April 3, 2014
2014-2015 Magnuson Scholars Announced
April 3, 2014
On behalf of the University of Washington six Health Sciences Schools and the Magnuson Scholar Program, I am pleased to announce the 2014 – 2015 Magnuson Scholars. Each scholar was nominated by their respective Health Sciences School on the basis of outstanding academic performance and potential contributions to research in the health sciences. As you will see, this year’s scholars appear well-positioned to continue and contribute to the late Senator Warren G. Magnuson’s healthcare legacy.
David M. Anderson, DVM
Executive Director
Health Sciences Administration
The 2014-2015 Magnuson Scholars are:
Worakanya Buranaphatthana
School of Dentistry
Patrick Sanger
School of Medicine
Weichao Yuwen
School of Nursing
Ryan Patrick Seguin
School of Pharmacy
Christine Khosropour
School of Public Health
Mei-Yi Lee
School of Social Work
Scholar Profiles
Worakanya Buranaphatthana
School of Dentistry
After earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in Thailand, Dr. Buranaphatthana applied and was accepted as a PhD student in the Oral Biology Program at the University of Washington (UW) School of Dentistry. Her research interest areas focus on bioengineered cell therapy, bone biology and immunology. She is pursuing her specific interest in mineralization abnormalities with the goal of creating unique therapies to prevent these bone abnormalities in people. In 2013, she joined Dr. Cecilia Giachelli’s UW laboratory to further her knowledge in this area and is working on a project that involves developing a specific cell therapy to treat or prevent abnormal bone formation related to several dental procedures and certain health conditions of trauma. She is also working with collaborators to test the ability of this cell therapy in a mouse model. As described by Dr. Giachelli, “These studies are original and innovative, and will provide an important proof of concept for the use of engineered osteoclasts as a cell therapy for heterotopic ossification.” After completing her Ph.D. studies, she plans to work as a postdoctoral researcher to further develop independent research skills and create research collaborations. Her long-term goal is to utilize the state-of- the-art technologies, knowledge, and translational research skills developed during her UW education in clinical and academic applications in Thailand. Dr. Buranaphatthana hopes to “discover and invent something new that can improve the quality of life for human beings”.
Patrick Sanger
School of Medicine
Patrick Sanger is currently pursuing both an M.D. and Ph.D. in Biomedical & Health Informatics at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine. His research interests are in developing patient-centered interventions that improve care coordination and outcomes relevant to both patients and clinicians. Sanger’s dissertation project involves developing and evaluating an mHealth (mobile health) application to allow surgical patients to track their surgical wound after surgery and transmit the information to their clinicians, leading to improved communication and intervention. His ongoing research has particular implications for patients with diabetes who are at significantly greater risk of infection and delayed wound healing. This type of application and the information it provides will be integrated into his primary care practice where he values long-term relationships with patients with a special interest in preventing and managing chronic disease. As described by one of Sanger’s research mentors, Dr. Heather Evans, “Patrick’s educational plan and research trajectory are consistent with the preparation needed to succeed as an independent researcher. His area of interest is unique, and extremely important in that he seeks to leverage data from one of the richest, yet most underutilized sources in healthcare: the patient.” Sanger’s interest and passion for his research and patient care focus are both professional and personal. As he pursues the role of a primary care academic researcher, he states, “I take the principle of ‘doctor as teacher’ seriously…. I am confident that my ‘passion for the basics’ will be the safest, most effective medicine I can offer to most of my patients.”
Weichao Yuwen
School of Nursing
Weichao Yuwen is a third year Ph.D. candidate in the University of Washington (UW) School of Nursing. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arizona State University, Yuwen was accepted in 2011 at the UW to pursue her goal of becoming a nurse scholar and educator with an emphasis on mental health issues in ethnic minority populations. Her dissertation research examines sleep-disordered breathing, disease-related symptoms, and health outcomes in children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). Her long-term research interest involves pediatric diabetes and its association with sleep disturbances. Disturbed sleep can be associated with a range of adverse health outcomes and reduced quality of life that impacts both the child and parents. Yuwen’s doctoral advisor, Dr. Teresa Ward, Associate Professor in the UW Family and Child Nursing program, has been impressed with Yuwen’s hard work and ability to learn unfamiliar concepts quickly. Dr. Ward noted, “Her research addresses a gap in the literature as little is known about how caring for a child diagnosed with a chronic condition affects the entire family, and disruptions to everyday life evoke different responses from families.” Yuwen’s career goal is to secure a faculty position in a research-intensive academic environment where she can promote healthy sleep in children and adolescents with chronic conditions, and advance sleep science through research and education.
