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Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program

Meet the Fellows

 

Our fellows are a lively, close-knit group with diverse professional and personal passions. Although each has achieved great things before entering our doors, our fellows graduate from the program with a deeper reservoir of knowledge and experience to pursue their dreams.

St. Jude is a great place to work. We hope you’ll consider joining our team.

Current Fellows

  • Tarun Aurora

    Tarun Aurora, MD

    Aurora

    I was born in Detroit but at a very young age moved to sunny Atlanta, Georgia. Essentially, I’ve been bred to love the Braves, the Falcons, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, and sweet tea. I studied biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and quickly realized I enjoyed the patient aspects of my learning. During medical school, I developed a love for medicine in both the adult and pediatric populations. After finishing at the Medical College of Georgia, I moved to the Midwest to pursue a Med-Peds residency at the fantastic institutions of University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. During my time there, I discovered a passion for hematology and the importance of transitional care for hematologic conditions. I was also fortunate to travel to Sub-Saharan Africa to conduct research on point-of-care hemoglobin testing in the setting of anemia. During my time in Cincinnati, I acquired an interest in adult learning theory and received a certificate in medical education. I am thoroughly looking forward to pursuing a combined Hematology/Oncology fellowship with St. Jude and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and continuing my clinical research interests in transitional care, education and global health. 

  • La’Ron (Lari) Browne, MD

    La’Ron (Lari) Browne, MD

    Browne

    I grew up on a small but beautiful archipelago, the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I moved to another Caribbean Island, Jamaica, to study medicine at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus. I had some innate interest in hematology, but this is where I really grew to love the world and science of hematology/oncology. After completing a one-year internship and six-months as a senior officer in hematology/oncology at UWI, I returned to my home country where I was employed as a medical officer. I often served in remote settings with poor health infrastructure and found myself longing for a better health care system. From this experience, I realized I wanted to position myself as a health care provider contributing to better health outcomes for the community. I began my masters in family medicine at the University of Edinburgh where I completed my thesis on varying barriers to health care and the myriad of disparities present in the system.  I completed residency at the University of Miami/Jackson Holtz Children's Hospital which further cemented my interests in both hematology and advocating for patients.  I knew that a fellowship at St. Jude would help merge my passion for hematology/oncology and my desire to implement improved health systems for patients in underserved communities like my own. My interests in hematology are primarily nonmalignant conditions, but I am intrigued by all oncological conditions. I enjoy walks and hikes with my dog, a good novel and training for half marathons. 

  • Margaret Cupit-Link, MD

    Margaret Cupit-Link, MD

    Cupit-Link

    I grew up in the small town of Brookhaven, Mississippi. After a car accident and prolonged hospitalization at the age of four, I decided to become a doctor. After high school, I moved to Memphis to attend Rhodes College and began studying chemistry and religion. I earned a coveted position as a research fellow in a St. Jude lab, but prior to starting it, I was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma and became a childhood cancer patient at St. Jude instead.  After returning to Rhodes a year later, I completed my degrees, served as vice president of my sorority, worked in two different labs at St. Jude, and met my husband, Drew. While I attended Mayo Clinic Medical School, Drew completed dental school in Kansas City. I then completed my pediatrics residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital/WashU, and Drew began practicing dentistry with his father in St. Louis.  I am now pursuing a Master of Science degree in Clinical Investigations and hope to write and run a clinical trial to reduce acute and long-term toxicities from pediatric cancer therapies, especially in the high-risk neuroblastoma population. In my free time, I enjoy being social, public speaking, and writing. I have published two nonfiction books entitled Why, God? Suffering Through Cancer into Faith and Skinny or Not, Here I Come. Drew and I have a beloved 3-legged cat named Captain Jack, and we plan to grow our family through adoption after I complete my fellowship.

