science communication
2024-2025 ITMAT Art & Science Residency Shield Project
The Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) Education Program hosted Artist-in-Residence Marguerita Hagan and 2025 TRIP undergraduate students at the Institute for Contemporary Art for an evening where science met art. Guided by Hagan, students transformed complex concepts, such as engineered heart tissues and large language models, into ceramic shields that serve as visual, accessible conversation starters.
Venture Café University Science Cente July 25, 2025
The Institute of Contemporary Art Presentation
Marguerita Hagan, MFA
2025-26 Artist-in-Residence
Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP)
Institute of Translational Medicine & Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine
Marguerita Hagan is a ceramic sculptor based in Philadelphia whose work explores the interdependence of life and the environment. Her intricate sculptures highlight the connections that sustain both ecosystems and human communities, promoting the idea of sustainable, reciprocal care. Hagan’s art is rooted in activism, with a focus on ecological stewardship and fostering thriving, mutually supportive communities.
Rebecca Voss
Student, Haverford College (’26)
ITMAT TRIP Student Alum ('25)
Rebecca Voss is a senior neuroscience major at Haverford College interested in the biological and social determinants of mental health. Her work at the Center for Brain Imaging and Stimulation at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine focuses on personalized, fMRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation to target maladaptive thought patterns in depression. She also investigates the role of serotonin in decision-making in zebrafish (Jain Lab, Haverford College) and population-level mental health (Healthier Futures Lab, WashU).
Medini Annavajhala, PhD
Assistant Professor in Infectious Diseases
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
ITMAT TRIP Mentor
Dr. Annavajhala is dedicated to understanding microbial dynamics in environmental systems. Her research group at CHOP seeks to better understand microbial communities and pathogens as they cycle from human hosts through wastewater streams and into the surrounding environment. This work is designed to enable environmental pathogen surveillance to improve patient care and population health.
Institute of Translational Medicine & Therapeutics:
Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP)
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Our mission is to expand the translational scientists’ toolbox to transform complex research innovations into accessible, human-centered narratives that communities can easily relate to thereby enhancing public trust in science.
The Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) supports research at the interface of basic and clinical research focusing on developing new and safer medicines. ITMAT supports faculty, includes dry and wet research space and amongst its centers and programs are the Penn Medicine Biobank, the Investigational Drug Service and the Center for Human Phenomic Science (CHPS). CHPS is present in both Penn and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). ITMAT issues a series of funding calls to support interdisciplinary, translational research including that which crosses the pediatric to adult divide. ITMAT also offers an extensive palette of educational programs in clinical and translational science both for investigators and research support staff.
ITMAT integrates its Artist-in-Residence (AiR) into the Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP), a program that introduces undergraduate students to Clinical and Translational Sciences through a 10-week mentored summer research experience. AiR leads community outreach efforts, making the residency positioned to foster broad connections and engagement across scientific and public audiences.