Pediatrician-Scientist Pathway

The Tulane Pediatrician-Scientist Pathway (StARR Program) is a 4-year program during which residents complete a PGY1 fully Categorical Pediatrics year followed by 3 years with a total of 18 months dedicated to research. We are now accepting applications via ERAS - apply through the Tulane Pediatrics Residency Program. For more information on the Tulane Pediatrician-Scientist Track / StARR Program page and Tulane Institute for Physician Scientists page.

Scholars of the StARR program from our Pediatric Residency include:

  • Class of 2024:  Gita Chadalawada, DO
  • Class of 2025:  Stephanie Shea, MD
  • Class of 2026:  Mina Hanna, MD, MS
  • Class of 2027:  Anna Sanford, MD
  • Class of 2028:  Elizabeth Tsuying Chang, MD, PhD
  • Class of 2029:  Rasheedat Sanni, MD
  • Class of 2030:  Sovannarath Pong, MD

See their works to date here:

Shea SR, Mowen A, Kissinger PJWhat We Fail to Teach: A Systematic Review of Sexual Health Education in the Deep SouthLouisiana AAP Crescent City Potpourri08/2023New Orleans, LA
Chadalawada G, Gupta A, O'Donnell JK, Bengoa DS, Li X, Wright L, Ocasio MPediatric Mental Health Screening: A Scoping ReviewSouthern Society for Clinical Investigation Regional Meeting02/2024New Orleans, LA
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Kolls JIL-21R Signaling Plays a Significant Role in Modulating the B and T Cell Immune Response to Gene Therapy Vectors in the LungSouthern Society for Clinical Investigation Regional Meeting02/2024New Orleans, LA
Shea SR, Mowen A, Kissinger PJWhat We Fail to Teach: A Systematic Review of Sexual Health Education in the Deep SouthSociety for Adolescent Health & Medicine Annual Meeting03/2024San Diego, CA
Chadalawada G, Gupta A, O'Donnell JK, Bengoa DS, Li X, Wright L,  Ocasio MAMental Health Screening in the Pediatric Emergency DepartmentAAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting04/2024Chicago, IL
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Kolls JIL-21R Signaling Plays a Significant Role in Modulating the B and T Cell Immune Response to Gene Therapy Vectors in the LungAAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting04/2024Chicago, IL
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Kolls JIL-21R Signaling Plays a Significant Role in Modulating the B and T Cell Immune Response to Gene Therapy Vectors in the LungPediatrics Research Day05/2024New Orleans, LA
Chadalawada G, Gupta A, O'Donnell JK, Bengoa DS, Li X, Daris R, Jones M, Ocasio MA, Kaplow JThe Role of Neighborhood in the Development of Toxic Stress and Resilience in New Orleans Children and AdolescentsPediatric Academic Societies05/2024Toronto, Canada
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Kolls JIL-21R and IL-21 play a crucial role in modulating the B and T cell immune responses to viral gene therapy vectors in the lungs. North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference09/2024Boston, MA
Sanford A, Bond N, Engel E, Alhasan F, Gbakie M, Kamara F, Kanneh L, Mustapha I, Yilah M, Grant D, Samuels R, Schieffelin JCharacterizing Musculoskeletal Sequelae in Ebola Virus Survivors Over Seven Years Since Hospital Discharge in Eastern Sierra Leone*IDweek10/2024Los Angeles, CA
Shea SR, Finger JL, Kissinger PJBirds, Bees, & Clinical Expertise: Survey of Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Comfort, and Practice of Sex Education in LouisianaSouthern Society for Clinical Investigation Regional Meeting02/2025New Orleans, LA
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Lin D, Kolls JIL21R signaling plays a vital role in mediating humoral and cell-mediated responses to adenoviral vectorsSouthern Society for Clinical Investigation Regional Meeting02/2025New Orleans, LA
Sanford A, Bond N, Ficenec S, Osterman C, Farkas P, Engel E, Samuels R, Zwezdaryk K, Schieffelin JMetabolic Basis of Post-Infectious Sequelae After Ebola Virus DiseaseSouthern Society for Clinical Investigation Regional Meeting02/2025New Orleans, LA
Shea SR, Finger JL, Kissinger PJBirds, Bees, & Clinical Expertise: Survey of Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Comfort, and Practice of Sex Education in LouisianaSociety for Adolescent Health & Medicine Annual Meeting03/2025Baltimore, MD
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Lin D, Kolls JIL-21 and IL-21R interaction plays a key role in mounting humoral and cell-mediated immune response to adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors in lungAmerican Physician Scientist Association Annual Meeting04/2025Chicago, IL
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Lin D, Kolls JIL-21 and IL-21R interaction plays a key role in mounting humoral and cell-mediated immune response to adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors in lungPediatrics Research Day 202505/2025New Orleans, LA
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Pungan D, Lin D, Kolls JIL-21 and IL-21R interaction plays a key role in mounting humoral and cell-mediated immune response to adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors in lungNorth American Cystic Fibrosis Conference10/2025Seattle, WA
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Lin D, Onyene NL, Wang X, Kolls JIL-21 and IL-21R interaction plays a key role in mounting humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors in the lungAMA Research Challenge10/2025Virtual
Sanford A, Bond N, Ficenec S, Osterman C, Farkas P, Engel E, Gunn B, Grant DS, Samuels R, Zwezdaryk K, Schieffelin JMachine Learning Identifies Metabolic Biomarkers of Post-Ebola SyndromeAmerican Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Meeting11/2025Toronto, Canada
Chang ET, Magrath J, Lee SIn Silico Discovery of Subtype-Specific Neogene Transcripts in Fusion-Driven Pediatric Leukemias2025 AACR-KCA Joint Conference on Precision Medicine in Cancer11/2025Busan, Korea
Hanna M, Clark RD, Martin A, Lin D, Onyene NL, Wang X, Kolls JIL21r signaling is crucial to mediating humoral and cell-mediated responses to adeno-associated viral vectors in the lung2026 Southern Regional Meeting02/2026New Orleans, LA
Sanford A, Bond N, Ficenec S, Osterman C, Farkas P, Engel E, Samuels R, Zwezdaryk K, Schieffelin JDysregulated cytotoxic T-cell and immune checkpoint activity in Ebola survivorsSouthern Regional Meeting02/2026New Orleans, LA
Chang ET, Lee SIn Silico Discovery of Subtype-Specific Neogene Transcripts in Fusion-Driven Pediatric Leukemias2026 Southern Regional Meeting02/2026New Orleans, LA
Hanna MR, Clark RD, Martin AJ, Onyene NL, Lin D, Wang X, Kolls JIl-21r Signaling Plays a Key Role in Mounting Humoral and Cell-mediated Immune Response to Adenoviral and Adeno-associated Viral Vectors in the LungATS International Conference05/2026Orlando, FL