The Dixon Foundation supports the Dixon Pediatric Fellowship training program for fellows who intend to pursue an academic career with a research emphasis in approved pediatric subspecialties. As part of this prestigious award, recipients benefit from salary support and an additional $5,000 per year discretionary fund to support research and continuing education activities. The selection committee for the Dixon Fellowship recently met and selected three fellows. Candidates were selected on a competitive basis. 

Please join us in congratulating the recipients for the 2019-2020 academic year:

Aditi Dhir, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Title: Combination of epigenetic modifiers with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in flt3-itd acute myeloid leukemia. She will be investigating the potential synergy of epigenetic molecules with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in FLT3- ITD mutated AML) with the eventual goal of translating the findings from the lab to clinical trials that could benefit patients in the near future. Her mentor is Dr. Ravi Bhatia, Director, UAB Division of Hematology/Oncology. 

Veronica Godsey, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, Title: Deliberate Practice to improve interdisciplinary communication- a pilot study. She will be working closely with resident physicians and teaching Verbal Juda, a unique conflict management technique by using deliberate practice in a simulated environment. Her mentors are Dr. Chrystal Rutledge, Program Director of the COACHES program and Dr. Nancy Tofil, Division Director of Pediatric Critical Care.
 
Charles Schlappi, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Title: Oncolytic HSV against pediatric brain tumor. His research involves evaluating the role of immunotherapy for highly fatal brain tumors, high grade gliomas and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). His mentor is Dr. Gregory Friedman, Director of Developmental Therapeutics, Neuro-Oncology Program

Those continuing their Dixon Fellowship are:
 
Nazia Kabani, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Neonatology, and Abdulsalam Alsulami, M.D., Pediatric Infectious Diseases.

Graduating Dixon Fellows are:
 
Neha Gupta, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care, is joining to Oklahoma University Children’s as an assistant professor
Samantha Hill, M.D., MPH, Adolescent Medicine, will be joining our Division of Adolescent Medicine in July as an assistant professor
Cali Reynolds, M.D., Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, who will be joining a practice in New York City.