GMS Summer Interns Win Awards at ABRCMS
Two students in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS) 2011 Summer Undergraduate Research Program have received awards at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS). Approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students, program directors and faculty from across the United States attended the national conference, which was held in St. Louis, Nov. 9-12.
Chinaemere Igweibuke, a junior at the University of Virgin Islands, won best oral presentation in the Developmental Biology and Genetics Section. He spoke about Mitofusin-2 Protects Renal Epithelial Cells Under Stress. Chino’s summer faculty mentors were Steven Borkan, MD, associate professor of medicine, BUSM and Ramon Bonegio, MD, assistant professor medicine, BUSM. In addition, Jonathan M. Gall (Yoni), a MD-PhD student in Dr. Borkan’s renal research group, actively supported Chino’s independent summer research project.
Rachael Opoku, a senior at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, won a certificate of achievement for her poster in the Developmental Biology and Genetics section. Her poster was titled Robo2 Pax2 play Distinct Roles in the Pathogenesis of Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract in Mice. ABRCMS was Rachel’s first professional conference and she was thrilled to be there to present her poster despite the pressure of being questioned by three judges.
Rachel’s summer faculty mentor was BUSM Department of Medicine Assistant Professor Weining Lu, MD. In addition, Hila Milo Rasouly, a PhD student in Dr. Lu’s lab served as a positive, inspiring role model for Rachel during her internship.
The ABRCMS conference is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue advanced training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, and to provide faculty mentors and advisors with resources for facilitating student’s success.
The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences’ Summer Undergraduate Research Program provides a mentored internship for underrepresented students who are academically talented and particularly interested in pursuing graduate education in the biomedical sciences. The program was started in 2010 by, Associate Provost, Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, Linda Hyman, PhD. As part of the Program, participants present their independent research project at a summer research symposium at BUSM. Students are encouraged to go to professional conferences such as ABRCMS to continue to develop professional skills.