May 2011

Fourteen College of Medicine students have received $2,500 Summer Research Fellowships and will be working this summer on projects ranging from teen pregnancy to arterial walls.

Every year, the Division of Research invites medical students to talk to a faculty member whose research interests them and to submit a proposal. The students who receive the fellowships are expected to display the fruits of their research on a poster in the next year’s Research Fair.

Brandon Cook (Class of 2013), pictured here, spent part of last summer learning in the lab of Jacob VanLandingham, Ph.D., assistant in medicine in Biomedical Sciences.

“This was an amazing experience,” Cook wrote afterward. “I have always been skeptical of research and have tried to avoid it, but I actually enjoyed doing it and miss it. It was undoubtedly the best way to spend my last summer break.”

Most of this year’s research fellowships went to first-year students, but the second-, third- and fourth-years also are represented. Here are their names, followed by their projects and faculty mentors:

• Natalie Ciomek (Class of 2011) – Analysis of gene expression and microRNA profiles in ovarian cancer cells and xenograph tumors: Implications in aggressive tumor phenotype (Sarfraz Ahmad, Ph.D., and Susan Ingersoll, Ph.D., Orlando clerkship faculty).

• Charles Clark (Class of 2014) – Influence of endothelial nitric oxide production on arterial wall stiffness (Mike Overton, Ph.D.).

• Alrick Drummond (Class of 2014) – Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement for underserved opioid users with comorbid chronic pain and mood symptoms (Eric Garland, Ph.D., FSU College of Social Work).

• Rady Ho (Class of 2014) – Increased intracranial pressure responsible for morning headaches in those with obstructive sleep apnea, identified with optical coherence tomography (John Giannini, M.D.).

• Jake McKay (Class of 2014) – Whether estrogen treatment lowers expression of Huntington protein in brain (Charles Ouimet, Ph.D.).

• Gina Obmana (Class of 2012) – Recurrent teen pregnancy and how parental and partner support affects contraceptive compliance among multicultural adolescents in rural communities (Karimu Smith-Barron, M.D., and Maggie Blackburn, M.D.).

• Courtney Paradise (Class of 2014) – Melatonin and parturition: Circadian contribution to myometrial excitability in late-term pregnancy in humans (James Olcese, Ph.D.).

• James Pilkington (Class of 2014) – Whether implantation of a low-profile anterior cervical device to treat a degenerative condition of the cervical spine is associated with low rates of dysphagia (Charles Wingo, M.D., Tallahassee clerkship faculty).

• Hima Pius (Class of 2014) – Efficacy of NSAID, tolfenamic acid against nicotine-induced resistance in lung cancer therapy ((Riyaz Basha, Ph.D., Orland clerkship faculty).

• Michael Silverstein (Class of 2012) – Locking compression plate failure for proximal humerus fractures (George Haidukewych, M.D., Orlando clerkship faculty).

• Richard Sims (Class of 2014) – Effects of exogenous melatonin administration and its role in cognitive function among elderly subjects (Ken Brummel-Smith, M.D.).

• Rachel Russell Tripoli (Class of 2014) – Deficient low-contrast visual sensitivity occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis, may degrade gait performance; possible modification utilizing high-contrast visual aids (Gerry Maitland, M.D.).

• Sanam Zahedi (Class of 2014) – Incidence of malignant and pre-malignant cutaneous lesions undetected by patients prior to undergoing total body skin examination at a North Florida dermatology clinic (Stephen Richardson, M.D., Tallahassee clerkship faculty).

• Claudia Zapata (Class of 2013) – HPV vaccine acceptance in migrant mothers and adolescent girls (Elena Reyes, Ph.D., and Mary Gerend, Ph.D.).

For more information, please call Wendy Zebrowski in the Division of Research, Graduate & Undergraduate Programs at 645-7341 or email wendy.zebrowski@med.fsu.edu.