  • Stephanie Gehle

    Stephanie Gehle, MD

    Gehle

    I grew up in a small town in eastern North Carolina after my parents emigrated from the island of Trinidad and Tobago. As a proud Tarheel at UNC Chapel Hill, I developed an early interest in children’s health through studying Biology and Anthropology. I attended medical school at MUSC in Charleston, SC with my husband, Daniel, who is now a general surgery resident and then returned to my home state to complete my pediatrics residency at UNC. Thanks to incredible mentorship during medical school and residency, I fell in love with caring for families and patients undergoing cancer treatment. I am thrilled at the opportunity to train at St. Jude and engage in clinical research to improve quality of life and patient and family decision-making for children undergoing therapy. Outside of the hospital, I love spending time with my husband trying to find the best Memphis BBQ or going outside for a run.

  • Vidyasagaar (Sagar) Jaiswal, MD

    Vidyasagaar (Sagar) Jaiswal, MD

    Jaiswal

    I was born in a typical Indian middle-class family and lived across the state of Maharashtra in central-western India until settling in the great city of Mumbai. I grew up loving food, motorcycles, and cars. I had an interest in biology and was inclined to pursue a career in medicine at a very young age. I did my medical education from the Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences in India where I was exposed to a medically under-served population sparking my interest in public health. During my intern year of medical school, I was granted a scholarship by the European Union to obtain my master’s in public health at Lund University in Sweden. Then, after working as a clinician scientist in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for nearly two years, I realized my passion for pediatrics. The glaring lack of accessible quality cancer care inspired me to pursue a career in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. I moved to the US with my wife and completed my pediatric residency training at Loma Linda University in California where I was exposed to multi-disciplinary pediatric cancer care with a team-based approach. This experience was instrumental in developing my understanding of comprehensive cancer care. At St. Jude, I plan to gain scientific knowledge and a plethora of clinical experience with a specific research interest in implementation science to create pragmatic solutions for accessible and affordable cancer care. I envision a future with improved and uniform global cancer survival and collaboration.

  • Megan Lilley, MD

    Megan Lilley, MD

    Lilley

    I grew up in the Kansas countryside (picture cows, horses, and chickens), and then moved to Kansas City for a combined 6-year BA/MD program at the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine. While there, I fell in love with coffee and discovering local coffee shops. I moved to Columbia, South Carolina, for a pediatric residency at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, where I experienced southern hospitality and had some great co-residents and mentors. I am passionate about global health care and the disparities of hematology/oncology care depending on the patient’s location in the world.

    My specific clinical interest is the field of solid tumor, and I envision combining these interests of solid tumor and global health by advancing oncologic treatment for patients with solid tumors throughout the world. The excellence of St. Jude both in an academic and clinical realm is what drew me here, as well as the foundation for global health research. I am excited and humbled to spend the next few years training at St. Jude and look forward to refining and distilling my vision as I learn from others. On weekends you can find me hiking with my mini Aussie, Luna, or curled up on the couch with my cat, Merlin.

  • Ryan Lion

    Ryan Lion, MD

    Lion

    After growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I ventured out of sunny California to complete my undergraduate degree in anthropology at the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!) and subsequently my Master of Science in Global Health at Duke University. In graduate school, I worked at the Duke Global Health Institute on substance use and HIV research initiatives in Cape Town, South Africa, where I spent a substantial portion of my Master’s training conducting field research. I obtained my MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC before returning to California to complete my pediatrics residency at Stanford. I loved it so much, I stayed an additional year to serve as chief resident and as a clinical instructor in the department of general pediatrics. During my time as chief, we conducted research on medical education and improving funds of pediatric knowledge among our residents. In addition to South Africa, over the course of my training, I have worked in clinical or research capacities in Senegal, Cameroon, Lesotho, and Tanzania. I was drawn to fellowship at St. Jude for their incredible global health infrastructure. I plan to continue exploring and addressing global health disparities in pediatric cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa with the incredible people in the St. Jude community!

