The 2019 STAR program had 18 participants, each adding to the wonderful experience of the summer session.
The participation of outstanding, enthusiastic and talented students in this group combined with the dedication of the STAR mentors, STAR committee members, workshop leaders, and participants, made this summer's program another outstanding success!
Hands-on biomedical research is the foundation of the program and the STAR mentors worked hard to immerse their STAR student in the "real world" of biomedical research and at the same time make it understandable to undergraduates in nine short weeks! It is amazing, the work that all of the STARs accomplished, the techniques they mastered and the science they learned. We were all very proud of these STARs as they presented their work during the STAR Poster Session.
In addition to working in the laboratory, the STARs attended workshops where they were exposed to the broad spectrum of research at Augusta University. These STARs routinely commented on how the workshops have opened their eyes to possibilities in biomedical research that they were previously unaware of... and now are excited about! The STAR experience has given them new insights into Augusta University, biomedical research and future educational and career options available to them.
NADA AHMED SELIM
STAR Mentor: Guangyu Wu, PhD
Program Affiliation: Pharmacology
STAR Research Project:
Gβγ Translocation to the Golgi Mediates MAPK Activation in Prostate Cancer Cells
ANUSH ARYAL
STAR Mentor: Yutao Liu, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology and Anatomy
STAR Research Project:
Functional Characterization of rs373951075 Variant using Primary Human Corneal Epithelial
Cells
MICHAEL ATWATER
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology
STAR Research Project:
Comparison of 2nd Generation CAR-T Cell Effector Function on Hepatocellular Carcinoma
CARSON BRACKETT
STAR Mentor: Gang Zhou, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology
STAR Research Project:
Determining the Source of Immunosuppressive Prostaglandin E₂ in the Tumor Microenvironment
AMY CHANNELL
Program Affiliation: Physiology
STAR Research Project:
Are Your Blood Vessels Aging with You? VEGF maintains Angiogenesis in Aged Mice
Sa In "Shine" Chin
STAR Mentor: Alvin Terry, PhD
Program Affiliation: Pharmacology, Neuroscience
STAR Research Project:
Deficits in Hippocampal-dependent Learning are related to Sarcopenia-like Effects
in Aged C57 mice
Dominique Cook
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology and Anatomy
STAR Research Project:
Egalitarian Plays a Role in Anchoring Microtubule Minus End to the Cortex
Rachael Cundey
STAR Mentor: Xin-Yun Lu, PhD
Program Affiliation: Neuroscience
STAR Research Project:
The Muscle-Adipose-Brain Axis in the Beneficial Effects of Exercise
Gilbert Giri
STAR Mentor: Ashok Sharma, PhD
Program Affiliation: Genomic Medicine
STAR Research Project:
DNA Methylation Biomarkers Correlated with Metastasis and Survival of Uveal Melanoma
Carol Joseph
STAR Mentor: Patricia Schoenlein, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology and Anatomy
STAR Research Project:
Targeting JNK1/2/Jun Enhances the Efficacy of Antiestrogen Treatment of Breast Cancer
Riley Kendall
STAR Mentor: Meghan McGee-Lawrence, PhD
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology and Anatomy
STAR Research Project:
The Role of the Hdac3 Co-Repressor Complex in Regulating Bone Glucocorticoid Signaling
Shivani Kumaresan
Program Affiliation: Cellular Biology and Anatomy
STAR Research Project:
The Role of microRNA-144 on the Formation of Amyloid-Beta in Human Retinal Pigment
Epithelial Cells
Abigail "Abby" McNamee
STAR Mentor: Darren Browning, PhD
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology
STAR Research Project:
The Effect of Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors on cGMP-Signaling and the Proliferation
of Colon Cancer Cell In Vitro
Shraddha Neupane
STAR Mentor: Shruti Sharma, PhD
Program Affiliation: Genomic Medicine
STAR Research Project:
Role of IL-6 Trans-signaling on Angiopoietin-Tie2 Pathway in Retinal Endothelial Cell
and Pericytes
Jessica Perciaccante
STAR Mentor: Larry Layman, MD
Program Affiliation: Molecular Medicine
STAR Research Project:
Identifying Likely Pathogenic Variants in ESR1 and PGR by Sanger Sequencing in Patients with Unexplained Infertility
Margaret Roach
STAR Mentor: Almira Vazdarjanova, PhD
Program Affiliation: Neuroscience
STAR Research Project:
Functional Sex Differences in the Rodent Hippocampus After Emotional Trauma
Haydn Turner
Program Affiliation: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology
STAR Research Project:
Development of a Transparent Transgenic Zebrafish Modeling System To Study Microglia
Function
Genevieve Wimsatt
STAR Mentor: Greg Harshfield, PhD
Program Affiliation: Physiology , Vascular Biology
STAR Research Project:
The Effects of Cell Phone and Internet Dependence of Blood Pressure
