Students Showcase Research at Annual Campus Event | PCOM Georgia News
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Students Showcase Research at Annual Campus Event


June 6, 2019

37 posters explain innovative projects on topics such as diabetes, obesity, vaccination, chemotherapy and more.


Held May 14, 2019, Research Day at PCOM Georgia featured 37 posters depicting innovative projects from students, residents, fellows and faculty members. Programs represented included biomedical sciences, pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy and physician assistant studies. Research topics ranged from diabetes, obesity, and medication use to chemotherapy resistance, vaccination rates, and the effects of tai chi.

The event鈥檚 keynote speaker, Periasamy Selvaraj, PhD, a professor in the Department of Pathology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, described his seminal work in the area of cancer immunotherapy. His laboratory focuses on developing patient-specific, anti-tumor vaccines to treat metastatic cancer.

The following participants received awards for their research presentations:

Excellence in Research 鈥 Biomedical Sciences

First Place 鈥 Daniel Horuzsko, MS/Biomed 鈥19
鈥淎llicin reverses diabetes-induced dysfunction of human coronary artery endothelial cells鈥

Second Place 鈥 Christine Okaro MS/Biomed, 鈥19
鈥淚ncreased autophagy and liver regeneration protects LCN2 KO mice from APAP-induced acute liver failure鈥

Honorable Mention 鈥 Alina Farah, MS/Biomed 鈥19
鈥淪tudies examining the potential of ruthenium-substituted, NGR-tagged rubredoxin to act as a cancer therapeutic drug鈥

Excellence in Research 鈥 Pharmaceutical Sciences

First Place 鈥 My Hahn Duong, (PharmD 鈥20)
鈥淚mpact of pharmacist-driven management of direct oral anticoagulants: A preliminary observational study鈥

Second Place 鈥 Adrian Gavre (PharmD 鈥21)
鈥淕rapefruit favanoid naringenin: A promising therapeutic agent for obesity鈥

Honorable Mention 鈥 Lucy Yang (PharmD 鈥20)
鈥淪tudent pharmacists self-perceived confidence in communication skills with healthcare practitioners before and after a seminar course鈥

Excellence in Research 鈥 Physician Assistant Studies/Physical Therapy

First Place - Rodney Carter (PT 鈥21)
鈥淰ariation of the lateral ligaments of the knee: A case study鈥

Honorable Mention 鈥 Jocilyn Yarnell (PT 鈥21)
鈥淯nreported anatomic variation of the iliocapsularis muscle: A case report鈥

Excellence in Research 鈥 DO Program

First Place 鈥 Samir Sarda (DO 鈥21)
鈥淭he Atlanta Interprofessional Student Hotspotting Program: Service-oriented education and community-centered accountable care for high utilization patients"

Second Place 鈥 HJ Park (DO 鈥21)
鈥淢elatonin for sleep? Examining the effect of melatonin on inflammation, neurodevelopment and oxidative stress鈥

Honorable Mention 鈥 Timothy Cofer (DO 鈥22)
鈥淲hat is the response of Cerebellar Purkinje cells and the Cerebral Cortex to tACS stimulation in-vivo?鈥

Excellence in Research 鈥 Residents/Fellows

First Place 鈥 Iran Najafabadi, PharmD 鈥18
鈥淢edication use evaluation of intravenous acetaminophen in surgical patients鈥

Second Place 鈥 Travis Fields
鈥淐hronic inflammation associated with obesity exacerbates bone loss in mice鈥

Honorable Mention 鈥 Haris Hatic, DO
鈥淭hyrotoxicosis in molar pregnancy鈥

Fisher Award for Excellence
Haris Hatic, DO

Research Day committee members and judges included: Abigail Hielscher, PhD, Chair; Adwoa Aduonum, PhD; Kim Baker, PhD; Vishakha Bhave, PhD; Skye Bickett, DHSc, MLIS; Valerie Cadet, PhD; Shafik Habal, MD; Francis Jenney, PhD; Harold Komiskey, PhD; Vicky Mody, PhD; Dennis Peffley, JD, PhD; Srujana Rayalam, PhD; Lori Redmond, PhD; Sara Reece, PharmD; Essie Samuel, PharmD; Rangaiah Shashidharamurthy, PhD; Sonia Thomas, PharmD; Richard White, PhD; Shu Zhu, MD, PhD.

Sponsors of the event were: the and Educational Information Systems, the Division of Research, the Office of Admissions, Thermo-Fisher and Fulton Bank.


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About PCOM Georgia

PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit .

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