Congratulations to Our 2026 GMS Outstanding Student Achievement Award Winners!
Graduate Medical Sciences has awarded four high-achieving, graduating students with Outstanding Student Achievement Awards in the “Outstanding Research” and “Community Service” categories.
The “Outstanding Research” Award recognizes achievement related to scientific impact, breakthroughs and intellectual contributions during a student’s time at GMS. The “Community Service” Award recognizes initiative and leadership related to service either in fulfillment of graduate school requirements or extracurricular efforts.
Each student who won an award has made exceptional contributions to their departments and communities. Meet Meagan V. Lauber, Sai Sankeerth Madakasira, Cheyanne Frosti, and Yusra Yusuf below.
Meagan V. Lauber
PhD in Computational Neuroscience
Lauber matriculated into the Graduate Program for Neuroscience (GPN) in 2021 and successfully defended her dissertation in March 2026. During her time in GPN, her research revolved around using machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop novel precision medicine approaches in Alzheimer’s disease.
Lauber’s main project used a pioneering machine learning and computational neuroscience modeling approach to quantify how amyloid burden influences the emergence and acceleration of the spread of tau. Amyloid burden is the first pathology to occur in Alzheimer’s disease, while tau is the second pathology that causes cognitive decline and widespread damage.
Read more about Lauber’s work here.
Sai Sankeerth Madakasira, MS
MS in Clinical Research
Madakasira matriculated into the Master of Science in Clinical Research Program in January 2024 and graduated in January 2026.
Madakasira’s recognition with the Outstanding Student Achievement award stems from two projects that built on each other and shaped his research journey at BU.
During the first project, which was a part of his practicum with Assistant Professor of Surgery Crisanto Torres, MD, MPH, Madakasira used a national database to explore the impact of full blood transfusion in traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (tICH). The second project, Madakasira’s capstone, studied representation in Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) emergency clinical trials across the United States.
Read more about Madakasira’s work here.
Cheyanne Frosti
PhD in Biochemistry & Cell Biology, Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS)
Frosti matriculated into the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (PiBS) in 2021 before joining the Department of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. She successfully defended her dissertation in March 2026.
Rather than a singular community service project, Frosti’s award recognizes her ongoing commitment to mentorship and community building across multiple spaces on campus, such as PiBS, Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE), Summer Training as Research Scholars (STaRS), and BU FitRec.
Across these programs and campus institutions, Frosti has focused on making the graduate training experience more transparent, supportive, and accessible for incoming and prospective PhD students.
Read more about Frosti’s work here.
Yusra Yusuf
MS in Genetic Counseling
Yusuf matriculated into the MS in Genetic Counseling Program in 2024 and is preparing to graduate from the program in May 2026. During her time in the program, she centered her community service work on expanding access to and awareness of genetic counseling among underrepresented communities.
“For me, patient care and support extend far beyond the clinic,” Yusuf said. “Getting involved in community service is one way to accomplish that.”
Yusuf has supported several outreach initiatives across Massachusetts and New England, including volunteering with the Achieve Program, where she presented to middle and high school students about genetics and genetic counseling.