2021 Postdocs Enter T32 Research Training Program

The Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery has accepted three new fellows into its two-year T32 Research Training Program in Cardiovascular Surgery, which exists to facilitate the successful advancement of translational investigators whose work alleviates suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

Funded by a T32 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, this program is led by principal investigator and program director Todd K. Rosengart, M.D., chair of the Department of Surgery, and program co-directors Scott A. LeMaire, M.D. and Barbara W. Trautner, M.D., Ph.D. This program is founded on the idea that interdisciplinary collaborations between clinical investigators, bench scientists, and diverse specialists are essential for translational research to have a tangible impact on clinical care.

We welcome Dr. Brlecic, Dr. Rebello, and Dr. Olutoye to our NHLBI-funded T32 Research Training Program in Cardiovascular Surgery. All postdoctoral associates will start in July 2021.

Kimberly Rebello, M.D., M.S., is a general surgery resident at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals. Dr. Rebello will enter the Basic and Translational Research Track, under the joint mentorship of Scott A. LeMaire, M.D. and Ying Shen, M.D., PH.D. Dr. Rebello will study sexual dimorphism in aortic aneurysms and dissection.

Oluyinka Olutoye, M.D., M.P.H., joins our T32 program after completing two years of general surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Olutoye will enter the Basic and Translational Research Track, under the mentorship of Sundeep Keswani, M.D. Dr. Olutoye will investigate the role of endothelial cells in pulmonary hypertension resulting from congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Paige Brlecic, M.D., is joining our T32 training program as a general surgery resident from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Brlecic will enter the Basic and Translational Research Track, under the mentorship of Todd K. Rosengart, M.D., investigating cardiac regeneration via cellular reprogramming