Featured Trainees
Featured Trainees are students, postdoctoral fellows, practicing physicians and faculty, and others who work under the tutelage of Levy CIMAR Core Faculty members and who stand out for their efforts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Trainees might be graduate students, antimicrobial stewards, educators, scientific researchers, medical doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, or a combination of any of these and other professions. If you are a Levy CIMAR Core Faculty member and would like to nominate someone for “Featured Trainee” distinction, please email us any time at cimar@tufts.edu.
— Summer 2026 Featured trainee:
Rebekah Johnson
- PARE student researcher leading a citizen science project on antibiotic resistance at the Little Rock Zoo
- ASMSA high school student conducting college-level microbiology research
For Arkansas high schooler Rebekah Johnson, four years of volunteering at the Little Rock Zoo became more than a chance to learn about animals and environmental conservation. Her experiences inspired her to lead an ambitious citizen science project recruiting staff and visitors to help test animal enclosures and other areas of the zoo for tetracycline-resistance genes tetB and tetM.
Rebekah’s project grew out of her participation in the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment (PARE) project at Tufts University. Developed by Levy CIMAR’s own Dr. Carol Bascom-Slack, PARE brings meaningful scientific research into the classroom by engaging students in the study of antibiotic resistance in their own environments.
Rebekah teaches young visitors at the Little Rock Zoo about AMR in our environment
Rebekah was introduced to PARE during her junior year at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA), where she took college-level science courses. Her microbiology course was taught by microbiologist and immunologist Dr. Whitney Holden, who also co-taught Rebekah’s Life Science Capstone course with Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, chair of ASMSA’s Science Department and a human geneticist.
In the capstone course, students received hands-on experience studying antimicrobial resistance through a citizen science initiative spearheaded by the PARE project. Around 400 colleges and high schools around the world currently participate in PARE.
“We taught Rebekah and her classmates lab skills like sterile sample collection, micropipetting, DNA extraction, PCR, and electrophoresis as we collected information on tetracycline resistance in a few dozen soil samples for PARE,” says Dr. Holden. “It was Rebekah’s idea to merge her passion for supporting educational outreach at the Little Rock Zoo with the PARE citizen science work.”
Rebekah advocated to stakeholders at the zoo and was awarded a permit for her work. She set up an educational table on AMR in the environment and interacted with nearly 300 zoo visitors. These guests and staff were invited to take soil sample collection kits with them into the zoo and collect samples to be brought back and used for testing. Rebekah plans to test the returned kits for tetracycline resistance with resources provided by a grant from ASMSA's Foundation.
Rebekah will process up to 20 samples provided by guests and zookeepers to look for tetB and tetM genes. She will upload the results to the Tufts PARE website and will present her findings in a meeting with Little Rock Zoo staff and volunteers later this year.
“While this is not a part of my capstone project, this is my passion project,” says Rebekah. “I wanted to work on something that could spark real change and educate people.”
She will submit her findings to the Regeneron Science Talent Search later this fall.
“I am enormously proud of Rebekah for making this project come to fruition,” says Dr. Holden. “It is one thing to have a passion for citizen science and a desire to do something good. It is another thing for Rebekah to leverage her existing zoo connections to develop an entire project, from proposal to permit application to sample collection to hours of lab work and actually pull it off, all before graduating from high school. To the best of our knowledge, Rebekah is the only high school student to ever pursue a project of this magnitude with PARE, and we at ASMSA are very proud of her.”
Per Dr. Bascom-Slack, “this level of initiative by a high school student is exceptional and exactly the sort of engagement promoted by CIMAR.” Rebekah’s zoo project exemplifies the Levy CIMAR’s mission to promote stewardship and awareness within a One Health framework.
"What I love the most about Rebekah is her passion for discovery and drive to get things done,” adds Dr. Krakowiak. “As antibiotic resistance is such a global threat and yet so overlooked by most, it warms my heart that she finds it fascinating and worth pursuing, especially in such an important and delicate ecosystem as that of zoos. I am very hopeful about the future because of students like Rebekah to help our world thrive."
