Current Fellows

First Year Fellows

Ilana Y. Abeles, MD, PhD

Dr. Abeles received her Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and earned her PhD in cognitive neuroscience at City University of New York studying basic visual processing deficits in patients with schizophrenia. She received her MD from SUNY Downstate Medical Center, gaining experience in providing care to under-served populations. She completed residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. During this time, she evaluated associations between SLE phenotypes and standard serological markers using the Lupus Center’s cohort and will be continuing with SLE research during fellowship. Current interests include neuroinflammation, and investigation of new serological biomarkers in SLE. In her free time, she enjoys sunshine, traveling, food, and conquering fantasy football.

Stefanie D. Wade, MD

Dr. Wade was raised in Vancouver, Canada and earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria. While obtaining her MD from St. George’s University, she participated in the Global Scholars Program in England and focused on health disparities in the developing world. She completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Connecticut in 2017 and stayed on as Chief Medical Resident. Academic interests include medical education, quality improvement, and outcomes-based research in inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue disease. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, soccer, and skiing.

Second Year Fellows

Elizabeth Graef, DO

Dr. Graef received her D.O. from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and then completed an Internal Medical residency at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (Burlington MA). Prior to her completing her D.O. and residency training, she worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator in Breast Oncology under the supervision of Dr. Steven Come at BIDMC. She is currently a member of our division as a Clinical Fellow in Rheumatology.

Milena Vukelic, MD

Dr. Vukelic received her M.D. from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine residency at the Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. Prior to residency, she worked in Jane Salmon’s lab at Weill Cornell Medical College/Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC examining the interplay between the immune system and the nervous system and the possibility that neural networks influence immune responses and ameliorate injury in lupus. She is currently a member of our division as a Clinical Fellow in Rheumatology.

Third Year Fellows

Yi Li, MD

Dr. Li received her medical degree from Guiyang Medical University (Guiyang, China) and completed a medical residency there. She then received an MBS in Immunology from the University of Manitoba followed by a number of years in research labs at the University of Florida. She completed a medical residency at the University of Florida in 2016 and then joined our division as a Clinical Fellow in Rheumatology at BIDMC. Dr. Li's research in BIDMC focuses on using the MPL/lpr lupus mice model to understand the role of double- negative T-cells in the pathogenesis of lupus.

Lama Mulki, MD

Dr. Mulki received her medical degree from University of Damascus Faculty of Medicine. She then spent time in basic science as well as clinical research at the Angiogenesis Laboratory of Harvard Medical School followed by the Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation (Boston MA). She completed her medical residency at Metrowest Medical Center and St. Elizabeth Medical Center (Boston MA) in 2016 and has since been a member of our division as a Clinical Fellow in Rheumatology. Her current research project aims to identify biomarkers for increased risk of infections in lupus patients. Outside of work, Dr. Mulki enjoys skiing, biking as well as sightseeing.