  • Grace McKay-Corkum

    Grace McKay-Corkum, MD

    McKay-Corkum

    I am from Rehoboth, Massachusetts and spent my childhood/young adult life in the New England area. I went to Smith College where I majored in Neuroscience and found a passion for bench research and continued to grow this love of research as a postbac in the Radiation Oncology Branch at NIH for a year before medical school. In medical school at the University of Massachusetts, I found that pediatric oncology was the perfect combination of the patient population I wanted to work with and the science I was fascinated by. This was confirmed by a research year in the Medical Research Scholars Program at NIH between my third and fourth years of med school where I worked in Dr. Christine Heske’s lab examining NAMPT inhibition in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma. I moved to DC for pediatric residency in the Research Track at Children's National and was fortunate to have the opportunity to continue this research with such an amazing lab and mentor. I am thrilled to be at St. Jude for fellowship and was drawn here because of its incredible mission, vibrant research environment and multitude of clinicians and scientists excited about teaching and being mentors. My clinical and research interests are in sarcomas or neuro-oncology and I envision a career doing primarily basic/translational research. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, baking, reading and visiting museums.

  • Margit Mikkelsen, MD

    Margit Mikkelsen, MD

    Mikkelsen

    I grew up and spent most of my childhood in Naples, Florida, where my parents own a pastry shop. Growing up, my twin brother, younger sister and I all helped in the shop on weekends and holidays—it was truly a family business. I left Florida to attend Rhodes College, where I majored in biology with a minor in international relations. I also got my first taste of both Memphis BBQ and St. Jude. I volunteered at St. Jude throughout college and was in awe of the patients and everyone involved in their care; thus, my interest in pediatric hematology/oncology began. I attended medical school at the University of Texas Health at San Antonio where I developed an interest in global health. My westward journey continued when I matched to University of Colorado for residency. In Colorado, I fell in love with the mountains and all the activities I could do in the mountains (hiking, camping, skiing, etc.). Now I am thrilled to be back in Memphis at St. Jude and can’t wait to get involved with Global and explore other clinical and academic interests from the best in the field.

  • Bradley Muller, MD

    Bradley Muller, MD

    Muller

    I was born in a suburb outside of Chicago, but did the majority of growing up in a city just north of Chattanooga called Cleveland, Tennessee. There I attended college at Lee University, where I majored in biochemistry. I then ventured to Johnson City to attend medical school at East Tennessee State University. Needless to say, I have a deep appreciation for the mountains of East Tennessee and the adventures they provide the setting for. Much to my surprise, I matched at Johns Hopkins for my pediatrics residency, and I spent the last 3 years in Baltimore honing my skills as a pediatrician and validating my lifelong dream of becoming a pediatric oncologist. When I was a child, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The years of treatment instilled a deep desire to help others who have to go through what I endured, and to make it better for them. I was introduced to St. Jude as a medical student researcher, as part of their Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) program. During that summer, I cultivated my interests in pediatric oncology and, at the end of it, I knew I had to come back for fellowship. I have interests in haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplants and the use of different conditioning regimens, antibody-specific immunotherapies such as blinatumomab and inotuzumab, and the utility of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in the treatment of leukemia. I am ecstatic to be back at St. Jude to fulfill this dream of mine.

  • Sarah Mumanachit

    Sarah Mumanachit, MD

    Mumanachit

    I was born and raised in the Philadelphia area by first generation immigrants from Thailand. During my childhood, my parents owned and operated successful Thai restaurants. Do not assume I know how to cook though since my parents always wanted my sister and I to focus on our studies. Through hard work and the sacrifices of my family, I was fortunate enough to attend Harvard University. In college, I played on the varsity squash team and won three national championships. Go Crimson! After graduating, I worked as a clinical research assistant at Boston Children’s Hospital, where I fell in love with pediatrics. I then moved back to the Philadelphia area, where I attended medical school at Drexel University and then completed pediatric residency at Jefferson/Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. After residency, I worked as a hospitalist in the Oncology division at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I always knew St. Jude was a special place and since deciding to pursue a career in pediatric hematology/oncology, I hoped to have the chance to train there one day. I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to join the St. Jude family. 

