Trainee Affairs and Resources

MD - Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, México

Alexa currently works at the Institute for Reconstructive Surgery, under the direct supervision of Anthony Echo, MD, board-certified plastic surgeon. Her research is mainly focused on clinical outcomes of peripheral nerve reconstruction, facial reanimation, breast reconstruction, and microsurgery. She joined the HMRI three years ago to pursue her goal of becoming an academic plastic surgeon in the US. She's a very passionate, self-driven person who enjoys working out, cooking, dancing, and watching rom-coms and TV series with her husband. 

She’s been an active member of MAPTA since she arrived at Houston Methodist. As the new President, she is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all trainees to share their experiences and learn from each other. She is a strong believer in the power of networking and mentorship and is passionate about connecting trainees with mentors who can help them navigate their careers and achieve their goals.

PhD – Mathematics and Applications, University of La Rochelle, France (in progress)
MS – Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
BS – Medical Engineering, Universita di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy

Elisa is a PhD candidate in the Department of Precision Surgery, in the Laboratory of Stefano Casarin, PhD, where she started in 2022 as a master’s student.
After earning her master's degree in biomedical engineering from Politecnico di Torino, she chose to continue her research in developing integrated in silico-in vivo models to optimize the experimental pipelines. Her computational models are remarkably versatile and adaptable across various fields, enabling her to collaborate with the GU Medical Oncology Department at MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Nanomedicine Department at HMRI and the Computational Orthopedics Department at UT Health. 

Outside the Lab, Elisa enjoys running, playing team sports, listening to music, painting and spending quality time with loved ones. 
She joined MAPTA in 2023 as the Vice President of Career and Professional Development, where she significantly enhanced her skills in public speaking, engagement and networking. This incredible year led her to re-join the team this year as Vice President of the Board. In this role, she is committed to supporting the President and the other officers in organizing events that expand networking opportunities between academia, industry and the entrepreneurial world.

“Great things never come from comfort zones“ is her mantra.

MS – Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Marco is a Graduate Research Fellow at the Department of Nanomedicine in the Grattoni Lab. His research focuses on developing advanced drug delivery systems, including an on-demand modulation strategy for a nanofluidic platform with a closed-loop architecture. This system aims to precisely control drug release in real-time, based on feedback from physiological conditions. Additionally, he is working on integrating stimuli-responsive cells within implantable devices to create remotely tunable drug delivery systems. 

As the Vice President of Career & Professional Development for MAPTA this year, Marco aims to foster increased collaboration with the TMC community, particularly by strengthening connections with startups in the medical field. He is dedicated to providing trainees with the tools and opportunities needed to explore diverse career paths, both within academia and beyond.

Outside the lab, Marco enjoys playing soccer, running, going to the gym, eating pizza, and spending time with friends.

MPH - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

MBBS/MD - King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan

Fatima is a Clinical Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the department of cardiovascular surgery under the tutelage of Dr. Reardon and Dr. Atkins. Her primary research focus is cardiac tumors and Houston Methodist serves as the leading surgical group to operate on these patients. They also have a collaboration with MD Anderson to provide tissue tumor samples to study the genetics and provide targeted therapies. Additionally, in conjunction with the structural heart intervention group, she is interested in studying aortic valve pathology and treatments.

She has been an active participant in MAPTA events over the years and is not joining us as the Vice-President of Postdoctoral Affairs. She aims to focus on well-being as well as skills enhancement of her fellow postdoctoral fellows. With the belief that we all something to bring to the table, she wishes to channel the rich resources we have available here and to organize it for everyone to use and benefit from.

MD – Medicine, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon 

Chloe Kharsa is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and MD from Lebanon. She's been working with the Structural Heart Department since joining the HMAI last year. As MAPTA's new International Affairs board member, her goal is to ensure postdocs have everything they need to succeed - from resources and support to professional development. As as international graduate herself, she's excited to bring fresh ideas and energy to the unique challenges faced by international postdocs, making sure every trainee feels included and connected to the Methodist family. She remains focused on promoting growth, building community, and making the postdoc experience as fulfilling as possible.

MS - Biomedical Engineering/Bionanotechnology, Polytechnic University of Turin, Italy

PhD Candidate - Materials Science & Engineering, University of Houston

Antonio is a Graduate Research Fellow at Houston Methodist and a Ph.D. candidate in the Materials Science and Engineering program at the University of Houston. Currently in the third year of his doctoral candidacy, he specializes in bridging nanomedicine and drug delivery systems with material science. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in ICT Engineering and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Bionanotechnology from the Polytechnic University of Turin. During his Master’s Thesis, conducted in Vienna with Prof. Peter Ertl’s CellChip group, Antonio developed a Barrier-On-Chip microfluidics model and membrane-based gold electrodes for TEER measurement. Outside the lab, he enjoys cooking, playing guitar, and watching classic films.