The 2016 STAR program had 21 participants, each adding to the wonderful experience of the summer session.
HANNAH BRINKMAN
STAR Mentor: Larry Layman, MD
Program Affiliation: Molecular Medicine & Neuroscience
STAR Project: Role of microRNAs in Nelf Regulation of Migratory GnRH Neurons
EGIL BRUDVICK
STAR Mentor: Lin Mei, PhD
Program Affiliation: Molecular Medicine & Neuroscience
STAR Project: Postnatal Termination of GABA Transmission INcreases the Formation of Perineuronal Nets on Parva; bumin Interneurons
ALISON BURRELL
STAR Mentor: David Fulton, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology
STAR Project: Implementing CRISPR/Cas9 to Generate Knockout Cell Lines to Analyze Target Genes Upregulated in Pulmonary Hypertension
KWANG JIN CHUNG
University: University of Buffalo
STAR Mentor: Anatolij Horuzsko, PhD, MD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: Functions of TREM - 1 in Tumor Cells
RAHIM HIRANI
STAR Mentor: Bal Lokeshwar, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: The Regulatory role of B-Arrestin - 1 in Prostate Cancer Cell Proliferation
JUSTIN HUTCHINSON
STAR Mentor: Jennifer Sullivan, PhD
Program Affiliation: Physiology
STAR Project: The Temporal Effect of DOCA - salt Hypertension on Renal Tregs in Males and Females
CHARLOTEE KAESTNER
STAR Mentor: Akilkumar Pillai, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: The Role of IL-23 in the Development of ASD-like Phenotype in Mice
MOLLY LAWSON
STAR Mentor: Vinata Lokeshwar, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: Bladder Cancer Hyaluronidase Expression and Sensitivity to Chemotherapeutics
ATUL LODH
STAR Mentor: Jan Van Riggelen, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: The MYC Oncogene Controls DNMT3B Overexpression, which may be important for Tumor Proliferations in MYC-Driven T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL)
PEYTON MARSHALL
STAR Mentor: Meghan McGee-Lawrence, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology & Anatomy
STAR Project: Pharmacological Modulation of Osteocyte Plasma Membrane Disruption (PMD) Repair Affects Cell Survival
MELODY MORWITZER
STAR Mentor: Eric Belin de Chantemele, PhD
Program Affiliation: Physiology
STAR Project: Hypertension and Sex Specificity: Leptin Increases Salt Sensitivity in Female Mice
ROHIT MUNGALA
STAR Mentor: Patricia Schoenlein, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology & Anatomy
STAR Project: Apparent Prosurvival Role For pJNK in Eralpha+ Breast Cancer Cells
HARRY OWEN
STAR Mentor: Esteban Celis, PhD, MD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: Investigating Mechanisms Behing Vaccine Adjuvants for Anti-Tumor Treatments
Tiffany Robinson
STAR Mentor: Hasan Korkaya, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: Effects of Trsquinimod on S100A9 in Breast Cancer Metastasis
Denerick Simpson
STAR Mentor: Chris Cutler, PhD
Program Affiliation: Oral Biology
STAR Project: Oral Microbiome Analysis: Murine Model of Periodontal Disease
Margaret Steward
STAR Mentor: Almria Vazdarjanova, PhD
Program Affiliation: Pharmacology
STAR Project: Experience-Driven Modification of Ongoing Immediate-Early Gene Transcription
Yuxiao Tan
STAR Mentor: Jin-Xiong She, PhD
Program Affiliation: Genomic Medicine
STAR Project: Knockdown of GeneLC7A11 in OVCAR8 Cells Increases Susceptibility of Cells to Anti-Cancer Drugs
Elizabeth Urbanski
STAR Mentor: Graydon Gonsalvez, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology & Anatomy
STAR Project: Examining the Role of FAM109 in an Undiagnosed Disease
Jenice Watson
STAR Mentor: Betty Pace, MD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
STAR Project: The Effect of Salubrinal on eIL2α-ATF4 Phosphorylation Rates Correlating with Fetal Hemoglobin Induction
Nicholas Weinand
STAR Mentor: Zsolt Bagi, PhD, MD
Program Affiliation: Vascular Biology
STAR Project: Does Adenosine Kinase Link Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction to HFpEF