Rebekah is now a senior at ASMSA. After graduation, she plans to attend college as a biology major on a pre-medical track. Later, she hopes to join an MD-PhD program to further her research.
“Being at ASMSA has encouraged me to push myself beyond my comfort zone,” says Rebekah. “Working with my mentors at ASMSA and the Tufts PARE project, I have learned that it is always possible to combine interests into something new and unique. This is something I know I will carry with me and will affect my decisions and interests in years to come.”
Meet all of the Levy CIMAR's Featured Trainees:
Ashley Luo, Second-Year Molecular Microbiology (MERGE-ID Track) PhD Candidate
UMass Boston junior exploring how bacterial spores transition from dormancy to germination—a process crucial to infection recurrence and antibiotic resistance.
Maryam Utegulova, 2025 Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
UMass Boston junior exploring how bacterial spores transition from dormancy to germination—a process crucial to infection recurrence and antibiotic resistance.
Mallika Subramanian, 2025 Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Tufts junior researching tick-borne illnesses and majoring in Community Health on a pre-medical track; studying antibiotic resistant babesiosis and the potential for novel therapies in the lab of Tufts Medical Center’s Dr. Edouard Vannier
Asli Dirik, Tufts IDoc Student Specializing in Bioresponsive Materials and Wearable Interfaces for Monitoring Female Health
Interdisciplinary doctoral student aiming to set new standards for innovation in “fem-tech” (technology that focuses on female health)
Mohamed Salem Jedeh, BDS, MSc, Dean of Zintan College of Dentistry, Tufts PhD Candidate Investigating AMR in Dental Patients
Dean of Zintan College of Dentistry at Zintan University in Libya; PhD Candidate in Clinical and Translational Sciences at Tufts University investigating antibiotic resistance among dental patients in Libya
Kap Sum Foong, MD, LEAP Fellow for 2023-2024 and Tufts CTSI K12 Scholar for 2025-2027
Attending physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts Medicine; LEAP Fellow for 2023-2024 and Tufts CTSI K12 Scholar for 2025-2027
Krystal Mutebi, 2024 Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Tufts Senior, studying Community Health via the pre-medical track; 2024 Levy CIMAR Summer Scholar researching how to address health disparities in antibiotic prescribing.
Nhi Van, Research Assistant in the laboratory of the Levy CIMAR’s Bree Aldridge, PhD, and a member of the Aldridge Lab’s “DiaMOND” team
Research Assistant in the laboratory of the Levy CIMAR’s Bree Aldridge, PhD, and a member of the Aldridge Lab’s “DiaMOND” team interested in learning to optimize drug combination therapies for tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria.
Xiaoxu Lin, Tufts Vet Doctoral Student Investigating How Mtb May Control its Metabolism by Regulating Lipid Production
Fourth-Year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in the Amanda Martinot Lab studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis and how it may control its metabolism by regulating lipid production.
Umaojo Ojogbane and Julia Hershelman, Biology PhD Students and Members of the Wolfe Lab Antibiotic Resistance Team
Two first-year Biology PhD Students—Umaojo Ojogbane and Julia Hershelman—work with Levy CIMAR’s Benjamin Wolfe, PhD, to explore the ecology of antimicrobial resistance in fermented foods. Both are members of the Wolfe Lab antibiotic resistance team.
David Manning, Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Senior at Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences working with Levy CIMAR investigator Dr. Alysse Wurcel on researching the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in state prisons and jails. Recipient of the 2023 Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine.
