A third-year medical student at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences was selected as a 2018-19 Sarnoff Fellow.

Rahul Mital, who is studying to work in the field of pediatric cardiology, is one of nine students across the United States awarded the honor.

“This is a very competitive, prestigious award,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, dean of the UT College of Medicine and Life Sciences and executive vice president for clinical affairs. “We are proud of Rahul and look forward to his achievements in cardiovascular research.”

The Sarnoff Fellowship program offers medical students enrolled in accredited U.S. medical schools the opportunity to spend a year conducting intensive work in a biomedical research facility in the United States other than the medical school in which they are enrolled.

“I’m humbled by the opportunity that lies ahead of me and plan to make the most of it,” Mital said. “Being a member of the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation and partaking in world-class research while receiving mentorship and guidance is truly an invaluable step in achieving my goals.”

Rahul plans to study cardiogenesis, which is the development of the heart in the embryo, and how to use gene therapy as a potential treatment for congenital heart disease.

“No child deserves to be born with a congenital heart disease, but the unfortunate truth is that congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect, affecting 40,000 births per year in the United States alone,” Mital said. “If a greater understanding of the underlying pathophysiology is achieved, patient care can move away from expensive surgeries and lifelong follow-ups, and instead be focused at the molecular level.”

The full-time Sarnoff Fellowship is a one-year award of $32,000 for the 2018-19 academic year. Fellows also receive financial support for travel and moving expenses.

The 2018-19 Fellows were introduced last week at the Sarnoff Foundation’s 38th Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston.