AGA Student Research Fellowship Awards
| Visit Gastro.org for a list of 2010 award recipients. |
2009 Award Recipients (High School)
Alexander Tang
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Modulation of histone acetylation by alcohol in inflammation and liver disease
It goes without saying that receiving the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award is a great honor, but above all, it makes innovative medical research a possibility for a high school student such as me. As a high school junior, there are precious few opportunities for me to better understand the world of medicine and to more fully shape my aspirations of becoming a professional in the field. This project is my first serious foray into academic and medical research, and it is an opportunity I could not have imagined, much less acquired, without this award and the efforts of Dr. Gyongi Szabo and Dr. Shashi Bala.
With this award, I will be able to advance my work and research with Dr. Szabo and Dr. Bala at University of Massachusetts Medical School on effective treatments for the adverse effects of acute alcohol consumption. I will be able to assume a more forward role in research that is both timely and essential. Alcoholism is an increasingly serious issue that pervades all parts of society, and neither the countless ways in which it affects the human body nor the ways in which these effects can be ameliorated or prevented are fully understood. My research will focus on the effects of alcohol at a genetic level, in hopes of pinpointing the underlying causes to more visible effects which will potentially lead to more efficacious treatments.
Sherry Fu
University of Chicago
The contribution of dynamin-dependent membrane traffic to epithelial wound closure
I applied for this grant for the experience. As a high school student, my scientific knowledge is limited, especially in a specific field like gastroenterology. Through the grant application process, I not only became exposed to the field but I also learned how to write a grant. This award allows me to achieve my professional goals by providing me the opportunity to learn laboratory techniques, to attain a critical way of thinking, and to partake in a discovery. The award also fulfills my individual goals as I begin to work more independently than before, when I worked in my parent’s lab. It is this experience that is most valuable to me and I really appreciate all the time and effort that Dr. Jerrold Turner and Amanda Marchiando have dedicated to my learning. I look forward to studying the wound healing process in gut epithelial cells, as it is important to human health that intestinal wounds reseal properly and efficiently. The goal is to define the importance of membrane trafficking in wound closure. I want to determine the mechanisms and roles of dynamin-dependent endocytic pathways and cytoskeletal proteins during wound healing, using the tight junction protein occludin as a marker. I will visualize occludin trafficking by microscopy of the intestine within living mice, focusing on cells surrounding a laser-induced wound. Because of the central role of wound healing in the response to gastrointestinal injury, the insights provided by my work and that which follows may also lead to the development of therapies that can accelerate wound closure and restore barrier function.. I’m grateful to the AGA for providing me these opportunities and subvention throughout the summer.
Momo Nakagawa
University of Pennsylvania
EGFR and p53 in the tumor microenvironment
I feel tremendously honored to receive the Student Research Fellowship Award and would like to thank the AGA Foundation for the support and opportunities it has provided me for the future. I am especially thankful to Dr. Anil K. Rustgi, my mentor, who has encouraged and guided me in the course of my research, providing me with the necessary resources at the University of Pennsylvania. The entire research process has been a truly inspirational experience, deepening my interest and broadening my understanding of scientific research. From learning the basic laboratory procedures of preparing samples, running reactions, and using highly advanced technological equipments to manipulating and interpreting the raw data for future experiments, the knowledge I obtained from working in a lab is beyond my initial expectations. I would also like to thank the research team under Dr. Rustgi who were very generous and patient in teaching me various techniques such as Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. The scientists and doctors who I interacted with daily also helped me develop new critical thinking skills, which I found to be an essential aspect in scientific research. Through this, I hope to continue my research to expand my knowledge about molecular and cellular biology, particularly through studying more about the role of EGFR and p53 in esophageal epithelial differentiation and the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, I am looking forward to conducting other scientific research to contribute to the field of health and medicine. Again, I would like to acknowledge my sincere appreciation to the AGA Foundation.
Emily Panjehpour
Thompson Cancer Survival Center
Effectiveness of Radiofrequency Ablation for Management of Barrett's Esophagus
I am honored and very grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of the AGA Foundation Student Research Fellowship Award.
This award will give me an opportunity to collect, analyze and interpret clinical data on Barrett’s esophagus patients who have been treated using radiofrequency ablation.
I have always been interested in the medical field and this fellowship will provide me with an opportunity to work and interact with doctors, nurses and researchers who have been leaders in the field of managing Barrett’s patients.
This clinical research will be very beneficial to my future career goals as I prepare to start my freshman year at Middle Tennessee State University where I plan to attend the College of Nursing. Through this fellowship I will be given a look ahead at a possible career in GI nursing.
I am excited as I look forward to the next several months of hard work, learning and new experiences. Once again, thank you for this opportunity.
