31st Annual Student Research Week: TTUHSC Daily Dose

31st Annual Student Research Week

Students from each TTUHSC school come together for a week of research insights

April 9, 2019

As a school that studies the causes and cures for diseases, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences works to inspire research and demonstrate what Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is doing for the future of medicine. Student Research Week is an integral part of these efforts with week-long activities with prestigious keynote speakers, student presentations and more.

“With 261 abstracts, and representation from every school and nearly every campus, this was our biggest Student Research week to date.” Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Dean, Brandt L. Schneider, Ph.D., stated. “It was an outstanding, week-long display of excellent scientific presentations by our students. I was extremely impressed by their accomplishments, enthusiasm and creativity.”

Jessica Smith

For Jessica Smith, Ph.D. candidate and one of the winners during Student Research Week, the event is an opportunity “to know more about how the world works.” Smith studies aging and the role of a cell size in the aging process.

“I'm always asking "why?" Smith said. “The little world of cells is still so unexplored, and we still don't know so much about how pathways interact and cells communicate to get a functioning human being.”

“My research looked at the role of cell size and growth in yeast aging, as well as combinations of anti-aging compounds or genetic manipulations. I was watching for a good combination effect - something additive between two treatments. But I found the opposite: no lifespan benefit from combining anti-aging treatments.”

“In fact, several of my combinations were shorter-lived than the single treatments! I conclude that anti-aging drugs and treatments need more research before we can combine lots of them to get better overall anti-aging results.”

Jessica Smith

Whether it’s anti-aging or cancer treatment, biomedical research is a fundamental part of medicine. “If we know more about the world, by studying biological sciences or by studying the world in general, we can vastly improve our quality of life.” Smith said.

Smith accepted a postdoctoral position at the National Institutes of Health, working in the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore. She will be working to identify more biomarkers of aging and potential targets to slow down the various health effects of aging.

A huge thank you to Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences student leaders who worked tirelessly to bring Student Research Week together: Whitni Redman, Riccay Elizondo, Ksenija Korac, Bradley Schniers, Josue Enriquez, Brianyell McDaniel and Monica Sharma.

Student Research Week

2019 Student Research Week Winners

Nursing Students

First: Laura Castle & Amber Higgs
Second: Dina Brown
Third: Melissa Duffy & Bryan Earle

Health Professions Category

Yo-Rong Chen

Resident and Fellows

First: Russell Stanley
Second: Jacob Schoof
Third: Carlos Valencia

Undergraduate Research

First: Garret Welch
Second: Shane Cristy

Third- and Fourth-Year Doctoral Students

First: Jessica Smith
Second: Diego Pedroza
Third: Kellsie Beasley

First and Second-Year Medical Students; Graduate Medical Sciences/Public Health

First: Nicholas Smith
Second: Grant Sorensen
Third: Cody Eslinger

Third- and Fourth- Year Medical Students

First: Elizabeth Cook
Second TIE: Niki Parikh/David Foley
Third: Jamie Osinovsky

First- and Second- Year Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Biotechnology

First: Ismail Mohiuddin
Second: Tim Brown
Third TIE: Sarah Hernandez/ Bradley Schniers

School of Pharmacy/Pharmacy Sciences

First: Sharavan Ramachandran
Second: Itishree Kaushi
Third: Sanaullah Sajib

Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Award

First: Sharavan Ramachandran
Second: Alexsandra Schaubhut
Third: Ben Jackson

Image Gallery for Poster Presentations

Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, (806) 743-2143.

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, originally a part of the School of Medicine, became a separate school in 1994 to coordinate the training of biomedical scientists.

A small student body, a diverse faculty and a low student-faculty ratio are factors that promote learning and encourage interaction between students. These unique factors create a highly competitive environment for students applying each year.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

TTUHSC

Beginning in 1969 as the Texas Tech University School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) is now a five-school university with campuses in Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas/Fort Worth, Lubbock, Midland and Odessa.

TTUHSC offers students the opportunity to expand knowledge in programs that are on the forefront of health care education. Our programs and facilities give students the opportunity for hands-on research and clinical experience, and various collaborations with community entities provide students the practical knowledge that is vital to their success.

Almost 50 years since opening, TTUHSC has now trained more than 20,000 health care professionals, and meets the health care needs of more than 2.5 million people in the 108 counties including those in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.

Through research, education and patient care, TTUHSC aims to promote a greater health environment for West Texas and beyond. We strive to decrease health disparities for rural populations and improve the health of the community through collaborations with area hospitals and health centers.

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