Lab Members

Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS
Associate Professor, Clinical Research & Leadership
Associate Professor, Physician Assistant Studies
Program Director, Integrative Medicine
Executive Director, Office of Integrative Medicine and Health
Associate Director, Resiliency & Well-Being Center

Patrick G. Corr, EdD
Assistant Professor, Clinical Research & Leadership
Vice Program Director, Integrative Medicine

Aryan Asemani is a third-year pre-medical and Public Health major at GW. He is passionate about studying risk factors associated with health outcomes, social determinants of health, and recurring patterns in comorbidities. He is looking forward to applying textbook knowledge from public health lectures to research experience in The Frame-Corr Lab. His admission into the BS/MPH program at the Milken School of Public Health allows the findings and experiences of this lab to be carried forward in future academic pursuits.

Alia Badawi is a 3rd year medical student at GW SMHS whose research and leadership activities focus on integrative medicine, climate health, and preventative medicine. She has greatly enjoyed working with Dr.’s Frame and Corr to investigate the potential confounding relationship between Vitamin D status and physical activity on health outcome measures. Alia is excited by the increasing interest in integrative medicine and hopes that more rigorous research on related topics will expand its presence in clinical medicine.

Elizabeth Catto is currently a pre-medical post-baccalaureate student at GW. She completed her B.S. in Business Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and subsequently spent 5 years consulting in hospital operations and public health. She's particularly interested in the benefits of integrative medicine from a public health perspective. She is looking forward to supporting Dr. Frame's study exploring the connection between the gut microbiome and cognition in populations with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment.

Elise Coberly is a recent graduate of GW’s Premedical Postbaccalaureate program, and is currently applying to medical school. She majored in Psychology at William & Mary, and completed a thesis that explored the effects of reframing COVID-19 prevention messaging. Passionate about nutrition and health literacy, she has greatly enjoyed working with Dr. Frame to assess the Integrative Medicine Program’s nutrition curriculum on the nutrition counseling practices of graduates. In her free time, Elise loves to cook and try out new recipes, travel, and volunteer at her local hospital.

Mehrshad Fahim Devin is a first-year medical student at GW SMHS. He earned a Bachelor's in Biology and a Master's in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Leadership from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Mehrshad's fascination with the Human Microbiome began during his undergraduate years while investigating the impact of the microbiome on senescence. Now, he is eager to explore the complexities of the gut-brain axis through his involvement in The Frame-Corr Lab.

Mina Farah is an MS2 at GW SMHS. She grew up in northern Virginia and completed her undergraduate degree in cognitive science with a concentration in neuroscience at the University of Virginia in 2020. Mina has an interest in helping others live their healthiest lives through simple daily modifications and has greatly enjoyed learning about the field of integrative medicine. Mina is excited to continue learning about the role of the gut microbiome in human health and how to apply integrative medicine to clinical care as a future physician. In her free time, Mina enjoys spending time with her friends and family, cooking, and being active outdoors.

Lindsey Gordon is a first year medical student at GW SMHS. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Vanderbilt University. Her research interests are in understanding how changes in body function can lead to brain dysfunction. Before starting medical school, she researched how to identify, prevent, and treat delirium in critically ill patients and how to improve long term cognitive outcomes for ICU survivors. Lindsey is also passionate about nutrition and exercise in her own life and is excited to examine how these lifestyle factors influence the gut-brain axis. She hopes to incorporate integrative medicine into her practice one day!

Jacob Hands is a medical student at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Jacob's research interests include lipid metabolism, glucose, cancer, nutrition and evolutionary biology. His twitter handle is @jacobmhands.

Amreen Kanwal is a first year medical student at GW SMHS. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 with Bachelors of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and received her Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Tufts University School of Medicine. Amreen's interest in nutrition and the microbiome began with a research project she worked on at the University of Michigan examining the effects of a ketogenic diet on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in women. Amreen is excited to delve deeper into exploring integrative medicine and its role in clinical care through her work in the Frame-Corr Lab.

Viktoriya Karakcheyeva, MD, MS, NCC, LCPC-SP, LPC, LCADAS is serving as Behavioral Health director at GW Resiliency and Well-being Center and adjunct faculty at the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership. She has been in clinical practice for over two decades and held various leadership and clinical roles in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and substance use treatment settings.

She received her MD from Dnipro, Ukraine, training in Psychodynamic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis in Salzburg, Austria, MS degree in counseling from Loyola University Maryland.

She was involved in research with Chernobyl catastrophe survivors, war survivors, first responders, extensively worked with medical students and healthcare professionals to develop interventions to prevent burnout syndrome.

She has also developed her private practice and consulting services Travma Solutions, Inc. that focuses on trauma treatment through body-mind modalities including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR), biofeedback, antigravity yoga for trauma, and number of experiential therapies.

