Claire Bogosian is currently a Master of Translational Medicine student at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering and minor in Armenian Studies. She spent this past summer volunteering in Gyumri through Birthright Armenia and worked on an ambulance service while honing her Armenian speaking skills. She recently was accepted into three medical schools and will be attending one of them in the fall. Claire looks forward to serving the Armenian community throughout her future career as a physician.
Meg Chakerian is in her second year of medical school at Western University of Health Sciences. She completed her bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has a background in neuroscience research. Meg’s research projects inspired her to consider specializing in neurology or psychiatry and continue research throughout medical school. Currently, she is the vice president of the psychiatry interest group of her school. She also serves on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness organization. Being raised in the Armenian community has taught Meg the importance of giving back to her community. Her ultimate goal is to improve neurological and mental care within the Armenian population.
Pateel Jivalagian is a first-year Master of Public Health (MPH) student at the Yale School of Public Health, where she works as a research assistant at the Social Gerontology and Health Lab and is a member of the Yale Armenian Network. Pateel is passionate about being involved in the Armenian community. Currently, she is a health researcher for the non-profit organization, DataPoint Armenia (DPA). In this role, she worked on an Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Guide for Health Professionals and Caregivers to increase awareness and provide information about Alzheimer’s Disease in Armenia. Currently, she is working on a Crisis Preparedness and Population Health Task Force at DPA. Before entering the MPH program, Pateel pursued the fields of public health and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. She hopes to make important contributions to public health for Armenian and American communities, alike.
Anna Manukyan is a first-year medical student at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Originally from Armenia, Anna moved to the United States to pursue her PhD in Computational Chemistry at Old Dominion University. Upon graduation, she completed several fellowships in data science and biophysics. Her research and scholarly interests include the structure, function, and dynamics of artificial nucleic acids and membrane proteins. She is a great advocate for community service work and in collaboration with community partners. Anna regularly organizes public outreach events, particularly those aimed at underserved communities. She is also actively involved in efforts to reform STEM education in Armenia. As a future physician, one of her goals is to improve access to reproductive health services in Armenia.
Patrick Minassians is a second-year medical student at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. He received a B.S. in Bioengineering from UCLA and completed an MSc in Immunology at the University of Oxford before entering UCI. Patrick’s interest in the immune system predates the pandemic. As a medical student, he is working on a project regarding severe cutaneous reactions to immunotherapies. He traveled to Armenia in the summer of 2021 to help research the effects of vitamin D supplementation on COVID-19 patient outcomes. As a board member for Rise and Raise, a mentorship program for Armenians pursuing medicine, Patrick believes in building a network of support for future Armenian physicians. He hopes to continue his pursuit of understanding the immune system while expanding the scope of his role as a mentor for Armenian students.
