Meet Our Residents
Christopher I. Gurguis, MS, MD – PGY4
Christopher received his medical training from McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Christopher’s research focus is motivated by his background and broad interests in ecology and evolutionary biology. He developed these interests prior to entering medicine while studying the evolution of avian behavior. Currently, he is interested in the following areas: (i) behavioral development and evolution, (ii) evolutionary psychiatry, and (iii) individual differences in response to therapeutic interventions.
Why I chose UTH Psychiatry Research Track: I chose to pursue the research track in psychiatry at McGovern Medical School because Houston is home to the largest medical center at the world, firmly seating psychiatry as a specialized branch of medicine, and because the Harris County Psychiatric Center is the largest academic inpatient psychiatric hospital in the U. S. What more could a researcher want?
Brandi Quintanilla, DO, MS – PGY3
Brandi received her medical training at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She conducted a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Her post-doctoral studies at NIMH have been aimed at identifying mechanisms by which rapid-acting psychoactive antidepressants (RAPAs) exert therapeutic effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Brandi’s career goal is to identify predictive and diagnostic biomarkers for TRD in ethnic minority groups, to enhance development of efficacious rapid-acting interventions for TRD for these groups.
Why I chose UTH Psychiatry Research Track: I chose the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston due to their dedicated focus on treatment resistant mood disorders. Additionally, I felt a deep sense of resident unity and faculty support during my interview, something that was later confirmed to be true.
Namrata Walia, MD, MHA, MPH – PGY2
Namrata earned her MD from Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia, followed by MHA from UTRGV and MPH from UTHealth. Before joining residency training, she trained as a T-32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests are focused on educating the underserved population on the devastating impact of the drug overdose crisis as well as available treatment options, including harm reduction practices, and reducing health disparities by promoting access to care.
Why I chose UTH Psychiatry Research Track: I chose the UTHealth research track to engage in research opportunities that match my interest, eventually leading to a research-oriented academic career.
Ning Olivia Zhao, MD – PGY2
Olivia completed her medical training from McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Her current research involves identifying molecular mechanisms and clinical implications of biomarkers in blood-brain barrier dysfunction in mood and psychotic disorders. Her other research interests involve education research and advocacy, specifically on physician’s role in addressing firearm safety counseling. This work has been recognized nationally and has been adapted into medical school and residency training curricula across the country.
Why I chose UTH Research Track: I chose the UTHealth research track because of the endless opportunities and exposure to a breadth of research avenues, offering me the flexibility to discover and further develop my research interests. The ability to combine my research aspirations with my clinical and civic engagement interests caught my attention, but it was the warm and supportive atmosphere of the faculty mentors that confirmed my decision.
Keiko Kunitoki, MD, MPH – PGY1
Keiko received her medical degree from Tohoku University School of Medicine, Japan, and her Master of Public Health degree from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. With her specialized background in neuroimaging and epidemiology, she aims to elucidate risk factors of mental disorders, identify pathways to reduce risk and transform society through scientific evidence.
Why I chose UTH Research Track: My interactions with several residents before joining confirmed a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere. Being one of the largest medical centers, I know the robust institutional support UTH offers. Furthermore, the diverse backgrounds and interests of the residents and faculties greatly appealed to me.
Nausheen Baig, MD– PGY1
Nausheen received her medical training at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Before medical school, she spent a year conducting research in the Hematology and Pathology Laboratories at the Center for Translational Research and Education at Loyola University Chicago. During medical school, she was accepted for an NIH T35 Training Grant for an 8-week summer research program and continued to attend national and international conferences. In residency, she plans to continue researching the role of various inflammatory biomarkers in the diagnosis/prognosis of psychiatric diseases, the effect of psychosocial stress on inflammation, and neuropsychopharmacology in mood disorders.
Why I chose UTH Research Track: Located in the heart of the largest medical center in the country, I saw that UT Houston offered an abundance of unique opportunities to further my research interests. Throughout my interactions with the community, I witnessed the genuine support and excitement of the leadership in fostering the next generation of physician-scientists. I knew that choosing UT Houston Research Track would help me refine my skills as a clinician-researcher by providing quality leadership, supportive community, diversity of research endeavors/clinical experiences, and opportunities to engage with community to pay it forward.