  • Devin Murphy, MD

    Devin Murphy, MD

    Murphy

    Most of my life was spent in the Tampa area in Florida. I graduated from the University of South Florida then earned my master’s in social work at USC in Los Angeles. After graduation, I obtained a work visa and was a hospital social worker in Reading, England for a year. When I returned to the US, I worked at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. I was asked to be a part of a research study interviewing pediatric cancer patients at All Children's Hospital and fell in love with pediatric hematology/oncology. I wanted to continue a career in research and became a Children's Oncology Group research associate in California. After about 5 years of being a CRA and meeting and marrying my lovely husband, I was inspired to pursue medicine. I returned to undergrad and was accepted into medical school at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Auburn, AL. During my second year, I found out I was pregnant with twin boys and life was a whirlwind after that. Luckily, I matched at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for residency, an extremely family-friendly, supportive program. And it's a good thing I did because I ended up having a third little boy intern year. Balancing three young children in residency had its challenges but becoming a pediatric hematologist/oncologist has been my dream since returning to undergrad. I hope to focus my research on leukemia and immunotherapy treatments, while promoting supportive care. I am grateful to be living out my dream here at St. Jude.

  • Trisha Paul, MD

    Trisha Paul, MD

    Paul

    I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and completed my undergraduate and medical school education at the University of Michigan. My interest in pediatric oncology began when I volunteered in a pediatric oncology playroom in high school, and I have been dreaming about becoming a pediatric oncologist ever since. I studied English prior to medical school and researched how children with cancer write, draw and speak about their experiences. I headed toward the Mississippi River for my pediatric residency training at the University of Minnesota, and I followed it south to Memphis for a combined fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology and hospice and palliative medicine. My clinical interest in pediatric oncology is in acute myeloid leukemia. I am currently in my one-year clinical palliative care fellowship, learning how to be a palliative oncologist before I embark on my research years. My research interest is in narrative medicine in oncology, specifically in how writing and storytelling can impact patients, families and providers. Alongside medicine, I love reading, writing, dancing, kayaking and travel.

  • Katelyn Purvis

    Katelyn Purvis, MD

    Purvis

    I grew up in and around Montgomery, Alabama. I attended Auburn University where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences. During my time there, I was fortunate enough to experience wonderful mentorship that allowed me to discover my path would be medical school as opposed to studying veterinary medicine. I first developed an interest working with children volunteering with a therapeutic riding facility of Auburn. Upon graduation, I attended medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. By the time I committed to medical school, I had the goal of one-day becoming an oncologist to care for cancer patients. During my fourth year of medical school, I toured St. Jude for the first time as a part of my residency interview process. I knew then that I wanted to learn from the very best at this special institution. I completed my pediatrics residency here in Memphis, TN and am thrilled and thankful for the opportunity to remain and complete my fellowship training. When I’m not taking care of sick kiddos I love spending time with my two sweet pups, Tessa and Cooper, reading, exploring Memphis, playing board games, and staying active. If it’s a Saturday in the Fall, then it’s a given I’m watching Auburn Football! (War Eagle!!)

  • Supriya Sarvode, MD

    Supriya Sarvode, MD

    Sarvode

    I was born in a small town called Davangere, in South India. My medical training in India started in Mysore and ended in Chennai, where I met my husband while pursuing a fellowship. As I frequently remind him, I crossed the 7 seas to join him in Boston, where he worked as a biostatistician to start training all over again. After completing my pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center, I am now excited to join the St. Jude family for fellowship. Our toddler son, Arjun, was born during residency and rules our lives now. When I am not working, you can find me reading books (mostly biographies or mysteries), taking care of my plants, painting, or playing hide and seek with my son. We are excited to trade the cold northeast winters for the warm and musical South. My clinical interests are global health, stem cell transplant and neuro-oncology. I am still trying to figure out how best to combine these interests as a fellow.

  • Jasmine Smith, MD

    Jasmine Smith, MD

    Smith

    I was born in Duluth, Georgia, but grew up as an Army brat moving around throughout my childhood. My parents were born and raised in Georgetown, South Carolina, so I consider that my home base. We returned to Georgia when I started high school and I stayed to complete my undergraduate degree at Spelman College. At the beginning of my sophomore year of college, I followed in my mother's footsteps and started my own Army career by completing basic training and commissioning as an officer through the ROTC program. During that time, my younger brother, Lewis, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which changed my entire perspective on life and my career. I've wanted to be a doctor since middle school, but never did I imagine that it would be as a pediatric hematologist/oncologist until my brother got sick. I moved back to South Carolina to attend medical school at USC School of Medicine in Greenville and during my third year, my brother unfortunately passed away. His death only amplified my commitment to this field of medicine. Looking for a fresh start, I relocated to Tucson to complete my pediatrics residency training at the University of Arizona. My research interests within pediatric hematology/oncology include sarcomas, specifically osteosarcomas, and sickle cell disease. I am beyond excited to experience Memphis and begin this final phase of my training at one of the most well-respected and world-renowned children's hospitals. Outside of medicine, I love dancing, going out on the town, acting, and really anything social. I also have an unhealthy obsession with TikTok.

