Trainees

  • Gabrielle Hampton, MS

    Human Genetics PhD Candidate, Trainee
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Ave, 8th Floor
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738

  • Alexis Akerele, MS

    Human Genetics PhD Candidate
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Ave, 8th Floor
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738

  • Katie Greene, BS, ASCP

    Human Genetics PhD Candidate, Trainee
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Avenue 8th Floor
    Room / Suite
    800
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203

  • Alyssa Parker, BS

    Human Genetics PhD Candidate, Trainee
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    2525 West End Ave
    Room / Suite
    8005
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738

  • Jeewoo Kim, BA

    MD/PhD Candidate
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Avenue
    8th Floor
    Room / Suite
    800
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203

  • Harris Bland, MPH, MBA

    Sr. Project Manager, PhD Student (Human Genetics)
    Biomedical Informatics
    2525 WE
    2525 West End Ave
    Room / Suite
    1500
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738

    Harris T. Bland (he/they) is a Sr. Project Manager in CPM. Harris spent 6 years in anatomic/clinical pathology before moving to Nashville in 2016. Harris began at Vanderbilt in the Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR), focused on pharmacogenomics (PREDICT) and eMERGE until moving to DBMI in 2018.  Harris continues to manage the Vanderbilt site of eMERGE (VGER) and one of the Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot grants, FOREST. Harris is one of the current co-chairs of the DBMI DEI Committee. Harris' scientific interests include EHR integration of genetic data and health equity.

    Harris is also pursuing a PhD in Human Genetics, advised by Lea K Davis, PhD.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Former Trainees

  • Alexandra Sundermann, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Division of Quantitative and Clinical Sciences, OBGYN, Center for Women's Health Research

    Dr. Alex Sundermann is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Quantitative and Clinical Sciences in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has a secondary appointment in the Institute for Medicine and Public Health and is a member of the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center. She completed her medical and doctoral degrees through Vanderbilt's Medical Scientist Training Program. Her doctoral work targeted the development and application of epidemiologic methods for studying risk relationships involving time-varying exposures in pregnancy. She then completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University Medical Center. She returned to Vanderbilt as faculty in 2024 in a physician-scientist position with the aim to leverage the insight afforded by caring for patients to conduct pertinent and timely research for the advancement of reproductive health. 

    SELECTED HONORS & ACHIEVEMENTS                                         
    2018    Philanthropic Educational Organization Scholar Award 
    2019    Inductee of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
    2020   First author paper selected as Article of the Year by American Journal of Epidemiology 
    2020    Lonnie S. Burnett Award in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
    2023   SASGOG Resident Award 
    2024    Peter Cartwright, MD, Humanism Award, Duke University Medical Center

    Reproductive epidemiology, miscarriage, adverse pregnancy outcomes, fibroids, maternal morbidity

  • Brian Mautz, MS, PhD

    Principal Scientist, Disease Genetics
    The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

  • Joe Breeyear, PhD

    Human Genetics PhD Graduate, Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellow, Trainee
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Ave
    Room / Suite
    8006
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738

  • Jacqueline Piekos, PhD

    Doctor of Human Genetics Program Graduate, Trainee
    Velez Edwards & Edwards Lab
    Office Address
    2525 West End Ave 8th Floor
    Room / Suite
    8004
    Nashville
    Tennessee
    37203-1738