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IDSA Foundation

G.E.R.M. Program

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GRANTS FOR EMERGING RESEARCHERS/CLINICIANS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

G.E.R.M. Program was developed to provide grants to medical students to support a longitudinal, mentored clinical learning and/or research project for up to a year on infectious diseases-related topics, including HIV, under the mentorship of an IDSA or HIVMA member. This program replaced the IDSA Medical Scholars and HIVMA Medical Students Programs.

The goals of the G.E.R.M. Program are to:

  • Increase interest among undergraduate medical students, particularly among populations underrepresented in medicine, in pursuing ID fellowship post-graduate training or a career in HIV medicine by:
    • Providing medical students with a mentor-based program to encourage and facilitate the pursuit of a career in the field of infectious diseases;
    • Increasing the number and diversity of ID and HIV research and clinical learning opportunities available to medical students, including through a diverse range of geographic settings, program sizes and academic foci; and
    • Providing ID and HIV research and clinical learning opportunities and mentorship and support to a diverse population of medical students, with a focus on those currently underrepresented in the field.
  • Support medical students in increasing analytical, research and clinical skills that will impact their future career trajectory.

Projects must focus on pediatric or adult infectious diseases, including HIV, and may involve either clinical or research activities. Eligible project categories include basic science, epidemiology/clinical research, medical education, structured clinical experiences and quality improvement/program evaluation. Awardees receive a $4,000 stipend to complete their project. 

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be medical students (first-, second- or third-year and those in combined degree programs, including MD/MPH and MD/PhD) from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school in the U.S.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents pursuing medical school outside of the U.S. (including Caribbean and off-shore institutions) are also eligible to apply. These students should be interested in pursuing specialty training in the U.S.

Back to Fellowships, Grants & Programs >

2022 CALL FOR G.E.R.M. Program APPLICATIONS

Applications for the 2022 G.E.R.M. Program are open now through Feb. 7, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

For tips on the proposal writing process, check out the recording from our recent workshop.

apply noW


APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

For Medical Students
  • Preview the application before completing it online, and have a current CV ready for uploading as part of the application
  • Complete the online application, including uploading a current CV
  • Identify a mentor (contact info@hivma.org for help identifying a mentor)
FOR MentorS

Applicants should coordinate with their mentor to ensure the following are submitted before the application deadline:

  • Letter of support from an IDSA/HIVMA member agreeing to serve as a mentor for the duration of the project. Letters should not exceed two pages in length.
  • An NIH biosketch or CV (5-page limit) for the mentor.

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance and novelty of the project topic
  • Structure of the mentorship plan
  • Interest in infectious diseases or HIV
  • Contributions to diversity, defined broadly to include populations underrepresented in medicine, geography, program size and academic foci
  • Strength of the project plan as it relates to increasing the applicant’s analytical, research and clinical skills

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Applicants must be medical students (first-, second- or third-year and those in combined degree programs, including MD/MPH and MD/PhD) from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school in the U.S.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents pursuing medical school outside of the U.S. (including the Caribbean and off-shore institutions) are also eligible to apply. These students should be interested in pursuing specialty training in the U.S.

The scholarship activity must focus on pediatric or adult infectious diseases, including HIV, and may involve either clinical or research activities. Below are descriptions of eligible project categories.

Basic Science: Laboratory/bench-based or translational research, generally without direct patient interventions

Epidemiology/ Clinical Research: Patient-based clinical trials or research involving patient data

Medical Education: Curriculum or course development or intervention to improve medical knowledge for students, residents or providers. Generally involves an evaluation of the intervention’s effectiveness.

Structured Clinical Experience: Clinical experience with scheduled/planned mentoring experience with pre-post evaluations. Should have stated objectives.

Quality Improvement/Program Evaluation: Intervention to evaluate and/or improve upon an existing clinical program. Should generally follow the “Plan-Do-Study-Act” (PDSA) technique or a similarly structured evaluation method.

No, joint projects are not eligible for funding.

The letter of support should not exceed two pages.

