Tag: biology

A photo of Daysha Isaac presenting her research

Biology senior earns scientific merit award at national conference

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by Ellie Melero, Media Relations Specialist

Biology senior Daysha Isaac won a Scientific Merit Award at the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) Conference in Washington D.C. this summer.

The 9th Biennial NISBRE Conference, put on by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) from June 16-19, was a showcase of the accomplishments of the NIGMS’s IDeA program. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, junior and senior investigators, and staff from IDeA-supported programs came together to share their research. At the conference’s end, various awards were presented, including merit awards, mentorship awards, and entrepreneurship awards.

“I used to be a student who struggled with education and could barely understand the concept, to now being a student who can properly explain a complex topic to a plethora of people,” Isaac said. “So this award means that no matter what obstacles are thrown my way, I am able to grow past them.”

A native of Arlington, Texas, Isaac has been interested in biology and medicine since she was a child. She was born with an umbilical hernia that had to be removed when she was 8, and her time in the hospital gave her an insight into what a life in medicine was like. Since then, she has worked toward her goal of becoming a doctor, and she aspires to be a pediatrician or a neonatal physician.

Isaac poses with her award
Daysha Isaac won a Scientific Merit Award at the National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research Excellence (NISBRE) Conference in Washington D.C. this summer.

Isaac came to Langston University looking for a place where she could thrive with individuals who looked like her and had the same aspirations as her, and she has found a supportive community that has helped her grow as a person and a scholar.

“Being an African American in a field that is not as diverse means I have to work extremely hard to spread my name across the room,” Isaac said. “Therefore, when professors see my talent, it makes me grateful for all my hard work. It excites me when others see my potential and are able to help me network. It motivates me when I am able to expand my name across a plethora of audiences.”

Isaac’s foray into research began when she met Dr. Kj Abraham in his Honors Natural Science Biology-I class. She impressed him with her eagerness to learn, and he has been her faculty mentor for the past two years.

As a faculty mentor, Dr. Abraham introduces students like Isaac to biomedical research and helps prepare them for a career in biomedical sciences. He trains them in research techniques, teaches them fundamentals in research and helps them to build technical skills. They are also prepared to work independently on research projects. They are taught how to review research publications, write research abstracts, and make oral presentations.

Dr. Abraham introduced Isaac to the Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) last year, and he said he is proud to see how much she has grown through her participation in the program.

“She was quick to learn and follows instructions very well,” Dr. Abraham said. “She was committed to her task and adapted very well to undergraduate research. Her growth was evident in the way she successfully completed her research internship at KSU and went on to win a poster prize at the Annual K-INBRE Symposium in January.”

Through K-INBRE, Isaac worked with Dr. Jocelyn McDonald at Kansas State University to do research on stalk cell movement in drosophila. She studied ovarioles in fruit fly ovaries and looked at several functions, including cell formation and the movement of stalk cells, and then marked the differences when mutations were added.

“This information allowed us to apply it to birth defects in infants,” Isaac said. “No way are we trying to cure it but gather more information about cell movement to make a connection. Such birth defects we compared it to were spina bifida and microcephaly.”

A photo of Isaac presenting her research
Isaac presented her research on stalk cell movement in drosophila at the NISBRE Conference.

Isaac presented this research at the K-INBRE Symposium in January, where she won an Award of Excellence in Poster Presentations, and was invited to present again at the NISBRE Conference. This time, she gave an oral presentation in addition to the poster presentation.

Isaac said she was nervous for her oral presentation, but she fought through her nerves to deliver an engaging presentation with energy and excitement. She was proud of her performance, and for good reason.

“After I presented, I was complimented many times,” Isaac said. “I was told by a professor that when I was ready to apply to graduate school to contact him, and another professor said he would want me to consider attending their medical school in Maine. I was told I brought the energy to the room, and I presented my research very well. Even with all the compliments, I still was extremely surprised that I won an award.”

