a fundamental human right and aims to advance health standards for all people, especially for those who are disproportionately impacted by preventable diseases. To learn more about the institute, please visit globalhealth.nd.edu.

Contact:

Kelly Thomson / Institute Coordinator

Eck Institute of Global Health / University of Notre Dame

kthomson@nd.edu / 574.631.2171

globalhealth.nd.edu / @ndeckinstitute

About Notre Dame Research:

The University of Notre Dame is a private research and teaching university inspired by its Catholic mission. Located in South Bend, Indiana, its researchers are advancing human understanding through research, scholarship, education, and creative endeavor in order to be a repository for knowledge and a powerful means for doing good in the world. For more information, please see research.nd.edu or @UNDResearch.