Posted 12/09/2025

Optimizing Nutrition for the Brain: Umbrella Review of Nutrients and Bioactive

Food Components to Support Brain Health

A new interdisciplinary research project, Optimizing Nutrition for the Brain, is seeking medical students to join an umbrella review examining how nutrients and bioactive food components (such as polyphenols, omega-3s, B-vitamins, choline, and vitamin K) support cognitive and mood outcomes across the lifespan. This project aims to identify key nutrient candidates, evaluate dosage and timing (acute vs. long-term effects), and integrate mechanistic insights to strengthen evidence-based recommendations.

Students will receive training in evidence synthesis, work with a pre-registered protocol, and collaborate with Dartmouth Health Sciences and Biomedical Libraries. The review will follow established best practices, including AMSTAR-2 for quality assessment and the GRADE framework for evidence certainty.

Research Team includes:
Dr. Suzannah Gerber, Dr. Susan Roberts, Dr. Karen Blackmon, Dr. Jeffrey Blumberg, and Pamela Bagley.

Interested students will gain valuable experience in systematic review methodology, nutrition science, and brain health research.

More info : Brain Health Medical Student Project 2025

Posted 11/03/2025

Research project in Medical Education 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Virginia T. Lyons
Email: Virginia.T.Lyons@dartmouth.edu

This project explores gaps in student learning outcomes following the transition to a fully integrated Phase 1 curriculum at the Geisel School of Medicine. USMLE Step 1 performance data and feedback from clerkship directors and faculty suggest that some students may not be achieving a sufficient foundation in key curricular threads (CTs).

Two major factors are thought to contribute to this issue:

1. Insufficient instructional hours devoted to CT topics, and

2. Assessment structure, where CT-related questions represent only a small portion of benchmark and final exams.

Because these topics are assessed less frequently, students may unintentionally deprioritize them during their studies. This project aims to identify strategies to optimize CT content delivery and assessment to strengthen foundational learning in the integrated curriculum.

Posted 11/03/2025 

Research project in Epidemiology  (Cancer Immunotherapy and Kidney Transplant Immune Monitoring Research)

Research focuses on understanding immune responses in cancer immunotherapy and immune monitoring in kidney transplant recipients. The work involves data abstraction from electronic health records (EHR) and advanced data analysis to explore key mechanisms underlying immune regulation and treatment response.

Under the direction of Dr. Brock C. Christensen, PhD, our team leads several active IRB-approved studies, primarily centered on cancer epigenetics—including the analysis of DNA methylation data and immune profiling. These studies aim to improve our understanding of how epigenetic alterations and immune dynamics influence disease progression and therapeutic outcomes.

Posted 10/28/2025

Dartmouth Climate Collaborative: Living Lab Grants Opportunity

The Dartmouth Climate Collaborative, a newly launched initiative funded by the Provost and President, aims to connect and enhance climate and sustainability-related research and teaching across all Dartmouth schools.

This fall, the Collaborative is launching the Climate Collaborative Living Lab Grants — $30,000 grants for projects that use Dartmouth’s campus and the greater New England community for climate and sustainability research and teaching. This year, there is a special focus on proposals at the intersection of climate and health from Geisel faculty.

Medical students are eligible to apply with a faculty co-PI or sponsor.

A Geisel-specific info session will be held on Wednesday, November 5, from 12:00–1:00 PM for those interested in applying. Come learn more about this exciting opportunity!

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Posted 10/23/2025

Crowdsourcing” of patient-generated advice for improving the bowel preparation process for colonoscopy

PI: Audrey H. Calderwood , MD, MS

Summary: Bowel preparation is vital to performance of colonoscopy yet is probably patients’ least favorite part of the procedure and a big barrier to getting it done. This project involves “crowdsourcing” patient recommendations, tips and tricks for getting through the bowel preparation process – starting with comments within a NYTimes article and potentially looking beyond at other sources. The student should have familiarity with social media searches and some ability to synthesize online comments but need not have prior biomedical research experience. The student will work directly with Dr. Calderwood and potential other co-investigator(s).