Eliana Langermann
University of Michigan
Evaluating a Relationship Between the Early Consumption of Gluten By Infants and
Development of Celiac Disease By Age Three
The AGA student fellowship award means a lot to my future research career and will help me in many different areas. I would like to go into the medical field, probably as some type of nurse, and the scientific research that I will do will help me gain greater scientific knowledge. I’ve never had a very interactive experience with research, especially researching one specific disease for a long period of time. This interactive experience will help me understand better why I want to be a nurse and help people with the diseases, sicknesses, ect. that they have. The research that I will be doing this summer on Celiac Disease isn’t just about work in the lab but it also goes beyond the lab. I get to interact with patients, nurses, and physicians. I will be tracking family records and calling families in order to ensure that they send in all the necessary components that are needed to do the research. This experience will help me get a taste of working in a lab and doing research as well as being able to interact with patients.
This experience will help bridge the work that I do at the bench side with exposure to the clinic. I will get to do research in the lab, learn how to study blood samples, keep track of records, and many other things. This summer will really teach me how the research reaches beyond the lab in order to help cure people.
Although I’ve had many wonderful teachers throughout school, that’s the only science education I’ve ever gotten. I will now have the chance to have a mentor in order to guide me through my scientific research. Through meeting different people and reading different scientific material, I will gain a great wealth of knowledge that will help guide me through my scientific and medical career.
In addition to mentoring, I will be working with many different colleagues and peers on different projects and discussing projects. We’ll have the chance to exchange ideas and learn from each other. I also hope to have the chance to read journals that I don’t normally read and have exposure to many different scientific subjects that will further enrich my scientific knowledge.
All together, the various exposure that I will have this summer in research, ranging from the basic work, interaction with patients, and working with colleagues in different areas of research, will be a chance to broaden my scientific knowledge and help guide me further in my scientific career.
2009 Student Research Fellowship Award (Undergraduate)
Jennifer Yu
Washington University School of Medicine
Liver-specific knockdown of L-Fabp in protection and reversal of diet induced obesity and
hepatic steatosis
I am sincerely grateful to receive the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award, and in particular I would like to thank Dr. Nicholas Davidson for his support and interest in my research endeavors. The AGA award marks the beginning of my first research experience and I feel extremely privileged to be working under the guidance of Dr. Davidson at Washington University in St. Louis.
Science has always been a passion of mine, and directly correlated with my desire for a future in medicine. This opportunity will allow me not only to be immersed in biomedical research that I have been preparing for in the classroom laboratory, but to refine my career goals as well. I will gain many valuable skills and insights that will enhance my understanding of the scientific community and how the fundamental values of research are related to the practice of medicine. This is an immeasurably great starting point for me and my future in science.
Devin Boe
University of Chicago
Effects of threonine phosphorylation on occludin dynamic behavior and tight junction function.
As a recent high school graduate, I have had very few opportunities to experience and explore the world of scientific research outside of the classroom, which has been a great disappointment to me because I believe that maintaining a hands-on role in the learning process is an essential aspect of my continuing education. The science courses I have taken have all been absolutely great, but I have always longed to learn by experience and accomplishment as well as from lectures and textbooks. Now, thanks to the AGA Foundation’s Student Fellowship Award, I will be able to spend my summer making that dream come true and building the foundations for a future in academic research. The skills and knowledge I am acquiring in the lab are not just the means to help me finish my summer research projects; they are also the tools I will use in college next autumn and for the rest of my career. Yet this project is not just a learning experience, it is also an opportunity for me to be a productive member of the academic community and assist in investigating the cutting-edge of science. With the help of the AGA Foundation, I am setting out on a path to my future and have been given a wonderful opportunity to explore the world of scientific research. Plus, working at the lab is a blast! Never before have I had so much fun while learning. I hope to continue working in academic research labs throughout the school year and during the summer, and already, I am planning to continue my current work on tight junction proteins next summer in the same laboratory.
Martin Prusinkiewicz
University of Calgary
The effect of outdoor air pollution on the development of the inflammatory bowel diseases in Alberta
It is a privilege to receive an AGA student research fellowship award. Having just completed my first year of undergraduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan, I was fortunate to obtain a summer research position with Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, whose work in gastroenterology focuses on inflammatory bowel disease. This project has taken me to the University of Calgary. The focus of the study is the correlation between air pollution and the incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. By analyzing certain factors related to an individual’s inflammatory bowel disease, such as medical history, disease course and environmental pollutants proximate to their residence, we will attempt to ascertain the role of air pollution in causing inflammatory bowel disease.
