ALYSSA SATO is from Orange County, California. She graduated summa cum laude in 2023 from California State University Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Prior to joining TRG, she was involved in research with the Cardiovascular Research Foundation of Southern California, focusing on AI-powered coronary computed tomography angiography and gender disparities in the field. During her time as a student, she spent her weekends volunteering in clinical settings, particularly as a cardiology scribe, hospice patient companion, and medical assistant for underserved pediatric patients. She is also a scholar with the Los Angeles Harbor Area Health Education Center program, through which she collaborates with a network of primary care physicians and health professionals to strengthen the quality of healthcare in the local community. Outside of her academic endeavors, Alyssa is a harpist and hula dancer, and enjoys performing in benefit concerts and festivals.
NADA HAMADE earned her bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the American University of Beirut and a Master of Public Health from New York University. During her graduate studies, Nada was involved in clinical research focusing on infectious diseases at NYU Langone, where she worked on projects exploring telehealth solutions for people living with HIV/AIDS and opioid users. She actively participated in designing a user-friendly application that featured medication reminders, simplified complex HIV data into engaging and insightful ones, and provided updates on the latest HIV news. Additionally, Nada co-founded the Public Health and Medicine (PHAM) Society at NYU, which addresses health disparities worldwide through partnerships with humanitarian NGOs and engaging guest lectures to educate and advocate against public health inequities. Besides work, Nada enjoys pottery making, particularly crafting items inspired by her Lebanese culture such as the “Shaffee coffee cups”.
CHRISTIE MARIE GREASON received her B.A. in Human Physiology from the University of Minnesota in June 2021. She then went on to complete a post-baccalaureate certificate in biomedical sciences from Case Western Reserve University in May 2022, and most recently she finished her MS in Medical Sciences degree at Boston University. She will be starting her MD this upcoming August 2024 at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Prior to joining the Thrombosis Research Group, Christie had completed summer cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery research internships at the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic, having published research papers and abstracts in Frontiers in Physiology, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, and the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Christie has also been extensively involved in community service work, volunteering weekly at food banks, homeless shelters, and blood donor centers. Most recently, she served as an AmeriCorps member in Minnesota, helping implement equity projects for Native American children at the American Indian Community Housing Organization. A fun fact about Christie is that she was a competitive ice skater when she was younger!
BRIDGET MCGONAGLE is originally from Massachusetts and grew up on the south shore. She recently graduated from Fordham University in May of 2023 where she studied biological sciences and women, gender, and sexuality studies. During her undergraduate years at Fordham, she tutored for biochemistry, microbiology, and genetics courses and worked as a laboratory assistant in the Fordham biology labs. Bridget began working for TRG in September of 2023 and has participated in various projects throughout the past year. Along with fellow research assistants, Bridget co-authored an abstract accepted for presentation at the upcoming American Heart Association Vascular Discovery Conference. Bridget has a keen interest in women’s health and aspires to matriculate into a PhD program soon. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, crocheting, reading, and walking her dog.