Opportunities for Students: Students involved in this project may have the chance to publish an abstract or poster and potentially a short research letter.

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Posted 10/14/2025

Research project with the Lichter GreenHealth Lab at DHMC

Research focuses on the intersection of climate, environment, and oncology—including projects on energy use and decarbonization in cancer imaging and treatment, climate-related disruptions to cancer care, and resilience planning for healthcare systems.

Students who would like to get involved should visit the Office of Medical Student Research for guidance and more information 

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Posted 10/1/2025

Research project with Dr. Chris Niemczak's Lab

1. Auditory function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) - behavioral and electrophysiological auditory approaches along with cognitive function.
2. Auditory function in HIV related neurocognitive dysfunction - behavioral and electrophysiological auditory approaches along with cognitive function with all work taking place in Tanzania.

Students who would like to get involved should visit the Office of Medical Student Research for guidance and more information 

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Posted 9/29/2025

Transplant Surgery Research Projects

Abraham Matar, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Transplantation
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Our research focuses on clinical database projects analyzing outcomes in kidney, pancreas, and liver transplantation. We are seeking medical students, graduate students, or trainees who are interested in collaborating on a variety of projects related to clinical outcomes in transplantation. Applicants with a background in biostatistics are particularly encouraged to reach out.

Interested students may reach out directly to Dr. Matar. Students who would like to get involved should visit the Office of Medical Student Research for guidance and more information .

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Posted 9/18/2025

Psychiatry: Areas of Research

Psychiatry department engage in a wide range of research spanning psychiatry, neuroscience, behavioral health, and implementation science. Major areas of focus include:

Biological Psychiatry : Research explores brain function and disorders through neuroimaging, organoid models, brain stimulation, neuroimmunology, gut-brain interactions, cognition, PTSD, TBI, and neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Implementation & Delivery Science : Faculty study how to improve mental health care delivery and integrate evidence-based practices into real-world settings. Topics include quality improvement, collaborative care, evaluation of health services, program implementation, tobacco harm reduction, and health services for underserved populations.

Addiction Research : Work in this area includes smoking cessation, tobacco dependence, substance use interventions, cannabis and cognition, digital assessment tools, big data approaches to suicide prevention, and psychosocial treatments for co-occurring disorders.

Clinical Interventions : Faculty develop and evaluate innovative interventions for diverse populations. Areas include therapeutic brain stimulation, trauma-informed care, digital mental health tools, psychotherapy mechanisms, caregiver support, music therapy, GI behavioral health, and interventions for dementia, PTSD, and serious mental illness.

Neuropsychology : Research examines cognition, memory, and neurological disorders such as dementia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. Faculty also study cancer survivorship, neuroimaging, and global health applications in neuropsychology.

Students who would like to get involved should visit the Office of Medical Student Research for guidance and more information.

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Posted 8/12/2025

Emergency Medicine 

Main Contact : Zachary.P.Soucy@hitchcock.org and Melissa.A.Friedman@hitchcock.org

- Wilderness medicine, EMS, community ED/system design – John David Storn
- Neuro, publication writing, basic research, quality improvement – Evie Marcolini
- HEMS, EMS, wilderness medicine, critical care transport – Thomas Trimarco
- Substance use disorder, community health (Closed) – Eric Gruber
- Rural EM, geriatric EM, EM administration, musculoskeletal – Scott Rodi
- Book writing, editing (non-traditional research), curriculum development – Paul DeKoning
- Resident coaching, global EM, dental care access in underserved areas – Kathleen Clem
- Wilderness medicine – Will Galvin
- Wilderness EM topics, hypothermia, frostbite – Nicholas Daniel
- Advanced ventilator management, antibiotic stewardship, goals-of-care conversations in the ED – Sam Yarmis
- Quality improvement, operations – Matthew Babineau
- FAST scan, ultrasound innovations, wilderness injury surveys, acute mountain sickness, COPD at altitude, CPR safety, trauma correlations, TCD studies, POCUS applications – Richard Trierweiler
- Critical care transport, therapeutic momentum, hemodynamic collapse during intubation, system QI – Matthew Roginski
- Narrative medicine, peer support, moral distress/trauma in physician training (Closed) – Alison Marshall 
- QI (ultrasound and operations), education (ultrasound-guided procedures) – Andrew Thomson
- Publications, quality improvement, research – Nicholas Weinberg
- Rural emergency services, wilderness education, health system operations, telehealth – Joshua Rudner
- Operations – split flow, geriatrics call-backs – Jen Pope
- Transport intubation QI, transitions of care, serious illness communication – Patricia Ruth A. Atchinson
- Social determinants of health, QI projects improving ED efficiency – Rachel Volk
- Quality improvement (open to projects, no current research) – Jessica Brooks
- Device development, POCUS, pre-hospital POCUS, system-wide POCUS – Zachary Soucy

