Spotlights
Students, Faculty & Alumni
2026 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: Master’s Community Service Category
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... More
2026 Outstanding Student Achievement Awards: PhD Community Service Category
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... More
2026 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: Master’s Research Category
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... More
2026 Outstanding Student Achievement Awards: PhD Research Category
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 study Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of advancing precision medicine approaches. Lauber’s main project uses a pioneering machine learning and computational neuroscience modeling approach to quantify how amyloid burden influences the emergence and efficiency of tau... More
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... More
Introducing Our 2026 GMS Commencement Speakers!
We are less than one month away from our Spring 2026 Commencement exercises, where the Graduate Medical Sciences community will celebrate this year’s graduating master’s, PhD, and MD-PhD students. Today, we would like to introduce you to the four students selected to speak during this year’s ceremonies. Three students were chosen to speak at the Master’s Ceremony, and one student was chosen to represent GMS at the MD & PhD Ceremony. All speakers were nominated... More
GMS Student Spotlight: Rose Zhao
Rose Zhao is an MD/PhD candidate at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. She is pursuing her PhD research in the lab of Neil Ganem, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology, physiology & biophysics and medicine. Her research focuses on understanding the causes and consequences of chromosomal instability in cancer cells. Rose grew up in Massachusetts and attended Boston University for her undergraduate studies. Learn more about Rose below! Tell me a bit about your... More
GMS Student Spotlight: Riley Scherer ‘26
Riley Scherer is a second-year student in the Master of Science in Forensic Anthropology Program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. During her time at Graduate Medical Sciences, Riley has researched the taphonomic effects of sharks, studying how shark feeding activity could affect bones that are found in marine environments. Riley earned her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a concentration in Forensics from the University of Montana in Missoula. Learn more... More
GMS Alumni Spotlight: Omer Elrayah, DMD, MS ‘18
Omer Elrayah, DMD, MS, is a 2018 graduate of the Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences Program at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Following his graduation from Graduate Medical Sciences, Omer attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine before taking on roles in community health and private practice settings in New England. He also worked as a clinical instructor for third- and fourth-year dental students in Boston. Omer founded Remo Brush, More
GMS PhD Student Wins Boston University Life Sciences Case Competition, Discovering New Career Paths
Sanjana Bhagavatula, a third-year PhD student in the Department of Genetics and Genomics, did not expect that participating in a business school case competition would change how she thinks about her future. After participating in (and winning) the third annual Boston University Healthcare Case Competition in February, however, she discovered that her skills as a scientist extend far beyond the lab. Hosted by the BU Questrom School of Business, the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and... More