A group of TTUHSC-Amarillo graduate students working toward their Ph.D. as research assistants for the School of Pharmacy’s Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences each received a travel support award to attend the Society of Toxicology’s (SOT) 56th Annual Meeting March 12-16 in Baltimore. The group includes Nehal Gupta, Mohammad Abul Kaisar, Hanumantha Rao Madala and Kshitij Verma.

In addition, abstracts submitted by Gupta, Madala and Verma received high marks from the 2017 Dharm V. Singh Carcinogenesis Awards Fund. The awards are based upon an excellence in understanding carcinogenesis and will be presented March 15 during the Carcinogenesis Specialty Section reception at SOT’s Annual Meeting. Gupta was named the first place graduate student honoree, Madala took home the second place graduate student award and Verma’s submission was named the fourth place graduate student entry.

Gupta was also selected to receive the 2017 Sheldon D. Murphy Mechanisms SS Student Travel Endowment Award. Qualifications for the award are based upon the scientific quality of the applicant’s abstract. The award and a certificate will be presented to Gupta March 14 at the Mechanisms Specialty Section reception during SOT’s Annual Meeting.

Each year, the SOT Awards Program recognizes scientists who are making a positive impact on the field of toxicology. The awards honor individuals from all career levels and generally consist of a stipend or financial support for research.

Gupta is working in the lab of Dr. Sanjay Srivastava, Ph.D.; Madala works in the lab of Kalkunte S. Srivenugopal, Ph.D.; Verma works in the lab of Paul Trippier, Ph.D.; and Kaisar works in the lab of Luca Cucullo, Ph.D.