Richard W. Dow Student Research Scholarship in Surgery
The Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the availability of scholarship support for Geisel students who chose to do surgical research during the summer between their first and second year. An education fund supported by faculty and former residents in surgery had been created in memory of Dr. Richard Dow, former Chair of the Department of Surgery. Dr. Dow was a committed educator who was recognized with the Parker J. Palmer “Courage to Teach” Award from the ACGME in 2005. The fund established in his name is designed to promote student and resident education in surgery.
The Dow Student Scholar program will offer $3000 to up to 4 Geisel students to support their time doing research mentored by a surgery faculty member during their break between Year 1 and 2. A number of research opportunities are available in different surgical sub-specialties, such as those outlined below. In addition, other surgical faculty may be available as research mentors. Students who are interested in pursuing this opportunity should contact a surgery faculty member to discuss the research opportunity. After this discussion, the student should submit the following information as an application to Kayla Fay in the Department of Surgery by March 3, 2025 (DOSResearch@hitchcock.org):
- A one-page statement explaining their interest in the specific research project, their overall career plans and background, and a description of how the funds will be used (which can be for personal support).
- A copy of their Curriculum Vitae.
Applications will be evaluated by the Dow Education Fund Advisory Committee. Up to 4 students will be selected to receive a scholarship. Notification of scholarship recipients will occur by March 10, 2025.
Please address any specific questions about this program to Jennifer Hong, MD, Department of Surgery (Jennifer.Hong@dartmouth.edu). A list of faculty members who have mentored students, with a description of their research interests, is below. If you desire to participate, but don’t know which faculty mentor might be most appropriate, please email Dr. Hong outlining your research interests and she will provide advice about a potential mentor.
Below are the projects considered for the DOW scholarships for 2025.
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME:
Duncan Morhardt, MD PhD
Duncan.r.morhardt@hitchcock.org
Department name: Pediatric Urology
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.This project has the possibility of a small funding stipend.
_________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME:
Jennifer Hong, M.D.
Neurosurgery
Project 1: Understanding the relationship between interhospital transfer and surgical outcomes.
This is a clinical research project that builds on earlier work which discovered that patient outcomes for acute surgical diagnoses are worse for patients who are transferred from outside hospitals compared to those who present primarily to the emergency department, even after adjusting for other predictors of poor outcome such as disease severity. I am interested in analyzing data from national and institutional databases to better understand why inter-hospital transfers are associated with poor outcome and to identify ways to improve the mechanisms for transfer in healthcare delivery. This is particularly important in rural academic healthcare systems which have a high rate of transfers. A student who is involved in this project would be working closely with me to review patient charts, plan analyses and write and present findings.
Project 2: Understanding brain tumor microenvironment using spatial transcriptomics
This is a translation project that seeks to understand how the brain tumor microenvironment gives rise to neurologic symptoms, such as seizures. We will use patient derived specimens and multi-omics to understand the impact of brain tumors on surrounding tissues. A computational background is highly encouraged.
___________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME:
Andrew Loehrer, MD
Andrew.p.loehrer@hitchcock.org
Department name: Surgical Oncology
Research Overview and Student Participation
Dr. Loehrer is a surgical oncologist and health services researcher whose work focuses on health equity, specifically evaluating the intersection of public policy, political determinants of health, and marginalized and oppressed populations. Medical students will have an opportunity to participate in one or multiple studies including 1) evaluation of the influence of federal and state health policy on the equity of cancer care delivery, 2) assessment of the impact of social spending by hospitals and governments on equity of cancer care and 3) the intersection of area-level social drivers of health and patient-level unmet social needs. Students with various degrees of prior research experience are welcome. For students with minimal prior exposure to research, there are opportunities to participate in study design, conducting literature reviews, participation in interpretation of data, and composition of abstracts and manuscripts. For those students with more experience in research methodology and data analysis, we will work to start developing their own portfolio and/or expand expertise in advanced methodologies. All students will complete research ethics and confidentiality training. Additional educational materials will be utilized to strengthen students’ foundational knowledge of surgical health services and policy research.
___________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME
Reto Baertschiger, MD, PhD
Pediatric surgery
reto.m.baertschiger@hitchcock.org
The division of pediatric general surgery would like to welcome a summer student to be part of our division and participate in one or several research projects.
We will have opportunities to work on three different projects including pediatric general surgery, pediatric surgical oncology, pediatric trauma care and pediatric quality of care.