Recipients of the G.E.R.M. Program grant will be notified in April 2022.

Yes, as long as the project is related to the field of infectious diseases or HIV. Please see the listing of the 2021 and 2020 awardees to see the types of projects previously funded.

Award funding may not be applied toward tuition, but funding can be used to defray living expenses during the project period.

Yes, you may still apply, but you should specify how the IDSA Foundation funding will enhance or extend the project or foster your ability to complete the project.

Members may not mentor more than one medical student during each grant cycle.

MEET THE AWARDEES

Medical students from around the U.S. submitted their applications to receive a $4,000 stipend for their ID/HIV research projects and to receive mentorship through the IDSA Foundation’s G.E.R.M. Program.

Each of the following 41 awardees brings a unique perspective and skill to the field of ID research.

  • Aidin Alejo
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Mentor: Ross Boyce, MD
    Project: Improving the Diagnosis of Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis in Central North Carolina
  • Amanda Lieberman
    Yale School of Medicine
    Mentor: Frederick Altice, MD
    Project: Evaluation of a screening, brief intervention, & referral to treatment (SBIRT) program in the Kyrgyz Republic for incarcerated people with opioid use disorder transitioning to the community
  • Asha Kodan
    University of Maryland School of Medicine
    Mentor: David Riedel, MD
    Project: Cancer in Patients with and without HIV Infection in the National Cancer Registry of Rwanda
  • Bailee Cummings
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Mentor: Juan Carlos Rico Crescencio, MD
    Project: Examining the Implementation of a Mobile Phone Intervention Method to Improve Health Outcomes in Patients with HIV/AIDS
  • Carolina Duque
    Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Robert Gilmas, MD
    Project: Transcriptomic identification of biomarkers for Chagas disease progression
  • Christie Tzelios
    Harvard Medical School
    Mentor: Ruvandhi Nathavitharana, MD
    Project: Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of digital chest x-ray as a triage test to identify patients with TB presenting to a healthcare facility in Lima, Peru
  • Chesley Ekelem
    Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Aima Ahonkhai, MD
    Project: The Role of Peer Support in the PEERNaija mHealth Adherence Intervention for Vulnerable Youth Living with HIV in Nigeria
  • Charissa Obeng-Nyarko
    Florida State University College of Medicine
    Mentor: Asim Jani, MD, MPH, FACP
    Project: Microlearning Tool for Dermatologic Manifestations of Infectious Diseases
  • Claire Weinstein
    University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
    Mentor: Senu Apewokin, MD
    Project: In vitro characterization of human host intestinal defenses against chemotherapy associated Clostridioides difficile infection
  • Coulter Small
    University of Florida
    Mentor: Norman L. Beatty, MD
    Project: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for Chagas Disease Among Providers in Florida
  • Devon Zander
    NYU – Grossman School of Medicine
    Mentor: Vanessa N. Raabe, MD
    Project: A Telephone Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Caregivers Regarding Childhood Vaccination During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Diya Uthappa
    Duke University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Chris Woods, MD
    Project: Utilizing Environmental Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 as a Marker for Disease Transmission in the Classroom Setting:  An observational, prospective cohort pilot study
  • Emily Kelly
    University of California, San Francisco
    Mentor: Jeffrey Whitman, MD & Caryn Bern, MD
    Project: Multicenter Study of Chagas Disease Diagnostic Practices in California
  • Eric Lin
    David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
    Mentor: Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH
    Project: Global algorithms to predict ceftriaxone resistance in N. gonorrhoeae
  • Erin McDonnell
    Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
    Mentor: Martin Blaser, MD
    Project: Understanding Predictive Clinical Parameters to Aid in COVID-19 Prognosis
  • Grant Wilson
    Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Cynthia Sears, MD
    Project:Association between antibiotic use and clinical outcomes of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
