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The 3rd Annual BUILDing SCHOLARS Undergraduate Research Symposium was held on the last Saturday of September at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The symposium was an opportunity for students to exhibit the research they conducted over the prior summer as visiting researchers in laboratories across the country. Although the majority of presenters were BUILD Scholars, the symposium was open to any undergraduate conducting biomedical research. A significant number of additional presenters were recent participants in the BUILDing SCHOLARS Summer Research Program, representing a variety of schools from the west Texas and New Mexico region, including UTEP, New Mexico State University, and New Mexico Tech, among others. Together, over 90 students presented research that spanned eight subcategories from addiction and cancer to translational biomedicine.
The symposium represents a homecoming for many students as they return from their summer activities in other labs and universities. It is a chance to share the results of their hard work with their BUILD peers, mentors, friends, and family. For some, the summer was their first experience researching in another lab and the symposium their first opportunity to demonstrate newly acquired technical and presentation skills.
A panel of faculty mentors, post-docs, and graduate students judged each poster and presenter with an innovative judging app that automatically compiled and uploaded scores from a multi-item rubric. Students were judged primarily on their presentation and communication skills, in addition to the quality of their scientific work. Eleven individuals received first and second place awards across the eight subcategories for their clear, effective and enthusiastic explanation of their research. The first place winners are listed below.
Montserrat C. Garcia Arreguin
Cancer
Improving the efficacy of dendritic cell tumor vaccines.
Garcia Arreguin, M., Konduri, V., Halpert, M., Vazquez-Perez, J., Chen, I., Burns, B., Oyewole-Said, D., Decker, W., & Levitt, J.
“What I love about research is that I am able to ask questions that no one has asked before and then plan experiments that will answer that question! This past summer my question was whether dendritic cell double-loading efficacy was affected by the serum concentration used. The answer was yes! However, what happens every summer is that I get hooked on my project and want to continue asking questions, but I have to leave!
At the symposium, I was not worried for once about winning an award. I was just there, extremely excited to share my project and to have fun talking about something I feel passionate about. Winning the award was a rewarding surprise!”
Kiana S. Burnett
Degenerative and Chronic Diseases
The relationship between lipedema and venoarterial reflex.
Burnett, K., Herbst, K., & Ussery, C.
“The BUILD symposium was a great opportunity for me to talk about my research, which I actually really enjoyed being a part of. It also gave me great practice for the conference I attended this month, in which I placed third for my oral talk in the innovations category for the American College of Phlebology Congress.”
Victor A. Madrid
Translational Biomedicine
High-throughput silver nanocluster beacons activator sequence selection.
Madrid, V., Zhao, O., Kuo, Y., Nguyen, T., & Yeh, T.
“My BUILD summer experience entailed long hours in the lab with individuals of diverse backgrounds. I got to work on spectroscopy with one of a kind Silver-Nanoclusters Beacons (NCBs) with the goal of sequencing millions of clusters at the same time. This helped me develop skills as a scientist and to contribute to the science community in a revolutionary technology.”
Sara J. Mahmoud
Bacteriophage delivery of nanoparticles to eradicate biofilm buildup.
Mahmoud, S., Graf, J., & Rogers, T.
“Within university, it is extremely important to be given a platform to present such vital and beneficial research to a group of respectful peers, especially as an undergraduate researcher. As a minority woman pursuing a career in STEM, to have access to an outlet that allows for my voice to be heard makes the experience all the more precious to me.”
Diana Moreno
Infectious Diseases
Detecting Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis as the presumed infectious cause of Crohn’s disease.
Moreno, D., McNees, A., & Graham, D.
“I am exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Dr. Adrienne McNees and Dr. David Graham at the Baylor College of Medicine. Presenting my research at the BUILD Symposium allowed me to be questioned and think critically about what could be done to build on my project in the future. It is exciting to look back on what I have learned, and look forward to continue working towards my goals.”
Priscilla A. Parada
Chronic stress alters brain structure and function: A focus on the hippocampus.
Parada, P., Peay, D., & Conrad, C.
Rebeca F. Fierro Perez
Health Disparities
The effect of ethnic-based prejudice on working memory and anxiety.
Fierro-Perez, R., Alvarez, M., & Zarate, M.
