The AAMC MOSAIC Program Scholars are select National Institute of Health (NIH)-K99/R00 awardees who hail from diverse backgrounds, for example from groups underrepresented in research, as they transition from postdoctoral appointments into academic research faculty positions.

Eric N. Anderson, PhD
Project Title: Investigating the Role of Traumatic Injury in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia (ALS/FTD)
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: K99AG075363

Kynon Jade Benjamin, PhD
Project Title: Comprehensive Computational Analysis of Genetic and Regulatory Differences Between Individuals With African and European Ancestries Across Four Brain Regions
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Grant ID: R00MD016964

Ganga S. Bey, PhD, MPH
Project Title: Identity Influences on Psychosocial Traits, Biologic Age, and Cardiovascular Disease Disparities
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: R00AG075327

Kyle A. Cottrell, PhD
Project Title: Identifying Determinants of ADAR-Dependency in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Purdue University
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Grant ID: R00MD016946

Mateo P. Farina, PhD
Project Title: Epigenetic Mechanisms Linking Lifetime Social and Environmental Exposures to Cognitive Aging
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Texas at Austin
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: R00AG076964

Daysha Ferrer-Torres, PhD
Project Title: Utilizing a Human Stem Cell Model of the Esophagus to Understand Racial Disparities During Injury Repair
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Grant ID: K99DK133804
Learn more about Dr. Ferrer-Torres

Leandra Figueroa-Hall, PhD, MS
Project Title: In Vivo Inflammatory Challenge to Elucidate the Role of the Toll-Like Receptor 4 Pathway in Depression
Position: Principal Investigator
Institution: Laureate Institute for Brain Research
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Mental Health
Grant ID: R00MH126950
Learn more about Dr. Figueroa-Hall

Melissa Flores, PhD
Project Title: Toward Accurate Cardiovascular Disease Prediction in Hispanics/Latinos: Modeling Risk and Resilience Factors
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Arizona
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Grant ID: R00HL157611

Cherice N. Hill, PhD
Project Title: Tissue Structure and Mechanical Function Relationships of the Human Temporomandibular Lateral Capsule-Ligament: Investigation of Sexual and Racial Dimorphisms
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Rochester
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Grant ID: R00DE031345

Amanda M. Hunter, PhD, MPH
Project Title: Native Spirit: Culturally Grounded Substance Use Prevention for Indigenous Adolescents
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Arizona State University
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Grant ID: R00DA056842

Mijin Kim, PhD
Project Title: Machine Perception Nanosensor Array Platform to Capture Whole Disease Fingerprints of Early Stage Pancreatic Cancer
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Georgia Tech
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Grant ID: R00EB033580

Vivian S. Lee-Kim, PhD
Project Title: Tspan14 Expression and Function in Cardiovascular Disease
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: UT Southwestern
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Grant ID: R00HL163411

Gabriela López, PhD
Project Title: Event-level Antecedents of Heavy Drinking Among Bisexual and Heterosexual Women With and Without Histories of Sexual Assault
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: Rhode Island Hospital/Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Grant ID: R00AA030079

Erica L. O’Brien, PhD
Project Title: Pathways Linking Negative Self-Views of Aging to Physical Activity in Daily Life: An Intensive Within-Person Approach
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Mississippi
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: R00AG075259

Maria Mora Pinzon, MD, MS, FACPM
Project Title: Improving Access to Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Care Services for Latinx Individuals at Community Health Clinics. A Multiphase Mixed Methods Study.
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: R00AG076966

Mitali Ray, PhD, RN
Project Title: Allostatic Load and Race: Implications for Cardiovascular Health in Pregnancy and Beyond
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Nursing Research
Grant ID: R00NR020215

Carleara Weiss, PhD. MS, RN
Project Title: The Benefits of Nicotinamide Riboside Upon Cognition and Sleep in Older Veterans
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University at Buffalo School of Nursing
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute on Aging
Grant ID: R00AG079117

Sonya J. Wolf-Fortune, PhD
Project Title: Role of IFN Kappa in Psoriasis-Mediated Diabetes Development
Position: Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Funding NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Grant ID: R00DK133828