  • GretaBecker
    The University of Iowa
    Mentor: Robert Blount, MD
    Project: The effect of air pollution particles on airway surface liquid killing of Bacille Calmette-Guerin
  • Hannah Tierney
    University of California, San Francisco
    Mentor: Phyllis Tien, MD, MSc
    Project: Trends in alcohol and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic among people living with or at risk for HIV infection in the United States
  • Joshay Ford
    University of Colorado School of Medicine
    Mentor: John-David Beckham, MD
    Project: Post-translational modifications of alpha-synuclein during acute viral encephalitis in brain tissue
  • Joshua Bloomstein
    UC Davis School of Medicine
    Mentor: Charles Langelier, MD, PhD
    Project: Comparative host immunoprofiling and viral dynamics in COVID-19 patients with and without underlying immunocompromising diseases
  • Joshua Olson
    University of California San Diego School of Medicine
    Mentor: Erlinda Ulloa, MD
    Project: EDTA as Adjunctive Therapy for Drug Resistant Staphylococcal Infections
  • Jessica Lidner
    University of Kentucky
    Mentor: James Keck, MD
    Project: Evaluation of Nursing Home Wastewater Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2
  • Julian Weiss
    Yale School of Medicine
    Mentor: Serena Spudich, MD
    Project: Longitudinal Analysis of Synaptic Density in People Living with HIV
  • Katelyn Parsons
    University of Minnesota
    Mentor: Mark Schleiss, MD
    Project: Investigating CMV Pathogenesis and Breast Milk Transmission in Premature Infants Who Acquire CMV Viremia
  • Kyleigh Connolly
    University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville
    Mentor: Jennifer Grier, MD
    Project: Intracellular survival and immune evasion of distinct Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in a fatal necrotizing fasciitis infection
  • Lauren Kim Sing
    California University of Science and Medicine
    Mentor: Kaihong Su, PhD
    Project: Comparison of Antibody Immune Response to COVID-19 Infection and Vaccination
  • MacKenzie MacRae
    Tufts University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Ramnath Subbaraman MD, MSc
    Project: Developing and Evaluating a Treatment Literacy Intervention for Improving Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes in India
  • Matthew Melton
    University of Kentucky
    Mentor: Alice Thornton, MD
    Project: COVID-19 Patient Medical Care Using Telemedicine: A Retrospective Analysis to Analyze the Efficacy of Telemedicine Care and Early Admission During Acute Phase Covid-19 Disease Progression
  • Monica Manglani
    Penn State College of Medicine
    Mentor: Jessica Ericson, MD, MPH
    Project: Etiology of Neonatal Sepsis in the Age of Coronavirus
  • Namita Raghavan
    Virginia Commonwealth University
    Mentor: Priya Soni, MD
    Project: Evaluating viral shedding and development of immunity in mother-infant pairs affected by SARS-CoV-2
  • Nicole Robertson
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine
    Mentor: James Zachary Porterfield MD, PhD
    Project: Inflammatory Response of COPD in People Living with HIV in Uganda
  • Omid Cohensedgh
    Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
    Mentor: Magdalena E. Sobieszczyk, MD, MPH
    Project: Assessment of sexual behaviors, PrEP usage, and engagement in sexual health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC
  • Rachel Bailey
    University of Maryland School of Medicine
    Mentor: Mark A. Travassos, MD, MSc
    Project: Serological insights into the role of surface antigens in protection against malaria in Malian children with hemoglobinopathies
  • Rachel Patel
    Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
    Mentor: Susan Boruchoff, MD
    Project: Vaccine Education for Medical Students
  • Rebecca Kruc
    University of Minnesota
    Mentor: Mark Schleiss, MD
    Project: Cytomegalovirus Viral Load Epidemiology from a Universal Screening Study
  • Rohan Khazanchi
    University of Nebraska Medical Center
    Mentor: Kathleen McManus, MD
    Project: Examining ACA Marketplace Qualified Health Plans’ Insurance Benefit Design for People with HIV
  • Samir Kamat
    Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    Mentor: Matthew Akiyama, MD
    Project: Facilitators and Barriers to Accessing Hepatitis C Treatment Among Justice-Involved Individuals During and After Incarceration: A Qualitative Study
  • Sierra Atwater
    Duke University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Debra Lugo, MD
