Featured Trainees are students, postdoctoral fellows, practicing physicians and faculty, and others who work under the tutelage of Levy CIMAR Core Faculty members and who stand out for their efforts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Trainees might be graduate students, antimicrobial stewards, educators, scientific researchers, medical doctors, veterinarians, pharmacists, or a combination of any of these and other professions. If you are a Levy CIMAR Core Faculty member and would like to nominate someone for “Featured Trainee” distinction, please email us any time at cimar@tufts.edu.
Summer 2025 Featured Trainee:
Asli Dirik
- 2nd-year Interdisciplinary Doctorate (IDoc) student at Tufts University’s Silklab
- Researching advanced bioresponsive materials and wearable interfaces for monitoring key aspects of vaginal and reproductive health
Asli Dirik is a 2nd-year Interdisciplinary Doctorate (IDoc) student at Tufts University’s Silklab, a multidisciplinary research lab focused on leveraging the unique properties of silk and other natural materials to create a wide range of products, including biomedical devices, wearable sensors, and sustainable packaging. Under the mentorship of Levy CIMAR faculty member, Silklab Director, and Frank C. Doble Professor of Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Fiorenzo Omenetto, Asli works at the intersection of biology, chemistry, engineering, and design to address persistent gaps in women’s health innovation and promote equity in healthcare.
Asli’s research focuses on the development of advanced bioresponsive materials and wearable interfaces for monitoring key aspects of vaginal and reproductive health. By leveraging the structural and biochemical versatility of silk fibroin—a protein derived from silkworms—she explores new strategies for stabilizing and enhancing the performance of responsive sensing platforms. This work involves the integration of selective colorimetric chemistries and biological analyte detection within smart textiles, offering the potential for real-time, user-friendly health insights.
Asli works closely with Levy CIMAR faculty member and Assistant Professor of Biology, Dr. Fatima Hussain, for sensor assessment testing using female genital tract bacteria grown in the lab. This work has allowed her to understand the sensitivity and specificity of the bioresponsive materials to real patient samples.
The Tufts IDoc program is designed for those interested in pursuing studies in areas that cannot be accommodated by an individual doctoral program within the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering. Asli’s unique work is rooted in interdisciplinary methods, combining material science, biomolecular engineering, and product design. She investigates how the unique properties of silk can be harnessed to create biocompatible and durable interfaces suitable for continuous and comfortable wear. Her work includes systematic studies on the interactions between silk matrices, colorimetric reagents, and biological fluids, with an emphasis on optimizing sensor responsiveness, longevity, and accuracy under physiological conditions.
Through her research at Tufts Silklab and with Dr. Hussain, Asli aims to set new standards for innovation in the “fem-tech” (technology focusing on female health) field and contribute to a future where women everywhere can obtain precise, equitable, and accessible healthcare tools.
Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, where she explored many cultures and their artistic identities, Asli did not expect to become a scientist. She came to Tufts after first pursuing art and design, earning a Foundation Diploma at the School of Design and Creative Arts at Loughborough University (UK). That is where she ultimately combined visual arts and 3D design with biology and science.
Inspired by the ability of design to build bridges between different disciplines and solve both personal and global problems, Asli went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Product and Industrial Design at UAL Central Saint Martins (UK) where she practiced research-led, user-centered product and user experience design. During her studies, she worked in textiles as a product development assistant. This ultimately inspired her research goal to develop smart textile products using chemically sensing fabrics to help individuals detect and heal women’s health-related problems for her thesis project.
Meet all of the Levy CIMAR's Featured Trainees:
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Asli Dirik, Tufts IDoc Student Specializing in Bioresponsive Materials and Wearable Interfaces for Monitoring Female Health
Interdisciplinary doctoral student aiming to set new standards for innovation in “fem-tech” (technology that focuses on female health)
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Mohamed Salem Jedeh, BDS, MSc, Dean of Zintan College of Dentistry, Tufts PhD Candidate Investigating AMR in Dental Patients
Dean of Zintan College of Dentistry at Zintan University in Libya; PhD Candidate in Clinical and Translational Sciences at Tufts University investigating antibiotic resistance among dental patients in Libya
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Kap Sum Foong, MD, LEAP Fellow for 2023-2024 and Tufts CTSI K12 Scholar for 2025-2027
Attending physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts Medicine; LEAP Fellow for 2023-2024 and Tufts CTSI K12 Scholar for 2025-2027
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Krystal Mutebi, 2024 Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Tufts Senior, studying Community Health via the pre-medical track; 2024 Levy CIMAR Summer Scholar researching how to address health disparities in antibiotic prescribing
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Xiaoxu Lin, Tufts Vet Doctoral Student Investigating How Mtb May Control its Metabolism by Regulating Lipid Production
Fourth-Year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) student at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in the Amanda Martinot Lab studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis and how it may control its metabolism by regulating lipid production.
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Umaojo Ojogbane and Julia Hershelman, Biology PhD Students and Members of the Wolfe Lab Antibiotic Resistance Team
Two first-year Biology PhD Students—Umaojo Ojogbane and Julia Hershelman—work with Levy CIMAR’s Benjamin Wolfe, PhD, to explore the ecology of antimicrobial resistance in fermented foods. Both are members of the Wolfe Lab antibiotic resistance team.