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Posted 8/12/2025

Rheumatology Research Projects – 2025

• How does rheumatology disease state inform interactions with the medical system? – John Mecchella

• How does information presented at triage for new consults predict new diagnosis? – John Mecchella

• Can we continue tumor immunotherapy while treating the autoimmune condition uncovered by CPI therapy? – Kevin Kerin

• SafeRX: Establishing a novel cDMARD protocol to improve safety and patient/provider satisfaction – Kevin Kerin

• Diagnostic accuracy of pediatric rheumatology clinic visits compared with one-year follow-up (in-person vs. video) – Dan Albert

• Frequency of erythromelalgia in pediatric patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon – Dan Albert

• Is scleroderma associated with increased risk of cardiac valve calcinosis? – Rob Simms

• Duration and outcomes of steroid treatment in PMR patients – Vivekanand Tiwari

• Use of corticosteroids and immunosuppression in cardiac sarcoidosis – Vivekanand Tiwari

• Steroid use in giant cell arteritis with and without IL-6 inhibitor – Vivekanand Tiwari

• Osteoporosis screening in PMR/GCA patients (retrospective and potential prospective study) – Vivekanand Tiwari

• DNA methylation as a marker of corticosteroid response in PMR – Vivekanand Tiwari, Skopelja-Gardner, Brock Christensen

• The role of inflammation in knee osteoarthritis – Lindsey MacFarlane

• Using urine DNA methylation to predict kidney disease in rheumatic patients – Skopelja-Gardner, Christopher Burns, Lucas Salas

• Characterizing MAIT cells in lupus blood in relation to disease progression – Skopelja-Gardner

• Targeting VISTA to modulate skin responses to UVB light in lupus, CTCL, and psoriasis – Skopelja-Gardner

• Identifying biomarkers of early renal injury in cystic fibrosis patients – Skopelja-Gardner

• Improving detection and management of secondary CPPD in Veterans – Carey Field (with Pla)

• Follow-up outcomes for rheumatology patients alternating care between nurses and physicians – Carey Field (with Indira)

Posted 8/7/2025 

Dr. Catherine Saunders

Quantitative Projects

• ICU Triggers Paper – Analyze quantitative data to study whether palliative medicine consultation trigger models for ICU patients at Dartmouth changed outcomes.

• Patient Discussion Topic Preferences Paper – Analyze data on an agenda-setting intervention for palliative medicine patients and care partners to identify preferred discussion topics and characteristics.

Qualitative Projects

• Agenda-Setting in Kidney Disease (ASK) Interviews – Conduct and/or analyze interviews with advanced CKD patients to inform a clinical visit agenda-setting intervention.

• Participatory Approach to Qualitative Research (PAQ) Study – Support the consensus-based process to develop guidelines and reporting criteria for engaging patients/public in qualitative research.

• Agenda-Setting in Kidney Disease (ASK) Observations – Conduct and analyze observational data from the Nephrology Clinic.

• Understanding Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Decision Support – Collect and analyze data describing how palliative care team members help patients and families make hospital-based decisions.

Mixed Methods Projects

• Nephrology Serious Illness Care Experience Paper – Conduct a mixed methods analysis of survey data from the outpatient Nephrology Clinic.

• Agenda-Setting Delphi Study – Develop and conduct a Delphi Process Study to identify essential elements of clinical visit agenda-setting.

