Which institution are you currently affiliated with? What is your current role? What are you working on currently?

I’m currently affiliated with two different universities: University of Southern California and Loyola University Chicago.  I graduated from USC’s Keck School of Medicine in 2018 with a PhD in Medical Biology and have continued my work there as a research consultant for Dr. Brad Spellberg (Infectious Diseases Physician and Chief Medical Officer of LAC+USC Hospital).  Our translational research has focused on the development of novel therapeutics for combating antimicrobial-resistant infections.  Some biotechnologies we’re in the process of translating into clinical applications include short-term immunization to help prevent healthcare-associated infections, iron sequestration to starve microbial pathogens of an essential element, and the use of antibodies directed against the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii.

After graduating from USC, I enrolled in the MD/MPH program at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, with a focus on research in medicine and policy & management in public health.  As a part of ongoing quality improvement efforts at Loyola University Medical Center, I have been working with a multidisciplinary group under the guidance of Dr. Fritzie Albarillo (Infectious Diseases Physician and Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship at LUMC) to help bring antimicrobial stewardship to the outpatient setting.  During this process, we collected data for several years about the antimicrobial prescribing habits of over a hundred outpatient prescribers.  This has allowed us to track the impact of our efforts to improve compliance with guidelines on appropriate antimicrobial prescribing practices and share the effectiveness of our work with the infection control and prevention community.

I am also working alongside other MPH and medical students at LUC to bring awareness of the importance of public health to kids in the local community.  We have workshops about infectious disease outbreaks, epidemiology, global health, and nutrition (among others topics) that are designed to inspire underprivileged middle and high school students from racial/ethnic minorities to pursue careers in these growing and rewarding fields.  I have benefited greatly from the mentorship of kind and generous mentors over the years.  Just as Newton is credited with saying, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”  Through these community outreach programs, I hope to do what I can to pay it forward.

Which Cambridge University Press journal have you been matched with as mentee?

I have been matched with Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology (ICHE).

What motivated you to join up for the pilot?

I’ve been reviewing manuscripts for a little over three years now.  Most of my understanding of what makes a good review has been self-taught from what reviewers have sent me in response to my manuscript submissions.  I’ve learned that constructive criticism is key and that it’s important to acknowledge the strengths of a manuscript—not only its weaknesses.  I was motivated to join the Peer Review Training Program with Cambridge University Press for two main reasons: I want to improve my skills as a reviewer and someday I plan work on the editorial board of a peer-reviewed journal like ICHE.