Pitt-BWF Physician Scientist Incubator
Spring 2026
This quarter, we are proud to feature two current BWF Scholars - Dr. Sakibul Huq and Dr. Ander Dorken Gallastegi - along with BWF alum Dr. Sidrah Khan. We also share the latest achievements and recent publications from our Scholars. In addition, we’ve included a list of upcoming Incubator classes and events.
Applications are open until May 15th. Please see the newsletter for more information, and visit our website for full details and to apply.
The Physician Scientist Incubator is a program that was developed in 2018 to enrich the pool of MD/DO only physician scientists. The Incubator has matriculated 7 cohorts for a total of 46 Scholars. To date, Scholars have over 300 authorships since joining the program. The goal of the program is to train the highest quality biomedical investigators by building their scientific, professional and resiliency skills necessary to become and persist as a successful physician-scientist. Resident and fellow Pitt-BWF Scholars from multiple departments benefit from a structured curriculum, writing groups, executive coaching, and time-saving initiatives.
Featured Scholar
Sakibul Huq, MD is a is a Neurological Surgery Resident, Enfolded Fellow in Skull Base Surgery, and current BWF Scholar. His research focuses on translational neuro-oncology and skull base surgery, with particular interests in using molecular profiling, liquid biopsy, and computational imaging to non-invasively characterize and predict tumor behavior. He works under the mentorship of Drs. Sameer Agnihotri, Costas Hadjipanayis, Georgios Zenonos, and Paul Gardner.
Dr. Huq’s research: The unifying theme across Dr. Huq’s research is the development of non-invasive approaches to diagnosis, prognostication, and disease monitoring that can personalize care for patients with brain and skull base tumors while reducing the morbidity of disease and treatment. His work integrates molecular profiling, circulating biomarkers, and computational imaging to better characterize tumor behavior and inform clinical decision-making. Current projects include molecular characterization of progesterone-associated meningiomas, investigation of meningioma grade progression, development of liquid biopsy approaches for chordoma, and use of radiomics to refine surgical planning for skull base tumors. His work is supported by the National Institutes of Health, The Beckwith Institute, and the Walter L. Copeland Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation.
Why have you decided to pursue a career as a physician-scientist? Dr. Huq shared, “My interest in a surgeon-scientist pathway developed during medical school at Johns Hopkins, where I was fortunate to train in a laboratory with a long tradition of surgeons performing basic research guided by specific clinical needs. That experience impressed upon me the value of moving intentionally between the operating room, clinic, and laboratory – identifying challenges affecting patients, tackling them through rigorous science, then applying relevant findings back to patient care. My training at UPMC has brought together my clinical interests in neuro-oncology and skull base surgery with my longstanding commitment to a surgeon-scientist career. Caring for patients with brain and skull base tumors, I have seen firsthand how poorly understood these tumors remain at a molecular level, how morbid both the disease and treatment can be, and how few tools we have to non-invasively predict tumor behavior and guide clinical decision-making. These are problems that emerging molecular and computational tools are well-positioned to address, and I believe it is critical for surgeons to be directly involved in developing and translating those solutions. The BWF Physician Scientist Incubator Program has provided me with the mentorship, strategic guidance, and peer community to pursue this career with intention.”
What are your future career goals as a physician-scientist? Dr. Huq shared, “My goal is to build a molecularly-informed brain and skull base tumor practice that both draws from and fuels a related translational research program. I aim for these to be complementary endeavors, where insights from my patients generate research questions, and scientific discoveries change how I care for them. Scientifically, I want to deepen our molecular understanding of skull base tumors and develop tools that support more personalized and precise management. Clinically, I aim to provide cutting-edge surgical care with an emphasis on less invasive approaches that reduce treatment-related morbidity. I also hope to help train future surgeon-scientists through mentorship and education, just as my own mentors have invested in me. Ultimately, I hope that my work will improve care for individual patients while also advancing the broader field through translational science.”
Featured Scholar
Ander Dorken-Gallastegi, MD is a General Surgery Resident in Department of Surgery, and current BWF Scholar. His research focuses on the development of a durable ambulatory mechanical pulmonary assist device and the optimization of oxygen carrying perfusates in ex-vivo heart perfusion. His mentors are Drs. David Kaczorowski, Keith Cook, and Matthew Neal.
Dr. Dorken-Gallastegi’s research: Despite advances in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology, its use as a long-term bridge to lung transplantation remains constrained by significant limitations: patients require ICU-level care, are largely immobilized, and depend on continuous intravenous anticoagulation — all of which contribute to poor quality of life and clinical deterioration while awaiting a donor organ. Current anticoagulation practice for ECMO is IV-based, empirical, and poorly suited for ambulatory or outpatient settings.