Jonathan Samuel, Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Sophomore at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences working with Levy CIMAR investigator Dr. Ralph Isberg on understanding factors contributing to antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii
Rachel Ende, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar in the lab of CIMAR’s Dr. Joan Mecsas, studying mechanisms of synergistic antibiotic interactions against Klebsiella pneumoniae in the lungs
Postdoctoral Scholar & first-year IRACDA Fellow in the lab of Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Joan Mecsas, studying mechanisms of synergistic antibiotic interactions against Klebsiella pneumoniae in the lungs
Irene Nagawa, Inaugural Recipient of the Levy CIMAR’s Undergraduate Summer Internship
Senior at UMass Boston majoring in biology and working with the Levy CIMAR’s Aimee Shen, PhD; Inaugural recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship for Underrepresented Groups in Science and Medicine
Rebecca Tenner, Inaugural Recipient of the Levy CIMAR’s Undergraduate Summer Internship
Rising Senior at Tufts University’s Undergraduate School of Arts & Sciences working with the Levy CIMAR’s Alysse Wurcel, MD; Inaugural recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship for Underrepresented Groups in Science and Medicine
Emma Price, VMD, master’s candidate in Clinical and Translational Science at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2nd year master’s candidate in Clinical and Translational Science at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences working with the Levy CIMAR’s Claire Fellman DVM, PhD, and Shira Doron MD, to identify factors driving antimicrobial prescription in hospitalized dogs and cats
Joshua Khuvis, MD Candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine and Levy CIMAR Student Researcher
MD Candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine and Levy CIMAR Student Researcher working with Dr. Shira Doron on exploring the impact of diagnostic stewardship interventions on Clostridioides difficile test ordering practices and results
Efrat Hamami, Molecular Microbiology PhD Candidate Working to Identify Vulnerabilities in Drug Resistant A. baumannii Isolates
Molecular Microbiology PhD Candidate Working in the Ralph Isberg Lab to Identify Vulnerabilities in Drug Resistant A. baumannii Isolates
Kathleen Davis, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar Working on Adapting Drug Combination Testing of Clinical Isolates
Postdoctoral Scholar working to identify antibiotic and small molecule combinations that function against problematic community and hospital-acquired pathogens; Working on adapting drug combination testing of clinical isolates
Shailab Shrestha, MERGE-ID Ph.D. Candidate and Recipient of the Tufts GSBS Fellowship For International Students
PhD Candidate in Molecular Microbiology, MERGE-ID (Medically-oriented Research in Graduate Education – Infectious Disease) track at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Inaugural Recipient, Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Fellowship Supporting International Student Education, 2018
Courtney Chan, Infection Prevention Coordinator, Medical Scribe, and Researcher
Infection Prevention Coordinator and Infectious Diseases Clinic Medical Scribe at Tufts Medical Center; Research contributor and co-author with the Levy CIMAR’s Drs. Maya Nadimpalli and Shira Doron: “Antibiotic Resistance: A Call to Action to Prevent the Next Epidemic of Inequality,” in Nature Medicine (2021)
Eve Abraha, Undergraduate Researcher and Co-Teacher
Undergraduate Researcher at Tufts Medical Center working with the Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Shira Doron; Co-teacher in the PARE (Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment) program’s short course, PARE-Seq, under the guidance of the Levy CIMAR’s Drs. Carol Bascom-Slack and Amy Pickering
Aubrey Specht, DVM Candidate and Award Winner, 2020 Tufts Vet Summer Research Training Program
Second-Year Graduate Student pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at the Cummings School; Winner, Basic Science Award at the 2020 Tufts Vet Summer Research Training Program
Iyob Gebremariam, Levy CIMAR Software Developer
Software Developer working with the Levy CIMAR on our Cutter and DiaMOND research and analytics tools; Masters student studying International Business at the Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Juan A. Hernández-Bird, MERGE-ID PhD Student
2019 American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Capstone Fellowship awardee and PhD Candidate in Molecular Microbiology – MERGE-ID (Medically-oriented Research in Graduate Education – Infectious Disease) track at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Scarlet Bliss, Undergraduate Laidlaw Fellow
Laidlaw Scholar working with CIMAR’s Drs. Amy Pickering and Carol Bascom-Slack to incorporate molecular methods into the PARE (Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment) project
Erica Fuhrmeister, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pickering Lab, Tufts University School of Engineering; Recipient: National Science Foundation Fellowship titled, “Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes betwee
Gabriela Andujar Vazquez, MD, Inaugural LEAP Fellow
Attending physician, Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine; Inaugural LEAP Fellow for 2018-2019