Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

UIC DRTP T32 Trainees

Joseph Zapater, MD, PhD

Joseph Zapater, MD, PhD
2021-2022

Education History:
BS: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, US
MD: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US
Residency: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US

Research interests: Diabetes, Glucose, and Lipid Metabolism

Career Path: Dr. Joseph Zapater, MD, PhD, currently serves as a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at UIC. As a physician-scientist, he integrates clinical practice with basic research, using transgenic mouse models to study metabolic disorders, diabetes, and glucose and lipid metabolism. His path to UIC, where he completed both his medical and graduate degrees and residency, was inspired by the institution’s diverse patient population and extensive research opportunities in endocrinology.

Max-K.-Loh

Max K. Loh, PhD
2022-2024

Education History:
BS: DePaul University, Chicago, IL, US
PhD: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, Chicago, IL, US
Postdoctoral Training: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US

Research Interests: Food reward, Semaglutide and conditioned taste aversion

Career Path: Max Loh is a postdoctoral research fellow at UIC, working under Dr. Mitchell Roitman in the Department of Psychology. She earned her Ph.D. under Dr. J. Amiel Rosenkranz at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Her research explores how food value changes through learning, with a focus on conditioned taste aversion (CTA). In her postdoctoral work, Max studies how semaglutide, an approved treatment for type II diabetes mellitus that promotes weight loss, can trigger CTA. Using fiber photometry and deep-learning software, she records and analyzes changes in phasic dopamine release in response to sucrose before and after semaglutide exposure. This project investigates the neural circuits that underlie changes in food reward encoding following semaglutide administration.

Youngkwan

Youngkwan Song, PhD, RN
2022-2024

Education History:
BS: Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
MS: Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
PhD: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US
Postdoctoral Training: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US

Research Interests: Type 1 Diabetes, Glucose, and Psychological Stress

Career Path: Youngkwan Song did his postdoctoral research fellow at UIC, working under Dr. Lauretta Quinn in the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science at UIC and Dr. Ali Cinar, a professor of chemical engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology. His research investigates how acute psychological stress (APS) affects energy and glucose balance in people with type 1 diabetes. He measures oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels during submaximal treadmill walking and bicycle exercise. Additionally, Youngkwan studies baseline chronic stress levels in people with type 1 diabetes using questionnaires and biomarkers like hair cortisol concentration. He examines insulin sensitivity and glycemic reactivity to acute psychological stressors, which are detected through physiological variables captured by wearable devices in real-time. Through this research, Youngkwan aims to understand how physical activity and psychologic stress influence metabolic processes and diabetes management.

Julienne Sánchez Pérez, MD

Julienne Sánchez Pérez, MD
2023-present

Education History:
BS: University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayaguez, PR
MD: Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamón, PR
Residency & Fellowship: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US

Research Interests: Obesity, Glycemic Control and Time-Restricted Eating

Career Path: Dr. Julienne Sánchez Pérez is an endocrinology fellow at UIC, where she is completing both her fellowship training (in Clinical Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (graduating June 2025) and Masters in Nutrition (completing May 2025). She earned her BS in Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, and her MD from Universidad Central del Caribe in Bayamón, PR. Under the mentorship of Dr. Krista Varady, Professor of Nutrition, and Dr. Kelsey Gabel, Assistant Professor of Nutrition in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, her research examines time-restricted eating (TRE) and its metabolic effects, particularly in patients with obesity and diabetes (T1 and T2).

Vaibhav Konanur, PhD

Vaibhav Konanur, PhD
2024-present

Education History:
BS & BA: University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, US
MS: University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, US
PhD: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US

Research Interests: Olfactory Processing in Diabetes and Obesity

Career Path: Dr. Vaibhav Konanur earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UIC in 2023 under Dr. Mitchell Roitman’s mentorship. Prior to this, he completed his M.S. in Biological Sciences and dual bachelor’s degrees in Biological Sciences and Human Development at UCSD. Now working with Dr. Joseph Donald Zak, an assistant professor in UIC’s Department of Biological Sciences, Dr. Konanur studies the relationship between olfactory processing and type 2 diabetes. His research focuses on how food odors influence eating behaviors and insulin release, and how obesity, diabetes, and GLP1 treatment alter these responses. Using sophisticated techniques, including electrophysiology, optogenetics, chemogenetics, and in vivo calcium imaging, he investigates how hormonal and peptidergic signals shape olfactory processing and their interaction with metabolic states.

Lundon Christophe Burton, PhD

Lundon Christophe Burton, PhD
2024-present

Education History:
BS: Chicago State University, Chicago, IL, US
MS: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, US
PhD: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, US

Research Interests: Obesity, Exercise, and Cardiovascular diseases

Career Path: Lundon C. Burton earned his Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Purdue University’s Department of Health and Kinesiology in 2024, following a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Nutrition from UIC (2017–2019) and a Bachelor’s degree in Pre-Physical Therapy from Chicago State University (2013–2016). Working with Dr. Abeer Mohamed at UIC’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, his research investigates the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms linking obesity to metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer progression. His research methodology spans clinical trials, animal models, and cell culture systems. Burton aims to secure a tenure-track position at an R1 institution, where he hopes to advance research in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases while mentoring underrepresented students and improving health outcomes in underrepresented communities.