Receiving this award facilitates a strong start to my early academic career. For example, I am becoming acquainted with the methodology of epidemiologic research. Additionally, I am being exposed to an insightful group of people including my supervisor, who is a practicing gastroenterologist; a gastroenterology fellow; and two experienced students who have both recently been accepted into medical school. Interacting with these individuals is allowing me to develop the communication skills necessary to function well in a team. Furthermore, I am gaining an awareness of the medical field from different viewpoints and am learning from the experiences of my colleagues at various stages of their careers. I am hopeful that receiving this award will help me obtain others so that I may pursue future research opportunities. The energy, drive and intellectual stimulation that I have experienced so far this summer, together with this award itself, have strengthened my interest in the biomedical field. I look forward to future research opportunities.
Abrahim Orabi
Yale University School of Medicine
IP3-receptor type 2 Ca2+ release protects against pathologic protease activation in pancreatitis
I believe that verily with hardness comes ease. This award is testament to that statement and has reaffirmed my love for research. Within months of beginning my work in this field, I was made aware of challenges that I was never presented with at school. I was also taught the importance of optimism and fortitude, and that without both of these qualities research becomes a brutal and arduous task. This award instills the optimism that every researcher thrives on; and in light of its prestige, this award has challenged me to work harder in my field of interest.
Our work is concerned with acute pancreatitis, a disease which begins with the premature activation of pancreatic digestive enzymes. We aim to better characterize the role of the calcium channel, inositol 1, 4, 5 trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), in acute pancreatitis. Specifically, we are interested in the type 2 isoform (IP3R2) of this calcium channel, and its role in prematurely activating digestive enzymes in the pancreas. To do this, we will utilize live cell imaging techniques to analyze calcium signals in mice with or without IP3R2. We will also examine protease activation in vitro to help understand the role of IP3R2 in this process.
This award will ensure that these experiments take place. With these funds, we will be able to provide improved understanding of the role calcium signaling plays in pancreatitis. Further, we may provide insight towards a pathologic predisposition to pancreatitis. This work is vital to our field and would not be possible without the help of my mentors Drs. Sohail Husain, Fred Gorelick, and Michael Nathanson.
Saritza Mendoza
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Role of NHERF1 in maintenance of epithelial barrier function in murine intestine
2009 Student Research Fellowship Award (Other)
Rachel Donahoe, BA
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Investigation of Dietary Absorptive Capacity of Fructans in Healthy Subjects A Randomized, Double-Blind Dose Response Study
Daniel Shue, BA, MS
Massachusetts General Hospital
Identifying molecular mechanisms that promote resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy in colon cancer
I am extremely honored to have been selected as a recipient of the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award. The funding from this award will allow me to work in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Chung at Massachusetts General Hospital, where I will be studying novel molecular pathways that promote resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy in colon cancer. Tumors are highly dependent on angiogenesis to meet the metabolic demands of rapid growth, and while current anti-angiogenic therapies have been effective, tumors are still able to grow despite continued treatment. My project will investigate the molecular basis for this observed resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy, with the ultimate goal of discovering novel therapeutic targets against which we can develop future anti-angiogenic therapies.
As a medical student and aspiring physician-scientist, I believe that this project will provide me with valuable research experience in the field of gastroenterology -- a field that I seriously plan on pursuing. Although I thoroughly enjoy clinical medicine, I have always been fascinated by biomedical research and its unique role in the discovery of new therapies that may ultimately lead to improved outcomes at the bedside. The funding that comes with the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award makes it possible for me to learn more about the latest research in the field of gastroenterology (specifically gastroenterological cancers), and for that, I'm truly grateful. Thanks again to the AGA for this amazing opportunity.
2008 Student Research Fellowship Award Recipients
Christie M. Gutierrez
I am extremely thankful and honored to have been selected as a recipient of the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award. Last summer I was involved with the Undergraduate Student Scholars Program (USSP) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The USSP in the NIH Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases is a ten-week organized program of summer lectures and presentations combined with basic research experience in the laboratory of an expert investigator. Not counting my undergraduate classroom lab work, the program was my first biomedical research experience. During the summer, I worked in the lab of Dr. Anil Rustgi, Chief of the Gastroenterology Division, alongside Dr. Carmen Michaylira and investigated the role of cell-cell junctions in a three-dimensional model of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a highly malignant gastrointestinal cancer. My positive summer research experience impacted my academic endeavors in two major ways. First, because of my newfound interest in biomedical research, I continued working in the lab of Dr. Rustgi during the academic year. Using the techniques I learned the previous summer, I investigated the localization and degree of expression of target proteins involved in ESCC. Second, as a rising pre-med senior, my positive lab experience last summer not only introduced me to biomedical research, but it also made an M.D./ Ph.D. program a serious option for me in the future. By enabling me to continue my research investigating cell adhesion and invasion in the tumor microenvironment, the FDHN Student Research Fellowship Award has not only provided me with funding but has also fueled my passion to pursue a career that incorporates both research and medicine. I am very grateful for the AGA’s financial and motivational support and this exciting opportunity to continue my research in Dr. Rustgi’s lab at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Nirosha Mahendraratnam
Johns Hopkins University - Undergraduate
I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the 2008 AGA Foundation Student Research Fellowship Award. As I prepare for my senior year at Johns Hopkins University, I am excited to develop my research project under the guidance of Dr. Ted Bayless. While I have worked on the individual pieces of a project (the grant writing, data collection, analysis, collaboration, and the paper writing), this is the first time I am executing a project in its entirety.
In my study, I will investigate the effects of smoking on proctitis progression in patients with ulcerative colitis through a retrospective cohort study. While I have done clinical inflammatory bowel disease research in the past, I am especially enthusiastic about this topic as it involves my interests in both public health and medicine. My public health background leads me to consider the balance between the personal and public health impacts, both positive and negative, of smoking in ulcerative colitis. The paradoxical relationship between cigarette smoking, which is infamous in public health for its deleterious effects, and its protective effects in ulcerative colitis is perplexing. I would like to continue to research this association at the molecular level, as well as explore the effects of smoking on Crohn’s disease in the future. The experience I will garner from this project is invaluable and will further my goals of pursuing a career in research and public health.
Richard Li
I feel tremendously honored to be a recipient of an AGA Student Research Fellowship Award. I have aspired to pursue a profession in the medical field since I was very little, and have been particularly fascinated by medical research. I think the best part about medical research is the ability to affect and facilitate the lives of millions of people across the world. This grant has allowed me to take my first steps towards my lifetime goal.
As I enter my junior year in high school, this will be my third summer working in the laboratory under the auspices of Dr. Xuhang Li at Johns Hopkins University. I will be studying the therapeutic effects of an ancient western herb on controlling the symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in various mouse IBD models. Our preliminary experiments have been especially promising, as this herbal medicine has been shown to kill lymphocytes more effectively than 6-mecaptopurine, a commonly used immunomodulator in IBD therapy today. In addition, this herb exhibited no cytotoxicity to the non-inflammatory cells tested. We hope to develop this promising medicine into a safer and more economical non-biologic medicine, carrying significantly less side-effects.
Working in the laboratory with Dr. Li and his research team has diversified my learnings far beyond my school’s curriculum, and I am extremely grateful to both my mentor and AGA for supporting me in my future research.
Aaron Hecht
University of Chicago - Undergraduate
In vivo mechanisms of intestinal wound healing
This research award will positively affect my career in many ways and will push forward my personal short-term goals. First, the research award, in essence, allows me to pursue a summer job in science as opposed to a more lucrative, menial job. This is an obvious positive because with the research award in hand I can benefit both monetarily and academically this summer from my job. Second, this award allows me to stay active mentally, as I am not taking any classes this summer, which will enable me to discard the typical summer-to-school transition in the fall semester. Third, this award will allow me to get a feel for the laboratory, as this is my first time working in the lab. This, in turn, will help me decide in which direction I will take my career. Fourth, the fellowship award allows me to experience hands-on science on a daily basis as opposed to the book science I am in touch with at school. Fifth, this summer research opportunity will allow me to be in touch with experienced, intelligent researchers and will give me the chance to talk about science every day.
Finally, this experience will be of great benefit to my resume for medical school or an MD/PhD program after my undergraduate education concludes. Overall, this award will be a great first step toward the career I desire and will impart on me a wide range of knowledge and experiences just from being in the lab.
2007 Student Research Fellowship Award Recipients
John Young
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, MS II
I am grateful and honored to be a recipient of the AGA Student Research Fellowship. The grant allows me the distinct opportunity to conduct research under Dr. Tavakkolizadeh’s mentorship at the Brigham and Women’s hospital. I will be involved in looking at the entrainable rhythmic diurnal expression of a number of small intestine transporters. These changes occur in anticipation of feeding and are believed to match the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients with the anticipated nutrient availability. Using a rat model, I hope to be able to better characterize some of the pathways that direct these events and elucidate whether they are driven by luminal, vagal, or hormonal signaling. Due to the amplitude and rapid nature of these diurnal changes in transporter expression, we hope that, in the long run, this research may be useful in developing novel therapies for post-operative recovery or malabsorption or over-nutrition disorders. By allowing me to conduct this exciting research, the fellowship has also given me the opportunity to continue my research training (encompassing literature reading, benchwork, data analysis, and scientific writing). This important exploratory and curiosity driven learning process will supplement what I have and will learn in the medical classroom. I have no doubt that the research, under Dr. Tavakkolizadeh’s guidance, made possible by this award will be a crucial step in the development of my interest in gastroenterology and my career as a physician-scientist.
Ajay Abichandai
Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center - Undergraduate
Biology of Gastrin Releasing Peptide-Receptor (GRP-R) Expression in Undifferentiated and Differentiated Mouse 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
Research, in my opinion, is the backbone of medicine. The discoveries and daily innovations enable health care providers deliver advanced patient care that serves to improve the quality of life for people around the word. I am sincerely grateful to the AGA for giving student researchers the opportunity to truly make a difference.
My work with Dr. Christian Weber serves to elucidate the mechanisms and intracellular signaling cascades that lead to both glucose uptake, proliferation and differentiation of adipocytes in mouse cells. The regulation of adipocyte growth can potentially correct imbalances in energy metabolism which if unchecked can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. Working with Dr. Weber has not only exposed me to different laboratory assays, but has enabled me to think more critically and I would like to thank him for his diligent guidance. The Student Research Fellowship Award will enable me to further expand my horizons and serve as an important stepping stone into my future career in medicine and research.
Michelle Burbick
Evanston Hospital – Northwestern University - Undergraduate
Role of tumor suppressor Foxo3a in regulation of inflammation in colonic cells
My research career is just beginning. This AGA award an excellent start and I’m at point zero. I can only move up from here. Research is such an important element of today’s world and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. It is the secretive, behind the scenes, work of medicine, and that makes it more special to me. Without the behind the scenes work, the show would not go on, and there would be no advancements in medicines.
When I first arrived at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 2006, I felt out of place, as if I still belonged in high school. Through the entire award application process, it was as if a transformation took place. Months ago, I was just a college freshman. Now I am sitting in a laboratory at Evanston Northwestern hospital’s Research Institution, surrounded by new machines and different chemicals; human cultured cells, and professional researchers; running my own experiments and reading scientific papers. I feel at home here and the experience that has led me here has been one of a kind.
My mentor, Dr. Suzana Savkovic, took a chance on me and I have never been more grateful. Working with her has been amazing. She radiates intelligence and only having worked with her for a brief time period, she has taught me a great deal. She taught me how to organize and plan out a proposal and now she is teaching me to execute it professionally.
Receiving the Student Research Fellowship Award is such an honor and it has really changed my outlook on my future. I know that this award and this summer will be a catalyst for the rest of my career and my life in general. This award is not only an honor, but it is everything to me. It is uplifting. The research I am performing may potentially lead to new treatments to improve the quality of life for many people. Just knowing that is a possible effect of this work is a joy to me; and wherever this summer may take me, I will go towards it with joy in my heart.
Connie Wang
Washington University School of Medicine - Undergraduate
Characterization of hepatic IL-6 RNA binding and altered mRNA stability mediated by apobec-1 complementation factor (ACF)
Let me begin by saying that I am very honored to receive this award. Basically my entire life, it has been my desire to achieve a career in medicine. The AGA Student Research Fellowship Award will provide great strides in the attainment of this goal. Future advancements in the field of medicine will stem from the basic research being conducted in laboratories all over the country; by allowing me to experience this drive for knowledge on a first hand basis, the Student Research Fellowship Award will give me a unique perspective in my career as a student and a doctor. It is important to understand the basic science behind new discoveries in order for me to apply them and move forward in the struggle against the diseases that afflict so many people.
It will also be extremely beneficial to experience the mentorship available at such a prestigious institution as Washington University in St. Louis. Particularly, the guidance of my research preceptor, Dr. Nicholas Davidson, will provide vital insight as my career progresses in understanding the relationship between medicine and basic science. Dr. Davidson’s ability to balance patient care, basic science achievements, and administrative duties as the director of the Division of Gastroenterology at Washington University in St. Louis, presents a great role model that will aid me both as a student and in the future as a medical professional.
Huacong Chen
University of Arizona - Undergraduate
The Mechanism of Human NaPi-IIb gene expression inhibition by TNF-α
I want to thank the American Gastroenterology Association and Dr. Ghishan for continuing their support for my project on the effect of TNF-a on intestinal phosphate absorption. Last summer, I was inspired to look into the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines on phosphate transport after attending DDW 2005 and finding out about TNF-a and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). I found that even at a low concentration of 20ng/ml of TNF-a, gene expression of the transporter that mediates intestinal phosphate absorption, NaPi-IIb, was down regulated. Aside from discovery something new about the effect of TNF-a, I was given the opportunity to present at DDW 2007. As a participating attendee of DDW 2007, I learned a lot about basic, clinical, and medical science in gastroenterology, and I learned that importance of translational research in the sciences. The experiences that arose from getting the student research fellowship award has opened many doors in the scientific field for me. This summer, I plan on determining how TNF-a down-regulates NaPi-IIb gene expression. I hope to uncover the signal pathway that allows TNF-a to act on the gene expression of Caco-2 cells.
