Graduate Student Research Forum Displays a Broad Field of Research
The Graduate Student Association in the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (GSBMS) hosted the 31st Annual Graduate Student Research Forum (GSRF) on March 19.
It was a day of great success as evidenced by the quality and depth of the student presentations and a keynote speech by renowned neuroscientist Marina Picciotto, Ph.D. Dr. Picciotto, the Charles B. G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and professor of neuroscience and of pharmacology in the Child Study Center, deputy chair for basic science research in the Department of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Kavli Institute for Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine, presented "Cholinergic Control of Circuits Underlying Behaviors Related to Anxiety and Depression.”
The day’s events were moderated by Robert K. Suriano, Ph.D. ’07, assistant professor of biology at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, who returned to campus to serve as master of ceremonies. Dr. Suriano, himself was a winner of a GSRF when he was a student in the GSBMS.
This year’s forum honored Francis L. Belloni, Ph.D., professor of physiology and former dean of the GSBMS, with an Outstanding Service Award and Kenneth M. Lerea, Ph.D., associate professor of cell biology and anatomy and director of the basic medical sciences master’s program, with the 2019 Honored Faculty Award.
“The Graduate Student Research Forum is an opportunity to put the classroom aside for a moment and focus on the wide-ranging novel research of our fellow peers, faculty and mentors. I think this year’s event really encapsulated that and it was truly an enlightening day, from the presentations to the key note speaker,” said Marianna Jolly, chair of the GSRF.
“The Graduate Student Research Forum was a true community event for the Graduate School. It was a great opportunity for our faculty and students to come together and enjoy the results of many months and years of painstaking research, and to celebrate outstanding student presenters and dedicated faculty mentors,” said Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., dean of the GSBMS.
31st Annual Graduate Student Forum Winners
Oral Presentations
First Place
Hannah Mulhall
Akkermansia Muciniphila as a Potential Modulator of Porphyromonas Gingivalis-Induced Inflammation
Mentor: Salomon Amar, D.D.S., Ph.D., vice president for research, professor of pharmacology and microbiology and immunology at New York Medical College (NYMC), provost for biomedical research and chief biomedical research officer for Touro College and University System, and professor of dental medicine at Touro College of Dental Medicine at NYMC
Second Place
Sanjukta Chakraborty
Immunotolerogenic Proteins as Potential Therapeutic Targets in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Mentor: Raj K. Tiwari, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Third Place
Kevin Agostinucci
Pharmacological Blockade of TBE 20-HETE Receptor Lowers Blood Pressure and Alters Vascular Remodeling in Mice with Smooth Muscle-Specific Overexpression of CYP-4A12-20-HETE Synthase
Mentor: Michal L. Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology
Senior Poster Presentations
First Place
Elizabeth A. Berry
The Impact of Chronic Morphine on the Electrical Properties of Orexin Neurons
Mentor: Christopher S. Leonard, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Physiology
Second Place
Alexander A. Moghadam
Pairing of Neonatal Phencyclidine and Adolescent Stress as a Model of Schizophrenia
Mentor: Patric K. Stanton, Ph.D., professor of cell biology and anatomy and neurology
Third Place (tie)
Corey Gaylets
A Novel Role of the Basal Complex in Cyst Production
Mentor: Dana G. Mordue, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology
Nancy Molina
Synaptic Regulation of Dorsal Raphe Neurons by Prefrontal Cortex in Narcoleptic Mice
Mentor: Christopher S. Leonard, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Physiology
Novice Poster Presentations
First Place (tie)
Juan A. Azcona
Novel Contribution of Myeloperoxidase-Derived Hypochlorous Acid to 20-HETE Production Post-Ischemia
Mentor: Austin M. Guo, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmacology
Chiso Nwokafor
Preclinical Findings on the Potential of Intranasal Neuropeptide Y for Treating Hyperarousal Features of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Mentor: Esther L. Sabban, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology
Second Place
Tara Jarboe
Profiling of Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound Berberine as Anti-Cancer Agent in Melanoma
Mentor: Raj K. Tiwari, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Third Place
Somaya NoorSaeed
Potential Universal Influenza A Viruses Diagnostic Capture Assay
Mentor: Doris J. Bucher, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology
