USC Keck School of Medicine · Class of 2027

Sean L.S.
Lee

李洛生
M.D. Candidate

Medical student, clinical researcher, and builder. Interest in Gastroenterology and Pulmonary & Critical Care and building tools that make medicine smarter.

English Cantonese Mandarin Spanish
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Sean Lee
About

Who I Am

I'm a fourth-year medical student at USC Keck School of Medicine with deep interests in Gastroenterology and Pulmonary & Critical Care. I'm drawn to the diagnostic complexity of medicine — where clinical judgment, data, and probability intersect.

I've contributed to research across five departments, from leading my own retrospective study on pneumonia imaging escalation to multi-center work on cirrhosis phenotyping and liver transplant outcomes.

Outside clinical training I build tools — an antibiotic stewardship reference, a clinical scoring calculator, and an AI documentation assistant. If I see a workflow that can be improved, I build something.

Before medical school I spent two years in oncology wet-lab research at USC Mann School of Pharmacy, and a year as a patient liaison at Garfield Medical Center providing medical interpretation in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Keck School of Medicine, USC
Doctor of Medicine
Expected May 2027
University of Southern California
B.S. Human Biology · Healthcare Studies Minor
2019 – 2022
9
Research Projects
3
Publications
4
Languages
2027
Expected MD
Publications

Research Output

1
Machine learning–derived clinical phenotypes of ascites in cirrhosis: A multi-center latent class analysis with external validation In Revision
Cullaro G, Lai JC, Liu T, Gomez ME, Simonetto DA, Lee BP, Lee S, Allegretti AS, Mazumder NR, Patidar KR, Verna EC.
Journal of Hepatology · 2026
Background Ascites development in cirrhosis reduces five-year survival from 80% to 30%, yet substantial heterogeneity exists among patients with comparable ascites severity.
Methods Multicenter retrospective cohort of adult liver transplant candidates with ascites at four US centers (2015–2024). Latent class analysis used seven clinical variables. Derivation cohort (n=625) from UCSF and Columbia; external validation at USC (n=59) and Mayo Clinic (n=93). Primary outcomes: AKI and waitlist mortality over 365 days.
Results Three phenotypes emerged: "CKD-Metabolic" (30.4%), "Vasodilatory-Synthetic Dysfunction" (38.9%), and "PVT-Intermediate" (30.7%). Vasodilatory-Synthetic Dysfunction showed markedly increased AKI risk vs. CKD-Metabolic in both derivation (HR 2.95, 95% CI 2.07–4.22) and validation cohorts (HR 3.39, 95% CI 1.93–5.94). Phenotypes demonstrated robust classification across validation sites (mean posterior probability 0.823–0.855).
Conclusions Three reproducible clinical phenotypes of ascites were identified with distinct risk profiles. The Vasodilatory-Synthetic Dysfunction phenotype was associated with a 3-fold increased AKI risk persisting after MELD 3.0 adjustment — with no differences in waitlist mortality, likely reflecting effective MELD-based transplant allocation.
2
Implementation of a standardized protocol for EndoFLIP utilization alters hiatus closure intraoperatively: A proof-of-concept study In Preparation
Elshafei M, Pouwels S, Putnam L, Munoz X, Eini JI, Lee S, Lipham JC, Houghton C.
2026
Introduction EndoFLIP™ is a catheter-based device measuring esophageal characteristics used in diagnosing disorders like achalasia. This proof-of-concept study assesses whether a standardized EndoFLIP™ protocol alters hiatal closure procedures during hiatal hernia repair with fundoplication.
Methods Initial cruroplasty was performed by endoscopic visualization during robotic hiatal hernia repair. EndoFLIP measured distensibility index (DI), minimum diameter, and balloon pressure at three timepoints. Cruroplasty was modified as needed to achieve a goal DI range of 2.5–3.7 mm²/mmHg.
Results 40 patients underwent the procedure using the standardized protocol. DI decreased from 6.37 ± 3.35 to 2.22 ± 0.46 mm²/mmHg at final measurement. After initial crural closure, 11 of 40 patients (27.5%) had their cruroplasty modified based on EndoFLIP measurements — including sutures added, removed, or repositioned.
Conclusion A standardized intraoperative EndoFLIP protocol may alter crural closure technique even in experienced hands, providing a more tailored approach versus visualization alone. Integration of such protocols may improve postoperative outcomes of robotic fundoplication over time.
3
Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung Ultrasound for Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis In Preparation
Meremikwu K, Lee S, Tang B, Wilson ML, Killu K.
2026
Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) for pneumonia in adult ICU patients compared to the standard of care.
Methods Electronic search of MEDLINE/PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar from inception through May 2026. Included adult patients admitted to the ICU with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) or hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP). LUS findings were compared to standard of care (CXR, CT chest, laboratory/culture data, biomarkers, or clinical diagnosis). Cochrane collaboration tool was used for bias assessment.
Results 2,704 articles identified; 6 studies included with 518 total patients (275 diagnosed with pneumonia by standard of care). Mean age 63.9 years; 71.2% male. Pooled sensitivity 0.95 (95% CI: 0.88–0.98, p<0.01) and specificity 0.71 (95% CI: 0.60–0.80, p<0.01). Heterogeneity was moderate for both sensitivity (I²=32.68) and specificity (I²=13.17).
Conclusions LUS demonstrates high sensitivity and moderate specificity for pneumonia diagnosis in the ICU compared to standard of care. Larger cohort studies and optimized protocols are needed to further define LUS utility in ICU pneumonia management.
Research

