This year, we asked early-career scientists and health professionals to make a short video describing a research question that they are studying—or that they would like to explore—and how that question could be addressed to benefit science and patients.
The winning videos are published in the July 15th issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, our partner since 2023.
We were excited to learn more about our winners, so we asked them to tell us about themselves. Watch the interviews to find out who inspires them, what they think is the best part of doing research, what is next in their field, and more.
Colette Benko, Stanford University
Colette is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Stanford University’s Developmental Biology program. Studying in Andrew Fire’s group, she is interested in the intersection between RNA biology and immunity extant in Caenorhabditis elegans and mammalian models. Colette earned her Bachelor of Medical Science degree at the University of Western Ontario, studying topics as diverse as nutrient acquisition during infection and extracellular matrix remodeling during lung development. Born in Calgary, Canada, Colette is passionate about science communication and enjoys spending her free time outdoors. Whether trekking into the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to visit mountain gorillas or giving tours to see the northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park, she enjoys sharing her love of wildlife with her community.
Tell us about your video.
Who inspires you as a scientist?
What is your favorite part of doing research?
Sai Krishna Bhamidipati, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences
Sai Krishna Bhamidipati is a PhD candidate in the laboratory of Edward Callaway at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, in La Jolla, California, studying how the brain is wired. The cortex is built from many types of neurons, and Sai works out the rules that govern which cells connect to which—an organizing logic that shapes how the brain processes information. He uses complementary approaches, combining virus-based tracing of neural connections with readouts of each cell’s molecular identity, in addition to analyzing large-scale electron microscopy reconstructions that capture cortical wiring at the individual synapse level. Studying connectivity at different scales gives a fuller picture than any single method alone. By uncovering the general rules of wiring, he aims to clarify how healthy circuits are built and what can go wrong in conditions such as schizophrenia and autism.
Tell us about your video.
Who inspires you as a scientist?
What is next in your field?
Max Bucklan, Duke University
Max is pursuing his PhD in the Duke University Program in Genetics and Genomics. In the lab of Simon Gregory, Max uses leading-edge transcriptomic technologies to study the mechanisms of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, an aggressive and rare pediatric brain cancer. He is especially interested in combining high-throughput genomic methods with integrative computational analysis to have a translational impact on treating human diseases. Max received his BS in biology from Duke and has several years of experience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a research technician focusing on cancer genetics and chromatin biology. Max’s side quests include being a cosplayer, improv pianist, and Lego enthusiast.
Tell us about your video.
Who inspires you as a scientist?
Why do you like science communication?
Lindsey Ramirez, University of Illinois College of Medicine
Lindsey earned her PhD in physiology and is now a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Although having an aversion to alcohol can protect against developing an addiction, there are individual differences in aversion. Lindsey investigates what areas in the brain signal aversion to understand the reason for those differences. To make science accessible and appealing for everyone, she uses a variety of formats, including in-person outreach, blog pieces, and science videos.
Tell us about your video.
Who Inspires you as a scientist?
What is your advice for early-career physician-scientists?
Dimitri Seneviratne, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Dimitri is a first-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine with interests in ophthalmology and aerospace medicine. At the National Institute for Aviation Research, his research focused on optimizing robotic manufacturing of carbon fiber composite structures for aerospace applications. He is passionate about integrating engineering and medicine through research as well as harnessing media to improve patient care. In his free time, Dimitri loves powerlifting, video production, reading sci-fi novels, and spending time with his family.
Tell us about your video.
Who inspires you as a scientist?
What is your favorite part of doing research?
Mark Sorin, McGill University
Mark is a graduating MD–PhD student and incoming internal medicine resident at McGill University with interests in lung cancer and immuno-oncology. In his PhD research, he examined the tumor immune microenvironment’s role in lung cancer. His work focused on using tumors’ spatial organization and cellular interactions to predict which early-stage lung cancer patients would benefit from chemotherapy after surgery and which patients would be harmed by it. His goal is to become a principal investigator and medical oncologist, leading a laboratory focused on immuno-oncology, performing meaningful research and treating patients with cancer.
