Meharry SACS students LaPorchia Davis, Dyani Peterson, Jean Hus Theodore and Ebony Weems-Oluremi, Ph.D., have received a Novartis Beacon of Hope Summer Fellowship at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.
The program is an opportunity for Historically Black Medical School students to learn drug discovery, data analytics and clinical research practices. Each student will spend 10 weeks during the summer of 2025 conducting an independent research project under the guidance of a Novartis Biomedical Research scientist. Davis will be in Cambridge, Mass., while Theodore and Dr. Weems-Oluremi will be in East Hannover, N.J. Peterson will be remote.
LaPorchia Davis, a Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science student, is looking forward to this opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field, contribute to meaningful projects, and further develop her skills in data science, imaging and artificial intelligence.
“Ultimately, I see this fellowship as a crucial steppingstone in my journey to becoming a successful biomedical data scientist,” says Davis.
“The experience gained at Novartis will be invaluable in preparing me for a future career in the pharmaceutical industry or academics,” she adds. “The mentorship and networking opportunities will provide me with guidance and connections that will be essential for my continued professional development.”
Dyani Peterson is eager to network with Novartis mentors and other professionals as she expands her data expertise creating models and functions for her project PharmaKinetics. She is in her second semester of the Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science.
“This fellowship fits into my long-term goals by giving me experience to help pursue my dream career,” she says. “I want to become a biomedical data scientist that helps cure medical diseases.”
Master of Science in Biomedical Data Science student Jean-Hus Theodore will use R-shiny, an auxiliary to R studio, to produce data reports on gene therapy trials. He expects the experience to help him meet his goals to be a health advocate for underserved populations.
“Augmenting my skills as a data analyst and researcher will help me to see nuances in health disparities that are often overlooked,” says Theodore. “The culmination of this ideally would be to combine industry experience in biomedical research, a data science background and medical schooling so that I can be a well-rounded health custodian.”
Dr. Ebony Weems-Oluremi’s project centers on the potential of glucodensity analysis to enhance the interpretation of CGM data in Type 1 Diabetes research and clinical trials. She is a Biomedical Data Science Ph.D. student who also holds a Master’s of Science in Biomedical Data Science and a doctorate in biological and biomedical science from Meharry.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute my expertise to helping to improve the health outcomes of diabetes. I hope to really put my skills to use,” says Dr. Weems-Oluremi.
The fellowship is a natural fit for her goals to use computational biology and AI to drive translational research with direct clinical and public health applications.
“This fellowship will provide the resources, mentorship and collaborations necessary to propel my research and professional trajectory,” she says.
