Meet the 2026–2027 Dhablania and Kim Family Global Medicine and Health Fellows

Seven students and trainees have been awarded 2026–2027 Dhablania and Kim Family Global Medicine and Health Fellowships through the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Thanks to generous support from the Dhablania and Kim Family, this year’s cohort will pursue research and clinical projects in India, Cambodia, South Korea, Peru and Uganda, engaging in cross-cultural learning while gaining firsthand experience with global health issues.

Anisha Chandra

USC Program: MD Program

Research Country: India

Project Description: “Through my research, I will examine prenatal lead exposure and birth outcomes in Meghalaya, India, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Public Health–Shillong. Lead exposure disproportionately affects communities in low- and middle-income countries, and this study aims to identify modifiable exposure sources and inform prevention strategies. By measuring maternal and infant lead levels alongside early developmental outcomes, I hope to contribute to improving maternal and child health. This work aligns with the fellowship’s mission by combining global engagement, collaboration and research that addresses health inequities.”

Sophia Dettweiler

USC Program: Progressive degree (Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies and Master of Science in Global Medicine)

Research Country: India

Project Description: “In Kolkata, India, my research will focus on menstrual health literacy among adolescent boys in a school-based setting. Building on prior work by Dhablania and Kim Fellow, Kalpana Gopalkrishnan, which focused on menstrual health education for girls in the same school, this project extends those efforts to address gaps in boys’ knowledge. While many interventions appropriately center on girls, excluding boys from menstrual health curricula can reinforce stigma, misinformation and negatively affect girls’ well-being and educational participation. This work aligns with the fellowship’s mission to enrich understanding of global population health challenges while promoting meaningful exchange of knowledge.”

Fernando Henrique Ibanhes, MD, MS

USC Program: Neurology Resident

Research Country: Cambodia

Project Description: “Building on my previous work in Cambodia, I will expand the novel ‘Build-a-Brain’ neuroanatomy curriculum that I developed into a two-week program with deeper clinical integration and stroke management training for interns. This cost-effective, hands-on approach has already improved learning outcomes among medical students with limited to no prior neurological instruction. By equipping Cambodian medical students and residents with sustainable, cost-effective learning tools and rigorous clinical reasoning skills, we are empowering the next generation of Cambodian physicians to independently serve the complex neurological needs of their people and hopefully establish their first neurology residency program.”

Anju Kane, PhDc, MPH, MA

Degree Program: PhD in Health Behavior Research

Research Country: India

Project Description: “My research centers on addressing barriers to cervical cancer prevention among women in low-resource settings in the rural Mysore District of India. Cervical cancer is highly preventable yet disproportionately impacts women in low-resource settings, with many failing to complete HPV follow-up care after screening. Using a mixed-methods approach, including a Discrete Choice Experiment, I aim to understand why women disengage from care and how to strengthen prevention efforts. This project aligns with the fellowship’s mission by addressing global health inequities and integrating community perspectives throughout the research process.”

Nathan Kim

USC Program: MD Program

Research Country: South Korea

Project Description: “At Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, my research targets ‘search satisfaction’ bias, a cognitive phenomenon in which clinicians stop searching after identifying an initial abnormality, leading to missed or ‘unsequenced’ metastatic lesions and potentially incomplete treatment. To address this, I will evaluate two AI approaches: a commercially available 3D CNN system (MONCAD) and a proprietary in-house model developed at Yonsei. Ultimately, the goal is to create a clinical safety net that ensures every treatable lesion is identified before therapy begins. I look forward to bringing the knowledge I learn at Yonsei back to the Keck School of Medicine community. This fellowship will significantly help efforts to advance the integration of technology and medicine in global oncology.”

Aaryan Midha

USC Program: Progressive degree (Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies and Master of Science in Global Medicine)

Research Country: Peru

Project Description: “My research will focus on the prevention of congenital syphilis through an epidemiologic analysis of outcomes at the Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal in Lima, Peru, in collaboration with Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Congenital syphilis remains one of the most preventable causes of fetal loss and neonatal morbidity, yet it persists globally and is increasing in the United States. This work builds on a long-standing USC-Peru partnership utilized by previous Dhablania and Kim Fellows and offers an opportunity to contribute to meaningful, lasting impact. I believe my work directly aligns with the fellowship’s mission to support global research and learning that addresses population health needs in vulnerable communities while promoting the reciprocal exchange of knowledge and skills.”

Welela Solomon

USC Program: Progressive degree (Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies and Master of Science in Global Medicine)

Research Country: Uganda

Project Description: “My work will examine barriers to quality antenatal care among pregnant women in an informal settlement in Kampala, Uganda. We seek to better understand how system-level factors, clinical interactions and access to information shape maternal health outcomes in an urban community experiencing persistently high maternal mortality. I will conduct semi-structured interviews with pregnant women, healthcare providers and community health workers to identify actionable system-level barriers. This fellowship will deepen my understanding of population health challenges while strengthening my preparation to serve communities facing maternal health inequities worldwide.”