GRD Facts 

37th Annual Graduate Research Day

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AWARD WINNERS 

photo of Candee Barris

Candee Barris

  • FISHER PHI KAPPA PHI AWARD

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Vascular Biology

Presentation Title: Ovariectomy Does Not Further Elevate Blood Pressure in Obese Female Mice but Preserves the Contribution of Leptin to Hypertension

photo of Theresa Akoto

Theresa Akoto

  • JI CHENG MEMORIAL AWARD

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Cellular Biology and Anatomy

Presentation Title: Identifying the Target Genes of PPIP5K2 in Relation to Keratoconus

photo of Frederick Bonsack

Frederick Bonsack

  • Lowell M. Greenbaum Award for Excellence in Pharmacology Research

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Pharmacology 
Presentation Title: Genetic Depletion of 18-kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) Augments Acute Brain Damage After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Mice

photo of Edidiong Usoro

Edidiong Usoro

  • R. August Roesel Memorial Award
  • for Excellence in Biochemistry Research

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
Presentation Title: Understanding the Role of Hypoxic Cancer Cells dNTP Pool on DNA Damage Response and Resistance to Therapy

photo of Desmond Moronge

Desmond Moronge

  • Virendra B. Mahesh Award for Research Excellence in Endocrinology

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Physiology 
Presentation Title: Endothelial Cell Mineralocorticoid Receptor (ECMR) Deletion Improves Fetal Growth and Vascular Function in the RUPP Mouse Model of Preeclampsia

photo of Peter Naktin

Peter Naktin

  • Octavia Garlington Award of Instructional Design / Poster

Graduate Program: Master of Science with a major in Medical Illustration
Presentation Title: Patient Education Brochure: Managing Your Sleep Apnea with At-Home Testing

photo of Mercy Kehinde-Ige

Mercy Kehinde-Ige

  • Georgia Cancer Center Award for Excellence in Cancer Research

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
Presentation Title: Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing Analysis of Transcriptional Regulatory Networks and Metabolic Pathways in Genetically Modified Tumor-Specific CD4+ T Cells

photo of Malita Jones

Malita Jones

  • James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute Award for Excellence in Vision Research

Graduate Program: Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Biochemistry & Cancer Biology
Presentation Title: TIM3, a Novel Potential Regulator of Inflammation in Retina


EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH  AWARDS BY DISCIPLINE

photo of Shinjini Spaulding

Shinjini Spaulding

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Physiology

Presentation Title(s): Phospholipase D2 Loss Impairs Low Salt-Induced Increases in Steroidogenic Gene Expression with No Effect on Serum Aldosterone Levels

photo of Hunter Sellers

Hunter Sellers

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Vascular Biology

Presentation Title(s): An Adeno Associated Model of Murine Pre-Diabetic Obesity

photo of Khaled Bin Satter

Khaled Bin Satter

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Genomic Medicine

Presentation Title(s): COGS: A Gene Signature to Differentiate Chromophobe Renal Cancer and Oncocytoma

photo of Kristopher Mayes

Kristopher Mayes

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Neuroscience

Presentation Title(s): In Vivo Imaging Analysis of Neuronal Reprogramming in the Mouse Cortex

photo of Mohamed S. Hussein

Mohamed S. Hussein

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Molecular Medicine

Presentation Title(s): TCR-T Cells Engineered to Overexpress c-Jun Have Better Functionality With Improved Tumor Infiltration and Persistence for Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

photo of Harshit Singhania

Harshit Singhania

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Oral Biology & Maxillofacial Pathology

Presentation Title: EPS8 Regulates SOX2, Contributing to HNSCC Stemness

photo of William Smith, Ashlei Perkins, & Daniela Payne

William Smith, Ashlei Perkins, & Daniela Payne

  • Doctor of Education with a Major in Education Innovation

Presentation Title: Succeeding in Introductory STEM Courses at Community Colleges: STEM Instructors' Perceptions of Essential Skills and Barriers to Success

photo of Kailey Wyman

Kailey Wyman

  • Master of Science in Biomolecular Science

Presentation Title: Development of Potential Drug Candidates Against SARS-CoV-2 Using Molecular Hybridization Approach

photo of Frederick Baker

Frederick Baker

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Cell Biology & Anatomy

Presentation Title: Bicaudal-D Cargoes Differentially Regulate the Association of the Adaptor with Dynein

photo of Sam Parrish

Sam Parrish

  • Master of Health Science with a Major in Clinical Laboratory Science

Presentation Title: Investigating Biovariability of CBC Parameters

photo of Kendra Bufkin

Kendra Bufkin

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Applied Health Sciences

Presentation Title: Verification and Validation of a Biomarker that Responds to Acute Kidney Injury