This research addresses that gap directly. Using a low-resistance, hemocompatible pulmonary assist system (PAS) designed to enable long-term ambulatory support, the goal is to establish the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of oral anticoagulation strategies as an alternative to IV-based regimens in long-term ECMO therapy. A large animal (sheep) model is used to rigorously test these strategies under physiologically relevant conditions. If successful, this work could meaningfully expand the viability of ECMO as a bridge to transplant — enabling patients to wait for a donor organ outside the ICU, with greater mobility and a better quality of life.
Why have you decided to pursue a career as a physician-scientist? Dr. Dorken-Gallastegi shared, “My drive to become a physician-scientist stems from a desire to bridge the gap between understanding physiology and delivering tangible new treatments for advanced cardiopulmonary disease. I am fascinated by organ replacement therapies for advanced heart and lung failure, specifically extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplantation. Research gives me the tools to push the boundaries of how we understand and treat advanced cardiopulmonary failure. I enjoy the deeply inquisitive nature of this work and respect the long but rewarding journey from uncovering a disease mechanism to delivering a life-saving therapy. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of my research is the collaboration. I am fortunate to work in a dynamic team of surgeons and engineers dedicated to advancing artificial heart and lung therapies. This multidisciplinary environment is the engine of true innovation; it constantly challenges me to grow and introduces me to brilliant concepts that stretch beyond the traditional boundaries of clinical medicine.”
What are your future career goals as a physician-scientist? Dr. Dorken-Gallastegi shared, “As a physician scientist, I envision a career that combines clinical cardiothoracic surgery with research in advanced heart and lung failure. I plan to continue my work on biomedical device development and optimal anticoagulation strategies for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and mechanical circulatory support.
My long-term goal is to lead a research program focused on advancing biomedical device therapies for advanced heart and lung failure, with an emphasis on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and mechanical circulatory support. A central focus will be developing more precise, evidence-based anticoagulation strategies for these technologies — an area where current practice remains largely empirical and where rigorous translational research can directly reduce patient morbidity. Clinically, my goal is to practice as a cardiothoracic surgeon with a subspecialty focus in mechanical circulatory support and transplantation. Ultimately, I aim to build a multidisciplinary program that closes the loop between device engineering, basic science, and clinical outcomes — accelerating the path from bench to bedside.”
Alumni Spotlight
Sidrah Khan, MD is currently Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. We recently caught up with Dr. Khan, and she kindly provided an update.
Why did you decide to pursue a career as a physician-scientist? Dr. Khan shared, “I was drawn to the intersection of patient care and discovery early in my training. As a surgeon, I see firsthand the limitations of our current treatments, especially in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. I wanted a career where I could not only care for patients in the operating room, but also ask deeper mechanistic questions about why disease develops and how we can intervene earlier or more effectively. Being a physician-scientist allows me to directly connect clinical problems to meaningful research questions and, hopefully, bring those answers back to the bedside.”
What are your research interests? Dr. Khan shared, “My research focuses on the relationship between chronic inflammation and colorectal cancer, with a particular interest in early-onset disease and exposure-related carcinogenesis. I study the role of innate immune pathways, including cGAS, in maintaining epithelial integrity, regulating autophagy, and shaping the tumor microenvironment. More recently, my work has expanded to examine how environmental and military-related exposures may contribute to gastrointestinal inflammation and cancer risk, using both murine models and human tissue.”
What are your future career goals as a physician-scientist? Dr. Khan shared, “My goal is to build a translational research program that integrates clinical care, mechanistic biology, and advanced spatial and single-cell technologies to better understand colorectal cancer development. Clinically, I aim to develop a center focused on early-onset colorectal cancer and complex colorectal disease. From a research standpoint, I hope to secure independent funding to study how inflammation and environmental exposures influence cancer risk, and ultimately identify new therapeutic or preventive strategies that can improve outcomes for patients.”