- Pediatric General Surgery:
Appendicitis is one of the most frequently diagnosed surgical problems in children. We have identified that certain bacteria cause more complication in children with perforated appendicitis in children in an unpublished performed in 2018. Briefly, Streptococcus anginosus (SA) is contained in a subgroup of normal gut flora with pathogenic propensity toward abscess formation. The aim of this study is to expand the previously gathered data on children with perforated appendicitis from 2012-2017 to 2018-2024 and to evaluate the clinical significance of SA in the setting of appendicitis at our center.
Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study at DHMC. Patients will be identified by ICD 9/10 code diagnosis of acute perforated appendicitis from 2018-2024. Medical charts will be reviewed to confirm clinical evidence of appendicitis and patients needed to have a corresponding intra-abdominal or pelvic fluid culture. Patients with positive culture for SA (SA(+)) will be compared to those with negative culture (SA(-)), and followed for a minimum of 6 months. Primary outcomes of interest will be disease severity, including complications, readmission, length of stay (LOS), and duration of antibiotics.
We anticipate 150-180 additional patients to be included in the study.
- Pediatric Surgical Oncology:
Trisomy 18 is a severe chromosomal abnormality in children. These children survive and are at risk of developing renal and liver tumors. We plan to participate in a mutli-institutional study analyzing the outcomes for Patients with Trisomy 18 and Nephroblastoma or Hepatoblastoma: a Retrospective Review project. We will include at least two of our patients, after IRB approval. We will collect the data, including demographics, surveillance data, diagnosis and treatment information as well as long term follow-up.
Additional work in collaboration with the pediatric surgical oncology research consortium will come up, looking at multi-site data of pediatric patients suffering from solid tumors (www.psorc.org)
- Pediatric Trauma:
Children, particularly during adolescence, are among the most frequent victims of traumatic injury in North America. In the United States, 7,444 children aged 0-19 died due to unintentional injury in 2019 for an average of 20 preventable deaths per day. Unintentional injury is also among the leading causes of pediatric presentation to the emergency department with more than nine million initial emergency room visits annually. Beyond the harm of the initial injury itself, traumatic injury in children also carries significant risks of long-term physical disability and chronic pain, as well as the development of psychologic illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, trauma is not always an isolated event and can put adolescents at risk for future injuries. Indeed, teenagers over the age of 14 who experienced a significant traumatic event have been found to be as much as ten times more likely than others to have a subsequent trauma.
We propose to study and better understand the causal attributions which adolescents hold from their traumatic injuries and to establish how these attributions might relate to injury prevention strategies for these children. We plan to use a mixed method model of surveys and structured one-on-one interviews to interact with participants. Our ultimate goal is to use our findings to construct injury prevention messages and strategies that will appeal to adolescents more directly than those created by adults only.
- Quality improvement:
As the director for quality for the surgical services at the Children’s hospital, many processes are evaluated for their quality. Several questions about care quality, including the care of appendicitis in children, access to care, mapping pathways for children with surgical problems, possible systematic reviews of the literature (can be done remotely) about specific quality questions could be also addressed pending students’ interests.
The student duties and involvement:
The selected student will participate in data collection, data analysis and manuscript drafting on one or multiple projects. The goal is also to submit an abstract to a local and hopefully national conference. The student will be required to take the CITI Good Clinical Practice in research course, as requested by our IRB. The student will also be able to participate in our tumor board, regular learning opportunities such as grand rounds and divisional education opportunities – case discussions, journal club etc.
_______________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME
Joseph Paydarfar MD
Otolaryngology
joseph.a.paydarfar@dartmouth.edu
Research support contact name and email address
Micki Geffert
Michaela.M.Geffert@hitchcock.org
Administrative support contact name and email address
Shannon M. Bagley
Shannon.M.Bagley@hitchcock.org
Department name
Surgery – Otolaryngology
Project title and description
Improving surgical margins in head and neck oncologic surgery
Cancers of the mouth and throat are often treated with surgical resection, with the primary goal of achieving negative margins. Positive or close margins can lead to higher rates of local or regional recurrence and reduced survival rates. Our research aims to explore technologies that can improve margin control during oncologic resections in the head and neck. Current projects include investigating the role of tissue impedance to differentiate benign from malignant tissue, utilizing image guidance to define the deep margin in robotic throat cancer resections, and developing 3D virtual specimen orientation. Students who are interested in this research will have the opportunity to participate in clinical studies as well as collaborate on prototype development and testing with the Thayer School of Engineering. While interest and experience in CAD, 3D printing, and programming are beneficial, they are not required.
