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Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship

Important Dates and Information

Program Dates: May 17 - July 23, 2027

Application Deadline: January 15, 2027

Acceptance Notice: February 28, 2027 (Tentative)

Fellowship Guidelines

Apply for Fellowship

About the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship Program

All Heritage College students who will successfully complete the Year 1 medical school curriculum by the end of the spring semester immediately preceding the summer Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship (Fellowship) program are invited to apply. Students must be in good academic and professional standing, with no Code of Professional Standards violations on record. Students from all three Heritage College campuses are encouraged to apply. 

Under the guidance of the research mentor, students conduct intensive short-term (10-week) research projects in selected areas of biomedical/basic, social-behavioral medicine, primary care, medical education, or clinical investigation. Students will participate in a core curriculum consisting of seminars on broad topics in medical research. They will complete an oral and/or poster presentation describing their research, to be presented in person on the Athens campus during the last week of the summer program. 

The objectives of the Fellowship program are to provide a valuable experience for highly motivated and talented medical students to participate in a defined research project; to acquaint students with scientific methodology; to enhance their analytic and laboratory skills; and to provide an opportunity to improve their presentation and writing skills. The program provides foundational skills for future physicians to use scientific evidence as a basis in their clinical decision making and to consider the possibility of pursing research as physician-scientists dedicated to enhancing health care.

The fellowship pays $3,000 to assist fellows with living expenses.

Students are expected to review the current program guidelines carefully as they contain very important information and details related to the program. Students must submit proposals according to the current program guidelines in order to be considered for funding.

Questions?

For additional information, please contact:
The Heritage College Office of Research and Grants, Nadine Borovicka, program manager, or Jessica Wingett, director of research administration and student research and Fellowship program director

Research mentor, Dr. Nick Okada, overseeing research fellow, Shashank Reddy in lab.

Osteopathic Heritage Foundation Endowed Research and Scholarly Advancement Fellowship Class of 2026

Student NameProject TitlePrimary Mentor
William BeeganAssessing University Students’ Understanding of Hypoglycemia
and Glucagon Administration
Elizabeth Beverly, PhD
Colin BenningtonWhere is APOJ in the Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy?​Cory Baumann, PhD
James BirongAPOJ Does Not Influence Strength Loss or Recovery Following InjuryCory Baumann, PhD
Jennifer DomfeAnalysis of B-cell Subsets in the Mouse ID8 Ovarian Cancer Model​Fabian Benencia, PhD
Aaron FernandoExploring Occupational Stress, Emotional Demands, and Trauma-Informed Care Practices Among Rural Southeast Ohio Behavioral and Primary Healthcare Clinicians​Dawn Graham, PhD
Eli Haun

APOA4 Regulation of Lipid Metabolism Through​ Vagal LRP1 Sympathetic Signaling​

Chunmin Lo, PhD
Adeel KoshalDeveloping a Modality to Treat Obesity-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction ​Vishwajeet Puri, PhD
Xuan Anh LeAAV-Mediated FSP27 Gene Delivery to Skeletal Muscle Improves Neurocognition in Obese Mice ​Vishwajeet Puri, PhD
Ci LeeEvaluating PD1 Expression in Mouse Models of Growth Hormone (GH) Excess and DeficitShigeru Okada, PhD
Katelyn MessnerTreating Hip Osteoarthritis Through Balanced Growth Hormone Excess and Antagonism in Mice​Shouan Zu, PhD
Pareena PatelAAV-Mediated Skeletal Muscle Delivery of Fat-specific Protein 27 (FSP27) Improves Hyperglycemia in Obese Mice​Bijinu Balakrishnan, PhD
Ryan Steere

Characterizing Bacterial Toxins and RNAs:​ Bioluminescent Staphylococcus aureus​ and a New Technology​

Ronan Carroll, PhD
Reece TrowbridgeImproving Motor Learning Ability in Obese Mice by a Novel Skeletal Muscle-Specific Gene Therapy ​Bijinu Balakrishnan, PhD
Stephen WilbergerGene Therapy to Improve Obesity-Induced Muscle Dysfunction Vishwajeet Puri, PhD