Incoming Graduate Students Tackle Health Challenges
Virginia Tech’s Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH) Graduate Program welcomes a new class of students dedicated to addressing some of the most urgent questions in human health. This program, based at the Health Sciences and Technology campus in Roanoke, prepares graduates for careers in research, healthcare, and academia.
The TBMH program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last summer, accepts students from diverse academic backgrounds. The fall 2024 cohort includes 19 doctoral and two master’s students from fields such as neuroscience, engineering, public health, and psychology.
Geoffrey Otieno
Geoffrey Otieno’s experiences growing up in Kenya, marked by his mother’s death during childbirth and his father’s later illness, have fueled his passion for global health. His previous work includes health advocacy at various levels of the Kenyan government and the founding of Begin Life Safely, a non-profit organization focused on reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
Otieno initially pursued a master’s degree in geography at Virginia Tech, focusing on using geographic information systems to address public health issues. He is now working toward a Ph.D. through the TBMH program.
Walter Dickey
Walter Dickey combines his interests in academic innovation and clinical practice by developing medical simulation technology. He is designing a custom-built model for surgical practice that uses 3D printing to replicate the flexibility of the human hand, an aspect often lacking in standard surgical models.
Dickey’s innovation, first used at Carilion Clinic’s Center for Simulation, Research, and Patient Safety, balances affordability with anatomical accuracy. As a master’s candidate, he is collaborating with Sarah Parker, chair of health systems and implementation science at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Dickey notes that his cohort fosters collaboration: “We’re collaborative rather than competitive,” he said. “That’s essential when you’re trying to solve global health challenges. There’s definitely a shrinking gap between researchers and clinicians, and it’s great to be part of that. We need people who can speak both languages.”
Peyton Kim-LaTona
Peyton Kim-LaTona merges her artistic background with science, studying form and function in cancer cell biology. Her undergraduate studies in architecture and biology led her to explore the intersection of art and science at the cellular level.
“Finding form and function together is so integral, not only in architecture and design, but also in cell biology, where parts come together and are vital to the whole,” Kim-LaTona said. “What drew me to this place was that I had non-traditional aspirations. Sometimes, in science, it can feel like there is only one way to do things, so it was important for me to find a program as multifaceted as I am. Here, I’m able to apply creative, design-forward thinking and scientific rigor to study structure-function relationships in cancer cell biology.”
Shaniece Fraser
Shaniece Fraser is interested in the interplay between motivation, decision-making, and neurochemistry, especially as it relates to addiction: “How do people make that shift from, ‘I’m taking this drug to feel good’ to ‘I’m taking this drug because I’m addicted’? And how distinct are those two phases, really? That difference could be a really important point for treatment, so I want to know more about where the line is drawn.”
Fraser’s curiosity is shaped by her experiences living in both Jamaica and the United States.
Edward Rygalski
Edward Rygalski focuses on improving the measurement of brain activity, utilizing electroencephalography (EEG). He aims to develop software solutions using convolutional neural networks to enhance the reliability and precision of EEG measurements.
“Getting to be surrounded with all of this cutting-edge technology is still exciting, if not more exciting, now that I’m more anchored in it,” Rygalski said. He became involved with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute while studying neuroscience as a summer undergraduate research fellow.
The TBMH program emphasizes cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Doctoral students begin their studies in Roanoke and then conduct research under faculty mentors in Roanoke, Blacksburg, or Washington, D.C.
Program director John Chappell noted the incoming class’s enthusiasm reflecting on previous cohorts and said, “Each student brings a passion for research and a unique background, which fuels my excitement for what they are going to accomplish in our program and beyond.”
Veronica van Montfrans, the program’s associate director, adds, “We know every single one of our students quite well because of how close we are to them during that first year of foundational coursework. We really put in an effort to work with each of our students to build TBMH into the best program it can be for them.”
The Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program at Virginia Tech offers master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as dual degree options with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Program alumni have gone on to successful research and leadership positions in various sectors.
