Tri-I at the MSK Convocation and GSK Commencement Ceremony
We are so proud of the Tri-I MD-PhD students recognized today at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) Academic Convocation and Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSK) Commencement.
The Barbara and Stephen Friedman Graduate Fellowship was awarded to Sofia Dimitriadoy, a 5th year MD-PhD student completing her thesis research in Dr. Andrea Schietinger's lab. It was also awarded to Michael Xiao, a 5th year MD-PhD student completing his thesis research in Dr. Michael Kharas's lab.
The Bruce Charles Forbes Fellowship was awarded to Ellie Benitez, a 6th year MD-PhD student completing her thesis research in the lab of Dr. Karuna Ganesh.
Three students also received their doctoral degree:
- Dr. Won Jun Kim completed his thesis titled “Mis-Splicing-Derived Neoantigens and Cognate TCRs in Splicing Factor Mutant Leukemias” in the lab of Dr. Omar Abdel-Wahab.
- Dr. Tiffany Merlinsky completed her thesis titled “Cysteine Availability Limits CD8+ T Cell Priming in Severe COVID-19” in Dr. Santosha Vardhana's lab.
- Dr. Abby Xie completed her thesis titled “Determinants of Cellular TCA Cycle Dependency” in Dr. Lydia Finley's lab.
Congratulations to all!
Read more about the 2026 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Academic Convocation and Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Commencement.