    Project: Optimizing Clostridium Difficile Diagnoses in High-Risk Hospitalized Pediatric Patients with Hematologic Malignancies or Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation 
  • Sonya Prasad
    Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
    Mentor: Esther Freeman, MD
    Project: Investigating the Cutaneous Manifestations of Long COVID Infection
  • Vicky Le
    University of Washington
    Mentor: Paul Drain, MD
    Project: Elucidating the relationship between HIV and Syphilis co-infection in the Umlazi township of South Africa
  • William Ford
    Weill Cornell Medicine
    Mentor: Matthew Simon, MD
    Project: Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing Disseminated Strongyloidiasis in COVID-19 Patients
  • Alexis Green
    University of Maryland School of Medicine
    Mentor: Anthony Harris
    Project: Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteremia and the Need for Follow-up Blood Cultures
  • Alison Smith
    Emory University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Henry Blumberg, MD
    Project: Impact of Dysglycemia on Risk of Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis among Household Contacts of Active Tuberculosis Cases in Ethiopia
  • Allen Roberts
    University of Washington
    Mentor: Ruanne Barnabas
    Project: Geographic risk scoring tools for predicting HIV incidence in South Africa
  • Amelia Davis
    University of Colorado School of Medicine
    Mentor: Kristine Erlandson, MD
    Project: Models of Care for Older Adults Living with HIV
  • Anna Sanford
    Tulane University School of Medicine
    Mentor: John Schieffelin
    Project: Trends in Clinical Sequelae of Ebola Survivors in Sierra Leone
  • Anne Davidson
    Feinberg Northwestern School of Medical
    Mentor: Michael G. Ison
    Project: Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Hospitalized Adult Patients: A Single-Center, Retrospective Study
  • Austin Jones
    Tulane University
    Mentor: Jeffery Percak, MD
    Project: Predicting Retention in Hepatitis C Treatment Following Emergency Department Screening
  • Camille Morgan
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Mentor: Jonathan Parr
    Project: Spatial epidemiology of hepatitis B transmission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Emergency Department Screening
  • Cate Hendren
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Mentor: Ross Boyce, MD
    Project: HIV Mapping in Western Uganda
  • Eden Altwies
    University of Washington
    Mentor: Julie Dombrowski, MD
    Project: Characterizing Comorbidities and Evaluating Service
  • Elizabeth Okafor
    University of Minnesota
    Mentor: David Boulware
    Project: NK cell cytotoxicity against Cryptococcus neoformans
  • Elizabeth Tremblay
    Florida State University College of Medicine
    Mentor: Kartikeya Cherabuddi, MD, FACP
    Project: Development and validation of a clinical calculator for the differentiation of NTM from TB when assessing the need for inpatient airborne isolation
  • Emily Huebner
    University of Washington School of Medicine
    Mentor: Kristina Adams Waldorf
    Project: Virulence Factors in Group B Streptococcus Isolates from Pregnant Women and Neonates with Invasive Infections
  • Emma Office
    Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
    Mentor: Egon Ozer, MD, PhD
    Project: Characterization of the molecular epidemiology of Group A Streptococcus
  • Emma Thompson
    University of Alabama School of Medicine
    Mentor: Michael Saag
    Project: Exploring Persistent HIV/AIDs Related Stigma in Birmingham, AL
  • Faisal Ahmad
    Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
    Mentor: William H. McCoy IV, MD, PhD
    Project: Targeting microbial nanomachines to prevent indwelling medical device infections
  • Francesca Goodstein
    Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Marcel Curlin, MD
    Project: Epidemiology and serological evaluation of flavivirus infection in Thailand
  • Fred Heller
    Duke University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Ana Weil
    Project: Impact of Microbiome on Development of Long-Term Oral-Cholera-Vaccine-Mediated Protective Immunity
  • Helena Drolshagen
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Mentor: Atul Kothari, MD
    Project: Changing Trends in Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Enterococci and Role of Antibiotic Usage in Patients with Cancer
  • Holden Richards
    Oregon Health and Science University
