2024 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: Master’s Research Category
Melanie Delgado '24 Melanie Delgado is a May 2024 master’s candidate in the Master of Science in Medical Science (MAMS) program. She matriculated into the MAMS program in Fall 2022. Melanie works for Michael Levy, MD, PhD, the director of the Neuroimmunology Clinic and Research Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. There, she oversees a clinical trial investigating a new drug in the treatment of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. As part of her master’s thesis, Melanie also developed a cross-sectional study to better understand the use, dosing and adverse effects of medical marijuana in the symptom management of rare neuroimmune diseases. Melanie will soon... More
2024 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: Master’s Community Service Category
Gwendolyn Strickland '24 Gwendolyn Strickland is a master’s candidate in the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program. She matriculated into Boston University in Fall 2022 to pursue a dual MS/Master of Public Health degree at GMS and the School of Public Health (SPH). Gwendolyn worked with the Boston Medical Center (BMC) Refugee Women’s Health Clinic to implement a group care model focused on case management services for recently arrived pregnant patients from Haiti. The project began as her SPH practicum. Gwendolyn hopes to take what she’s learned from this community service project and apply it to the field of genetic... More
2024 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: PhD Research Category
Anna Smith '24 Anna Smith is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Program in Molecular and Translational Medicine (MTM). She has been at Boston University for almost five years, having matriculated into the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences in Fall 2019. Anna is completing her dissertation research in the lab of Associate Professor of Medicine Valerie Gouon-Evans, PhD, PharmD. Dr. Gouon-Evans directs the Boston University Liver Biologists (BULB) Program and is the associate director of the MTM program. Anna’s research focuses on finding alternatives to liver transplantation that transplant healthy liver cells instead of an entire organ. She defended her dissertation, “Human... More
2024 Outstanding Student Achievement Award: PhD Community Service Category
Katharine Babcock, PhD, '24 Katharine Babcock is a January 2024 graduate of the PhD program in Anatomy & Neurobiology. She has been at Boston University for almost 10 years. From September 2014 to September 2016, she worked as a research assistant at the BU Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center Brain Bank, before pursuing her master’s degree in the same lab until 2018. From 2018 to 2023, Katharine pursued her PhD, graduating in January 2024. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at the CTE Center, working to publish two of her thesis chapters. Katharine's community service project, “BUtiful Brains,” won her the... More
GMS PhD Spotlight: Guillermo Arroyo Ataz
Guillermo Arroyo Ataz is a Pathology PhD candidate in the lab of Assistant Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Dennis Jones, PhD. His research focuses on studying the developmental origin of cells of the lymphatic system. Guillermo defended his dissertation, “Characterization of Mesodermal Origins of Lymphatic Muscle Cells,” in March 2024 and will graduate in May 2024. Read more about Guillermo below! What did you complete your dissertation research on and how did you settle on that topic? My dissertation research is mainly focused on elucidating the developmental origin of cells of the lymphatic system. This involves looking at the processes that... More
MISO Hosts Caribbean Reggae Workout and Celebration of Culture
The GMS Minority & International Scientists Organization (MISO) hosted an energetic Caribbean Reggae Workout and celebration of culture in Hiebert Lounge on Thursday, April 25. Following the workout portion of the afternoon, MISO President Amaya Lewis led a Caribbean Island Flags trivia and shared a brief history of the region. Attendees were also provided with snacks and beverages throughout the event. The event was beginner friendly and a great way to take a break from studying during finals season. Check out a slideshow from the event!
GMS & C3 Host Spring 2024 End-of-Semester Social
On April 25, Graduate Medical Sciences and the Community Catalyst Center (C3) hosted their annual End-of-Semester Social to celebrate the final days of the Spring 2024 term. The event was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Talbot Green, where a chilly morning made way for a warm and sunny afternoon just in time for the event. The event drew around 200 students, faculty and staff from a variety of GMS programs. Attendees enjoyed several types of sandwiches, salads and chips, as well as lawn games scattered across the green. Tables set up on the grass allowed students, faculty and staff... More
GMS PhD Spotlight: Chelsea Webber
Chelsea Webber is a degree candidate in the GMS PhD Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology. Her dissertation research in the lab of Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD, focused on ways to decrease the overactivation of immune response in neurodegenerative diseases. Chelsea defended her dissertation in March 2024 and will graduate in May 2024. Read more about Chelsea below! What did you complete your dissertation research on and how did you settle on that topic? In neurodegenerative diseases, there is an increase in immune responsiveness. My dissertation research focused on ways to decrease this overactivation. One of my research projects... More
GMS Master’s Spotlight: Elena Redmond (BMFS ’24)
Elena Redmond is a May 2024 degree candidate in the Biomedical Forensic Sciences (BMFS) master’s program. Her thesis research used a high-pressure mass spectrometer to create a library for detecting organic gunshot residue. Aside from her studies, Elena has spent almost two years working as an intern with the GMS Marketing & Communications team, where she took ownership over updating the web calendar, helping with Spotlight articles and assembling the bi-weekly GMS Press newsletter. Congratulations, Elena! We'll miss you! Tell me a bit about your journey to Boston. Are you from the area? I’m originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. I've lived there practically my whole... More
GMS PhD Spotlight: Katie Babcock
Katie Babcock, PhD, is a January 2024 graduate of the PhD program in Anatomy & Neurobiology. Her dissertation research under Professor of Neurology & Pathology Ann McKee at the BU Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center focused on changes in astrocytes in the brains of deceased former American football players. Katharine defended her dissertation in November 2023. Read more about Katie below! What did you complete your dissertation research on and how did you settle on that topic? My research focused on how a particular type of brain cells, called astrocytes, changes in the brains of deceased former American football players. I moved... More