Clinical Research Experience

General Surgery
GLS / MIS
Dr. John Lipham, Dr. Luke Putnam · USC Keck
Comparative Pathologic Outcomes of FLOT vs CROSS Neoadjuvant Therapy for Resectable Esophageal Cancer: A Single-Institution Retrospective Series
  • Retrospective review of 28 patients with esophageal or GEJ cancer treated with FLOT (± immunotherapy) or CROSS (2023–2025), comparing operative completion, pathologic complete response, nodal sterilization, and adverse pathologic features between regimens.
  • FLOT achieved 100% operative completion vs 76.5% for CROSS; aborted/metastatic cases occurred exclusively in the CROSS cohort (23.5%). pCR rates were comparable (18.2% vs 15.4%), while CROSS showed higher nodal sterilization (ypN0 61.5% vs 36.4%) and FLOT showed higher residual LVI/PNI (54.5% vs 23.1%).
Intraoperative and Postoperative Gastric Conduit Tissue Oxygenation and Anastomotic Outcomes Following Esophagectomy
  • Prospective study evaluating the association between continuous intraoperative and early postoperative gastric conduit tissue oxygenation — measured via ViOptix near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) — and anastomotic outcomes following esophagectomy.
  • Addresses a critical gap in perfusion assessment: while ICGFA provides snapshot evaluation, NIRS enables continuous, quantitative rSO₂ monitoring at the anastomotic site to better predict anastomotic leak and postoperative stricture risk.
Implementation of a Standardized Protocol for EndoFLIP Utilization Alters Hiatus Closure Intraoperatively: A Proof-of-Concept Study
  • Conducted retrospective chart review and data collection evaluating intraoperative EndoFLIP utilization during antireflux surgery and its impact on real-time surgical decision-making and adjustment.
  • Prepared results section and contributed to full manuscript development examining whether EndoFLIP-guided intraoperative measurements reduce postoperative reflux and dysphagia outcomes.
In Preparation
Impact of Intraoperative PRP Injection on Outcomes Following Hiatal Hernia Repair
  • Conducted retrospective chart review and data collection for a study evaluating the impact of intraoperative platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection on postoperative outcomes following hiatal hernia repair.
Jan 2026 – Present
Pulmonary &
Critical Care
Dr. Keith Killu · USC Keck
Project Lead
Prediction of Early CT Escalation Following Initial Chest Radiography in Suspected Pneumonia
  • Conceived and designed an independent retrospective study examining clinical and laboratory predictors of imaging escalation from chest X-ray to CT in hospitalized pneumonia patients, with the goal of developing evidence-based criteria to guide resource-appropriate workup.
  • Formulated study hypothesis, defined patient cohort inclusion/exclusion criteria, selected candidate clinical variables, and prepared IRB submission materials.
  • Lead all phases of the project including data collection, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation for peer-reviewed publication.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung Ultrasound for Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  • Conducted comprehensive systematic literature review and study screening for a meta-analysis comparing diagnostic accuracy of point-of-care ultrasound versus CT for pneumonia, identifying and evaluating studies across multiple databases.
  • Extracted and synthesized quantitative data across included studies, assessing methodological quality and pooling effect estimates for analysis.
  • Contributing to manuscript drafting and preparation for peer-reviewed submission.
In Preparation
Nov 2025 – Present
Transplant
Hepatology
Dr. Brian Lee, Dr. Giuseppe Cullaro · USC Keck
Cystatin C–Based MELD Scoring for Post-Transplant Outcome Prediction
  • Performed detailed chart review and longitudinal data extraction for 150+ liver transplant patients spanning pre-listing through post-transplant outcomes, requiring individualized manual review of complex transplant records.
  • Contributed to a study evaluating Cystatin C–based MELD scoring as a refinement to standard prognostic indices for improving post-transplant outcome prediction.
Machine Learning–Derived Clinical Phenotypes of Ascites in Cirrhosis: A Multi-Center Latent Class Analysis with External Validation
  • Performed chart review and data extraction for a multi-center study identifying clinical predictors of cirrhosis and ascites phenotypes, contributing to a dataset spanning multiple institutions.
  • Contributed to manuscript development and review examining phenotype-based risk stratification in cirrhosis — currently under revision for peer-reviewed publication.
In Revision
Sept 2024 – Present
Emergency
Medicine
Dr. Alexander Sapin · USC Keck
Automated Flagging System for ED Patients at Risk for Prolonged Length of Stay
  • Contributed to a quality improvement initiative aimed at developing an automated flagging system to identify ED patients at risk for prolonged length of stay (LOS >21 days) to facilitate early disposition planning.
  • Performed data collection and analysis of admission diagnostic codes for patients meeting LOS threshold, forming the evidential basis for future flag criteria development.
Apr 2026 – Present
Oncology
Research
Dr. Yong (Tiger) Zhang · USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy
Smart-Exosome Anticancer Drug Delivery Research
  • Conducted weekly literature reviews screening 200+ papers to identify novel antibody candidates for smart-exosome-based anticancer drug delivery research.
  • Performed protein and DNA purification, cell culture maintenance, and preparation of Antibody-Drug Conjugate specimens in support of CD36-targeted cancer antibody studies.
Jun 2020 – Jun 2022
Projects

