Editorial Team

Samuel G. Robinson

While born in Philadelphia, Sam Robinson spent a large portion of his young life in Dusseldorf, Germany. It was there where his interest in science and medicine was born. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Wake Forest University, Sam went on to work as a full-time clinical research coordinator at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital and then as a clinical research associate at NYU Langone Hospital. These positions ignited a passion for clinical investigation and scientific writing, which he brought with him to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where he founded and continues to lead the Katz Journal of Medicine.

Zev Greenberg, PhD

I am a first-year medical student from Allentown, PA. I went to Dickinson College where I majored in chemistry and molecular biology. I then went to Washington University in St. Louis to complete my PhD in developmental biology, with my research focused on the role of the gene CD53 in hematopoietic stem cell function, B cell development, and B cell leukemia. I have published several peer-reviewed articles in the field, presented oral and poster abstracts at national conferences, and served as a peer mentor. I look forward to using my previous experiences to help establish the Katz Journal of Medicine as a reputable academic journal.

Marissa Calbert

I’m a 5th year PhD student at LKSOM with a research focus on cancer cell biology and a focus on drug development. My current research focuses on cell-based mechanistic studies and the development of targeted therapies for relapse and refractory hematological cancers. After completing my PhD, I plan to pursue a position in the pharmaceutical industry as a research scientist or as a science writer or editor. I have always had a passion for writing and editing and had dreams of become a novelist when I was younger.

Tomas Prudencio

Tomas Mauricio Prudencio was born and raised in La Paz and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He graduated high school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before coming to the United States for his undergraduate and master’s education in biomedical engineering from George Washington University. Tomas has worked as an emergency medical technician since 2016 and, most recently, as a research technician at the Sheik Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Medical. Tomas’s clinical interests include public health, epidemiology, surgical critical care, and abdominal organ transplant.

Michael Swingler

I am a second year PhD student within the Neuroscience cluster here at LKSOM. I attended The Ohio State University where I majored in Biology with a minor in Mathematics and graduated with research distinction. In addition to my undergraduate research in oral cancer, I also worked as a patient care associate at the Wexner Medical Center. I am in the lab of Dr. Ilker K. Sariyer in department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Inflammation and my current research focuses on the effects of opioids and HIV on the alternative splicing of the mu-opioid receptor, as well as the role this may play in opioid dependence.

Najya Williams 

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Najya Williams (she/her) is a multidisciplinary artist and second year medical student at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. Prior to her matriculation, Najya was a part of the teaching staff for Foundational Chemistry and Biology at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to her professional pursuits, Najya is an avid writer and has work accepted and/or published by several publications, including POETRY, Black Youth Project, Black Girls in Om, and Healing Points. Looking ahead, Najya is passionate about promoting equity, justice for marginalized peoples and holistic healing within writing, medicine and at the intersection of both. 

Roberto Guzman-Hernandez

I am a third year doctoral student in Dr. Silvia Fossati’s laboratory studying the effect of aggregated tau species in cerebrovascular dysfunction during Alzheimer’s Disease. I’m originally from Puerto Rico, where I lived and did my undergrad at the University of Puerto Rico, also doing research at the Medical Sciences Campus . I’m also a writer for Archives del Caribe, a cultural collective based in PR; and have some creative works published both online and in print.

Ahad Firoz

Hello! My name is Ahad and I'm currently a 3rd year medical student at LKSOM. I'm originally from Folsom, CA where I studied biology at UC Davis but grew up in Pittsburgh, PA so am happy to be back in the East Coast! In my free time I enjoy collecting and tending to plants and bonsai, going on hikes, and spendy quality time with family and friends. I'm still relatively undecided on which specialty I will pursue, but I do know that I want to go into a field that makes a lasting impact on patients' lives with plenty of opportunities for research and medical advancements.

William Worrilow

Hi! My name is William and I was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley area before attending Davidson College just outside Charlotte, NC. When wasn't pursuing my pre-med journey or playing lacrosse at Davidson, I found a love for writing and translating texts which is why I ended up graduating as a Classics Major! I took a few years off before starting at LKSOM where I was able to learn much about the research process ranging from IRB writing to presenting at national conferences. I continued my clinical research on enhancing perioperative outcomes in urological patients throughout med school, but now more than halfway through my third year I am currently interested in Internal medicine, emergency medicine, and neurology!

Adam Chatoff

I am a second-year graduate student in Dr. Nathaniel Snyder's lab. I attended the University of Michigan where I majored in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. My research focuses on metabolic rewiring in cancers in the hopes to discover therapeutically targetable vulnerabilities. I look forward to using my previous experiences to help establish the Katz Journal of Medicine as a reputable academic journal.

Julia Fink

I am a current 3^rd year MD candidate at LKSOM with plans to apply to Internal Medicine for Residency. I am originally from California and received my B.S. in Human Biology at University of Southern California, where I also received an MPH in Biostatistics and Epidemiology. During college I conducted molecular biology-based research in the field of infectious diseases at both the NIH and Keck School of Medicine at USC. Since that time, I have continued to pursue my passion for infectious disease research though large data-based research utilizing skills developed during my MPH, which I hope to continue to throughout my future career.