Mentoring

Teaching & Mentorship Philosophy Statement

I believe that the most impactful training environments are those that combine scientific rigor with open and honest communication, equity, and inclusivity. Within the graduate training environment at UVA, my goal is to foster a culture of respect, tolerance, and collaboration where students from all backgrounds feel empowered to share ideas, take intellectual risks, and grow as independent scientists. I am committed to mentoring trainees not only in the technical and conceptual foundations of cardiovascular biology and metabolism, but also in the broader skills of critical thinking, communication, and professional development.

I emphasize transparency and accessibility in my mentorship style, encouraging frequent discussions of scientific progress, career goals, and personal challenges. My lab at the UVA Cardiovascular Research Center will be a space where diversity of experience and perspective is celebrated, where each student’s contributions are valued, and where setbacks are viewed as opportunities for learning and resilience. By combining high expectations with individualized support, I aim to guide students in developing both the confidence and independence necessary to make meaningful scientific contributions. Ultimately, my goal is to train the next generation of scientists to be not only innovative researchers, but also inclusive, ethical, and collaborative leaders in their fields.

Tangibly, I intend to support trainees in my laboratory from the undergraduate, graduate, and MSTP communities, as well as postdoctoral and clinical fellows interested in molecular physiology. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced experimental platforms—including mouse models of exercise and heart failure, viral vector–mediated gene delivery, primary cell culture, proteomics, lipidomics, and human genetic analyses—that provide a rich environment for learning diverse approaches to scientific discovery. I will pair this technical training with structured opportunities for professional growth: active participation in lab meetings, multi-lab collaborations, and departmental and CVRC seminars; mentorship in scientific writing, from primary research manuscripts to fellowship and grant applications; and enthusiastic support for presenting their work at national and international conferences. Importantly, my own career trajectory—spanning genetics training at Penn, clinical and fellowship training at Mass General, and postdoctoral research in Bruce Spiegelman’s lab with co-mentorship from Anthony Rosenzweig—has provided me with a breadth of experiences in rigorous science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and physician-scientist career development. I have also successfully mentored undergraduate students, residents, and fellows in research settings, giving me practical experience in guiding trainees at different stages. These experiences uniquely prepare me, as a young PI, to provide graduate and MSTP students with both the technical training and the career development support necessary to thrive in today’s competitive scientific landscape.