I am always looking for students, post-docs, research and clinical fellows with an interest in otolaryngology, vestibular physiology, biomedical engineering, aging, and epidemiology to join my research group. Please contact me at yagrawa1 at jhmi dot edu if you have ideas for research projects.
Current members
Current members
Jin Huang, Senior Biostatistician
Johns Hopkins University
Jin started working as a Senior Biostatistician at Johns Hopkins in 2012. She provides analytical support to research in gerontology and aging, epidemiology, public health, and medicine. The scope of her work includes survey studies, administrative claims analysis, and casual inference. Her research interests include statistical application in the health sciences, adaptive processes in aging, dementia research, and family caregiving.
Johns Hopkins University
Jin started working as a Senior Biostatistician at Johns Hopkins in 2012. She provides analytical support to research in gerontology and aging, epidemiology, public health, and medicine. The scope of her work includes survey studies, administrative claims analysis, and casual inference. Her research interests include statistical application in the health sciences, adaptive processes in aging, dementia research, and family caregiving.
Athira Jacob, MSE Student
Johns Hopkins University
Athira is a second year Master's student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She completed her undergraduate education at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in 2016. She is interested in understanding how vestibular function correlates with structural changes in the brain in an aging population. Her research interests include medical image processing, shape analyses, and neuroscience.
Johns Hopkins University
Athira is a second year Master's student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She completed her undergraduate education at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in 2016. She is interested in understanding how vestibular function correlates with structural changes in the brain in an aging population. Her research interests include medical image processing, shape analyses, and neuroscience.
Rebecca J. Kamil, Surgery Resident
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Rebecca is a current Head and Neck Surgery resident at Johns Hopkins. She received her B.S. from the University of Michigan in 2009, and her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2015. Her research interest include vestibular function and aging, and new technologies to track wandering behavior in older adults.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Rebecca is a current Head and Neck Surgery resident at Johns Hopkins. She received her B.S. from the University of Michigan in 2009, and her medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2015. Her research interest include vestibular function and aging, and new technologies to track wandering behavior in older adults.
Brooke Klatt, PhD, Post-Doctorate Fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Brooke received her BS in Kinesiology from the Pennsylvania State University in 2001 and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from New York University in 2005. As a physical therapist, she has more than 10 years clinical experience treating patients with balance and vestibular disorders at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Centers for Rehab Services and is a board-certified neurological clinical specialist. In 2017, she received her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh where her dissertation work investigated the effects of utilizing sensory augmentation during balance training for people with chronic balance disorders.
Brooke is passionate about optimizing functional outcomes for people with balance disorders. Her research interest is in improving assessment methods and standardizing intervention strategies used in vestibular physical therapy. During her post-doctoral fellowship she will be exploring ways in which to optimize rehabilitation interventions for people with cognitive deficits. In her spare time Brooke enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and miniature Schnauzer. When they aren't playing sports, they enjoy rooting for the Pittsburgh teams and the Nittany Lions.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Brooke received her BS in Kinesiology from the Pennsylvania State University in 2001 and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from New York University in 2005. As a physical therapist, she has more than 10 years clinical experience treating patients with balance and vestibular disorders at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Centers for Rehab Services and is a board-certified neurological clinical specialist. In 2017, she received her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh where her dissertation work investigated the effects of utilizing sensory augmentation during balance training for people with chronic balance disorders.
Brooke is passionate about optimizing functional outcomes for people with balance disorders. Her research interest is in improving assessment methods and standardizing intervention strategies used in vestibular physical therapy. During her post-doctoral fellowship she will be exploring ways in which to optimize rehabilitation interventions for people with cognitive deficits. In her spare time Brooke enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and miniature Schnauzer. When they aren't playing sports, they enjoy rooting for the Pittsburgh teams and the Nittany Lions.
Benjamin Ostrander, MD/MSE Candidate
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Ben is a current student at Johns Hopkins pursuing a dual degree in medicine and bioengineering innovation and design. He has interdisciplinary interests in otology, head and neck surgery, healthcare innovation, and global health, and plans to pursue a career in otolaryngology. He joined the lab because it provided an exciting opportunity to combine interests in engineering, vestibular physiology, neuroscience, and aging. His current work focuses on analyzing natural vestibular inputs in different patient populations, with a particular interest in how vestibular loss affects spatial orientation abilities in Alzheimer’s patients. Outside of the lab, Ben enjoys cooking, cycling, and playing music!
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Ben is a current student at Johns Hopkins pursuing a dual degree in medicine and bioengineering innovation and design. He has interdisciplinary interests in otology, head and neck surgery, healthcare innovation, and global health, and plans to pursue a career in otolaryngology. He joined the lab because it provided an exciting opportunity to combine interests in engineering, vestibular physiology, neuroscience, and aging. His current work focuses on analyzing natural vestibular inputs in different patient populations, with a particular interest in how vestibular loss affects spatial orientation abilities in Alzheimer’s patients. Outside of the lab, Ben enjoys cooking, cycling, and playing music!
