Dr. Damla Gonullu-Rotman is a second-year fellow in the Divisions of Medical Genetics at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). She was a member of the inaugural class of New York University Abu Dhabi. Afterwards, she attended the NY State-American Program of Tel Aviv University School of Medicine. Dr. Gonullu-Rotman went on to complete her residency in OB/GYN at Wayne State University School of Medicine.
What's life like for a fellow at WCM and MSKCC?
As of July 2023, I am the second year Medical Genetics fellow here at Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I spent most of my first year in the WCM and MSKCC outpatient genetics clinics, as well as doing inpatient consults at WCM. My second year will again be a mix of the outpatient clinics and inpatient WCM consults with six months dedicated to research, which I am very excited about.
Why did you decide to pursue a fellowship at WCM?
During residency, I encountered a couple trying to decide on whether to transfer their one remaining embryo left with the BRCA gene mutation. We currently don't have the tools necessary to clear their embryo of the mutation, but there is hope for the future. Specifically, substitution of the mutation carrying mitochondria belonging to at-risk zygotes or oocytes with donated unaffected counterparts, as well as the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing enzyme, foster such hope. Understanding and practicing medical genetics allows one to be a part of major breakthroughs, such as the in vitro generation of human sperm and meiosis II oocytes from somatic cells (e.g., buccal smears), as well as the origination of haploid embryonic stem cells that can cross the same-sex reproduction barrier. I decided to pursue Medical Genetics because I wanted to practice Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) and understand the science behind it. I also wanted to play a role in the future of the field, which is going to be very similar to cancer care, individualized and patient-centered. What better place to learn about genetics than a world-renowned cancer center and one of the leading medical schools and hospital systems in the country, which has one of the best reproductive medicine centers in the world. Additionally, this fellowship program gave me the chance to take care of the world’s most diverse population. Diversity is a topic that is very important to me given my own unique background and experiences.
What do you enjoy most about the fellowship program?
What I love the most about my current program in Medical Genetics is the teams I work with at WCM and MSKCC. I also love the multi-institutional collaborations happening not only at WCM and MSKCC, but with Columbia University Irving Medical Center as well. Additionally, the support I receive in shaping my fellowship experience from both WCM and MSKCC genetics divisions, as well as my Program Director and Division Chief at Weill Cornell, means the world to me!
What are your career goals?
After completing my fellowship in Medical Genetics in the summer of 2024, I would like to continue my training with a fellowship in REI. After my REI training, I would like to practice Genetics and REI and I would like to have a career in academics, as teaching and research are both very important aspects of my current and future career.
Do you have any advice for those thinking about pursuing a fellowship at Weill Cornell Medicine?
In case you cannot tell from my above answers, I am very grateful to be a part of this fellowship program. I could not recommend it more!
Visit the Medical Genetics Fellowship program website to learn more.