Dr. Khan’s selected recent research publications:
- Khan S, Glasgow A, Hajjar R, Reynolds IS, Gleason LT, Sanchez E, Perry WRG, Mathis KL, McKenna NP. Reevaluating Preoperative Type and Screen: Identifying When It Is Necessary for Elective Colorectal Surgery. Dis Colon Rectum. 2025 Sep 1;68(9):1093-1099. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000003844. Epub 2025 Jun 10. PMID: 40492559
- Ramos A, Bizri N, Novak E, Mollen K, Khan S. The role of cGAS in epithelial dysregulation in inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal malignancies. Front Pharmacol. 2024 Jul 10;15:1409683. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1409683. eCollection 2024. PMID: 39050748
- Khan S*, Kotcher R*, Herman P, Wang L, Tessler R, Cunningham K, Celebrezze J, Medich D, Holder-Murray J. Predictors of recurrence and long-term patient reported outcomes following surgical repair of anal fistula, a retrospective analysis. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2024 Mar 11;39(1):37. doi: 10.1007/s00384-024-04602-1. PMID: 38466439 (*Contributed equally)
- Novak EA, Mentrup HL, Bizri N, Ramos AE, Mollen KP, Khan S. Intestinal epithelial CGAS dampens inflammation by upregulating autophagy. Autophagy Rep. 2022 Jul 19;1(1):306-308. doi: 10.1080/27694127.2022.2098305. eCollection 2022. PMID: 40396049
- Khan S, Mentrup HL, Novak EA, Siow VS, Wang Q, Crawford EC, Schneider C, Comerford TE 4th, Firek B, Rogers MB, Loughran P, Morowitz MJ, Mollen KP. Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase contributes to epithelial homeostasis in intestinal inflammation via Beclin-1-mediated autophagy. FASEB J. 2022 May;36(5):e22282. doi: 10.1096/fj.202200138R. PMID: 35344224
- Khan S, Kaltenmeier C, Hrebinko K, Nassour I, Hoehn RS, Medich DS, Zureikat A, Tohme S. Readmission After Surgical Resection for Colon and Rectal Cancers: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Am Surg. 2022 Jun;88(6):1118-1130. doi: 10.1177/0003134820988810. Epub 2021 Jan 31. PMID: 33517684
- Khan S, Chidi A, Hrebinko K, Kaltenmeier C, Nassour I, Hoehn R, Geller D, Tsung A, Tohme S. Readmission After Surgical Resection and Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Am Surg. 2022 Jan;88(1):83-92. doi: 10.1177/0003134820973739. Epub 2020 Dec 28. PMID: 33369487
- Khan S, Guardado J, Mahler B, Salgado J, Celebrezze J, Medich D, Holder-Murray J. Long-term oncologic outcomes following neoadjuvant therapy and transanal excision of T2 or T3 rectal cancer. Am J Surg. 2021 Mar;221(3):620-621. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.08.029. Epub 2020 Aug 31. PMID: 32951854
- Khan S, Siow VS, Lewis A, Butler G, Narr M, Srinivasan S, Michaels M, Mollen K. An Evidence-Based Care Protocol Improves Outcomes and Decreases Cost in Pediatric Appendicitis. J Surg Res. 2020 Dec;256:390-396. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.05.067. Epub 2020 Aug 6. PMID: 32771703
Latest Scholar Achievements
Dr. Ryan Zeh, MD recently presented his research at the 2026 Academic Surgical Congress. His project titled “Utilization of Deep Learning to Predict Positive Portal and Superior Mesenteric Vein Margins during Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma” was the recipient of the Society of University Surgeons and Karl Storz Research Scholar Award. The project developed a computer vision-based artificial intelligence framework to determine portal/superior mesenteric vein margin status that can be determined based on live intraoperative video. Leveraging standard RGB footage, his model achieved 75% overall accuracy, with performance prioritized to identifying margin-positive cases through strong recall and F2 metrics. These findings demonstrate that routinely captured surgical video contains quantifiable oncologic signal and may serve as a scalable intraoperative adjunct for determining margin status. The work received a top presentation award and is generating substantial interest from investigators across disciplines within and outside our institution, as well as with collaborators both inside and outside academia exploring broader applications of artificial intelligence.
Dr. Anthony Gebran received the Top Oral Presentation Award at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (PASCRS) for his project "Defining High-Risk Patients for Complications Following Simultaneous Colorectal and Liver Resection."
Dr. Yannis Hadjiyannis was selected as a recipient of a $25,000 grant from the University of Pittsburgh Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute for his project titled "JAK-STAT signaling and inhibition in liver transplantation". Co-PI's are Drs. Angus Thomson, Diana Metes, and Scott Biggins.
