For Your Health
For Your Health

News from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Frank Low Research Day award winners

Thanks, again, to each of the student, faculty, and staff participants of last week’s virtual 42nd Frank Low Research Day. A number of poster awards have announced for projects displayed at the event. Congratulations to the following winners:

Basic Sciences – Graduate Students

  • Best Poster – Danielle Germundson (Clinical and Translational Science) – Danielle L. Germundson* and Kumi Nagamoto-Combs. “Involvement of histamine in depression-like behavior in a mouse model of non-anaphylactic cow’s milk allergy.”
  • Honorable Mention – Dilini Ekanayake (Biomedical Sciences) – Dilini Ekanayake*, Suba Nookala, Kumi Nagamoto-Combs. “Food allergy increases a specific subset of B cells in mouse brain.”

Basic Sciences – Post-Docs

  • Best Poster – Sarmad Al-Marsoummi (Pathology) – Sarmad Al-Marsoummi*, Seema Somji, Scott H. Garrett, Marc D. Basson, Donald A. Sens. “Schlafen 12 induces luminal differentiation of Arsenite (As3+) transformed UROtsa cells.”
  • Honorable Mention – Afrina Brishti (Biomedical Sciences) – Afrina Brishti*, Danielle L. Germundson, Angela E. Kearny, Kumi Nagamoto-Combs. “Continuous allergen consumption sustains neuroinflammation and alters behavior in a mouse model of food allergy.”

Undergraduate

  • Best Poster – Odele K. Rajpathy (Biomedical Sciences) – Odele K. Rajpathy*, Emilie E. Vomhof-DeKrey, Elizabeth Pressler, and Marc D. Basson. “Vil-Cre specific Slfn3KO mice exhibit sex-specific differences in lung, stomach, cecum, and proximal colon differentiation markers and Slfn family members expression levels.”
  • Honorable Mention – Ronak Kumar (Biomedical Sciences) – Ronak Kumar*, Afrina Brishti, Angela E. Kearny, Kumi Nagamoto-Combs. “Investigating food-allergy-induced chronic intestinal inflammation for its etiologic potential in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Medical Students

  • Best Posters – 1) Marcus Osman –  Marcus Osman*, Christy Jesme, Zachary McMiller, Abhishek Matta, Rajesh Kunadharaju, Erika M. Johnson, Danielle Matta, Rehka Kallamadi, and Dinesh Bande. “Clinical Presentation and Outcomes of Myocarditis Post mRNA Vaccination: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.” 2) Chase Gauthier and Luke Teigen – Chase Gauthier, MS3*, and Luke Teigen, MS3*, James R. Beal, Ph.D., and Abe E. Sahmoun, Ph.D. “Association Between Wait-Time for TAVR Procedure and Post-Operative FEV1%.”
  • Honorable Mentions – 1) KC A. Braaten and Wyatt L. Limke – KC A. Braaten*, Wyatt L. Limke*, James R. Beal, Ph.D., Abe E. Sahmoun, Ph.D. – “Association between Bullying and Sexual Assault and Risky Sexual Behavior in Adolescents.” 2) Collin G. Asheim –  Collin Asheim*, Diva R. Salomao, Cheryl Hann, Kathy Wabner, Jenn Schmit, Amir A. Naqwi, Timothy W. Olsen. “Aerosolized Methotrexate reduces PVR: Aerosolized, Gas-Phase Methotrexate in a Porcine model of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy.”

Medical Residents

  • Best Posters – Kasey E. Johnson (Psychiatry and Behavioral Science). “Transforming the Medical Education Pipeline: Widening Access Students, Historical Contexts, and Criteria and Culture within Medical Education.”
  • Honorable Mention – Ryan Beard (Surgery) – Ryan Beard*, Mentor Ahmeti, and Hilla Sang. “The Effect of Chronic Anticoagulation Therapy on COVID-19 patients: An unexpected result.”

Occupational Therapy Students

  • Best Posters – 1) Dina Nickoson (OT) – Dina M. Nickoson*, and Anne Haskins. “Yoga as Occupational Therapy Intervention for Individuals with Upper Extremity Injuries.” 2) Kaitlynn Stearns (OT) – Kaitlynn Stearns* and Julie Grabanski. “The Sensory Friendly Classroom.”
  • Honorable Mentions – 1) Mackenzie Brokaw (OT) – Mackenzie Brokaw* and Cherie Graves. “Aquatic Therapy: An Interprofessional Resource Focusing on Children with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities.” 2) Hallie Longtin (OT) – Hallie N. Longtin* and Julie Grabanski. “Trauma-informed guide for educators within a school setting used to support adolescents effected by adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).”

Public Heath Students

  • Best Posters – Jessica Passini (Public Health) – Jessica N. Passini* and Cristina Oancea. “Examining the association between history of heart attack and experiencing frequent mental distress among United States veterans and adult civilians: a 2019 national level study.”
  • Honorable Mention – Kathryn Wise (Public Health) – Kathryn R. Wise*, Melanie Nadeau, Revathi Sabella, and Devon Olson. “Comparing Risk and Protective Factors for Substance Use in American Indian and White Youth.”

* Indicates lead author.