Dr. Abraham said Isaac’s presentation was outstanding and that her confidence and knowledge were evident. He was not as surprised as Isaac that she won the Scientific Merit Award.

“This award shows that students from LU can be the best in the country and have proved that they can be top prize winners provided they are mentored and given opportunities,” Dr. Abraham said. “This also means that LU is on the national map in biomedical research.”

Isaac plans to continue being involved in research during her last year at Dear Langston, and she plans to apply for graduate school after graduation. She eventually plans to go to medical school.

Langston University students present posters at the 16th Annual K-INBRE Conference in Kansas.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY BOASTS CONTESTS WINNERS AT THE 16TH ANNUAL KANSAS IDEA NETWORK OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH EXCELLENCE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Dr. Kjoy Abraham, the Langston University Biomedical Research Coordinator, led a team of nine students to present their work at the 16th Annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Research Symposium in Overland Park, Kansas, which was held on January 13-14, 2018.

Four of the nine students, Mr. La’Quan Johnson (Senior), Ms. Celeste Cotton (Junior), Ms. Cayla Moore (Junior), and Ms. Corajean Cunningham (Freshman), presented iposters. These posters are interactive, multimedia research presentations that are displayed electronically on large format HD touchscreen monitors. There were 347 participants including invited scientists, faculty, postdoctoral fellows and students (undergraduate and graduate) at the symposium. Over 100 students competed in the iposter competition.

During the conference, Langston University student, Ms. Justis Petit (Junior), was selected for an oral presentation in biomedical research. Her abstract was also chosen as one of the best eight abstracts from over 100 abstracts. The title of her presentation was “Effect of Euglena Gracilis Water Extract on Cell Death and Toll-Like Receptor Gene Expression Profiles in Lung Cancer Cells.” During this time, Ms. Petit was given 15 minutes to speak and was able to answer questions about her presentation. Ms. Petit was awarded “Honorable Mention” with a cash award of $100 for her oral presentation at the symposium.

Mr. La’Quan Johnson was commended by one of the judges for his excellent work and presentation at the iposter competition.

The Langston University students competed with other undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students from ten institutions that included the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and the University of Kansas Medical Center. Other Langston University students in attendance were Ashley Michalski (Senior), Celeste Cotton (Junior), Jennifer Ho (Junior), Brianna Anderson (Junior), Kendall Odle (Sophomore), Corajean Cunnigham (Freshman), and Cayla Moore (Junior). All the LU students in attendance are biology majors. Two additional University faculty members also attended the conference, Dr. Diomede Buzingo, Assistant Professor in the Biology Department and Dr. Sharon Lewis, Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department.

Langston University (LU) is a public historically black college enrolling a close-knit community of under 3,000 students. Langston University is recognized as a top institution of higher learning for affordability by afforableschools.net and bestvalueschools.com. Founded in 1897, LU is located in rural Logan County just 10 miles east of Guthrie and 42 miles from Oklahoma City. Langston offers more than 40 associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs across six academic colleges. Visit us online at http://www.langston.edu.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT CHOSEN AS A 2016 HBCU ALL STAR

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities recently named Langston University senior biology major, Nicholas Simon, a 2016 HBCU All-Star.

Simon was among 73 students across 63 HBCUs in 24 states, the District of Columbia, Ghana, Nigeria, and the Virgin Islands selected out of 300 applicants. The All-Stars, comprised of undergraduate, graduate and professional students, are being recognized for their accomplishments in academics, leadership and civic engagement.

“I believe that all of my hard work has paid off,” Simon said. “Everything I have done for my school and community has provided the opportunity for me to represent Langston University on a national level.”

Over the next year, Simon will help promote and create outreach opportunities for his fellow students about the value of education. He will also participate in the White House HBCU Week Conference, national and regional events, and webinars with Initiative staff and other professionals on a range of disciplines that support a spirit of engagement and personal and professional development.

“We are proud of Nicholas and the work he has accomplished to receive this prestigious honor and know he will represent the University well at the White House HBCU Conference,” said Dr. Kent J. Smith, president of Langston University.