Alice Conant
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine - High School
Association of Physical Activity and Biomarkers on Colorectal Cancer Risk
I am extremely grateful to the Student Fellowship Committee of the AGA for the opportunity to continue my research on colorectal cancer alongside Dr. Carmen Guerra and Dr. Anil Rustgi at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Last summer as a sophomore in high school, I had the invaluable experience of working with Dr. Guerra on the study "Curcumin for the Chemoprevention of Colorectal Cancer", evaluating if curcuminoids (found in the spice turmeric) modulate cellular proliferation and apoptosis in the colorectal mucosa of subjects with previously diagnosed adenomatous polyps. This summer with the support from the AGA, I will continue this research and also manage a sub-study to determine if there is a relationship between physical activity levels and measures of colorectal cancer risk in our patient population. This research may help to understand lifestyle factors that influence colon cancer risk while also helping to develop potential chemoprevention therapies to reduce the risk of colon cancer.
By engaging in this hands-on research with Drs. Rustgi and Guerra, I have realized that I very much want to combine clinical research with a future career in the medical field. The opportunity provided by the AGA fellowship in collaboration with Dr. Rustgi and Dr. Guerra is an ideal way for me to expand my knowledge of biomedical research and epidemiology. Thank you, AGA for this extraordinary opportunity.
Xiao Dong
University of California, San Diego - Undergraduate
Acid stimulation of 5-HT release from the enterochromaffin cells
It is with great honor that I accept the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award, and I thank the committee for their support and recognition of young student researchers. Research is a great opportunity for students to explore the field of science and medicine, gaining a hands-on experience and broadening their knowledge for the future. The award will allow me to dedicate much more of my time and focus on research at the School of Medicine in the University of California, San Diego. Under Dr. Kim Barrett, I have gained extensive experience in utilizing digital fluorescent imaging to measure induced changes in intracellular ion concentrations, a technique we are currently using to learn more about the mechanisms of receptor mediated intracellular calcium release, in particular due to acid stimulation.
Working under Dr. Barrett’s mentorship has allowed me to further advance my skills as a researcher in addition to what I have already learned from my past experiences, developing my abilities to question what is already known and devise innovative approaches to problem-solving. I wish to create a solid foundation of skills and experiences to prepare myself for both the research and the clinical aspects of medicine. Since I know that my interest in medicine is not restricted to the physical sciences nor is my desire to become a doctor limited to a desire to help others, I believe that the AGA Student Research Fellowship Award will give me the opportunity to expand and strengthen the foundation of my research experience.
Daniel Harwell
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center - Medical Student
Therapeutic effects of Phyllanthus species: Induction of TNF-a mediated apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells
My career goals are to be a physician scientist. Therefore, the summer research award means a great deal to me. As a medical student, I believe it is vital for physicians to not only have a working knowledge of what research entails but also to contribute to the science of medicine in an effort to further medical advances and ultimately change patients’ lives for the better. The focus of my summer research activity will be to identify how pancreatic cancer cells proliferate and whether we can inhibit its growth. Less than 5% of all people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live beyond five years and current chemotherapies have been proven less than effective at treating this aggressive malignancy. It is for this reason that new treatments must be found. My project includes determining the expression of novel RNA binding proteins and in evaluating the effects of various medicinal plants on their expression in pancreatic cancer cells. I hope to provide a meaningful contribution to cancer research and further my knowledge as a physician scientist. I look forward to working with the AGA as I reach my goal. I am very grateful for this award and I whole-heartedly thank the AGA for this opportunity to undertake this project.
Jane Li
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas/Dallas VA Medical Center - High School Student
Role of Oncogenic Ras in the Neoplastic Progression of Barrett’s Esophagus
It is such an honor to be a recipient of a Student Research Fellowship Award and I feel truly grateful to the AGA Foundation for this wonderful opportunity. As a high school student, I know how rare it is for someone with my age and lack of experience to be granted an award of this magnitude. I hope being mentored by Dr. Rhonda Souza and her research team will help my scientific career evolve and grow. I look forward to contributing to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis in Barrett's esophagus as best I can.
Working with Dr. Souza will be my first encounter with academic research, but I know it will not be my last. I'd like to thank her and the AGA Foundation for all their support and for paving the way towards my career as a physician or researcher in the future.
Jingshing Wu
Massachusetts General Hospital and Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard University - Undergraduate
The Natural History of Children With Persistent Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
I am grateful for the honor of receiving the AGA Student Research Fellowship, which will provide me with the opportunity to study the natural history of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with Dr. Harland Winter of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Paul Rufo of Children’s Hospital Boston. I will be conducting a retrospective review evaluating the long-term outcomes of individuals diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease as children, hoping to improve long-term patient care for those with gastroesophageal reflux disease. This award not only gives me an opportunity to explore the field of gastroenterology and gain experience in clinical research, but it will also allow me to contribute to the field of pediatric gastroenterology and help physicians manage and monitor patients with reflux over time. With the research skills that I gain from this experience, I hope to continue to participate in research projects and answer clinical questions in my future career in academic medicine.
