During the summers of 2020 and 2021, the MGH Youth Neurology Education and Research Program employed 60 brilliant and talented student interns from across the Greater Boston Area and Massachusetts in paid, mentored research. The students identified as 74% female or non-binary, 74% Black, Latinx, or Indigenous, 34% immigrant, and 72% first-generation students, representing communities disproportionately affected by neurologic disease and underrepresented in the neurology workforce. These undergraduate and high school students engage in collaborative teams across numerous neurology labs spanning basic, translational, clinical, and health services research across neurologic conditions.

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Our students develop their critical thinking abilities while exploring complex scientific questions and work towards novel discoveries in the field of Neurology. At the conclusion of the program, filled with literature reviews, data analyses and teamwork, students share their research findings with the broader scientific community through professional presentations. We look forward to supporting them in their future accomplishments and witnessing their contributions to healthcare and Neurology.

Photocollage of student faces 2020 Youth Neurology Education & Research Participants worked remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Students

2022 Undergraduate Students

Adam Khanboubi
Mentor: Dr. W. Taylor Kimberly
High School: Pioneer Charter High School
Undergrad: MCPHS

Aliza Khan
Mentor: Dr. Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
High School: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Undergrad: Northeastern

Aya ElHassan
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Mary Lyon Pilot School
Undergrad: Wellesley College

Bridget Severino
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Guidon
High School: Greater Lawrence Technical High School
Undergrad: NYU

Dami Adetunla
Mentor: Dr. Nicte Mejia
High School: Jeremiah E. Burke High School
Undergrad: Northeastern

Glory Cabral
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
High School: Community Charter School of Cambridge
Undergrad: Emmanuel College

Maha Melicio
Mentor: Dr. Sabrina Paganoni
High School: Everett High School
Undergrad: Columbia University

Marianne Sotolongo-Serret
Mentor: Dr. Ngo Chi
High School: Newton North High School
Undergrad: Emmanuel College

Melissa Gonzalez
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Pioneer Charter High School
Undergrad: Dartmouth

Morgan Ellis
Mentor: Dr. Susanna Mierau
High School: Mount Alvernia High School
Undergrad: Spelman College

Phedjina Jean
Mentor: Dr. Michael Levy
High School: Arlington High School
Undergrad: Middlesex Comm. College

Ruth Rufus
Mentor: Dr. Brian Edlow
High School: Ikolaba International College
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Boston

Saika Pierre
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Brockton High School
Undergrad: Massasoit Community College

Sarah Nehema
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Malden High School
Undergrad: Suffolk University

Viola Appiah-Danquah
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: Bartlett High School
Undergrad: Emmanuel College

2022 High School Students

Anthony Duffaut
Mentor: Dr. Brian Edlow
High School: Boston College High School

Aya Boulouah
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Guidon
High School: Cambridge Rindge and Latin

Djensley Gervais
Mentor: Dr. Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
High School: Roxbury Preparatory High School

Isabella Velasquez
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Excel Academy

Franka Autila
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers

Janani Ganesh
Mentor: Dr. Susanna Mierau
High School: Newton South High School

Jonathan Elijah Bonilla
Mentor: Dr. Van Veluw
High School: Brockton High School

Kelly Aweh-Kisob
Mentor: Dr. Sabrina Paganoni
High School: Bedford High School

Leah Berhanu
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: Cambridge Rindge and Latin

Puja Saha
Mentor: Dr. Michael Levy
High School: Acton-Boxborough Regional High School

Sahr Jadu Matturi
Mentor: Dr. W. Taylor Kimberly
High School: Noble and Greenough

Siria Ubiera
Mentor: Dr. Ngo Chi
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers

Sophia Zari
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Revere High School

Walid Ichcho
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Revere High School

2021 Students

2021 Undergraduate Students

Angel Wanjiku Muthemba
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Emmanuel College ’24

Aya ElHassan
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Mary Lyon Pilot School
Undergrad: Wellesley College

Balwant-Amrit Virk Singh
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Guidon
High School: Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Undergrad: Emory University

Briana Maldonado Granados
Mentor: Dr. Ann-Marie Wills
High School: Chelsea High School
Undergrad: Dartmouth College

Diara Canton
Mentor: Dr. Shibani Mukerji
High School: Shrewsbury High School
Undergrad: Worcester State University

Gina O'Brien
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
High School: Snowden International School
Undergrad: Northeastern University

Hridhi Islam
Mentor: Dr. Craig Blackstone
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Jazzmine Sanderson
Mentor: Dr. Isabel Arrillaga-Romany
High School: Pingree School
Undergrad: Tufts University

Marc-Kendy Paul
Mentor: Dr. Brian Edlow
High School: Sharon High School
Undergrad: Worcester State University

Mariya Emille Inocentes
Mentor: Dr. Sabrina Paganoni
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Boston