Systematic Reviews

• Outcomes in Serious Illness Communication and Experience Trials – Screen, assess, and write a review to evaluate commonly used outcomes and recommend improvements.

• Palliative Care Decision-Making Support Interventions – Review literature, extract/analyze data, and write a manuscript on how palliative care providers assist in decision-making.

Dr. Karen Hyuck

Manuscript Writing Projects

• Cutaneous Tuberculoma Case Series – Literature search, references, formatting, proofing, and cover letter for a case series on occupationally acquired cutaneous tuberculoma.

• Post-Traumatic Pleiomorphic Adenoma Case Report – Literature search, formatting, proofing, and cover letter.

• Abstract and Poster Development – Prepare for New England College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (topics TBD; focus on work as a social determinant of health).

• Serotonin Syndrome in Long COVID – Develop a new manuscript on serotonin syndrome in a patient with long COVID on multiple pulmonary medications.

Programming Projects

• Care Coordination App Development – Collaborate with the DALI Lab to build a patient-centered care coordination app supporting patient work ability.

Dr. Chris Niemczak

Programming / Neurocognitive Lab Projects

• Auditory and Neurocognitive Function in MCI – NIH- and Hitchcock Foundation–funded study investigating behavioral and electrophysiological auditory assessments in mild cognitive impairment, with links to Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology. Involves coding (preferably MATLAB) and offers authorship and collaboration opportunities with Dartmouth and McGill Neurological Institute researchers.

Posted 7/25/2025

Biomedical Data Science

Maddy Frumkin, PhD

Madelyn.r.frumkin@dartmouth.edu

Digital Biomarkers to Predict Postoperative Pain

My lab in the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health focuses on leveraging digital technology to predict and prevent persistent pain, mental health problems, and/or opioid use after surgery. I am seeking a medical student interested in these topics to assist with ongoing efforts to develop and validate digital biomarkers and mind-body interventions. Opportunities include participating in the user-centered design of digital health applications, analyzing existing data sets related to the feasibility and utility of collecting digital biomarkers in surgical settings, and contributing to manuscripts and presentations.

Posted 7/25/2025

Pediatric Urology

Duncan Morhardt, MD PhD

Duncan.r.morhardt@hitchcock.org

Immunohistochemical analysis of zebrafish bladder

Bladder disease affects millions of people worldwide. For many patients, the bladder conditions are a result of impaired neuronal function and thus many treatments for bladder disease involve modulating neurologic control. Models of neurologic bladder disease are currently limited to mammals but zebrafish offer numerous advantages over mammals including transparency in development, high fecundity, and sophisticated genetic tools usually only found in invertebrates. Our lab has made the exciting discovery of a urinary bladder in zebrafish and have functionally documented its contractions, principle genetic markers, and anatomy are similar to mammals. We have also identified expression of conserved neuronal genes in developing and adult zebrafish bladders. However, in order to solidify this as compelling model for vertebrate bladder function, parallels in neuronal architecture, from the protein translation and localization to efferent axonal projections, must be assessed. We are initiating a comprehensive immunohistochemical assessment of developing and adult zebrafish bladder to fully characterize the expression, and functional implications, of neurologic inputs into bladder. This proposal will leverage our new understanding of a zebrafish urinary bladder to utilize its advantages in high-throughput phenotyping, drug discovery, and mechanistic investigations.

We are excited announce this opportunity for a motivated Geisel student join our team and help move this critical research forward. Students should have some experience and understanding of bench research and attention to detail. Those interested in urology are particularly encouraged to apply. The goals of this summer project will be to 1) optimize immunohistochemistry (for select antibodies) on specimens of zebrafish bladder, 2) examine and interpret images with the help of the PI, and 3) complete an abstract for the work to be submitted at a regional or national meeting.

This study, while straightforward, is designed to engage the student in relatively “bite-sized”, rigorous science to maximize understanding, learning, and success.

Posted 7/21/2025

Posted 7/1/2025

Center for Technology and Behavior Health

Paul Barr, PhD