Indicate whether you are providing funding (yes or no)
No
_____________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME
James Saunders, MD
james.e.saunders@hitchcock.org
Otolaryngology
Faculty contact name and email address
James Saunders MD
James.E.Saunders@hitchcock.org
Research support contact name and email address:
Micki Geffert
Michaela.M.Geffert@hitchcock.org
Administrative support contact name and email address
Shannon M. Bagley
Shannon.M.Bagley@hitchcock.org
Project 1
Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of Vestibular Disorders.
Vestibular migraine (VM) is a common but often underdiagnosed cause of dizziness and imbalance, frequently misclassified as other inner ear disorders. This research aims to evaluate the diagnostic potential of CDP in identifying VM, predicting its presence, and distinguish it from other conditions like cerebral ischemia and acoustic neuroma, improving diagnostic accuracy.Students interested in this research will actively contribute by analyzing patient data and identifying key clinical patterns, offering experience in clinical research and data analysis. This is a great opportunity for students interested in neurotology or healthcare innovation.
Indicate whether you are providing funding (yes or no)
No
Project 2
Project title and description (what will the student do on this project?)
Anatomical and Feasibility Study of Selective Trans-nasal Botox Injection of the Tensor Tympani
Tensor tympani (TT) dysfunction has been implicated in conditions such as tensor tympani spasm, which can contribute to symptoms like sound tinnitus, and ear fullness. One potential treatment of TT spasm involves the injection of Botulinum toxin (botox) injection into the TT muscle, although there have been anecdotal reports of this treatment intranasally, this treatment has not been studied. This research aims to evaluate the anatomical feasibility of a minimally invasive trans-nasal approach for selective TT botox injection. This project consists of completing a literature and anatomical review and cadaveric dissection to assess TT access and landmarks. If successful, future directions would include potential clinical testing of TT electromyography (EMG) responses to acoustic reflex simulation to verify the clinical feasibility of this approach. Students interested in this research will assist in all aspects, including literature review, data collection from cadaveric dissections, as well as design and patient recruitment for follow-up EMG analysis. This is a great opportunity for students with a strong interest in otolaryngology and/or rhinology. While previous research experience is beneficial, it is not required.
Indicate whether you are providing funding (yes or no)
No
______________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME
Thamolwan Surakiatchanukul, MD
Thamolwan.Surakiatchanukul@hitchcock.org
Ophthalmology
Title: Clinical presentation and outcomes of traumatic ocular injuries and ruptured globe (retrospective review) at DHMC Ruptured globe injury (open globe injury) is a severe form of penetrating ocular injury and the incidence is estimated at 2/100,000 in the United States. This can result in loss of vision or permanent impairment. Causes may vary from a motor vehicle accident, sports injuries, or falls. Early diagnosis and prompt medical intervention are necessary to prevent further complications, such as endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, or enucleation. This project is aimed at studying the varying clinical presentation and outcomes of ruptured globe at our institution. We hope to elucidate the practice pattern and identify any factors that could improve the clinical course and outcomes. Variables/data of interest: - Initial vision, intraocular pressure, eye exam (slit lamp and dilated fundus ophthalmoscopy), causes and type of injury (corneal laceration, scleral laceration, retained intraocular foreign body, and combined etc), status of the lens (phakic), method and timing of surgical repair - Final vision, intraocular pressure, eye exam exam (slit lamp and dilated fundus ophthalmoscopy) Student role: - Prepare and lead the IRB protocol submission (will work directly with supervising attending) - Collect retrospective review data - Prepare presentation & manuscript (optional, highly recommended
________________________________________________________________________
FACULTY AND DEPARTMENT NAME
Florian Schroeck, MD
Florian.R.Schroeck@hitchcock.org
Urology
The student will be involved in research activities related to improving care for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. This might involve working with existing quantitative or qualitative data or being involved with an ongoing clinical trial.
Further information on the projects can be found here: https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/abstracts.cfm?Project_ID=2141707037 [hsrd.research.va.gov] [hsrd.research.va.gov]
And here:
https://prevention.cancer.gov/funding-and-grants/funded-grants/R37CA275916 [prevention.cancer.gov] [prevention.cancer.gov]
Depending on interest and timing, the student will get experience in participant recruitment, data abstraction/collection, qualitative or quantitative data analyses, literature search related to the project, or drafting of presentations, abstracts, or manuscripts related to the research. It is important to note that a commitment is needed at least 3 months prior to the start of the summer break, so that we can assure all necessary training and privileges are in place for the student to get access to VA data and participate in VA research activities.