Select awards

• Surgical Honor Society Award | George McClellan Honor Society, Sidney Kimmel Medical College | 06/2024 
  Distinction for outstanding clinical and academic performance; awarded to select honors students. 

• Research Fellowship Award, Art of Science | Rinn Lab | Research Fellow & Grant Recipient | 2021 - 2022

• 3rd Place Student Poster Presentation | American Society of Microbiology, Rocky Mountain Chapter | 2021
  Recognized for illustrated visual tools supporting infectious disease literacy and public outreach.

• Best in Studio Award | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, BC | 05/2014
  Awarded to the top student design proposal for design solutions enabling socially and environmentally sustainable urban development. 

• Design Excellence Award | University of British Columbia | Vancouver, BC | 05/2014
  Highest honors to one student for excellence in conceptual design, execution, and academic rigor

GRANTS 

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society | Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham and Women’s Hospital | Boston, ma | 06/2023
  Grant Award & Clinical Mentorship Program award for medical students; Selected for advanced clinical exposure in multidisciplinary neuroimmunologic management.

• Research Fellowship Award, Art of Science grant | Rinn Lab | Colorado University | Boulder, CO | 2021 - 2022
  National award for creative educational media translating virology and public health science.

Presentations / Media

Abstracts + Poster Presentations

• Hafer R, Futz MR, Alasaly B, Rohan TZ, Storozynsky E, Porcu P, Wysota MS. Real-world outcomes of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) patients with preexisting cardiovascular comorbidities. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2025;25(Suppl 1):S531-S532. doi:10.1016/S2152-2650(25)01869-5. Poster presented at: Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting; 2025 Sep 3; Houston, TX.

• futz, M; Ver Eecke, H PhD  [faculty mentor]. SciArt: Viral Art, Microbiology, + Inclusive Scientific Communication. Poster presented at the National Council on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Annual Conference; 2021.

• Futz, M [student researcher, presenter]. COVID-19 in Comics: The Visual Arts as a Mechanism of Science Communication. Poster presented at Metropolitan State University,  Undergraduate Research Conference; April 22, 2022 - Faculty mentors: Anil Rao, John Rinn (CU Denver), Catherine Musselman (CU Anschutz),Megan Filbin, Megan Lazorski, and Helene Ver Eecke, PhD. 

Health Design + Equity Poster Presentations

• Futz M [project lead, proposal design/research, presenter], Edwards J MD, FHM. Enhancing Primary Care Navigation for d/Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Patients: A Wayfinding Intervention Proposal. Poster presented at the 2025 Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit; May 2025. Archival publication in Jefferson Digital Commons (forthcoming).

• Futz M [project lead, proposal design/research, presenter], Edwards J MD, FHM. Enhancing Diabetes Management with Visual Tools: A Multimodal Approach for High-Risk Urban Populations. Poster presented at the 2025 Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit; May 2025. Archival publication in Jefferson Digital Commons (forthcoming).

• Futz MR,* Davis P, Yang P, Yun B, Zhang L, Pugliese R. Scholarly Inquiry Research Symposium, Thomas Jefferson University. Poster presented: . Rethinking communication flows: emergency rooms designed with considerations for neurodivergent and nonverbal patients Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; 04/04/2024.

Podium Presentations

• Futz MR,* Pugliese R. Bridging the gap: addressing healthcare disparities and improving outcomes for d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/DHH) patients through inclusive communication design. Oral presentation: Health Design Lab, Student Scholarly Work; 02/25/2025. Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.

• Davis P, Futz MR,* Yang P, Yun B, Pugliese R. Effects of visual food models on nutrition education for uninsured Asian immigrant populations. Oral presentation: Health Design Lab, Student Scholarly Work; 01/09/2024. Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.

• Futz M [project lead, presenter], Ver Eecke, H PhD [faculty mentor]. American Society of Microbiology, Rocky Mountain Chapter. Sci-Art: Inclusive Scientific Communication. 2021

  • 3rd Place Student Poster Presentation “Sci-Art: Inclusive Scientific Communication.”

• Futz MR [presenter, co-designer],* Ginocchio M, Van Zyl A, Pechet B. Crow’s Nest: urban infill and affordable housing strategy. Oral presentation: University of British Columbia, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA); 04/18/2014. Vancouver, BC, Canada.

• Futz MR [presenter, co-designer],* Szeleckzy O, Alissa R, Neumann O. Design for sustainable food systems: land management and food justice at UBC Farm. Oral presentation: University of British Columbia Farm Symposium, Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm (CSFS); 02/07/2014. Vancouver, BC, Canada.

  • Showcased student research and design proposal before community stakeholders and policy-makers to discuss land management, food justice, and food system sustainability of the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people.

Publications

Medical Illustration + Data Visualization: 

• Cover Illustration. Molecular Oncology. Volume 19, Issue 3. Focus on Neurological Malignancies. Federation of European Biochemical Societies; March 2025. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.70018 

• Cover Illustration. Molecular Oncology. Volume 18, Issue 12. Thematic Issue: Brain Cancers. Federation of European Biochemical Societies; December 2024. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.13466

• Green-Fulgham SM, Lacagnina MJ, Willcox KF, et al. Voluntary wheel running prevents formation of membrane attack complexes and myelin degradation after peripheral nerve injury. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 2024;115:419-431. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2023.10.027 

• Featured illustrations: Metrosphere Magazine. Volume 39, Issue 02 – The Vitality Issue. Adsorption. May 2021.

