Augusta University
Francis Anazodo
Spring 2024 was a period of enthusiastic learning and external connections for some Biomedical Student Association (BSA) members. Biochemistry and Cancer Biology (BCB) program students had an excellent turnout at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. Dominique Monroe, Edidiong Usoro, Mercy Kehinde-Ige, Diana Asante, Layne Benson and Karina Aguilar presented posters, met with fellow researchers, and found time to explore the beautiful city of San Diego. Speaking of her first external scientific conference as an AU graduate student, Karina says, “Going to the San Diego AACR was an amazing experience; it was my first conference, and it was a gratifying time. I had the chance to present my poster, and I was able to attend talks, as well as seminars to learn more about my topic of research. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience, and I am looking forward to attending next year as well.” We also congratulate Edidiong and Dominique, both students of Dr. Waaqo Daddacha, for their Women in Cancer Research and Minority Scholar in Cancer Research awards respectively, at the AACR meeting.
While the cancer researchers were meeting, the American Physiology Summit (APS) was also ongoing in California. At the Long Beach venue, BSA had what was likely the biggest turnout of its members for a single conference in the year under review. Both Physiology and Vascular Biology students including Elisabeth Mellott, Vadym Buncha, Desmond Moronge, Katie Anne Fopiano, Sam Melnyk, Sam Walton, Emily Burns-Ray, Candee Barris, Drew Speese, Josue Zambrano-Carrasco, Cody Bridgewater, Hannah Godley, Ishara Menik and Beryl Khakina participated in oral and poster presentations. Congratulations to Elisabeth for winning a Data Diuresis Award at the summit.
In Illinois, current fifth-year Molecular Oncology & Immunology student, Ogacheko Okoko, joined other accomplished and trainee immunologists in discussing recent advances in immunotherapy during the 2024 American Association of Immunologists (AAI) meeting.
Vision researchers were also involved in the Spring travels. Some BSA members engaged in eye research here at AU, including Stepan Budkin, Ebenezer Quainoo, Sheila Ngumbi, Rachel Hadvina and Richard Kontoh-Twumasi, traveled to the nation’s capital where they presented their research at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) conference and met Hannah Youngblood, a former BSA member and now post-doctoral fellow at Georgia Tech.
Earlier in Fall of 2023, Casey Cryan (Neuroscience), Kendyl Pennington (Neuroscience) and Kazi Rafsan Radeen (Cellular Biology and Anatomy) were among BSA members who participated in the annual Society for Neuroscience (SFN) meeting held in Washington, DC. The students presented research posters, and Casey and Kendyl found time to visit the White House. These conferences and meetings have undoubtedly empowered our students with new knowledge and drive toward their respective research fields here at AU.
