January 16, 2015

Medical student research symposium attracts record number of submissions

Wayne State University School of Medicine students showcased their research with 74 poster and oral presentations at the annual Medical Student Research Symposium, held Jan. 8-9 in Scott Hall and the Margherio Family Conference Center.

This year's event had more submissions than any previous year.

"It was a great day and the students really had a good time. The place was packed both days," said Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology Dennis Goebel Sr., Ph.D., who judged the entries and co-organized the event with Professor of Physiology Noreen Rossi, M.D. Drs. Goebel and Rossi also coordinate the Summer Medical Student Research Fellowship Program.

"Both programs are growing in popularity as well as attendance," Dr. Goebel said.

The annual symposium gives students an opportunity to discuss and deliberate research and accompanying results with fellow students and faculty. It also strengthens the message that clinicians can also have fulfilling research careers, he said.

"You catch a couple who really take off with that. They get hooked on research. They realize, 'Maybe I can do both,'" he said.

All WSU medical students were eligible to submit abstracts on a research project to which they made a significant contribution in their undergraduate or graduate years. The awards were announced Jan. 9, and winners also will be recognized at the Medical Student Recognition Program on April 15.

2015 Medical Student Research Symposium Awardees:

Sandberg Award

Rebeca Kelly (Advisor: Keith Kaye), "Epidemiology of Community-onset resistant Gram-negative Bacilli"

Basic Science Oral Presentations

1. Andrej Nedic (Advisor: Melanie Urbanchek), "Multiple RPNis Produce Independent Signaling During Voluntary Use"

2. Steve Halter (Advisor: Mike Bannon), "Dopamine-cell Specific Expression of Long Non-coding RNAs in the Ventral Midbrain"

3. Mathew Ashbrook (Advisor: Neal Blatt), "Citrate Modulates Epigenetic Regulation of Monocyte Pro-inflammatory Responses"

Clinical Studies Oral Presentations

1. Chuan-Xing Ho and Joy Tang (Advisor: Joseph Miller), "Non-Invasive Testing for Volume Responsiveness"

2. Francis Tinney (Advisor: Emily Falk), "The Effects of Self-Affirmation on Neuronal Activity and Subsequent Behavior Change"

3. Nathan Wood (Advisor: Chad Brummett), "Characteristics of fibromyalgia Independently Predict Poorer Long-term Analgesic Outcomes Following Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty"

Basic Science Poster Presentations

1. Vincent Lizzio (Advisor: Olivia Merkel), "Constructing Paclitaxel-Encapsulated Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery to Ovarian Cancer"

2. Justin Gerard (Advisor: Shane Perrine), "PTSD-like Characteristics Develop to Severe, Multimodal Stress Exposure in a Mouse Single Prolonged Stress Model"

3. Yiqing Xu (Advisor: Liang Xu), "Nature's Double-Edged Sword: The Ominous Response to Cancer Stem Cells to Chemo/Radiotherapy"

Clinical Studies Poster Presentations

1. Rebeca Kelly (Advisor: Keith Kaye), "Epidemiology of Community-onset resistant Gram-negative Bacilli"

2. Lisa Daum (Advisor: Jinping Xu), "Prostate Cancer Knowledge and Quality of Treatment Decision for Localized Prostate Cancer Patients"

3. David Boyce (Advisor: Franzan Siddiqui), "Efficacy of Spine Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Multiple Myeloma Epidural Cord Compression: An Update of Clinical Results" 

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