Jing Jing Xiao
McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre - Undergraduate
Oral Versus Intravenous PPI Administration: Comparative Effects On
Gastric Ph Measurements In Patients With Acute Ulcer Bleeding
I am very pleased to receive the AGA Student Fellowship Award. Ever since I was little, I have always been interested in a career in the medical field and have participated in medical research projects since high school sophomore year. I thank AGA for supporting my educational endeavour, and I will give my best to carry out the project. Under the supervision of Dr. Alan Barkun at McGill University, I look forward to conducting the experiment, which compares the effect of high dose oral Prevacid FastTab with that of the intravenous Pantaprazole.
Jolanta Jozefera
University of Pennsylvania - Undergraduate
Leptin Signaling In Nucleus Of The Solitary Tract Neurons Contributes To The Control of
Food Intake By Potentiating The Intake Reducing Effect of Intestinal Nutrients
I would like to thank the AGA for the summer fellowship presented to me through the Student Research Fellowship Award. I am a rising senior majoring in neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, conducting research on the neural control of energy balance under the guidance of Dr. Harvey Grill. This award will allow me to complete my first independent research project that examines whether the adipose tissue-derived hormone, leptin, amplifies the satiating effect of intra-intestinal nutrients through an action on the hindbrain neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract. The experiments examine the neural circuits that mediate the intake reducing effects of two physiological signals – intestinal nutrient stimulation and leptin – and thereby have relevance to the development of new drug targets for the treatment of the growing number of obese and overweight individuals who are at increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. I am grateful for this award as it is the first major step in my planned career as a physician and researcher. Completing my first independent project will allow me to gain experience in biomedical research, including writing the grant proposal, conducing every phase of the research, and presenting my findings in an abstract at Digestive Disease Week. I am fascinated by the work and look forward to other opportunities in the years ahead.
Colleen Middleton
University of Illinois at Chicago - High School Student
Relationship between EPEC-induced barrier function disruption and host cell death
Participating in this research opportunity would be a wonderful experience for me in many different aspects. I am considering a career in medicine or science, and this lab opportunity may help me determine my future plans in science. Through my experience in this award, I hope to deepen my perception of science and research. Furthermore, I can continue my education over the summer in science, which will eventually assist my acceptance into college, where I could pursue a degree in either medicine or science. Over the summer, students tend to forget much of the skills they have acquired over the school year, but I know that if I continue to study this summer, I will be able to reenter the school in the fall one step ahead. Lastly, the experience I will gain from this research will help my future laboratory research in any classroom setting. I will understand the importance of research and how to do proper experimentation. Through this research opportunity, I hope to ultimately be able to further understand the world around me.
Laura Mirviss
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - High School Student
An examination of the possible effects of BFT and/or ETBF for activating Stat3 as a potential
mechanism of oncogenesis of colon cancer associated with ETBF
I am extremely grateful to the AGA for supporting my summer research under the auspices of Dr. Cynthia Sears and Dr. Shervin Rabizadeh at Johns Hopkins University. The work of Dr. Sears and Dr. Rabizadeh in exploring the role of ETBF bacteria in causing serious colon diseases and colorectal cancer is tremendously significant, and it will be both an honor and a great privilege to participate in their research activities this summer. The grant will enable me to conduct research under their supervision into the relationship among ETBF pathogens, a signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat3), and colon tumor formation in mice. I hope that this experience will help serve as a springboard for my own academic pursuit of a career in medicine and medical research.
Ayn L. Sionas
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Undergrauate
Investigating Target Genes of Sox9 in Intestinal Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells
I am grateful to be a recipient of an AGA Student Research Fellowship Award and for the opportunity it will provide for me to further enhance my education. Many important aspects of the natural sciences that are taught in the classroom are best understood when experienced in a hands-on laboratory setting. This type of experience, as well as the confidence that the award has provided me, will be very beneficial in both furthering my undergraduate education and in whichever field I choose to pursue in the future. I am thankful and excited for this new opportunity to continue my learning both inside and outside of the classroom.