Deryck Pearson, MS, Research Coordinator
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
In 2012, Deryck graduated from the University of Maryland College Park Honors Program as a McNair Scholar, majoring in Neurology and Physiology. He worked as an Emergency Medical Scribe at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center prior to attending the Biomedical Sciences program at Temple University School of Medicine in 2014. At Temple, he began his extensive work in Neuroscience; being involved in everything from stems cells to cancer. After obtaining his MS degree, he worked as an Ophthalmology Technician at Wills Eye Hospital.
In his current position, Deryck assists several physicians and scientists in the Otolaryngology department with the clinical administration and evaluation of assessments related to speech perception, vestibular function, and cognitive function. He oversees subject enrollment, with tasks including, but not limited to, informing patients or caregivers about study aspects, and what outcomes should be expected. He is also involved in data collection and analysis, database design and management, and consultations on various protocols, presentations, and reports.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
In 2012, Deryck graduated from the University of Maryland College Park Honors Program as a McNair Scholar, majoring in Neurology and Physiology. He worked as an Emergency Medical Scribe at the Baltimore Washington Medical Center prior to attending the Biomedical Sciences program at Temple University School of Medicine in 2014. At Temple, he began his extensive work in Neuroscience; being involved in everything from stems cells to cancer. After obtaining his MS degree, he worked as an Ophthalmology Technician at Wills Eye Hospital.
In his current position, Deryck assists several physicians and scientists in the Otolaryngology department with the clinical administration and evaluation of assessments related to speech perception, vestibular function, and cognitive function. He oversees subject enrollment, with tasks including, but not limited to, informing patients or caregivers about study aspects, and what outcomes should be expected. He is also involved in data collection and analysis, database design and management, and consultations on various protocols, presentations, and reports.
Kevin Pineault, Medical Student
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Kevin is a current student here at Johns Hopkins Medicine and is planning to pursue a career in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. He joined the lab eager to conduct clinical research to further his exposure and knowledge within the field of otolaryngology. Kevin's current research is focused on investigating the relationship between vestibular loss and cognitive deficiency in patients seeking care at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Kevin is a current student here at Johns Hopkins Medicine and is planning to pursue a career in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery. He joined the lab eager to conduct clinical research to further his exposure and knowledge within the field of otolaryngology. Kevin's current research is focused on investigating the relationship between vestibular loss and cognitive deficiency in patients seeking care at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center.
Jessica Roat, Research Coordinator
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Jessica received her BA in Psychology from Salisbury University, and her MS in Neuroscience from King's College London, in England. As a coordinator at Hopkins, she is involved in several vestibular studies, but spends most of her time on a study looking at falls and vestibular function in Alzheimer's disease. Her research interests include Schizophrenia, hallucinations, Alzheimer's disease, and changes of the brain associated with aging. In her free time, Jessica enjoys traveling, going to concerts, and being outdoors.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Jessica received her BA in Psychology from Salisbury University, and her MS in Neuroscience from King's College London, in England. As a coordinator at Hopkins, she is involved in several vestibular studies, but spends most of her time on a study looking at falls and vestibular function in Alzheimer's disease. Her research interests include Schizophrenia, hallucinations, Alzheimer's disease, and changes of the brain associated with aging. In her free time, Jessica enjoys traveling, going to concerts, and being outdoors.
Eric Wei, Medical Student
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Eric is a current medical student at Johns Hopkins. He received his B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University in 2016. Eric is passionate about understanding how vestibular function changes with age and improving the quality of life of older adults with vestibular impairments. He is also interested in how vestibular loss affects and contributes to disease progression in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Eric is a current medical student at Johns Hopkins. He received his B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University in 2016. Eric is passionate about understanding how vestibular function changes with age and improving the quality of life of older adults with vestibular impairments. He is also interested in how vestibular loss affects and contributes to disease progression in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Collaborators
Karen Bandeen-Roche, PhD
Professor and Chair Department of Biostatistics
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
John Carey, MD
Professor Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Luigi Ferrucci, MD PhD
Scientific Director
National Institute on Aging
Esther Oh, MD PhD
Assistant Professor Geriatric Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Michael Schubert, PT PhD
Associate Professor Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Jeremy Walston, MD
Professor Geriatric Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
David Zee, MD
Professor Neurology, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Alumni
Eric Anson, post-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Robin Bigelow BS, pre-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Marcela Davalos-Bichara MD, research fellow
Sinai Hospital, Baltimore
Eric Fong, medical student
Cairns Clinical School, James Cook University
Scott Frankenthaler, Undergraduate Student
Johns Hopkins University
Aisha Harun MD, post-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Olympia Kremmyda MD, Neurology resident
Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Andrew Layman BS, pre-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Carol Li MD, pre-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Georgios Mantokoudis MD, research fellow
Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland
Eugene Semenov MD, pre-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Daniel Sun MD, post-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Bryan Ward MD, post-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Johnny Xie, pre-doctoral fellow
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
M. Geraldine Zuniga MD, research fellow
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
