We are pleased to introduce the new GI fellows who will be starting July 1, 2007. All of our incoming fellows are truly outstanding physicians, teachers and investigators and we are very proud to have them as colleagues (their orientations will be June 29, July 2-3). We are also grateful and appreciative of the superb work done by our fellows who are completing their first year: Drs. Meena Bewtra, Nina Pascua, Andy Rhim, Josh Stern and Rick Wood. Alyson N. Fox, M.D. - Alyson received her undergraduate degree in Public Health and Natural Sciences from Johns Hopkins University where she was on the dean’s list, and was honored by the Owens, Hall and Bilgrave Award for significant contributions to undergraduate student activities and the recognition award and mentoring award through the office of multicultural student affairs. She then completed her medical degree from Mount Sinai Medical School. Her work was distinguished by the Irwin Gellarnt Award for service in the community, the Community Service and Academic Achievement Award and she served as commencement speaker at graduation. Currently, she has completed her Internal Medicine Residency at New YorkPresbyterian Hospital at Cornell, where she has been conducting research and the treatment in Wilson’s disease. She won an AASLD Resident Scholar Travel Award. Alyson will be joining our MSCE degree program. Jesse K. Liu, M.D. - Jesse received his undergraduate degree in molecular and cell biology with honors and overall distinction in general scholarship from the University of California-Berkeley. He was in the Golden Key National Honor Society and won the California Alumni Association Leadership Scholarship as well as the Berkeley Biology Fellows Scholar. Jesse’s early work in college resulted in first-authored publications in the EMBO Journal, Berkeley Scientific Journal and the Weizmann Institute of Science. He then completed his medical degree at the University of Virginia where he received the Robert and Caroline Irons Merit Scholarship and then completed his Internal Medicine Residency at Duke University Medical School where he has been a Prime Research Grant Recipient and participated in the Residency Research Symposium. He has conducted research in drug-induced hepatotoxicity as well as C. difficile associated diarrhea in solid organ transplant patients. Jesse will be pursuing basic science research. Junsuke (Jun) Maki, M.D. - Jun received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and History from Washington University. He then did a Post-Baccalaureate premedical program at New York University followed by a medical degree from SUNY Downstate. He was a Japanese Medical Society of America Scholarship recipient. He has recently completely his internship in residency at Mount Sinai Medical School, having conducted research in the lab of Dr. Maria Abreu. Jun will be pursuing basic science research. Raluca Vrabie, M.D. - Raluca received her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Cooper Union in New York City. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and had a full scholarship to the Cooper Union. There, she conducted research in chondrocyte production of different ion channel isoforms. Raluca then completed her medical degree at Mount Sinai Medical School. She participated in a student exchange program with a medical school in Spain. Raluca completed her Internal Medicine residency at Mount Sinai Medical School. While at Mount Sinai, she has worked in the laboratory of Dr. Scott Friedman examining the role of matrix metalloproteinases in liver cirrhosis. Raluca will be pursuing basic science research. Laura C. Wolfe, M.D. - Laura received her undergraduate degree in microbiology from Colorado State University, receiving Phi Beta Kappa honors being earning recognition on the dean’s list and receiving a microbiology scholarship. She conducted research at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Thereafter, Laura received her medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. She received also the Ohiyesa Fellowship to conduct medical studies in Central America, especially in Guatemala. Laura has completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Vanderbilt University. Laura will be joining the MSCE degree program. Laura will be joined by her husband. We also wish to introduce and welcome our Advanced Endoscopy Fellow, Yasser Bhat, MD. Yasser earned his medical degree with distinction from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, India, where he received numerous honors, including the Best All-Around graduating student award. After completing his internship at SUNY Stonybrook and internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, he completed his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Pittsburgh. He has over 10 publications and has won several travel awards for presentations at national meetings. Yasser will be joined by his wife, Sualiheen Shaw, and their daughter, Rida.