Nicholas Simon, an honors student from currently serves as president of the campus NAACP chapter and co-chair of the Langston University ambassador program. This past summer he conducted biological research for NASA at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California as part of an internship program.

“It’s an honor to be recognized among so many talented scholars. I am excited to have a chance to learn more about other HBCUs and collaborate to help build and grow our institutions,” Simon said.

Langston University is a public historically black college enrolling a close-knit community of under 4,000 students. Founded in 1897, LU is located in rural Logan County and has two urban campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. LU was recently recognized as a top institution of higher learning for affordability, ranking number three among all Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S., according to AffordableSchools.net. Langston offers over 40 associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs across six academic colleges. Visit us online at http://www.langston.edu.

AIR FORCE AWARDS LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES WITH RESEARCH GRANT

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By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

LANGSTON, Okla. – The DOD Air Force awarded a $200,000 research grant to Byron Quinn, Ph.D., professor in the university’s Biology department in Arts and Sciences. Quinn received funding for his grant entitled “Biochemical Fatigue Metabolite Instrumentation.”

The grant awarded will allow undergraduate students to gain hands-on training with the requested instrumentation by participating in fatigue research and coursework.

“Students taking this course will take on independent research projects in tissue biomarker detection from the metabolic analysis with the Gas Chromatography in Metabolomics Study,” said Quinn.

“This instrumentation adds significant value to the research and training program at LU.”

Langston offers more than 38 degree programs, including 5 master’s degrees and one doctoral program. The School of Arts and Sciences is host to the biology program and currently leads the world in manipulating peanut plant hairs into full new plants without the use of seeds.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, Oklahoma. To learn more about Langston University, please visit http://www.langston.edu.

Biology senior Kellyn Pollard presents at the 12th Annual K-INBRE Symposium in 2014.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT TAKES HOME FIRST PLACE AT ANNUAL BIOSCIENCE SYMPOSIUM

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By Koshia Silver, Director of Public Relations

Kellyn Pollard, of Lawton, was one of eight students honored for their scientific research oral presentations at the 12th annual Kansas IDeA (Institutional Development Awards) Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) symposium Jan. 18-19.

All oral presenters are awarded for their participation, with first place receiving $500, second place $250, third place $150 and honorable mentions $100. Pollard, a senior in biology at Langston University and the daughter of Van and Talisa Pollard, earned a first place award for her presentation “Beta 2 glycoprotein I-derived peptides alter angiogenesis in melanoma tumors.”

The annual symposium is part of the K-INBRE initiative to identify and recruit promising college science students into biomedical research careers in Kansas. Led by the University of Kansas Medical Center, 10 campuses in Kansas and northern Oklahoma are a part of this collaborative network.

“This program is vital for the continued development and recruitment of biomedical researchers in Kansas,” said Doug Wright, principal investigator for K-INBRE and professor of anatomy and cell biology at KU Medical Center. “With this program, we hope to keep the biosciences in Kansas growing and thriving.”

Students work in laboratories alongside scientist mentors to develop research projects. These projects give students early hands-on experience in putting the scientific method into practice. The students presented their research findings at the symposium.

“Langston was very influential and helped me prepare for this symposium,” Pollard said. “My professors encouraged me to present at the K-INBRE Symposium, and I would not have pursued this if it were not for them. “

The annual K-INBRE Symposium brings together the network of students, faculty and staff from KU Medical Center, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, Washburn University, Wichita State University and Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma.

Langston University is located 12 miles east of Guthrie, OK. Langston offers over 38 degree programs, including 5 masters degrees and one doctoral program.

ABOUT K-INBRE:
K-INBRE is a multi-disciplinary network designed to inspire undergraduates to pursue careers in biomedical research, enhance research capacity through faculty development and retention and expand the biomedical research infrastructure connecting several academic institutions. More information about the program can be found at www.k-inbre.org.

This program was made possible by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20 GM103418.