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
Introducing Our 2024 Commencement Speakers!
We’re about five weeks away from Spring 2024 Commencement, where the Graduate Medical Sciences community will come together to celebrate this year’s graduating students. With the date fast approaching, we’d like to take a moment to highlight the four students selected to speak at this year’s GMS Commencement exercises. Three students were chosen to speak at the Master’s Ceremony, and one student was chosen to represent GMS at the MD & PhD Ceremony. All speakers were nominated by their programs, and finalists were selected by a committee of GMS representatives. Meet each speaker below: ARIS DESAI Master of Science in Anatomy & Neurobiology – Vesalius... More
GMS Celebrates Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week with 5 Days of Events
Graduate Medical Sciences Student Affairs and the Community Catalyst Center celebrated our students during 2024 Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week (GPSAW), celebrated from April 1 to 5. Throughout the week, we hosted a variety of events that brought students together for community building, social interaction, academic enrichment, wellness, and professional development. Read our full GPSAW week recap below: Monday, April 1: Mindful Movement Yoga with Student Health Services GPSAW week kicked off with a well-deserved self-care break in Hiebert Lounge from noon to 1 p.m. Melissa Paz, assistant director of health promotion for Student Health Services, joined us to lead a Mindful Movement Yoga Session. More
GMS PhD Spotlight: Gian Sepulveda
Gian Sepulveda is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Program in Genetics & Genomics (GPGG). His research in the lab of Associate Professor of Biochemistry & Cell Biology Alla Grishok focuses on the interaction between the sole H3K79 methyltransferase, DOT1L, and the proto-oncogene c-MYC. He is also a Community Catalyst Center mentor in the gPLUS and gGLOBAL affinity groups. Gian defended his dissertation in March 2024 and will graduate in May 2024. Read more about Gian below! What did you complete your dissertation research on and how did you settle on that topic? My dissertation focuses on the interaction between the sole... More