  • Alexandra Superdock, MD

    Alexandra Superdock, MD

    Superdock

    I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I developed a love of filmmaking, music and (thanks to many amazing teachers) DNA. I went on to study molecular biology and global health at Princeton University. While working on my senior thesis, which focused on the epigenetics of pediatric cancer, I discovered a calling for cancer biology and genomics. Meanwhile, my passion for the human component of medicine was fueled by a trip to Laikipia, Kenya, where I produced short films on maternal/child health in rural Maasai communities. I attended medical school at Duke, where I conducted research on decision-making for parents of children with life-threatening conditions. My calling toward pediatric hematology and oncology was confirmed during my residency at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. These experiences have taught me about the complex interplay among biology, environment and culture. As a fellow, I plan to carry out qualitative and mixed methods clinical research on decision-making for children with high-risk malignancies or predisposition syndromes. Compassionate care at all stages of life is so critical, and I am excited to practice and build on these skillsets at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Meanwhile, my husband, Matt, is finishing his PhD in math and our 1-year-old daughter, Carmela, is currently studying the alphabet.

  • Shruthi Suryaprakash, MD

    Shruthi Suryaprakash, MD

    Suryaprakash

    I grew up on a farm in the outskirts of a small town called Hosur in southern India. I moved to Singapore for college where I majored in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. During college, an internship at Harvard Medical School sparked an interest in medicine and led to my medical degree from Duke-NUS medical school in Singapore. Following my graduation, I worked as a medical officer in Singapore for three years and organized multiple medical camps over Southeast Asia for children. I then decided to move to the US and completed by pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. I am very excited to join St. Jude for my fellowship. My clinical interests include stem cell transplants, immunotherapy, and global health. Outside of work, I am passionate about painting, traveling and classical Indian music and dance.

  • Marleni Torres

    Marleni Torres, MD

    Torres

    I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, where I attended medical school at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). As a medical student my research projects were focused on pain management in the pediatric population and palliative care. I knew from early on that I wanted to become a pediatric hematology oncologist.  After graduating, I worked for one year in the main pediatric oncology unit of Santo Domingo as a general provider. Later, I moved to Miami where I completed my Pediatric residency training at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. As a pediatric resident, I published in diverse topics such as general pediatrics, pediatric palliative care, and global medicine with an article in collaboration with other physicians from Latin America. My future goal is to become a transplanter after graduating from the Hem/Onc fellowship. I'm excited to be part of the St. Jude family, where I know I can foster my diverse interests, both clinically and in research. As an islander, I enjoy dancing. I’ve danced ballet, jazz, and flamenco. But my passion is mainly the Latin rhythms such as merengue, bachata, and Cuban salsa. I also enjoy reading, hiking, and traveling.

 
 

Our Alumni: Where are they now?

  

 

Albany Medical Center
All Children’s Hospital
Amgen
Children’s Hospital of Alabama
Children's Hospital of Atlanta
Children's Hospital of Boston/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Children's Hospital of Colorado
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters
Children’s Hospital of Vanderbilt
Children's Medical Center Dallas
Children's National Hospital
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Cleveland Clinic
Cook Children’s Medical Center
Duke University
Emory University
Essentia Health Cancer Center
Genentech
Helen Devos Children’s Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Mahidol University
Maine Children’s Cancer Program
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Nationwide Children’s Hospital

 

New York Medical College
Niswonger Children’s Hospital
Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital
Queen Mary Hospital
Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Vincent Children’s Hospital
Seattle Children's Hospital
Scott and White Healthcare
Stanford University
Texas Children's Hospital
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital
University of North Carolina
University of Oklahoma
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
University of Utah Primary Children’s Medical Center
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

 
 
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