    Mentor: Christina Lancioni, MD
    Project: Boosting Babies’ Immunity through Toll-like Receptor-2
  • James Goodman
    Oregon Health and Science University
    Mentor: Jay Nelson, MD
    Project: Elucidating the effect of Zika Virus mutations on neural tropism
  • Jessica Rhee
    Rush Medical College
    Mentor: Mariam Aziz, MD
    Project: Impact of Intimate Partner Violence in HIV+ Women in Chicago
  • John Ryan
    Indiana University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Stephan Jordan
    Project: Metabolic pathways associated with natural clearance of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in women
  • John Sanchez
    University of Utah
    Mentor: Anne J. Blaschke, MD
    Project: Identifying Novel Virulence Factors in Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae Causing Meningitis
  • Justin Klucher
    University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
    Mentor: Ryan Dare
    Project: Blood Culture Contamination in the Emergency Department: A Risk Factor Analysis
  • Krista Moore
    Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
    Mentor: Emily Blumberg, MD
    Project: Impact of Deceased Organ Donor Substance Use on Infectious Outcomes in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients
  • Kyle Robinson
    Mayo Clinic
    Mentor: Claudia Libertin, MD
    Project: Expanding Screening and Treatment of HIV and other STI’s in Rural Northwestern Madagascar
  • Manasa Bhatta
    Vanderbilt School of Medicine
    Mentor: Jessica Castilho
    Project: Factors Associated with Contraceptive Method Use Among Women Living with HIV
  • Mariam Ebeid
    University of Mississippi Medical Center
    Mentor: Roberto Santos, MD
    Project: Improving HIV screening of adolescents and young adults in Mississippi using electronic reminder (EPIC – best practice alert) and electronic learning module
  • Megan Meyer
    University of Washington
    Mentor: Paul Drain, MD
    Project: Identifying Sociodemographic Factors Associated with HIV-related Stigma and Measuring Change in Stigma Levels from 2013-2020 in Umlazi Township, South Africa
  • Nicole Robertson
    University of Kentucky College of Medicine
    Mentor: James Zachary Porterfield, MD
    Project: The Influence of post-tuberculosis exposure status on lung function, respiratory symptoms, and quality of life in low and middle-income countries
  • Rachael Mahle
    Duke University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Ephraim Tsalik, MD
    Project: The impact of immunocompromise on the host response to bacterial vs. viral infection
  • Rachel Kupferman
    Tufts University School of Medicine
    Mentor: Tine Vindenes, MD
    Project: Assessment of Tufts Medical Center’s Latent Tuberculosis Infection Care Cascade
  • Saba Rahman
    University of Massachusetts Medical School
    Mentor: Steven Hatch, MD
    Project: Identifying Etiologies and Risk Factors for Serious Bacterial Illness in Liberian Children age 6-59 months
  • Samantha Herbert
    University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
    Mentor: Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
    Project: Evaluation of Access to Sexual Health Services Among Recent US Immigrants
  • Sara Briker
    Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
    Mentor: Keith Hamilton
    Project: The Influence of Socio-behavioral Factors on the Implementation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions
  • Tejas Kumar
    Baylor College of Medicine
    Mentor: Shital Patel, MD, MSc
    Project: Development and Implementation of Rapid ART Initiation Programs in Houston
  • Theodora Bruun
    Stanford University
    Mentor: Peter Kim
    Project: In search of a small-molecule inhibitor of the HIV-1 gp41 hydrophobic pocket
  • Travis Nielsen
    Stritch School of Medicine and Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health at Loyola University Chicago
    Mentor: Fritzie S. Albarillo, MD
    Project: Identifying Etiologies and Risk Factors for Serious Bacterial Illness in Liberian Children age 6-59 months
  • Tyler Rapp
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Mentor: Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR
    Project: Understanding how geographic factors shape the submicroscopic malaria reservoir in Bagamoyo, Tanzania
  • Zheyi Han
    Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University
    Mentor: Abhishek Deshpande
    Project: Impact of Clostridioides difficile Infection on Patient Quality of Life

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