Matthew Freire Freitas
Mentor: Dr. Ghazaleh Sadri Vakili
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Boston University

Nildaliz Enamorado-Rodriguez
Mentor: Dr. Marcello Matiello
High School: Northeast Metro Tech High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Boston

Taif Al Halabi
Mentor: Dr. Taylor Kimberly
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Salem State University

Tatiana Vasquez
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Methuen High School
Undergrad: Suffolk University

Victoria Derosla
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Boston Preparatory Charter Public School
Undergrad: Trinity College

2021 High School Students

Ahado Ali
Mentor:Dr. Shibani Mukerji
High School: TechBoston Academy
Undergrad: Bryn Mawr College

Arthur De Los Santos
Mentor: Dr. Marcello Matiello
High School: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Undergrad: Undecided

Asia Eleanor Adams-Lemar
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: TechBoston Academy
Undergrad: Boston University

Elias Omar Carrillo Pineda
Mentor: Dr. Taylor Kimberly
High School: Revere High School

Hafcha Khanam
Mentor: Dr. Isabel Arrillaga-Romany
High School: East Boston High School
Undergrad: Undecided

Ibta Chowdhury
Mentor: Dr. Amanda Guidon
High School: Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Undergrad: Harvard College

Jenifer Chavez Reyes
Mentor: Dr. Ann-Marie Wills
High School: East Boston High School
Undergrad: Undecided

Mariasusana Garcia
Mentor: Dr. Ghazaleh Sadri Vakili
High School: Brockton High School
Undergrad: Undecided

Nawal Jemil Ibrahim
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Undergrad: Tufts University

Nayeli Senayda Garmendia
Mentor:  Dr. Brian Edlow
High School: Chelsea High School
Undergrad: Undecided

Rafael Silva Ferreira
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Malden High School
Undergrad: MCPHS, Boston

Sarah Kathryn Oliveira Condelli
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: New York University

Selena Davis
Mentor:Dr. Sabrina Paganoni
High School: Lexington High School
Undergrad: Undecided

Sharina Castillo
Mentor: Dr. Craig Blackstone
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Undergrad: Undecided

2020 Students

Undergraduate Students

Amy Ly
Mentor: Dr. Shibani Mukerji
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Tufts University

Alisha Shrestha
Mentor: Dr. Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
High School: Chelsea High School
Undergrad: Suffolk University

Alivin Morales-Giron
Mentor: Dr. Isabel Arrillaga-Romany
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Undergrad: Dartmouth College

Daniel Joseph Jr.
Mentor: Dr. Marcello Matiello
High School: New Mission High School
Undergrad: Rochester Institute of Technology

Daniela Brea-Baez
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Janiel Lewis
Mentor: Dr. Altaf Saadi
High School: Boston Adventist Dream Academy
Undergrad: Worcester State University

Juan Antonio Brea-Baez
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Undergrad: Salem State University

Juleen Lewis
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Undergrad: University of Texas, Arlington

Luqman Shariff
Mentor: Dr. Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
High School: Chelsea High School
Undergrad: University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Mariana Quintero-Tapasco
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Boston College

Patrick Adolphus
Mentor: Denitza Raitcheva
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Harvard College

Talal Hamza
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

High School Students

Adrianna Fusco
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts-Boston

Alisa Regassa
Mentor: Dr. Yakeel Quiroz
High School: Boston Latin School
Undergrad: Harvard College

Aliyah Rodriguez
Mentor: Dr. Shibani Mukerji
High School: Community Charter School of Cambridge

Angel Lugo
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Excel High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Carlos Mendoza
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
High School: East Boston High School

Cynthia Hydes
Mentor: Dr. Marcello Matiello
Undergrad: Florida Institute of Technology

Dania Hallak
Mentor: Dr. Altaf Saadi
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Amherst College

Emily Santos
Mentor: Dr. Altaf Saadi
High School: St. Mary’s High School
Undergrad: Brown University

Frehiwot Tachebele
Mentor: Dr. Eric Klawiter
High School: Chelsea High School
Undergrad: Tufts

Ishivita Bali
Mentor: Dr. Lidia Moura
Undergrad: Boston University

Jason Acosta
Mentor: Dr. Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Dartmouth College

Jenipher Silva
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Jessica Feng
Mentor: Dr. Marcello Matiello
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Northeastern

Mahmoud Hallak
Mentor: Dr. Isabel Arrillaga-Romany
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Brown University

Mariana Crisanto
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
Undergrad: Mount Holyoke College

Maya Jean Mary
Mentor: Dr. Florian Eichler
Undergrad: Howard University

Salma Hazimeh
Mentor: Dr. Isabel Arrillaga-Romany
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Cornell University

Sarah Reyes
Mentor: Dr. Shibani Mukerji
High School: Revere High School
Undergrad: Utah Valley University

Stefania Yee
Mentor: Dr. Andrea Harriott
High School: New Mission High School
Undergrad: Vanderbilt University