Hi, I’m Benjamin Bush, a first-year fellow in Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Originally from Alabama, my wife and I are excited to be Texans.  I received a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Auburn University and then completed medical school at the University of South Alabama.  My residency training in obstetrics and gynecology was completed at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia, in association with the Mercer University School of Medicine.  In July of 2022, I began my fellowship training in Maternal Fetal Medicine.  I am looking forward to my time in Dr. Menon’s lab where I will be studying mechanisms of epithelial to mesenchymal transition of chorionic trophoblastic cells as well as exosome-induced expression of transporter genes in the fetal membrane.  When not in the lab or clinic, my wife and I enjoy exploring our new home in Texas!

Hi, I’m Brett Goldman, a first-year maternal fetal medicine fellow. I’m originally from Florida and am enjoying my time exploring Texas. Prior to joining the lab I was involved in clinical and epidemiological research, however I was a novice when it came to bench research. The mentorship in Dr. Menon’s lab has allowed me to gradually increase my understanding and responsibility of various experiments to the point of performing experiments autonomously. I’ve learned a slew of techniques including cell culture and staining, flow cytometry, western blotting, and ELISA. Being involved from the planning stage, to learning and carrying out experiments, trouble shooting, presenting at a conference, and writing a manuscript has taught me invaluable tools that I will carry with me throughout my career. When I’m not in the lab or clinically assigned I enjoy spending time with my family and going to new restaurants. 

I received a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology from Georgetown University in 2010 and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University in 2012. I graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine in 2017 and started my residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hahnemann University Hospital in 2017. Following the closure of Hahnemann University Hospital in 2019, I completed my residency training at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. I began my fellowship training in Maternal Fetal Medicine at University of Texas Medical Branch in 2021. I am currently studying the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of exosomes containing recombinant interleukin-10 at the feto-maternal interface.

I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of the Philippines Diliman, graduating magna cum laude, in 2015. Currently, I am an MD-PhD Molecular Medicine candidate from the University of the Philippines Manila with research interests in maternal-fetal medicine and reproductive biomedicine. For my doctoral dissertation, I am working on immunologic aspects of fetal membrane homeostasis and their role in parturition. I am also a research collaborator with De La Salle University - Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Technologies, providing input on risk analysis and preclinical studies for a robotic articulating laparoscopic instrument for use in minimally-invasive surgery. During my free time, I volunteer for non-government organizations that advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Philippines.

My research focuses on the development of therapeutics to delay preterm birth. Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal death in the United States and globally, and it is associated with a fetal inflammatory response. My research aims to test the efficacy of a potential treatment for preterm birth using in vivo and in vitro models, and then develop a drug delivery system that will allow efficient targeting of the drug to fetal tissues. This will reduce the degradation of the drug in the maternal body and increase the amount of treatment reaching the fetus to inhibit inflammation.

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Hey, this is Madhuri Tatiparthy, a graduate student from Cell Biology program. I am from India and completed my Bachelor’s in Pharmaceutical sciences from Sri Padmavathi University, India and came to New York for my master’s program in Pharmacology and Toxicology at Long Island University. From my bachelors and masters, I learned systems pharmacology, design and testing of pharmacological compounds. After joining Dr. Will’s lab at Albert Einstein College of Medicine as a research technician, I started loving basic biology specifically stem cell self-renewal and differentiation mechanisms, gene expression studies. Currently, I am rotating with Dr. Menon’s lab and working on autophagy and senescence pathways involved in preterm birth condition. Apart from the lab, I love to go for hikes and visit national park or spend time with family and friends.  

I received a Bachelor's degree in Science and Arts in Biology and an Elements of Computing Certificate from the University of Texas in 2022. Under Dr. Menon's lab, I hope to cultivate foundational research skills, while also expanding my knowledge of the biochemical and medical fields. While currently in a gap year, I believe that this experience in Perinatal Research will provide me with crucial and essential competencies that I will use in my future medical career.