Matthew Alexander, BS
Research Assistant
Matthew is a research assistant for Wearables from Rocklin, CA. He is a rising senior and will receive a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Brigham Young University. Following graduation, he plans to attend medical school and pursue his lifelong interest in becoming a surgeon.
When not immersed in studies, Matthew enjoys spending time with friends and family, competing in sports, and trying out new places to eat.
Alex Anderson, BS
Research Assistant
Alex was research assistant who has been working on the Wearables Study from 2022-2023. He graduated from Brigham Young University and is currently a student in the BYU Masters Program in Public Health in the fall. He hopes to use his passion for public health and medicine to try and find solutions to disparities in patient care and accessibility to healthcare.
Alex has also worked on global health research geared towards vaccine uptake in African countries and as a frontline healthcare worker. In his free time, Alex enjoys spending time outdoors, doing anything sports related, and spending time with friends.
Jorind Beqari, MD
Co-Investigator
Dr. Beqari was a Thoracic Surgery Research Fellow at MGH and a co-investigator of Wearables. He received his bachelors in biology from Boston University, and his medical degree at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has since returned to his general surgery residency at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate with the hope of pursuing a career in Thoracic Surgery.
Dr. Beqari’s current research is centered around the use of technology to improve operative/post-operative patient care and outcomes.
James “Jimmy” Cranor
Clinical Research Coordinator
Jimmy was research coordinator for the Wearables Study. He was born and raised in Las Vegas Nevada. He has lived in Idaho, Utah, Northern Argentina, and right here in Boston. He recently graduated from Brigham Young University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in food science with a minor in chemistry. He worked on the Wearables project, and other projects with Dr. Yang, since spring 2022. He is now a first year medical student at UNLV.
Jimmy has a background in microbiological research particularly as it pertains to food-borne illness. His primary focus is overall human wellness and understanding how to positively manipulate the controllable factors in maintaining health. He has explored both the research and clinical sides of promoting patient well-being by simultaneously supervising a microbiology lab and working as a medical technician at a retirement home for the last several years.
Jacob C. Hurd, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Jacob Hurd was a clinical research coordinator for the Wearables Study. He received his bachelors in biology and chemistry at Duke University, and has collaborated with Dr. Yang for five years. In 2023, Jacob transitioned to work in industry.
Jacob’s research interests included use of technology to improve operative/post-operative patient care and outcomes.
Joshua Kim, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Joshua Kim is from Norco, CA and went to Santiago High School. He was a student-athlete at Harvard University and graduated with a degree in Neurobiology and a secondary in Global Health and Health Policies.
Joshua is currently on a gap year applying to medical school. He enjoys rock-climbing, finding tasty restaurants, and helping out with the Harvard wrestling team.
Allie Rosenstein, BS
Research Assistant
Allison Rosenstein was a research assistant for the Wearables Study and is from Bethesda, Maryland.
She recently graduated from Harvard College, with a concentration in Neurobiology with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy at Harvard College. Allie began working on research with Dr. Yang at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2021, and now works as a CRC at the Farber. She aspires to attend medical school and become a physician.
Danny Wang, MD
Research Fellow
Danny is a general surgery resident and thoracic surgery fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a co-investigator of the Wearables Study. He received his bachelor in biochemistry from the University of Virginia, and his medical degree from the Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. He is interested in pursuing general thoracic surgery fellowship training after residency and becoming a thoracic surgical oncologist. His research interests include improving outcomes in lung and esophageal cancer and surgeon led clinical trials.
Outside the hospital, he enjoys swimming and hiking. He is also an adventurous eater and coffee enthusiast.
Isaac Wilkins
Research Assistant
Isaac Wilkins was a research assistant for the Wearables study in the summer of 2023. He is an undergraduate student at Brigham Young University, where he studies microbiology and international development with a concentration in global health. Isaac is pursuing a career in surgery. Currently, he is away serving a mission.
Outside of the lab, Isaac is an avid golfer and loves to spend time outdoors.