Michaela Karam is a rising MS2 at GW SMHS. She grew up in the DMV area and completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Human Biology/Global Health at the University of Toronto. She has always been very interested in integrative medicine, especially the role of nutrition and exercise, and the ways in which we can improve our health through lifestyle modification. Karam is excited to be helping out with Dr. Frame’s study exploring the connection between the gut microbiome, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease. In her free time, she likes to travel, cook and share recipes, and manage her fundraising organization that aims to help get people moving.

Jeffrey Kruger is a 3rd year medical student at GW whose research and professional interests focus on the intersection of nutrition, exercise, and integrative medicine. He has greatly enjoyed working on Dr. Frame's project investigating vitamin D status and bariatric surgery. Jeffrey grew up in the DMV area, and completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia, where he studied biology and was captain of the rugby team. In his free time he likes to cook, exercise outdoors, and follow his favorite Washington D.C. sports teams.

Nicholas Loeb is a 2022 pre-med graduate from American University where he studied Neuroscience and Applied Physics. He has a research background in analytical chemistry and preclinical neuroscience where he spent over a year working at the VA Hospital in Seattle studying the effects of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's on the cerebellum. He has always been interested in integrative medicine and its approach to treating the patient inside and out of the doctor's office, and he is excited to gain translational research experience as he prepares for medical school. In his free time, he enjoys reading, exercising, playing chess, and spending time outdoors.

Aidan Mahoney is a junior at Princeton University studying Psychology and Neuroscience on a pre-medical track. As a member of the Varsity Men's Tennis Team, he has experienced the immense physical and mental benefits from eating a nutritious diet, daily exercise, and implementing similar health-conscious behaviors in his daily life, and even runs various social media platforms with the brand "Nutrition by Aidan" to inspire others to do the same. Now, he wants to learn the biological basis behind how exactly these behaviors impact the body for long-term health, as well as to understand the psychological measures to help his future patients maintain these sustainable habits as a means of preventative care. When he's not playing tennis or studying, he works at a cookie café on campus and is slightly obsessed with watching reality TV.

Erin McLaughlin is a first year medical student at GW SMHS. She graduated from St. Bonaventure University where she earned a B.S. in Biology. Throughout her education, microbiology has always been one of her favorite subjects to learn about. So, she is excited to be part of Dr. Frame's study exploring the role of the gut microbiome in disease processes and its impact on human health.

Abdallah Samman is a recent graduate in medicine and is deeply passionate about preventive medicine and nutrition, with a keen research interest and he is dedicated to exploring innovative approaches to promote overall health. Excited to gain translational research experience as he prepares for residency, Abdallah is committed to making a meaningful impact in his field. In his free time, he enjoys honing his skills on the tennis court and finding a balance between his professional and personal pursuits.

Aidan Schurr is a First-year student at GWU studying Biomedical Engineering and Pre-Med. After spending a year with Columbia University’s Interventional Cardiology clinical research group as a high school intern, Aidan is excited to advance his responsibilities in clinical research in the Frame-Corr Laboratory. Currently, Aidan is considering a double major in Public Health, therefore this opportunity will help to cement his decision. Looking forward, Aidan is eager to pursue an MD/PhD program to combine his interests in engineering and medicine, to be able to merge the interdisciplinary aspects of both fields. 

Shahram Shokraneh is an orthopedic surgeon with hip and pelvic fellowship whose research and activities focus on hip fracture. He has greatly enjoyed working with Dr.’s Frame to investigate the effects of nutrients on fracture healing and postoperative nutrition.

Katie Thompson is currently pursuing an MPH in Epidemiology at GW. She is interested in clinical epidemiology, specifically focused on chronic diseases. Prior to working with Dr. Frame, she worked in a microbiology wet lab and assisted with dementia research. She's excited to use her prior experience to explore the association between gut microbiota, nutrition, and cognitive health.

Stephanie Vu is a medical student at GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Stephanie grew up in Northern Virginia and attended Virginia Commonwealth University for her undergraduate studies, where she majored in Health and Exercise Sciences with a minor in Chemistry. She grew up always being very physically active and involved in sports, and then further pursued this interest through her undergraduate studies, which led her to many of her endeavors outside the academic world. Stephanie became a certified personal trainer, has coached at F45 Training Center, and worked as a Special Olympics Gymnastics and Cheerleading Coach. She absolutely loves to link the relationship between physical activity and health, and making these opportunities equal and inclusive for all people.

Dr. Alison Warren is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, in the departments of Integrative Medicine, Clinical Research and Leadership, and Institute for Brain Health and Dementia. Her background includes Traditional Chinese Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Nutrition, Neuroscience, and Psychology. Her research examines the relationships between these disciplines as they relate to the chronic stress response and brain health. Alison is also currently collaborating with Drs. Frame and Corr in microbiome studies associated with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. Her highest priority is to promote personhood and quality of life in persons with dementia and their care partners. She is embarking on a second doctoral degree in Translational Health Science to continue this endeavor.

Lara Zakaria is a student in the MPH program at GW and is also on faculty in the GW Integrative Medicine Programs. Outside of her work at GW, Zakaria runs a private practice in integrative and functional medicine.