Students explore research opportunities

Bev Schaffer, Ph.D., left, discusses research on breast cancer.

John Gross wandered through mountains of poster boards Thursday (Jan. 13) in search of a summer research opportunity.

The Creighton University senior hopes to work in a lab after he graduates in May with a bachelor’s degree in biology. “I’m interested in the pursuit of knowledge in genetics, molecular biology and biophysics,” he said.

Gross is unsure what area he’d like to focus on, but said the UNMC Office of Research and Development’s fifth annual Research Fair was a wonderful opportunity to sample the breadth of basic and clinical research taking place on campus. It also allowed him, as well as students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and St. Mary’s, to talk with investigators first-hand about their research and project ideas.

“The fair has been extremely helpful,” Gross said, glancing at the field of posters. “You get a great idea of what the scientists are researching within a matter of minutes.”

Neena Haider, Ph.D., right, explains the molecular genetics of retinal degeneration.

A small, family medicine study done four years ago on why medical appointments are not kept made headlines this past year when it was published in the Annals of Family Medicine, then picked up nationally by such media outlets as The Washington Post and Reader’s Digest. The study was a summer research project, said Audrey Paulman, M.D., clinical assistant professor in the family medicine, who is recruiting students to work on a follow-up study.

Robert Lahue, Ph.D., associate professor for the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, said summer lab experiences allow students to see how research is done and apply what they know in practical terms. It also teaches them about failure, he said, which is part of research.

James Shull, Ph.D., chairman of UNMC’s Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy and professor in the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, agreed. “They also learn how how much work it takes to make small advances.”

John Gross of Creighton University talks with UNMC’s Jonalee Amato at the Jan. 13 Research Fair.

Ana Lisa Ramirez, a Rice University graduate, also perused the research fair Thursday. Ramirez is working in the laboratory of Jennifer Larsen, M.D., section chief for diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism in the department of internal medicine, to “get a taste” of research. An aspiring medical school student, Ramirez said research is the “backstage production of what medicine is.” The lab experience gives her a new appreciation for the drugs that are discovered and later prescribed to patients.

“It’s fun to have students in the lab,” said Kusam Kharbanda, Ph.D., who does research on alcoholic liver disease. “They train us and we train them.”

The Research Fair is targeted at medical students attending UNMC and undergraduates from universities and colleges in eastern Nebraska, said Sonja Cox, program coordinator in the Office of Research and Development. In general, student applications for summer research experiences are due Feb. 25.