The interests of residents who spend academic time devoted to research vary widely, from basic science to education to social determinants of health affecting state and national policies. Residents pursue opportunities on campus as well as research collaborations at other institutions. Information about projects underway by current research residents can be found below. In addition, we invite you to learn about the many achievements of our research residents over the last few years.
2026-2027 Academic Year
Daniel Counihan, MD - R2
Site: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Mentors: Danby Kang, MD; Sabrina Sanchez, MD, MPH
Area of Research: Dr. Counihan’s research focuses on trauma outcomes and resource utilization. He will examine the resources provided to trauma patients through Boston Medical Center, the community, and the state to assess utilization, effectiveness, and potential gaps. Additionally, he is working on a quality improvement project aimed at developing educational materials for trauma teams focused on opioid tapering at discharge to minimize post-discharge healthcare utilization for these patients. Dr. Counihan currently serves as the Senior Administrative Research Resident.
Funding: NIH T32 Grant: Impact of Biological, Clinical, and Social Determinants on Trauma and Trauma Outcomes
Joseph Dao, MD, MEd - R1
Site: MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mentor: Naruhiko Ikoma, MD, MS
Area of Research: Dr. Dao’s research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence and computer vision to improve robotic cancer surgery. His work aims to develop and validate AI models that enhance surgeon education, optimize surgical workflow, and improve the safety and quality of robotic cancer surgery. Additionally, Dr. Dao is investigating patient-reported outcomes after upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery, with a focus on developing and validating streamlined symptom assessment tools to optimize perioperative care and improve patient-centered outcomes.
Funding: Image-Guided Cancer Therapy (IGCT) T32 Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center
Josue Estrella, MD - R1
Site: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center
Mentors: Noelle Saillant, MD; Jeffrey Siracuse, MD, MBA; David McAneny, MD
Dr. Estrella is fulfilling dual roles as a researcher within the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and as the Quality Improvement (QI) Fellow for the Department of Surgery. His research focuses on outcomes in surgical management of traumatic injuries to major vessels in junctional zones (neck, axilla, groin) and medium vessels in thoraco-abdominal compartments (e.g., renal vessels, mesenteric vessels). As QI fellow, Dr. Estrella will engage in multidisciplinary review of patient safety events and collaborate on implementation of quality improvement protocols aimed at fostering the well-being of a diverse surgical patient population.
Funding: NIH T32 Training Grant on the Impact of Biological, Clinical, and Social Determinants on Trauma and Trauma Outcomes
Jessica Lee, MD - R1
Site: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center
Mentor: Dane Scantling DO, MPH
Dr. Lee is a first-year research resident in the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Boston Medical Center. Her research will focus predominantly on access to trauma care, with an emphasis on national and regional geographic disparities, particularly those related to firearm injuries. Additionally, she has a specific interest in developing and improving transparency for family-friendly policies in general surgery residencies on a national level. Dr. Lee will also serve as the Junior Administrative Research Resident.
Funding: NIH T32 Grant
Rebecca Reardon-Lochbaum, MD - R2
Site: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Mentors: Andrea Geisz-Fremy, PhD
Area of Research: Dr. Reardon-Lochbaum is interested in improving early detection of pancreatic cancer and addressing the socioeconomic disparities related to the morbidity and mortality of the disease. She will be participating in basic and translation science, aimed at characterizing the genetic and biomolecular underpinnings of pancreatic cancer, with the goal of identifying early biomarkers that can be utilized for more efficacious screening and detection.
Lawson Traylor, MD - R1
Site: Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Mentor: Megan Janeway, MD
Dr. Traylor’s research is focused on examining outcomes for trauma and emergency general surgery patients. Specifically, he will be examining aspects such as perioperative antibiotic utilization in patients who are already receiving therapeutic antibiotics and quality of life measures after traumas involving extremity fractures.
Funding: NIH T32 Grant: General Internal Medicine-Family Medicine-Pediatric Academic Fellowship Program