Creating Better Health Through Global Genomics Research

Training the Next Generation: Upcoming, Present and/or Past Education, Fellowships & Other Trainings

Below are our upcoming, present and/or past fellows, interns, and capacity building endeavours.

Penn Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellowships

PCGG successfully applied for funding from Genentech to establish the Penn Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellowships. This highly unique training program supports fellows in the biomedical workforce who will focus on genomic studies of health disparities. With this funding, we have supported three outstanding postdoctoral fellows.

  • Mwangala Akamandisa (mentor: Katherine Nathanson). Dr. Akamandisa obtained a BA in Biological Chemistry at Wellesley College and a PhD in Cancer Biology at Emory University. Her project focuses on identifying disease-causing variants in high-risk breast cancer in African American women with no known mutations through whole genome sequencing. Dr. Akamandisa is now a Clinical Fellow for the Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) fellowship at Yale School of Medicine.
  • Dauda Bege (mentor: Jon Merz). Dr. Bege obtained his PhD in Biomedical Ethics at KU Leuven, Belgium. His project focused on Genome Wide Association Studies and Sequencing Technology in Africa: Ethical Appraisals and the Search for Genetic Inclusivity. Dr. Bege is currently an Assistant Professor at East Carolina University.
  • Tafadzwa Machipisa (mentors: Daniel Rader and Sarah Tishkoff). Dr. Machipisa obtained her PhD from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She is currently pursuing her postdoctoral fellowship, studying the genetics of cardiovascular, metabolic and renal traits and disease in individuals of African ancestry.

Penn/Lincoln University Health Equity Undergraduate Internship Program

PCGG successfully obtained funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Health to establish the Penn/Lincoln University Health Equity Undergraduate Internship Program. This program established a partnership with the Department of Biology at Lincoln University, the first HBCU in the US. This highly successful program has supported eleven summer internships for students who plan to pursue careers in biomedicine.

  • 2022
    • Adeboal Agboola — Scott Hensley’s lab
    • Aalythia Hepburn — Michael Betts’ lab
    • Asha Williams — Benjamin Abramoff’s lab
    • Cyiah Willis — Henry Daniell’s lab
  • 2023
    • Jaida Lumpkin — Scott Hensley’s lab
    • Tunmise Okuneye — Sharath Guntuku’s lab
    • Judith Ojukwu — Janis Burkhardt’s lab
  • 2024
    • Jaida Lumpkin — Scott Hensley’s lab
    • Tunmise Okuneye — Sarah Tishkoff’s lab
    • Chinemere Ihejinka — Elizabeth Bhoj’s lab
    • Kaila Davis — Susan Weiss’ lab