Mentoring
Current Students
Anne Sauber
"I am an osteopathic medical student in my second year at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine (class of 2026). I obtained my BS in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Dallas and am now working with Dr. Koshy on a systematic review studying the effects of OMT on the cardiovascular system. I have long enjoyed volunteering with hospice patients and with animals in shelters and some of my hobbies include hiking, yoga and reading. I am currently interested in the fields of neurology, internal medicine and OBGYN and am excited to learn more about these paths in the coming years. "
Emily Nelson
"I am part of the osteopathic medical student community (class of 2026) at Touro University Nevada. I have always been interested and invested in finding ways to become a more well-rounded physician in the future, and investing myself into research is one way I am reaching that goal. I especially find research in underserved communities essential, in addition to anything catered to clinical medicine."
Justin Sigmund
"I'm Justin Sigmund, a 2nd year Osteopathic Medical Student at Touro University Nevada. I have a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a Masters in Public Health with a focus in Epidemiology. Before coming to Touro, I worked at the County of San Diego on a variety of different projects. I was involved with organizing Love Your Heart, a yearly event on Valentines day where thousands of free blood pressure screenings would be provided to the public in San Diego and multiple cities in Mexico. I also rewrote the county policies on Emergency Department Diversions for paramedics, ambulance agencies, and local emergency departments. Finally, I worked extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic to update the county website on recommended public health practices and wrote a bi-weekly email newsletter aimed at medical professionals to assist providers and businesses during the pandemic. I am currently working on a research project with Dr. Koshy and Sabah Islam on how the amount of prescribed Buprenorphine may be correlated with levels of adherence to Opioid Use Disorder."
Madyson Burtner
"I am an osteopathic medical student at Touro University Nevada (class of 2026). I am from Columbus, Ohio and attended The Ohio State University for my undergraduate degree, where I received my B.S. in Biology with a minor in Human Nutrition. My previous research experience was at Ohio State where I worked in a lab focused on the molecular mechanisms contributing to pathobiology in critical illnesses, specifically Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and sepsis. I am currently working with Dr. Koshy’s team on a systematic review that focuses on determining the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment on cardiovascular function. I am open to exploring multiple areas of specialties but my current interests are in family medicine, pediatrics, and dermatology. My goal is to become a well-rounded physician, providing quality and individualized care, tackling patient problems with utmost awareness and dexterity, and contribute to medical advancement."
Matthew Rubinstein
"I am an osteopathic medical student at Touro University Nevada, Class of 2026. I am from Las Vegas, Nevada, and attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for my undergraduate studies where I received my B.S. in Biological Sciences and minors in Psychology and Neuroscience. My previous research experience was in bacteriophage biology and discovery of novel bacteriophages as part of the SEA-PHAGES research program. Currently, I am working with Dr. Koshy's team on a systematic review, focusing on determining the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment on cardiovascular function. My current medical interests include interventional cardiology, hepatobiliary disease and surgical intervention, and osteopathic applications for treating systemic disease. Upon completion of medical school, I intend to complete residency in Las Vegas and continue to serve the Las Vegas community."
Maxwell Geiger
"My name is Maxwell Geiger and I am currently a student in Touro University Nevada’s College of Osteopathic Medicine’s class of 2026. I was born in raised in Scottsdale, AZ and did my undergraduate studies at the University of Hawaii Hilo where I was able to play collegiate tennis and receive my B.S. in Biology with a Data Science Certificate and minors in Computer Science and Chemistry. My previous research experience was in a microbiology lab testing the antibacterial efficacy of traditional Native Hawaiian herbal medicines. After leaving Hawaii to attend medical school, I wanted to continue to apply my Computer Science background to my career in medicine and was lucky to find Dr. Koshy. She has allowed me to do exactly that in our current project investigating the role of chaotic behavior in a three-dimensional mathematical cancer model. I intend to continue bridging the two fields for the rest of my career as a student and a physician."
Plaiphon Noni Vaidyanuvatti
"I am part of the class of 2026 at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, and I am a local, having lived in Nevada most of my life. I received my B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a minor in Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. In terms of research, I previously worked in a biochemistry lab for my undergraduate thesis and am currently working in Dr. Koshy’s team on a scoping review as well as piloting a quality improvement project at the Touro clinic. My current interests are in women’s health, psychiatry, and endocrinology with the intention and end-goal of contributing to the healthcare system in Nevada while also expanding healthcare accessibility to the underserved and Asian populations, especially the Thai community, in Las Vegas. "
Regina Chow
"I am an osteopathic medical student (DO Class of 2026) at Touro University Nevada. I am from Long Island, New York and attended Boston University for my undergraduate studies, where I received my B.S. in Human Physiology. I am working with Dr. Koshy's team on a systematic review that focuses on determining the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment on cardiovascular function. My current interests are in cardiology, mental health wellness, and pediatrics; however, there are many specialities I would like to continue exploring. I strive to become a well-rounded physician who practices with compassion, honesty, and empathy. "
Reina Takaki-Nakagawa
"I am an osteopathic medical student at Touro University Nevada, Class of 2027. I am from Mililani, HI and completed my B.S. Bioengineering with a minor in Chemistry from Oregon State University. My previous research experiences include analyzing how COVID-19 and remote learning impacted Native Hawaiian and Indigenous education and transfer of knowledge, and I am currently working with Dr. Koshy's research team to analyze differences in various health outcomes between Native Hawaiians living in Hawai'i and Nevada. My current medical interests include pediatrics and primary care. I am an avid foodie and love to try new restaurants in my free time. I hope to return back home to Hawai'i to serve the Native and local communities and incorporate osteopathic manipulation into my practice. "
Sabah Islam
"I am a current osteopathic medical student at Touro University Nevada, Class of 2027, originally from Moreno Valley, CA. I graduated from UCLA in 2021 with a B.S. in Psychobiology and Biology. My research experience includes work in neuroradiology, where I analyzed MRI data on cervical spondylosis patients, and I am now working under Dr. Koshy on a study of Buprenorphine prescribing patterns for opioid use disorder in patients with one-time scripts. My medical interests span Neurology, Cardiology, Radiology, and OB/GYN. Outside of medicine, I enjoy discovering new food and dessert spots, rock climbing, tennis, hiking, and swimming. In my future practice, I aim to improve patient access to care and increase patient education, incorporating a holistic and preventative approach to my future practice."
Sarah Legrand
"I am an osteopathic medical student in Touro University, Nevada’s class of 2026. I am from Simi Valley, California and attended California Lutheran University where I graduated with a B.S. in Exercise Science. I am currently participating in Dr. Koshy’s research group looking into the effects of osteopathic manipulation on the autonomic nervous and cardiovascular systems. Some of my interests in medicine include the field of Osteopathy, Cardiology, and OB/GYN. Some of my personal interests include my love for dogs and practicing yoga. I hope to incorporate a more holistic approach practicing as a physician, treating my patients in the field I am working in with osteopathic manipulation."
Vineet Sadarangani
"I am a second-year medical student at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine. My current research includes the utilization of technology in the therapeutic alliance (with Dr. Koshy), investigating the impact of azoles on amoebic keratitis, and exploring biases faced by minority populations. I aspire to specialize in ophthalmology, anesthesiology, or internal medicine, driven by his ultimate goal of improving healthcare equity for underserved and Asian populations. Currently, I am a member of Sigma Sigma Phi and serve on my school’s Student Committee of Physician Education. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering with my non-profit that he co-founded, SeedsOfKindness, exploring local coffee shops and expressing my creativity through bolly-fusion and hip-hop dance."
Past Students
• Co-mentored UConn undergraduate student Jennifer Kim (2021-2023) to investigate chaos in biologically relevant models using COPASI and R.
• Co-mentored Adelphi University's undergraduate student Mikayla Moerler (2021) for her thesis titled "A Statistical Study On The Performance Of Olympic And Collegiate Athletes Throughout History".
• Co-mentored high school student (2021) to analyze longitudinal data about high school students with intersectional identities. The intersectionality was with respect to race, gender, and disability. Virtual due to COVID19.
• Co-mentored high school student (2021) to create an agent-based model in Netlogo about college choice for students with disabilities. The model is a conceptual one based on the theory presented in “The Access and Equity for Students with Disabilities (SWD) in STEM Higher Education. Koshy-Chenthittayil, S. & Farfan Dsouza, N. (2019). PacRim 2019 Conference Proceedings. Published by Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/69320”. Virtual due to COVID19
• Co-mentored high school student D. Senthilkumar (2020) to review two agent-based modelling software for a review paper published in Microorganisms (Koshy-Chenthittayil, S.; Archambault, L.; Senthilkumar, D.; Laubenbacher, R.; Mendes, P.; Dongari-Bagtzoglou, A. (2021) Agent Based Models of Polymicrobial Biofilms and the Microbiome—A Review. Microorganisms, 9, 417. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020417). The models were written in NetLogo and R. Virtual due to COVID19.
• Co-mentored high school student L. Choi (2020) to analyze longitudinal data about high school students with disabilities. The analysis was from a Dis/crit theory perspective. Virtual due to COVID19.
• Mentored high school student M. Sun (2019) on using iDynoMICS (agent-based model for biofilms) software to validate experimental results from literature. Summer research experience of the student was published as a paper in Harvard Educational Review (Sun, M.; Koshy-Chenthittayil, S.; & D’Souza, N. F. (2020). Quantitative Medicine and Reflection on Summer Research in Mathematical Biology. Harvard Educational Review, 90(2), 322-330).