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Headache Center Fellowship
The Research Program at the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Center for Headache Treatment and Translational Research provides headache fellows with meaningful opportunities to engage in research that bridges clinical practice and translational science.
Fellows receive protected research time and structured mentorship to build practical skills in study design, patient recruitment, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. The goal is to ensure that each fellow completes the one-year program with high-quality scholarly output work suitable for publication or presentation at national meetings.
Fellows benefit from:
- Dedicated protected research time
- Individualized mentorship
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities, including the Mount Sinai Autonomic Laboratory
- Opportunities to collaborate on NIH-funded and industry-sponsored clinical trials
Program structure
The research training begins during the July Boot Camp and continues throughout the fellowship year:
- “Research at Gottesman Headache Center” Overview Lecture: Introduction to ongoing projects, available resources, and research expectations.
- Protected Time for Required Trainings: Dedicated sessions to complete essential online research ethics and compliance courses (e.g., IRB, CITI training).
Protected research time
Fellows receive 4-6 weeks of dedicated research time during the year, typically structured as:
Two days per week for one month. This research block occurs every 2-3 months. This flexible structure allows to focus on writing, data analysis, and project development while maintaining clinical responsibilities.
Mentorship
During research blocks, fellows meet biweekly for one-on-one mentorship with Dr. Laura Wandner and Dr. Bridget Mueller.
These sessions provide tailored guidance on:
- Study design and methodology
- Data interpretation
- Manuscript preparation
- Career development planning
Research project options
Fellows select projects aligned with their interests and career goals. All projects aim for submission to peer-reviewed journals or presentation at national conferences.
Options include:
- Review Article or Case Report:
- Develop and submit a review or case report to journals such as Headache or Current Pain and Headache Reports.
- Original Research Manuscript (IRB-Approved Studies):
- Contribute to ongoing studies with opportunities for authorship.
- Examples include:
- AIM (Advancing Innovation in Migraine) Precision Medicine Registry: Analyze clinical data to explore questions like "What clinical factors are associated with therapeutic response to gepants versus triptans?"
- AI and Machine Learning Applications: Apply AI modeling to wearable sleep data (e.g., fitness trackers) to predict next-day migraine attacks.
- Clinical Trials Participation:
- Participate in recruitment, patient visits, or data collection for NIH funded and industry-sponsored trials.
Research resources and opportunities
Fellows have access to:
- Advanced Facilities: Autonomic testing equipment (e.g., tilt table, QSWEAT, cold pressor testing) for studies on orthostatic intolerance and autonomic nervous system dysfunction in migraine.
- Collaborative Environment: Work alongside a multidisciplinary team, including neurologists, neuroscientists, psychologist, and data analysts.
- Publication and Presentation Support: Guidance on abstract submissions to meetings such as the American Headache Society Annual Meeting. A track record of fellow-led publications in journals such as Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Clinical Autonomic Research, and Headache.
- Translational Focus: Many projects integrate bench-to-bedside approaches, connecting physiology with clinical outcomes.
Examples of past fellow projects
Past fellows have investigated:
- The role of the autonomic nervous system in migraine chronification
- Predictive biomarkers of response to CGRP monoclonal antibodies
- Multisensory sensitivity in orthostatic intolerance
These projects have resulted in peer-reviewed publications and national presentations, contributing meaningfully to the field of headache and pain science.
