Past Scholars

Nearly every NUCATS KL2 Scholar remains engaged in clinical and translational science research and collectively the group has contributed to more than 1,000 scholarly publications.

Learn more about our KL2 Scholar alumni below.

Prakash S Jayabalan, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Faculty Profile

Project Title: Biomarker Assessment of In Vivo Cartilage Response to Stress in Health and Disease

Prakash Jayabalan MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Physician Scientist at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. He received his medical degree from King’s College London and PhD from the University of Missouri in Pathobiology where his research focused on tissue engineering of cartilage and biological markers of joint disease. He completed a PM&R residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he was Chief Resident, and completed Sports Medicine Fellowship at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University. His research project focuses on the development of a novel cartilage stress test to evaluate cartilage metabolic state and specifically its response to loading and exercise. This project, under the mentorship of Dr Levi Hargrove and Dr Thomas Schnitzer, will lead to the future development of individualized exercise programs that optimize cartilage health based on individual biological and biomechanical responses to joint loading.

Xiaolong (Alan) Zhou, MD

Assistant Professor of Dermatology

Faculty Profile

Project title: Characterization of the Skin Microbiome in Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma

Alan Zhou, MD is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He received his MD from Duke University, completed his dermatology residency at University of Miami / Jackson Memorial Hospital, and a T32 post-doctoral fellowship in cutaneous oncology at Northwestern. Dr. Zhou specializes in cutaneous lymphoma and complex medical dermatology and his research project aims to characterize the microbiome of cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL). His project focuses on understanding the microbial profiles of CTCL and its subtypes and how they shift with standard treatments such as narrowband UVB therapy. He is also investigating demographic, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors for CTCL and skin proteomic changes in the disease. These data will be examined in association with microbiome data. Ultimately, Dr. Zhou’s goal is to understand the role of the microbiome in CTCL progression or response to therapy and develop new ways to better diagnose and treat skin lymphomas.

Jessica Altman, MD

Professor of Medicine (Hematology and Oncology)

Faculty Profile

Lester M. Arguelles, MS, PhD

Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago

David Bentrem, MD

Professor of Surgery (Surgical Oncology) and Medical Social Sciences

Faculty Profile

Zeeshan Butt, PhD

Director of Clinical Content at Phreesia
Adjunct Lecturer of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Psychology)

Faculty Profile

James Elliott, PT, PhD

Professor of Allied Health at the University of Sydney (Australia) and the Northern Local Health District

Tracy S Gertler, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Neurology and Epilepsy) and Pharmacology

Faculty Profile

Mita Goel, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics)

Faculty Profile

Muriel Jean-Jacques, MD, MA

Associate Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Department of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics)

Faculty Profile

Jacqueline Jeruss, MD, PhD

Associate Dean for Regulatory Affairs
Professor of Surgery, Pathology and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan

Sunjay Kaushal, MD, PhD

Professor of Surgery (Cardiac Surgery)

Faculty Profile

Sadiya S Khan, MD, MSc

Assistant Professor of Medicine - Cardiology and Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology)

Faculty Profile

Rajesh Kumar, MD

Professor of Pediatrics (Allergy and Immunology)

Faculty Profile

Eric Liotta, MD, MS

Associate Professor of Neurology (Stroke and Neurocritical Care) and Surgery (Organ Transplantation)

Faculty Profile

Xin (Lucy) Liu, MD, PhD

Associate Professor in China

Kelly Lowry, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Faculty Profile

Rupal C Mehta, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine - Nephrology and Hypertension

Faculty Profile

Karen K L Mestan, MD

Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology)

Faculty Profile

Sunita N Misra, MD, PhD

Medical Director of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Neurelis

Peter Pang, MD

Chair Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University

Emily J Rogalski, PhD

Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Faculty Profile

Amanda Muhs Saratsis, MD

Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University

Anne Marie Singh, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine (Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology) University of Wisconsin-Madison
Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine (Allergy and Immunology) (FSM)

Faculty Profile