Ryan Patrick Seguin
School of Pharmacy
In 2010, Ryan Seguin entered the PhD program in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University Of Washington (UW) School of Pharmacy. A native of Washington State, he received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the UW while working part-time in a commercial analytical laboratory. His study of enzymes and the impact small changes in protein structure and drug structure can have on human health led to his decision to pursue research on drug metabolism and drug-to-drug interactions in vivo. Seguin joined UW Associate Professor Dr. Kent Kunze’s laboratory in 2011 and was selected as a trainee on an NIH-sponsored Pharmacological Sciences Training Grant that provides an increased in-depth interdisciplinary training experience. Dr. Kunze noted, “…Sequin has the motivation, work ethic, and creativity to become a successful independent academic scientist.” Seguin also participates in science outreach and advocacy to the community and hopes that “my research will lead to the discovery of novel therapeutics or unveil the basis for enigmatic health disorders with little or no treatment options available. The main driving force is always to improve health and quality of life for others either directly through development of such treatment options or indirectly by enhancing our understanding of drug targets, design, and metabolism.” In addition to his career goal of directing his own research in academic or industry, Seguin plans to continue teaching, mentoring and spreading knowledge and enthusiasm for science.
Christine Khosropour
School of Public Health
After earning her Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology from Emory University in 2010, Christine Khosropour entered the University of Washington (UW) School of Public Health Epidemiology doctoral program. Early in her career, Ms. Khosropour was drawn to the field of HIV and STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) prevention research. She states, “The integration of behavioral and biomedical aspects of HIV/STI research provides unique methodological challenges, and successful interventions have the potential to have a major impact on disease transmission.” In nominating Ms. Khosropour, Drs. Lisa Manhart and Matthew Golden noted her productivity and that her research ”will be an important contribution to the HIV prevention field, and her work is already recognized as high quality and innovative by colleagues in the STI/HIV prevention field.” With a strong background in behavioral prevention, Ms. Khosropour quickly gained expertise in the clinical epidemiology of STD syndromes while writing and contributing to manuscripts and facilitating two grant applications. Following completion of her PhD program, Khosropour plans to pursue a research career with a focus on HIV/STI prevention with the goal of studying critical research questions focused on practical and implementable outcomes. She credits her experiences at Emory University and the UW with fostering her research goals as well as her desire to continue working with colleagues to incorporate multidisciplinary perspectives, and develop research partnerships with local and state public health departments. Khosropour has considerable experience teaching and mentoring students and plans to continue this practice throughout her research career.
Mei-Yi Lee (Ciwang Teyra)
School of Social Work
Mei-Yi Lee entered the Social Welfare PhD program at the University of Washington School of Social Work in 2011 to pursue her research interests in global indigenous health disparities. Her research focus was both inspired and informed by her experiences as an indigenous woman born and raised in the Truku Nation of Taiwan. Ms. Lee’s research focuses on the critical issues of historical trauma, substance use, and resiliency. Her current study uses a mixed methods approach and focuses on alleviating alcohol abuse among a specific indigenous tribe in Taiwan. UW Associate Professor Dr. Tessa Evans-Campbell has worked with Ms. Lee on a number of projects and noted, “Her experiences in the field absolutely contextualize her academic work and give her an ability to analyze research, policy, and practice in unique and complex ways.” Ms. Lee’s long-term goal is to expand her current research to develop culturally-responsive interventions in order to reduce indigenous health disparities. Her approach in this exciting and emerging area of research will incorporate building global collaborations and expanding international partnerships. She is particularly interested in addressing the complex issues of health disparity through the development of inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations. Ms. Lee states, “These collaborations are crucial in creating a broader and deeper understanding of the historical and social contexts of indigenous health disparities…they will also help develop culturally-based interventions and preventive strategies in promoting indigenous health”. She plans to give back to her community by becoming a leading scholar who will enrich understanding while developing culturally-informed interventions.