Please join us in welcoming our Class of 2027!
You can read about the research interests and hobbies of our newly matched residents.
Roxana Bahani, DO
Undergraduate: BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Washington
Medical School: Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
Roxana investigated and presented the effects of physical activity and chronic unpredictable stress on tumor growth and cancer immunity using mice with murine triple-negative breast cancer. She also worked in a microbiology lab in collaboration with her university's department of engineering to create a magnetostrictive particle biosensor technology that would aid in the rapid detection of urinary tract infections.She was involved in many leadership roles throughout medical school, including being president of the student medical association, a peer tutor, and a subcommittee leader for diversity and inclusion. She likes to volunteer whenever she has the chance and was involved as a medical assistant in her community's free clinic, as well as a foster parent at her local animal shelter. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching gymnastics, hiking, traveling, going to music festivals, cuddling with her pets, and planting and gardening.
Brandon Brown, MD
Undergraduate: BS in Neuroscience, Brigham Young University
Medical School: Baylor College
Brandon has worked on the development of artificial intelligence to automatically detect and analyze seizures from video recordings. He is passionate about education in the neurosciences, spending two years as a neuroanatomy instructor at Baylor College of Medicine, and serving as a student mentor to other students interested in neurology. He was also a guest speaker at a conference for the Association of University Professors of Neurology. Brandon is a musician, playing the piano, guitar, saxophone, and organ. He has traveled to twenty-eight countries and is deeply interested in history. He also enjoys the outdoors, particularly cycling, hiking, and observing animals in the wild.
Wellington de Araujo, MD
Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) Centro de Ciências da Saúde
Wellington is a Brazilian physician fascinated by neurology. In fact, he is so mesmerized by the specialty that he decided to do residency once more. During his first one in Brazil, he researched epilepsy biomarkers and discovered an interest in academics, which he pursued after graduation as a professor of clinical skills and faculty member in internal medicine. Wanting more for his career, he took the most significant professional step of his life: starting the neurology residency at the University of Utah. He enjoys having friends over for board games, cooking Brazilian barbecue, and making drinks as an amateur mixologist. He likes studying finance and astrophysics, playing video games, walking his Corgi, and spending time with his wife.
Jordan Langford, MD
Undergraduate: BA in Biology, University of Utah
Medical School: University of Utah
Jordan has had the privilege to be involved with the autonomic physiology lab at the University of Utah, investigating the relationship between autonomic and gastrointestinal dysfunction. He also participated in a study examining hemiplegic migraines in ZTTK syndrome. He was raised in rural Utah and continues to have an interest in improving rural healthcare. Prior to medical school, he worked as an EEG tech, and he is thrilled to continue his training with those who helped introduce and inspire him to pursue a career in neurology. His areas of interests remain broad. He enjoys golfing, following premier league soccer, playing board games, reading science fiction/fantasy, and fly fishing.
Kirsten Myers, MD
Undergraduate: BA in Arts, University of Pennsylvania
Medical School: University of Washington
Kirsten spent her time in medical school showing commitment to underserved communities as a targeted rural underserved track scholar and having completed extracurricular service and coursework through the underserved pathway at University of Washington. Her favorite course in preclinical courses were about the brain; she later discovered her love for general neurology while rotating in Missoula, Montana, fueling a passion to serve the mountain west as a neurologist. During medical school, she won a grant to look at rural communities’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a project that looked at five different communities in Eastern Washington. Before medical school, she completed a year of national service through AmeriCorps, where she learned about her passion for working for people with chronic illness while providing diabetes education. She enjoys creative writing and engaging in medical humanities and won an essay contest as well as poetry prize in medical school, while also being published in Intima, a medical humanities journal. In her free time, she enjoys getting outside, including cross-country and downhill skiing, cycling, and trail running.
Ksenia Nokhrina, MD
Medical School: First Moscow State
As a member of the Bonkowsky Lab at the University of Utah, Ksenia has investigated the pathophysiology of leukodystrophies and participated in development of novel gene replacement therapies for vanishing white matter (VWM) disease using zebrafish and mouse models. She has also been working on preclinical drug testing for VWM disease. During her time in medical school, she led multiple international student exchange programs, helping medical students from China and Vietnam integrate into the educational process. She also became an exchange medical student herself doing a neurosurgery rotation in Serbia. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, she volunteered in a rural area in Siberia, working in an underserved hospital. In her free time, she enjoys cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, watching old movies and TV shows, listening to EDM music, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Haley Shepard, MD
Undergraduate: BS in Neuroscience & Human Biology, University of Montana
Medical School: University of Washington
Haley has conducted research on the effects of excess neurotransmitters on fruit-fly behavioral neural circuits. She also investigated the environmental factors that make someone more or less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. She started and organized a student interest group devoted to learning the techniques and applications of ultrasound technology. Her interests include practicing general neurology, bringing neurological care to rural areas and learning more about neurophysiology. In her spare time, she enjoys chicken-keeping, digital art, and fitness.
Alex O’Connor, MD
Undergraduate: BS in Biology, Indiana University
Medical School: Indiana University
Alex has investigated the role of stem cells in the mechanism of muscle regeneration due to ischemia. His interests within neurology include neuroimmunology and neuromuscular disorders. He served as a clinic manager in his medical school’s neurology student outreach clinic. In his free time, Alex enjoys rock climbing, hiking, photographing wildlife, and doing anything outdoors.
