草莓社区

For the seven 草莓社区 biomedicine graduate聽students conducting projects this fall, master鈥檚 thesis research questions will continue to challenge and benefit them long beyond their semester deadlines.

Whitney Snider and Mehdi Hasan 鈥� and the other five in their cohort 鈥� defended their theses in early December. The seven will graduate from the in the spring of 2018.

Snider, a 2014 graduate of Texas A&M University, spent a month in a research lab. The purpose of the pilot study was to find common biomarkers between chronic enterocolitis in monkeys and inflammatory bowel syndrome in humans. This research will contribute to future development and testing of a therapeutic vaccine.

Snider said she made some 鈥渞eally great connections鈥� for possible gap-year jobs before continuing her studies to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Hasan, a 2014 graduate of the University of Mary Washington, conducted a survey at EMU to explore the relationship of health literacy 鈥� the ability to make sense of health information 鈥� and consumer behavior as it pertains to acetaminophen, a common over-the-counter medicine that is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, due to overdosage.

He found that higher health literacy scores did not significantly improve consumer behavior regarding acetaminophen 鈥� but that participants with lower health literacy scores did receive lower acetaminophen awareness scores.

鈥淢y findings allowed me to understand that those individuals that had lower health literacy had a higher probability of making a more inappropriate health decision which could lead to more negative health outcomes,鈥� Hasan said. 鈥淭here definitely needs to be a stronger focus in understanding the efficacy of health promotions.鈥�

The value in his research for Hasan鈥檚 own career path, he said, was learning to understand the complexity of statistical analysis and 鈥渓earning how to use the right tools.鈥�

鈥淓verything鈥檚 not black and white,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat understanding statistics will help me do is help me understand the gray area鈥� 鈥� in part, he hopes, to improve health promotion as a family practitioner in a free clinic.

Biomed master鈥檚 program: a pathway set apart

For students applying to medical school or other professional health schools, such research projects provide 鈥渁n important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants,鈥� said Dr. , who co-directs EMU鈥檚 biomed program with Dr. . 鈥淪tudents learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish.鈥�

Since 2013, the master鈥檚 in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project brings together students with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

鈥淲e provide students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,鈥� said Stauffer. 鈥淭his equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student鈥檚 future.鈥�

Additional research

Other master鈥檚 candidates, their undergraduate institutions and their research topics include:

Salma Alhusayni聽(Ibn Sina National College, Jedda, Saudi Arabia): 鈥淎nalysis from a psychological perspective on tobacco consumption among adults living in Saudi Arabia.鈥�

Uzair Ali (Drexel University): 鈥淭he perception of Naloxone on opioid overdose in Union and Bergen Counties, New Jersey by first responders and healthcare professionals.鈥�

Thi Do Lovo聽(University of Virginia): 鈥淥steoporosis risk awareness along gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic lines in Harrisonburg, Virginia.鈥�

Ty Steve聽(James Madison University): 鈥淎nalyzing single gene positive DermTech reports to determine a more effective and accurate way to discuss results with patients.鈥�

Chang Tan (James Madison University): 鈥淗IV testing among LGBTQIA+ individuals: The impact of outness and peer openness.鈥