Medical Student
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Sherifa Akinniyi is a medical student pursuing her Doctor of Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Georgia before completing a research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program. At the NCI, her research focused on estimating the population prevalence of germline variants in genes associated with telomere biology disorders, work she presented at multiple national scientific meetings, including the Team Telomere Summit and George Washington University’s Department of Epidemiology.
Building on her background in cancer genetics and epidemiology, Akinniyi expanded her research interests through the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Otolaryngology SCORE Program, where she investigated the quality, readability, and reliability of online health information and artificial intelligence–generated patient education in otolaryngology. Her research reflects her broader interest in leveraging technology and data-driven approaches to improve patient education and reduce healthcare disparities.
Inspired by physician-scientists who combine clinical excellence with population health research, Akinniyi is passionate about advancing health equity through clinical research, epidemiology, and innovation. She is particularly interested in improving access to high-quality care and increasing representation of underserved populations in research.