|
Dr. Yannis Hadjiyannis was Co-First author on a paper reporting the first-in-human clinical trial of a unique “immune priming” therapy in liver transplant patients. BWF Alum, Dr. Lillian Tran was a co-author. The article (full citation below) is featured in a UPMC News Release. |
Recent Pitt-BWF Scholar Publications
- Rinehardt HN, Tracy ET, Paredes A, et al. Outcomes and Surgical Management of Malignant Rhabdoid Tumor of the Kidney: A Report From the Pediatric Surgical Oncology Research Collaborative. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2026 Jun;73(6):e70296. doi: 10.1002/1545-5017.70296. Epub 2026 Mar 26. PMID: 41889149
- Polites SF, Vierkant RA, Aldrink JH, Lautz TB, Ragan MV, Reiter A, Chen SY, Kim ES, Rinehardt HN, et al. Survival in children with hepatoblastoma and pulmonary metastatic disease at diagnosis based on extent of metastases and need for surgical clearance. J Pediatr Surg. 2026 Feb 24;61(6):163034. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2026.163034. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41747957
- Humar A*, Hadjiyannis Y*, Macedo C, Tran LM, Elinoff BD, Hughes CB, Ganesh SR, Zahorchak AF, Ables EM, Styn MA, Landsittel D, Zeevi A, Lakkis FG, Metes DM, Thomson AW. Donor-derived regulatory dendritic cell infusion and early immunosuppressive drug withdrawal in living-donor liver transplantation: a phase I/IIa trial. Nat Commun. 2026 Apr 17;17(1):3226. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-71280-8. PMID: 41997912 (*Contributed equally)
- Devi ABS, Lyman K, McClung CA. The Role of Chronopsychiatry in Precision Medicine: Circadian Dysregulation as Diagnostic Marker and Therapeutic Target. Curr Sleep Med Rep. 2026;12(1):1. doi: 10.1007/s40675-026-00357-z. Epub 2026 Feb 20. PMID: 41725981
- Okereke J, Hart SP, Dempsey TM. Hospitalisations and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: lessons from two continents. ERJ Open Res. 2026 Feb 23;12(1):01145-2025. doi: 10.1183/23120541.01145-2025. eCollection 2026 Jan. PMID: 41736729
- Hong Y, Nasim U, Iyanna N, Dorken-Gallastegi A, et al. Effects of Functional Warm Ischemia Time on Posttransplant Outcomes in Donation After Circulatory Death Heart Transplantation Using Direct Procurement and Perfusion. Transplantation. 2026 Apr 27. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000005725. Online ahead of print. PMID: 42044284
- Iyanna N, Woolley BE, Nasim U, Dorken-Gallastegi A, et al. Association of Post-Transplant Dialysis and Survival Following Donation after Circulatory Death Heart Transplantation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2026 Feb 23:S0022-5223(26)00165-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2026.02.012. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41740883
- Bokenkamp M, Ma Y, Dorken-Gallastegi A, Proaño-Zamudio JA, Gebran A, et al. Can Artificial Intelligence Improve the Appropriate Use and Decrease the Misuse of REBOA? Bioengineering (Basel). 2025 Sep 25;12(10):1025. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering12101025. PMID: 41155024
- Arciuolo D, Barresi S, Hiemcke-Jiwa L, Black J, Willard N, Carta R, Roe M, et al. USP8-Rearranged Mesenchymal Tumors With Myofibroblastic Phenotype: A Comprehensive Clinicopathologic, Genetic, and Epigenetic Characterization. Mod Pathol. 2026 Feb;39(2):100947. doi: 10.1016/j.modpat.2025.100947. Epub 2025 Dec 9. PMID: 41380847
- Gestrich CK, Skaugen JM, Bukowinski A, Roe M, et al. Pediatric Pancreatoblastoma with an NRAS Mutation: Expanding the Spectrum of Genetic Alterations in Pancreatoblastoma. Pediatr Dev Pathol. 2026 Jan-Feb;29(1):93-97. doi: 10.1177/10935266251389480. Epub 2025 Nov 1. PMID: 41175041
Applications Open
The University of Pittsburgh / Burroughs Wellcome Fund (Pitt–BWF) Physician-Scientist Incubator Program is now accepting applications for 2026-2027 Scholar Appointments. Residents and fellows with an MD or DO, or MD/PhD who are planning a career in laboratory-based or computational research may apply. All accepted scholars are expected to have stipend support through a T32 or R38 grant or departmental funds.
The application deadline is May 15, 2026. Start date is July 1, 2026. Visit our website for additional details and application.
Upcoming Classes/Events
Pitt-BWF Class
The instructor is Dr. Steinman unless otherwise indicated.
MAY / JUNE
| May 7, 2026 | Scholar Presentation |
| May 14, 2026 | Authorship and Authorship Ethics / Writing Group/Work in Progress |
| May 21, 2026 | Interviewing for Faculty Positions |
| May 28, 2026 | Implementation Science (Dr. Thomas Radomski) |
| June 4, 2026 | Scholar Completion of In-Class Surveys |
Our weekly curriculum is open to interested trainees throughout Pitt. Classes are on Thursdays generally from 8:00 am – 10:00 am. Contact our program administrator at lovaske1@pitt.edu for more information.