Derek P. Email & Phone Number

Cupertino, Ca, Us

Los Angeles, California, United States

Spearheading 2 anesthesia research projects with Principal Investigator Dr. Gundappa Neelakanta at UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital.Conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate racial disparities in preoperative anxiolytic delivery rates, which was presented at American Society of Anesthesiologists 2024 Conference.Leading a clinical trial to investigate the use of Amsterdam Perioperative Anxiety Scale (APAIS) in a perioperative setting.

United States

Founded a 501C3 nonprofit organization focused on transforming the narrative of mental health in the medical field through storytelling, grassroots advocacy, and community building efforts.Serving as Executive Director, the chief executive officer of the organization, to build a strong foundation for Medical Minds Matter to thrive and grow into an nonprofit that has national reach through chapters at medical schools and healthcare workplaces around the U.S.Recruiting talented team members with skills in nonprofit boards, clinical experience, administration, social media, graphic design, finance and bookkeeping, law, grant writing, advocacy, and more.Medical Minds Matter is designated a tax-exempt public charity by the IRS under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(C)(3).

Mobile Testing Company conducting COVID-19 nasopharyngeal tests for RT-PCR analysis.

Santa Clara County, California, United States

Worked with the Santa Clara County to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the community.Set up and staff COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites, serving thousands.

Storrs, Ct

Dr. Conover's Neurobiology LabCharacterizing human fetal and mouse ventricular development through 3D modeling.Preparing both human and mouse slide mounts using Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Staining for 3D Modeling.Conducting In Utero Electroporation (IUE) Surgeries on live pregnant mice, which involves anesthesia via isofluorane and ketamine, antiseptic invasive surgery, injection of fetus brains, and suturing of incision site - survivability of subjects is paramount. Assisted in Stereotaxic Neurosurgeries on adult mice.Adept at microdissection of fetal mice brains to isolate the Subventricular zone of the brain.Experienced in the use of vibrotome sectioning and Immunohistochemistry staining of human and mouse brain samples.Publications: Characterization of the Ventricular-Subventricular Stem Cell Niche During Human Brain Development (7th Author of 12)Designing a Surgical Research Model for Examining the Effects of Congenital Post Infectious Hydrocephalus on Early Brain Development (Honors Thesis)

University Of Connecticut

Founder Roles:Oversee the founding of a Tier II student organization partnered with the non-profit Angel Wings International that provides sustainable service and spreads awareness on healthcare and socioeconomical disparities in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.President Roles:Delegate, coordinate, and facilitate club tasks to officers. Formed two officer committees to plan and coordinate club activities.Organize annual medical mission trips to Haiti to make a direct impact on healthcare disparities and to provide undergraduates with an opportunity to experience medical service in a third world setting.Collaborate with the US-Haiti non profit Angel Wings International Inc. to coordinate logistics of the mission trip.Help at local and mobile clinics to provide medical support to healthcare professionals.

Hartford, Connecticut Area

Enrolled pediatric patients from the Connecticut Children's Medical Hospital Emergency Department in clinical studies researching topics such as sexual health, nutrition, probiotics, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and more.Improved bedside manner, discussed and explained studies and their risks to patients and guardians, soliciting participation and consent from subjects and their guardians, and conducting research in a clinical setting.Shadowed for clinical exposure to physicians, nurses, PAs, APRNs in the CCMC Emergency Department.

Storrs, Ct

Oversee a standing committee of UConn Undergraduate Student Government that focuses on pushing for initiatives that benefit the quality of life of students on campus.Coordinate with school administrators, the student body, and other involved parties to facilitate improvements to University Services regarding health, dining, transportation, safety and more.Facilitate initiatives that Committee Members and Senators propose under the Student Services Committee's scope of advocacy.Founded the Mental Health & Wellness Sub-Committee to advocate for student body mental, physical, and sexual health at UConn.Advocate for quality of life issues in my local community, with a primary focus on student mental health and wellness.Authored and established the Committee's first ever Standing Rules and Advocacy Agenda, passed through both the Committee and the Senate.Main Initiatives:Spearheading an initiative to provide free "Mental Health First Aid" Certifications and Suicide Prevention training to UConn students for the promotion of informal peer-support on campus;Collaborating with UConn Fire Department to host "Mental Health First Aid for First Responders" trainings for their Firefighters and EMS personnel to give them extra skills to respond to wellness checks and psychiatric calls at UConn;Leading a campus-wide advocacy and awareness effort in collaboration with UConn Counseling & Mental Health Services, NAMI, and Active Minds to commemorate Mental Illness Awareness Week;Working to expand on Tampon Time - an initiative that provides free menstrual products at select bathrooms around campus - to include residential halls and more locations;Facilitating initiative in conjunction with UConnPIRG and Facilities Operations Services to place more trash receptacles at strategic locations such as parking lots and high-traffic pedestrian walkways to promote campus sustainability, save facility costs, increase efficiency of operations, and maintain a clean campus.

Storrs, Ct

Elected by and representing the interests of undergraduate students of the South Campus Residence Halls, as well as the entire student body, in the UConn Undergraduate Student Government Senate.Testified on behalf of the UConn student body and the UConn Undergraduate Student Government at the Connecticut Legislature before the CGA's Joint Committee of Higher Education and Employment Advancement in support of Senate Bill 750 - An Act Concerning Treatment and Prevention of Mental Illness at Institutions of Higher Education.Authored a Joint Resolution that supports the implementation of the JED Campus Initiative, a 4-year program in partnership with the JED Foundation in which the state of the mental health of the Student body is assessed and quantified in order to propose evidence-based initiatives, programs, and improvements in order to bolster the mental health of the campus community.Authored a Joint Resolution that supports the implementation of a mental health literacy module required to be taken by all freshman and transfer students in order to educate them on common mental health issues in college students, dispel misconceptions and stigma against mental health issues, provide adequate coping mechanisms, and point to resources on and off campus that they can utilize for support.

Storrs, Ct

Life Section

Farmington, Connecticut

Center for Molecular MedicineResearched Gastrointestinal Cancer through studying mouse genetics with Dr. Daniel Rosenberg, Dr. Masako Nakanishi, Ph.D Students, and other research assistants.Experienced in DNA/RNA Extraction, Genotyping, PCR, Gel Electrophoresis, handling lab mice, mice dissection, cell culture, organoid culturing, and the use of the Arcturus and Veritas Laser Capture Microdissection Instrument Platforms.Participated in a project studying the effect of changes of the microbiome (dysbiosis) on ACF lesions in the colon.Gathered data from mice colon as well as human ACF biopsies.Shadowed Gastroenterologists during colonoscopies during the obtainment of human ACF biopsies.Presented research poster at UConn Spring Frontiers Undergraduate Research Exhibition 2018Paid Internship

Doctor Of Medicine (Md)

Master Of Public Health (Mph), Health Policy

3.95

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Molecular Cell Biology And Psychological Sciences

Molecular Cell Biology Major, Psychological Sciences Minor Honors Graduate, Magna Cum Laude, 3.937

H.S. Diploma