• Featured illustrations: SciArt Magazine. Vol. 44 – Movement. SciArt Initiative Inc.; April 2021.

• Bennett, D. Ignagni, S. Renaud, D. King D. Moving to Minimum Force: Police Dogs and Public Safety in British Columbia. Pivot Legal Society; 2014. Canadian Policing Research Catalogue, Public Safety Canada. Available at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/lbrr/ctlg/dtls-en.aspx?d=PS&i=80840909

  • Created visual informatics and data visualizations to support public safety policy reform. 

  • featured in the International Drug Policy Consortium (10/2014), The Canadian Institute’s Forum on the Law of Policing (10/2014), AND Pivot Legal Society press release (06/2014).

media & Non-peer-reviewed Publications

• Marx, V. [Host]. Futz, M. [Guest Speaker] Jarvis C, Zarate JM, Musselman C, Rinn J, Heck A. Conversations with Neuroscientists. Society for Neuroscience (SFN). ‘Science and the Arts’ [Audio podcast episode]. Nature Journal. https://neurosciencecommunity.nature.com/posts/podcast-science-the-arts. 05/09/2023

• Futz M [writer, illustrator]. Success Goes on an Adventure. Children’s book. Edited by Andy Huang. The Story Initiative; April 22, 2023. ISBN: 979-8392163632.

• New Grant Funds Expand Educational Outreach Efforts for CU School of Medicine Researchers. CU Anschutz School of Medicine News. © 2024 The Regents of the University of Colorado. Published December 9, 2022. Available at: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/medicine/new-grant-funds-expands-educational-outreach-efforts-for-cu-school-of-medicine-researchers. 

Submitted / Under Review

• Hafer R, Futz MR, Alasaly B , Rohan TZ, Storozynsky E MD PhD, Porcu P MD, Wysota MS MD. Reevaluating cardiovascular risk: Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease. Blood. under review: Submitted Sept 2025.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

National Multiple Sclerosis Society | Massachusetts General Hospital & Brigham and Women’s Hospital | 06/2023

• Grant Award & Clinical Mentorship Program medical student recipient. Awarded to students seeking exposure to clinical evaluation, diagnostics, and MS management while encouraging greater awareness of health disparities and social determinants of health. 

Lead Patient Care Coordinator (06/2021–06/2022), Medical Intern (09/2020–06/2021) | Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Center | Denver, CO | 09/2020 - 06/2022

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients with neurodegenerative disorders to identify clinical, psychosocial, and logistical needs.

• Facilitate longitudinal care by coordinating multidisciplinary interventions, addressing barriers to treatment adherence, and optimizing care plans.

• Provide patient-centered education on disease progression and management strategies, empowering patients to navigate complex medical, physical, and financial challenges.

Behavioral Health Residential Counselor, CNA | Colorado Residential Solutions| Denver, CO                                                

• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary healthcare team to develop and implement individualized behavioral and psychiatric care plans for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

• Monitor patients’ progress and provide direct support for activities of daily living, crisis management, and therapeutic interventions tailored to their unique needs.

SELECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Owner & Consultant | Meikah LLC | 2014 - 2022

• Transform complex technical information into compelling educational and marketing materials.

• Generate 3D building models for project visualization, creating graphics and photorealistic renderings to support interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

Concept Team Lead, Project Designer | Craine Architecture | Denver, CO | 2015 - 2018

• Develop and execute design solutions as part of an interdisciplinary team. Responsible for conceptual design, research, and code analysis.

• Responsible for junior staff recruitment and development. 

• Create and lead an internal design cohort to enhance their problem-solving, critical analysis, and leadership skills.

VOLUNTEER & LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Vaccine Hesitancy Workshop Co-organizer & presenter | SKMC, Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA | 02/2025 - 04/2026

• Run monthly vaccine workshop lecture series to educate junior medical students on family medicine clerkship. 

• Drive discussions, run simulations, and share techniques for navigate challenging patient discussions regarding vaccine hesitancy - address common concerns, empathisze with parents and direct to appropriate literature. 

Manna | Food preparation Volunteer | Philadelphia, PA | 2023, 01/2025 - Present

• Aid in production, packaging and distribution of evidence-based nutrition plans prescribed 

•  improve health outcome and reduce healthcare burden for patients with chronic and terminal disease through preparation and delivery of “medically appropriate meals and provide nutrition counseling to neighbors who are battling serious illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS.”                                       

Health Design Research Lab |Student Liaison | SKMC, Jefferson University | Philadelphia, PA | 01/2023–Present

• Serve as the key communication liaison in the Scholarly Inquiry Research Design Track, disseminating updates and maintaining consistent messaging of program objectives between program leaders, faculty, clinicians, and students.

• Solicit and aggregate medical student colleagues’ feedback and concerns, mediating with program leaders to inform program direction and supplementary curriculum.  

The Story Initiative | Writer | Philadelphia, PA | 2022–2023

• Develop, illustrate, and publish a children's novel personalized for a young patient with physical disabilities.  

• Diversify representations of ableness, providing a platform to amplify their stories and perspectives.