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David Manning, Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Senior at Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences working with Levy CIMAR investigator Dr. Alysse Wurcel on researching the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in state prisons and jails. Recipient of the 2023 Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine.
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Jonathan Samuel, Recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship in Science and Medicine
Sophomore at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences working with Levy CIMAR investigator Dr. Ralph Isberg on understanding factors contributing to antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii
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Nhi Van, Research Assistant in the laboratory of the Levy CIMAR’s Bree Aldridge, PhD, and a member of the Aldridge Lab’s “DiaMOND” team
Research Assistant in the laboratory of the Levy CIMAR’s Bree Aldridge, PhD, and a member of the Aldridge Lab’s “DiaMOND” team interested in learning to optimize drug combination therapies for tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria.
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Rachel Ende, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar in the lab of CIMAR’s Dr. Joan Mecsas, studying mechanisms of synergistic antibiotic interactions against Klebsiella pneumoniae in the lungs
Postdoctoral Scholar & first-year IRACDA Fellow in the lab of Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Joan Mecsas, studying mechanisms of synergistic antibiotic interactions against Klebsiella pneumoniae in the lungs
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Irene Nagawa, Inaugural Recipient of the Levy CIMAR’s Undergraduate Summer Internship
Senior at UMass Boston majoring in biology and working with the Levy CIMAR’s Aimee Shen, PhD; Inaugural recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship for Underrepresented Groups in Science and Medicine
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Rebecca Tenner, Inaugural Recipient of the Levy CIMAR’s Undergraduate Summer Internship
Rising Senior at Tufts University’s Undergraduate School of Arts & Sciences working with the Levy CIMAR’s Alysse Wurcel, MD; Inaugural recipient of the Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Summer Internship for Underrepresented Groups in Science and Medicine
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Emma Price, VMD, master’s candidate in Clinical and Translational Science at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2nd year master’s candidate in Clinical and Translational Science at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences working with the Levy CIMAR’s Claire Fellman DVM, PhD, and Shira Doron MD, to identify factors driving antimicrobial prescription in hospitalized dogs and cats
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Joshua Khuvis, MD Candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine and Levy CIMAR Student Researcher
MD Candidate at Tufts University School of Medicine and Levy CIMAR Student Researcher working with Dr. Shira Doron on exploring the impact of diagnostic stewardship interventions on Clostridioides difficile test ordering practices and results
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Efrat Hamami, Molecular Microbiology PhD Candidate Working to Identify Vulnerabilities in Drug Resistant A. baumannii Isolates
Molecular Microbiology PhD Candidate Working in the Ralph Isberg Lab to Identify Vulnerabilities in Drug Resistant A. baumannii Isolates
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Kathleen Davis, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar Working on Adapting Drug Combination Testing of Clinical Isolates
Postdoctoral Scholar working to identify antibiotic and small molecule combinations that function against problematic community and hospital-acquired pathogens; Working on adapting drug combination testing of clinical isolates
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Shailab Shrestha, MERGE-ID Ph.D. Candidate and Recipient of the Tufts GSBS Fellowship For International Students
PhD Candidate in Molecular Microbiology, MERGE-ID (Medically-oriented Research in Graduate Education – Infectious Disease) track at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Inaugural Recipient, Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Fellowship Supporting International Student Education, 2018
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Courtney Chan, Infection Prevention Coordinator, Medical Scribe, and Researcher
Infection Prevention Coordinator and Infectious Diseases Clinic Medical Scribe at Tufts Medical Center; Research contributor and co-author with the Levy CIMAR’s Drs. Maya Nadimpalli and Shira Doron: “Antibiotic Resistance: A Call to Action to Prevent the Next Epidemic of Inequality,” in Nature Medicine (2021)
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Eve Abraha, Undergraduate Researcher and Co-Teacher
Undergraduate Researcher at Tufts Medical Center working with the Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Shira Doron; Co-teacher in the PARE (Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment) program’s short course, PARE-Seq, under the guidance of the Levy CIMAR’s Drs. Carol Bascom-Slack and Amy Pickering
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Aubrey Specht, DVM Candidate and Award Winner, 2020 Tufts Vet Summer Research Training Program
Second-Year Graduate Student pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at the Cummings School; Winner, Basic Science Award at the 2020 Tufts Vet Summer Research Training Program
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Iyob Gebremariam, Levy CIMAR Software Developer
Software Developer working with the Levy CIMAR on our Cutter and DiaMOND research and analytics tools; Masters student studying International Business at the Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
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Juan A. Hernández-Bird, MERGE-ID PhD Student
2019 American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Capstone Fellowship awardee and PhD Candidate in Molecular Microbiology – MERGE-ID (Medically-oriented Research in Graduate Education - Infectious Disease) track at Tufts University’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Scarlet Bliss, Undergraduate Laidlaw Fellow
Laidlaw Scholar working with CIMAR’s Drs. Amy Pickering and Carol Bascom-Slack to incorporate molecular methods into the PARE (Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in the Environment) project
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Erica Fuhrmeister, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pickering Lab, Tufts University School of Engineering; Recipient: National Science Foundation Fellowship titled, “Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes betwee