On July 28 and 29, students from the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program presented their research projects and culminating symposium. Each student presented the results of their eight-week research project to their peers, mentors, and Institute staff. The program had students from 15 universities from within the continental US, Guam and Ireland. The students represented a variety of ethnicities, and are at different stages of their careers ranging from undergraduate, to masters and medical students. The projects covered the translational spectrum from basic science research on TB and malaria to research on HIV treatment and care in Uganda, social justice and behavioral health.
On July 29, Jeffrey Gordon, MD, delivered a keynote address titled ‘Childhood Undernutrition and Gut Microbiota Immaturity: Human Development Viewed from a Microbial Perspective.’ At the close of the event, the students were presented completion certificates from the Institute’s director, William Powderly.
2016 Participants and Projects
- Suraj Arshanapally from Saint Louis University worked with Kimberly Werner, PhD and Kathleen Bucholz, PhD, from Washington University on “The Association between Racial Discrimination and Suicidality among African American Adolescents and Young Adults”
- Michael Conroy from Hobart and William Smith College (NY) worked with Anne Trolard, MPH, Ben Cooper, MPH, and Hilary Reno, MD, PhD, from Washington University on “Barriers to Patient Contact and Follow up: A Survey of Patients with Sexually Transmitted Infections in an Urban Academic Emergency Department”
- Nicole Cousins from University College Dublin, Ireland worked with Todd Druley, MD, PhD, from Washington University on “Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Cancer and CNS Congenital Anomalies Introduction”
- Tommy English from Saint Louis University worked with Naa Oyo Kwate, PhD, from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and Melody Goodman, PhD, from Washington University on “Race in the City of St. Louis: Does Racialized Space Inhibit Health‐Promoting use of Public Spaces?”
- Bolutife Fakoya from Swarthmore College (PA) worked with Katherine Mann and Christina Stallings, PhD, from Washington University on “Understanding the Function of Ddi3 in the Mycobacterial Replisome Through Site Directed Mutagenesis and Cellular Growth Assays”
- Laura Hallas from University of Texas, Austin, TX worked with Sarah Brown, PhD, DABCC, FACB, from Washington University on “PathPack™ Mobile Lab Kits: Bringing Lab Medicine to the Vulnerable in Sud‐Est, Haiti”
- Amir Hassan from Washington University worked with Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD, from Washington University on “Characterizing the Role of CpsA in Mycobacterial Pathogenesis”
- Megan Hunt from Clemson University (SC) worked with Shanti Parikh, PhD, from Washington University on “What Keeps Men Out of Care? Understanding Gendered Engagement with HIV Treatment in Uganda”
- Sarah Kinch from Washington University worked with Rebecca Lobb, ScD, MPH, from Washington University on “Developing Feedback to Improve Adherence to Enhanced Recovery Pathways in Colorectal Surgical Cases”
- Marwa Mikati from Mount Holyoke College (MA) worked with Ann Guggisberg, Dana Hodge and Audrey Odom, MD, PhD, from Washington University on “Deconstructing Malaria Metabolic Regulation by PfPFK9 and PfHAD2 Interactions”
- Laura Muller from University College Dublin, Ireland worked with Ailis Powderly and Laura Bierut, MD, from Washington University on “Who participates in a Breast Cancer Genetic Testing?”
- Anne Niyigena from William Penn University (IA) worked with Rumi Price, PhD, MPE, MA, from Washington University on “Neighborhood Rapid Assessment to Corroborate the Risk Factor Mapping Approach to Sex Trafficking in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (STLMSA)”
- Momoko Oyama from Washington University worked with Meghan Callaghan, MS and Mark Manary, MD, from Washington University on “Estimation of the Protein Quality Requirements for Food Aid Recipients During Four Physiologic States and a Review of Food Aid Products and Protein Quality in the Treatment of Moderate Acute Malnutrition”
- Hai Anh Pham from Brown University (RI) worked with Cecelia Calhoun, MD, Regina Abel, PhD, Shomari Thompson, Medical Student and Allison King, MD, MPH, PhD, from Washington University on “Facilitators and Barriers to Essential Healthcare and Educational Attainment in Adolescents and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: A Qualitative Approach”
- Ailis Powderly from University College Dublin, Ireland worked with Laura Muller and Laura Beirut, MD, from Washington University on “Multifactorial Components in the Engagement of African American Women in a Breast Cancer Genetic Study”
- Biva Rajbhandari from Washington University worked with Patricia Cavazos‐Rehg, PhD, from Washington University on “It’s a Trade‐Off: The Perceived Health Risks and Safety of High Potency Marijuana”
- Ageline Sahagun from University of Guam (GU) worked with Rachel Presti, MD, PhD, from Washington University on “Evaluating the Risks for Obstructive Lung Disease in HIV‐Infected Individuals Using Symptom‐Based Scores and Spirometry”
- Lucy Sheahan from Tulane University (LA) worked with Yehuda Ben‐Shahar, PhD, from Washington University on “Carbonic Anhydrases and the Neuronal Stress Response”
- Tiffany Vuong from Loyola University Chicago (IL) worked with Shanti Parikh, PhD, from Washington University on “Iganga District HIV Treatment and Care Through the Lens of Gendered Life Experiences”
- Bailey Widener from Washington University worked with Lora Iannotti, PhD, from Washington University on “A Qualitative Community Assessment of Nutrition and Child Development in Cap‐Haïtien, Haiti
- Ning Zhao from Duke University (NC) worked with Maria Pérez, MA, Tess Thompson, PhD, MPH, M.Phil , and Donna B. Jeffe, PhD, from Washington University on “Racial Disparities in Early‐Stage Breast Cancer Patients’ Quality of Life (QOL) Over Time”
Related Materials
Summer Research Program Symposium Program (.pdf)
Symposium Photo Album
Summer Program Tumblr