Young Investigators Research Forum
This career-building research retreat brings together early career investigators and renowned sleep investigators. The research forum provides guidance, tactics and strategies to better position early career investigators for a successful career in research.
2021 YIRF Young Investigators

Christian Agudelo, MD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Sarah Burkart, MPH, PhD
University of South Carolina

Lauren Castner, DO
Children’s Wisconsin Milwaukee

Eileen Condon, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC
Yale University

Makayla Cordoza, PhD, RN, CCRN-K
University of Pennsylvania

Fusun Doldur Balli, PhD
University of Pennsylvania

Sarah Emert, PhD
The University of Arizona

Jacqueline Geer, MD
Yale University

Sadia Ghani, MD
University of Arizona

Gita Gupta, MD
University of Michigan

Alisa Huskey, PhD
University of Arizona

Vlad Ianus, MD, MPH
University of New Mexico

Ashley Ingiosi, PhD
Washington State University

Daniel Joyce, PhD
University of Nevada, Reno

Matthew Lehrer, PhD
University of Pittsburgh

Peng Li, PhD
University of Utah

Elizabeth Mahanna Gabrielli, MD
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Jennifer Miller, PhD, APRN-NP
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Mairead Moloney, PhD
University of Kentucky

Ann Revill, PhD
Midwestern University

Christine St. Laurent, MS, MPH, PhD
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Melanie Stearns, PhD
University of Missouri

Michelle Stepan, PhD
University of Pittsburgh

Pahnwat Taweesedt, MD
Corpus Christi Medical Center
Suzie Bertisch, MD, MPH (Chair) | Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School |
Andrew W. Varga, MD, PhD (Vice Chair) | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
Carmela Alcántara, PhD | Columbia University School of Social Work |
Indu Ayappa, PhD | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
M. Safwan Badr, MD, MBA | Wayne State University School of Medicine |
Nalaka Gooneratne, MD, MSc, ABSM | University of Pennsylvania |
Martica Hall, PhD | University of Pittsburgh |
Jennifer L. Martin, PhD | VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System |
Sairam Parthasarathy, MD | University of Arizona |
Sanjay R. Patel MD, MS | University of Pittsburgh |
Susan Redline, MD, MPH | Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School |
Katherine M. Sharkey, MD, PhD | The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University |
Adam P. Spira, PhD | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health |
The Young Investigators Research Forum consists of didactic presentations, workshops, and small group sessions covering scientific writing and stewardship, opportunities for funding and collaboration, navigating the academic environment, and networking. As active participants, early career investigators will have the opportunity to present their current research, provide feedback on each other’s research proposals and review a grant.
The Young Investigators Research Forum is held in-person with webinars done prior to and after the 3-day in-person meeting at Bethesda, Maryland. The program is subject to change as plans for the research forum are finalized.