From Bench to Board: Over 50 Biomedical Student Association Members Share Presentations During 39th Annual Graduate Research Day

Graduate Research Day (GRD), hosted by The Graduate School (TGS) at Augusta University, is a significant scientific activity that brings together graduate students at Augusta University under one roof. The setting and tempo are different from the Grad grills and Trivia nights that usually connect students for socializing. This year’s GRD took place on March 8^th and 9^th at the Greenblatt Library. Dr. Nanette Wenger, a Professor Emeritus and seasoned cardiologist at Emory School of Medicine, was the keynote speaker. Her impactful message, based on clinical facts and trends, inspired the audience and offered solutions to increase awareness, access, and delivery of equitable healthcare to women at risk for cardiovascular diseases. Before the keynote address, during a two-hour poster session, BSA members from all nine biomedical sciences programs left their familiar lab bench spaces to actively discuss their research with the AU community.

In recognition of the outstanding research of AU graduate students, TGS presented awards to 16 BSA members during the GRD Awards Luncheon, held in April. Awardees include Malita Jones (Biochemistry and Cancer Biology) (James and Jean Culver Vision Discovery Institute Award for Research Excellence in Vision), Frederick Bonsack (Lowell M. Greenbaum Award for Research in Pharmacology), Vadym Buncha (Award for Excellence in Research – Physiology), Josue Zambrano-Carrasco (Tapan Chatterjee Award for Research Excellence in Vascular Biology), Richard Kontoh-Twumasi (Award for Excellence in Research – Genomic Medicine), Bidhan Bhandari (Award for Excellence in Research – Oral Biology), Kirstyn Denney (Award for Excellence in Research – Neuroscience), Phylicia Allen (Award for Excellence in Research – Cellular Biology & Anatomy), Sheila Ngumbi (R. August Roesel Memorial Award for Research Excellence in Biochemistry), Aubrey Bennett (Pharmacology) (Ji Cheng Memorial Award for Excellence in Research by a Biomedical Science student in early years of training), Husam Bensreti (CBA) (Virendra B. Mahesh Award for Research Excellence in Endocrinology, Edidiong Usoro (BCB) (Georgia Cancer Center Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Research in Cancer), Natalie Jackson (Neuro), and Ishara Menik (VBC) (The Graduate School Award for Excellence in Research by a Graduate Student), Ogacheko Okoko (Award for Excellence in Research – Molecular Medicine), Taylor Kress (Award for Excellence in Research – Vascular Biology).