Nikhil (Nik) Yelemali is an undergraduate student at MTSU through the MTSU- Meharry 7-year BS/MD program. Nik hopes to join Meharry as a medical student in 2027 and uphold the core values and mission of advancing health equity. Currently, he is also engaged in social-cognitive neuroscience research, focusing on using Machine Learning/ AI to analyze body language and facial movements in different mice models.

 

Ever since high school, Nik has had a deep interest in medical advocacy and using policy to bring change to the medical field. As a Bank of America Student Leader, he has engaged with lawmakers and advocates for a future where quality healthcare is accessible to all. As he progresses in his academic journey, he remains committed to bridging the gap between medicine and policy.

 

Nik plans on working with Dr. Caldwell and Avi Albert to assess the effectiveness and safety of a new shingles vaccine by GSK in the African American community, with the goal of expanding clinical data to ensure its reliability. Through this, he hopes to address disparities in vaccine research and representation.