Tools I've Built

RoundHelper
Live on the App Store
Cross-platform mobile app (iOS/Android) in React Native to reduce cognitive load during clinical rotations, featuring patient task tracking, clinical timers, and shift signout checklists. No patient data stored.
React Native iOS · Android
Published 2026
Antibiotic Stewardship Tool
Publicly deployed web-based prescribing reference covering 30+ infection types across 9 organ systems, with dynamic adjustments for penicillin allergy and MRSA risk. Delivers setting-appropriate regimens (outpatient/floor/ICU) aligned with current IDSA/ASHP guidelines in 3 clicks.
Launch Tool ↗ GitHub →
Internal Medicine Scoring Calculator
Mobile-optimized, offline-capable web calculator consolidating 15 validated scoring tools (HEART, CURB-65, MELD-Na, Wells PE/DVT, SOFA, APACHE II, and others) with real-time interpretation and evidence-based clinical guidance.
Launch Tool ↗ GitHub →
AI Clinical Documentation Tool
HIPAA-compliant web tool using keyword recognition and speech dictation to generate structured clinical notes, standardizing documentation output across encounter types without retaining patient data.
GitHub →
Leadership & Volunteering

Beyond the Clinic

Student Affairs Representative
USC Keck Office of Student Affairs
Served as primary liaison between student body and institutional administration, advocating for housing equity, facility enhancements, and mental health resource accessibility.
Aug 2023 – Aug 2025
Vice President
Gastroenterology Student Interest Group · USC Keck
Coordinated faculty and clinical speakers for lunch talk series. Led outreach connecting students with research-active faculty across subspecialties.
Aug 2023 – Dec 2024
Patient Liaison & Project Manager
AHMC Garfield Medical Center
Provided real-time medical interpretation in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English. Analyzed HCAHPS, Leapfrog, and ED-Throughput metrics across a 9-hospital system.
May 2022 – May 2023
President & Events Director
USC Photography Club
Led executive team of 15 organizing events for 2,000+ members including multi-day retreats and workshops.
Aug 2020 – Aug 2023
Emergency Medicine Shadowing & Volunteer
Alhambra Hospital · Alhambra, CA
Observed clinical decision-making in high-acuity emergency settings across diverse patient populations, and assisted nursing staff with patient care, vitals, and unit operations.
Jul 2020 – Dec 2022
Tutor Volunteer
Connect Tech Network · San Francisco, CA
Taught digital literacy (Zoom, Google tools) in Cantonese to elderly clients during COVID-19 to improve accessibility of remote services.
Jun 2020 – Jun 2021
Formative Experiences

Where It Began

Dmanisi Archaeological Field School
Field Researcher
Dmanisi, Georgia · Jun – Aug 2019
  • —Participated in active excavation at Dmanisi — one of the most significant Homo erectus fossil sites outside Africa — gaining hands-on exposure to paleoanthropological methods and human evolutionary history.
  • —Attended lectures on hominin morphology, species differentiation, and the anthropological significance of early human migration.
  • —Observed firsthand the burden of undertreated disease in rural Georgia — including cases of polio and other conditions rarely encountered in the U.S. — deepening my commitment to preventive medicine and global health equity.
"I went to excavate the origins of our species. I came back wanting to take care of them."
Dmanisi, Georgia · 2019
Certificates

Certifications & Awards

Quality Improvement Certificate
USC Keck School of Medicine · Completed formal training in QI methodology, including process improvement frameworks and patient safety principles applicable to clinical practice.
2026
Certificate of Merit Piano, Level 10 (Highest Level)
Music Teachers' Association of California · Achieved the highest level of the statewide classical piano assessment, demonstrating years of disciplined technical and musical development.
2018
Languages & Interests

Background & Pursuits

Languages

EnglishNative
CantoneseConversational
MandarinClinical Proficiency
SpanishClinical Proficiency

Interests

Piano Weightlifting Cycling Running Photography Building Tools Web Development
Contact

Get in Touch

Whether you're a fellow researcher, clinician, or student — feel free to reach out. Open to discussing research, collaborations, or just connecting.

Send an Email
Email[email protected] LinkedInSean Lee Instagram@sone_zc Websiteseanleels.com