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Minority Science Programs Students Recognized for Outstanding Research

Sixteen students participating in research training with the Biological Sciences School Minority Science Programs (MSP) received awards for their research presentations at this year’s Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), or the Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference.  At this year’s ABRCMS, UCI MSP students received more awards than any other participating institution.  Both conferences are designed to encourage students to pursue advanced training in the sciences, and to stimulate resource sharing among faculty mentors.

The 2016 ABRCMS conference was held in Tampa, FL, and attracted approximately 2,100 undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students from over 350 U.S. colleges and universities. MSP winners from this conference included twelve UCI undergraduates and one student from Orange Coast College that participated in the MSP Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program.

The 2016 Sigma Xi conference was held in Atlanta, GA.  Three MSP students received awards during the conference, of which two of them participated in the Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training (MHIRT) at King’s College London and one UCI student that conducted research during the summer at Dartmouth College.

The following list includes the names of the MSP students that received an award (first author of the poster), along with the names of co-authors and principal investigators (last author), and their research title and category of the award:

 

2016 ABRCMS, Tampa FL

  • Pilar Altman, Jacob Milligan and Dr. Sheryl Tsai (PI).  Research Title:  Purification and Crystallization of EnxKS.  Poster category:  Biochemistry.
  • Jack Oliver, Dr. Andrei Tatarenkov and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Genomic Characterization of a Class 2 Integron from an Environmental Escherichia coli.  Poster category:  Cell Biology.
  • Nicholas Ramirez, Dr. Amelie Garenaux and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Plasmid-Mediated Heavy Metal and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in an Environmental Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolate.  Poster category:  Physiology.
  • Emmanuel Moncada, Dr. Nicole Wakida and Dr. Michael Berns (PI).  Research Title:  Astrocytes Phagocytose Lysised Neurons and Astrocytes.  Poster category:  Physiology.
  • Betsy Juarez, Dr. Amelie Garenaux and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Antimicrobial Resistance Genes sul2, strA, strB, and blaTEM-1 are Shared Between an Escherichia coli Isolate from the Pacific Ocean and Clinical Isolates.  Poster category:  Social and Behavioral/Public Health.
  • Yocelyn Recinos, Dr. Amelie Garenaux and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Quinolone-Resistance Gene qnrS1 Carriage on a Mobilizable IncR Multidrug-resistant Plasmid in an Escherichia coli isolate from an Aquatic Environment in the United States.  Poster category:  Developmental Biology and Genetics.
  • Janerys Munoz, Dr. Andrei Tatarenkov and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Conjugative Plasmid from Environmental E. coli Carries a Cassette-Independent Trimethoprim-Resistant dfrA Gene.  Poster category:  Developmental Biology and Genetics.
  • Alexis Villani, Dr. Wendy Ullmer and Dr. Bert L. Semler (PI).  Research Title:  Investigating the Effects of AUF1 on Poliovirus Infection.  Poster category:  Microbiology.
  • Luis Cantu, Dr. Amelie Garenaux and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Siderophores in Multidrug-Resistance Plasmids of Environmental Escherichia coli.  Poster category:  Microbiology.
  • Cezar R. Borba, Jr, Dr. Andrei Tatarenkov and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Twelve Antibiotic Resistance Genes Found in Raoultella ornithinolytica. Poster category:  Microbiology.
  • Michelle Kalu, Dr. Amelie Garenaux and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Plasmid-mediated Virulence Gene senB and its Association with Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Environmental Escherichia coli.  Poster category:  Molecular and Computational Biology.
  • Carlos Vasquez, Dr. Andrei Tatarenkov and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (PI).  Research Title:  Novel Genetic Configuration of the DHA-1 Gene Found on an Inc F Plasmid from an Environmental K. pneumoniae. Poster category:  Molecular and Computational Biology.
  • Lynnette Jackson, Dr. Nicholas Chim, and Dr. John Chaput (PI).  Research Title:  Structural Insights into a DNA Polymerase with Non-Natural Reverse-Transcriptase Activity.  Poster category:  Molecular and Computational Biology.

 

2016 Sigma Xi meeting, Atlanta GA

  • Alberto Lopez, Sally Demirdjian and Dr. Brent Berwin (PI from Dartmouth College).  Research Title:  The Roles of CR3 and CD14 in the Non-Opsonic Phagocytosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  Poster category:  Physiology and Immunology.
  • Tiffany Batarseh, Dr. Nadine Upton, Dr. Yu-Chang Bryan Wu and Dr. Hannah Gould (PI from King’s College London).  Poster Title:  Characterization of peripheral blood B cells in allergic asthma and the effect of rhinovirus infection.  Poster category:  Physiology and Immunology, Graduate Student Division.
  • Amara Thind, Rachel Hunt and Dr. Joseph Bateman (PI from King’s College London).  Poster Title:  Investigating the Regulation of Drosophila HIFα in Neuronal Mitochondrial Retrograde Signaling.  Poster category:  First Place for poster Choice Award.

 

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