photo of Katherine P. Richardson

Katherine P. Richardson

  • Master of Science with a major in Public Health

Presentation Title: Serum Levels of Clinical Markers Predicts Recovery from Severe COVID-19 Infection

photo of Bich Na Choi

Bich Na Choi

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Biostatistics

Presentation Title: Generalized Multivariate Bernoulli Distributions: Identification and Inference for SNP and SNP-SNP Interaction

photo of Amanda Howard

Amanda Howard

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Nursing

Presentation Title: Methodology and Challenges of an Ethnographic Study Describing Stroke Survivors’ Beliefs and Behaviors Returning Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic

photo of Neea Rusch

Neea Rusch

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Computer and Cyber Sciences

Presentation Title: Semantic-Preserving Optimization Algorithm for Automatic Program Parallelization

photo of Moaddey Alfarhan

Moaddey Alfarhan

  • UGA Clinical & Experimental Therapeutics Award

Presentation Title: Spermine Oxidase Inhibition Protects Against Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Damage in Retinal Excitotoxicity Model

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH 

photo of Caleb Padgett

Caleb Padgett

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Vascular Biology

Presentation Title(s): Galectin-3 Regulates Microvascular NADPH Oxidase I-Derived Oxidative Stress in Obesity

photo of Wendy Burnett

Wendy Burnett

  • Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Applied Health Sciences

Presentation Title: Characteristics of Nobel Prize-Winning Collaborations

photo of Adrianne Bogans, Joseph Workman & Michell Glover

Adrianne Bogans, Joseph Workman & Michell Glover

  • Doctor of Education with a Major in Education Innovation

Presentation Title: Leadership Processes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Leadership Preparation and Training

photo of Chelsea Paulding

Chelsea Paulding

  • Master of Science with a major in Public Health

Presentation Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Training and its Impact at Augusta University

photo of Bryaunna Barrera & Jasmine Crockett

Bryaunna Barrera & Jasmine Crockett

  • Master of Health Science with a Major in Clinical Laboratory Science

Presentation Title: Patellofemoral Pain and Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study for the Identification of "At-Risk" Females

photo of Emma Geister

Emma Geister

  • Master of Science in Biomolecular Science

Presentation Title: Twist1 Evokes Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 and Collagen IV Secretion in Activated Pancreatic Stellate Cells

 
 

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH BY POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

photo of Qiuhua Yang

Qiuhua Yang

  • 1st Place Poster Presentation Winner

Department: Vascular Biology Center

Poster Title: Adenosine Receptor 2A Promotes Subretinal Fibrosis Formation

photo of Perenkita Mendiola

Perenkita Mendiola

  • 1st Place Oral Presentation Winner

Department: Department of Physiology

Presentation Title: In Vivo Vasculo-Neuronal Coupling in a Mouse Model of High Blood Pressure Variability

photo of Xiangqin He

Xiangqin He

  • 2nd Place Poster Presentation Winner

Department: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Poster Title: Our Data Suggest that Carmn is Indispensable for Maintaining Gastrointestinal Cont Smooth Muscle-Specific lncRNA Carmn Plays a Potential Role in Aortic Aneurysm

photo of John Henry Dasinger

John Henry Dasinger

  • 2nd Place Oral Presentation Winner

Department: Department of Physiology

Presentation Title: NOX2-Derived Reactive Oxygen Species Contribute to Impaired Renal Function and Increased Maternal Mortality Observed in Dahl SS Rat After Multiple Pregnancies

photo of Vamsi Krishna Kommalapati

Vamsi Krishna Kommalapati

  • 3rd Place Poster Presentation Winner

Department: Georgia Cancer Center

Poster Title: A Novel Breast Cancer Therapeutic Strategy Through Hsp90 Inhibition and Activation of the Immune System

photo of Qimei Han

Qimei Han

  • 3rd Place Oral Presentation Winner (3-way tie)

Department: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Presentation Title: Bmal1 Regulates the bHLH Transcription Factor Tal1 and VE-Cadherin to Restrict the Endothelial Barrier

photo of Shikha Yadav

Shikha Yadav

  • 3rd Place Oral Presentation Winner (3-way tie)

Department: Vascular Biology Center

Presentation Title: Macrophage Dynamin-Related Protein1 (Drp1) is Required for Ischemia-Induced Neovascularization

photo of Sheela Nagarkoti

Sheela Nagarkoti

  • 3rd Place Oral Presentation Winner (3-way tie)

Department: Vascular Biology Center

Presentation Title: Protein Disulfide Isomerase A1 Functions as a Novel Redox Sensor in VEGFR2 Signaling and Angiogenesis

2022 GRD Award Group 1 2022 GRD Award Group 2