Ivette Sosa Seda
Center of Basic Research for Digestive Diseases
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine - Medical Student
Targeted Guardians: BH3-only proteins mediate Proteasome inhibitor induced Apoptosis in Hepatic Stellate Cells
Yuan Tao
Stanford University - High School Student
Monitoring of apoptosis in liver diseases with a novel keratin-cleavage specific antibody
The Student Research Fellowship Award is a very strong encouragement for me as a high school student with a deep interest in innovative scientific research. It has given me a unique opportunity to engage in the fascinating research in Dr. Omary’s to create a method of monitoring apoptosis in the liver cells through blood samples with a sandwich ELISA kit. If successful, this would facilitate the process of observing apoptosis for patients suffering from liver diseases by replacing the invasive biopsy method they currently must go through. The award would not only give me an opportunity to serve the medical community with the little that I can do now, but I would gain new knowledge from this experience so that I will be able to do more. The AGA foundation has greatly supported me in my research in Dr. Omary’s lab, and also encouraged me in my lifelong pursuit of a scientific career.
Meghan Wymore
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ames, Iowa
Assessment of Colonization Densities of Altered Schaedler’s Flora Following Helicobacter bilis Colonization of Gnotobiotic Mice
It is a great honor to receive the AGA Student Fellowship Research Award. The dynamic interaction between the host and the gut microbiota is a fascinating area of research, and these data will help to unravel the complexity of host-microbial interactions that contribute to the development of immunologically-mediated intestinal inflammation in humans. Dr. Michael Wannemuehler’s mucosal immunology laboratory utilizes a novel gnotobiotic mouse model colonized with the Altered Schaedler’s Flora (ASF), eight mouse bacterial species. My project focus is to use quantitative PCR techniques to assess changes in the commensal ASF following colonization with Helicobacter bilis. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that selective colonization with H. bilis evokes progressive immune reactivity to these resident microflora that is associated with development of typhlocolitis in mice. I had the honor of presenting these pilot data as a poster at DDW 2007. This award will allow me to continue this work this summer and extend our earlier observations.
By working in several diverse research laboratories as an undergraduate student, I have become familiar with many laboratory techniques and have gained an appreciation for the pivotal role that basic science plays in biomedical research. This fall I am entering veterinary school, and plan to pursue a PhD upon completion of my DVM. Following completion of my professional training, I will pursue a research career in translational medicine as a veterinary clinical scientist.
Michael Zinkievich
SUNY Upstate Medical University - Undergraduate
Gastric mucosal expression and activation of H+/K+-ATPase in NSAID-treated rats. SI:
I have been engaged in part-time research under the guidance of Drs Levine and Nandi in the Department of Gastroenterology at SUNY Upstate Medical University since September 2005. In this time, I have studied the effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on acid production, prostaglandin synthesis, and proton pump expression and activity in isolated rabbit parietal cells. This award allows me to take on the role of a primary investigator, and further explore the underlying mechanisms of NSAID-induced gastric acid secretion and inflammation in a pylorus-ligated rat model.
Dr. Levine and Dr. Nandi are mentors who have fueled my passion for research. Being awarded the Student Research Fellowship Award further encourages me, and has solidified my desire to pursue a career as a medical scientist. I look forward to continuing my medical education and appreciate the opportunities provided by this award. I thank the AGA and FDHN for their recognition and support of student researchers.
2006 Student Research Fellowship Awards Recipients
Alexandra Berger
Huacong Chen >
Erin Feller
Jeremy Thomas Hetzel
Young Lu
Mia Maamari
Diane Nguyen
Joanna M. Peloquin
Roxana Samimi
Qian Xu
2005 Student Research Fellowship Awards Recipients
Cindy Mong
Kevin Hastings Carroll
Jonathan Chang
Jennifer Coleclough
Sean Crawford
Nicholas Dalessandro
Jessica Gomez
Laura Hallet
Paul Hanavan
Martha Harding
Woojin Kim
Ang Li
Laura McDaniel
Cindy Mong
Neal Patel
Shachar Peles
Rex Pillai
Mizeal Quinones
Praveen Rathinavelu
Kathryn Straub
Amy Yang
Yong Zhou
2004 Student Research Fellowship Awards Recipients
Ometeotl Acosta
Yong Cha
Hann-Hsiang Chao
Michael Chee
Koushik Das
Fiona Fernandes
Manish Gala
Rakhi Garg
Blazej Golik
Daniel Greener
Sean Heffernan
Matthew Keller
Jonathan Kohler
Leila Lackey
Audrie Lin
Joy Liu
Rebecca Nathanson
Sudeep Prajapati
Bharat Reddy
Aaron Small
Xiao Zhao
2003 Student Research Fellowship Awards Recipients
Jose Aguirre
Stayce Beck
Jonathan Chang
Noeet Elitsur
Sreenivas Garla
Lotisha Garvin
Kim Jiramonkolchai
Prathima Kannan
Joon Kim
Bonnie Lau
Lindsey Moser
Hani Nakhoul
Pankaj Pasricha
Shachar Peles
Nithin Rajan
Charles Scales, Jr.
Neha Sharma
