2024-2025 Fellows and Scholars
Dr. Autumn Beavers, a second-year general surgery resident at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, will spend her fellowship year at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania under the mentorship of Drs. Blandina Mmbaga, Lily Gutnik, and Ayesiga Herman. Her research, Bridging the Gap: A Pilot Training and Referral Program for Traditional Healers to Early Breast Cancer Detection in Tanzania, builds on her experience addressing healthcare challenges in resource-limited settings such as Ecuador, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic. Committed to becoming a physician-educator, she seeks to empower communities through education and awareness.
Dr. Freeman Chabala, a Lecturer at Levy Mwanawasa Medical University and an early career researcher in biochemistry, microbiology, and immunology, will spend his fellowship year at the University of Zambia, University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka under the mentorship of Dr. Edford Sinkala and Dr. Michael Vinikoor. His research will focus on steatotic liver disease in Zambian adults with hepatitis B and hepatitis B-HIV coinfection. With a strong interest in HIV-related infectious and non-communicable diseases, he has developed a prognostic model for predicting tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-associated nephrotoxicity among Zambians to aid in managing HIV-treatment-related kidney disorders.
Dr. Catherine Cheney, a third-year Internal Medicine resident at Duke University School of Medicine, will spend her fellowship year at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania under the mentorship of Drs. Blandina Mmbaga, Matt Rubach, and Nathan Thielman. Her research will focus on evaluating the etiology, management, and risk factors for mortality in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding through a prospective observational cohort study. With a strong interest in non-communicable diseases, particularly GI conditions, she aims to enhance GI specialty care capacity in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr. Serah Gitome, a Clinical Research Scientist at KEMRI, will spend her fellowship year in Nairobi under the mentorship of Dr. Zachary A. Kwena and Dr. Renee A. Heffron. Her research develops vaginally-administered Live Biotherapeutic Products to prevent bacterial vaginosis and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, using a human-centered approach. She aims to establish a Human-Centered Design and Innovation center at KEMRI, using a community-driven living lab model to co-create and test solutions for women's Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs in Kenya, ensuring interventions are holistic, sensitive, and community-driven.
Dr. James Iheke, a Medical Doctor at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, will spend his fellowship year at Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation in Lilongwe, Malawi, under the mentorship of Brigid O'Brien, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, Alexander W. Kay, MD, and Sabine Belard, MSc, DTM&H. His research focuses on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) for Childhood TB and Urinary Tract Schistosomiasis. Passionate about global radiology, he aims to expand imaging services, particularly in pediatrics and abdominal imaging, to underserved communities in the U.S. and abroad. He draws inspiration from Drs. Milner and Perchik at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Radiology for their work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and global health.
Dr. Jonathan Kajjimu, a Medical Intern Doctor at St. Francis Hospital-Kampala, will spend his fellowship year at Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Uganda, mentored by Dr. Esther Atukunda and Dr. Matthew Heimann, focusing on emergency care research, including priorities, barriers, and strategies. He is dedicated to improving emergency care through research-driven solutions. His career goals include becoming a leading emergency physician and global health expert to enhance emergency care in low-resource settings.