Undergraduate student researchers Shayne Rasay, Kendrick Go, and Michellei Fischer presented their work at the 2014 Fall Forum.

Two Tropical Medicine undergraduate students who participated in the  Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) Program received awards for their oral presentations at the 2014 Honors Program and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Fall Forum on December 12, 2014.

Michellei Fischer was selected for the Natural Science First Place award for Final/Work in Progress.  Michellei presented the results of her finished UROP-supported project entitled “Human Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells as a Model to Study Human Polyomavirus JC Pathogenesis” at the forum.  Michellei participated in a summer research project in Thailand supported by the MHIRT Program in 2014 and is currently supported by the Hokama Award for undergraduate students administered through the University of Hawaii Foundation.  Michellei is mentored by Dr. Vivek Nerurkar.

Shayne Rasay, who also participated in an international research experience in Cameroon this summer under the MHIRT Program, received the First Place award for her Research Proposal presentation.   Shayne is mentored by Dr. Diane Taylor (UH) and Dr. Rose Leke (University of Yaounde, Cameroon) and presented her proposal entitled “Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Babies Born to HIV-Positive Women: Identification of Possible Mechanisms Responsible for Low Birth Weight.”

Also presenting his Honors research proposal at the Fall Forum was Kendrick Go.  Kendrick’s proposal was entitled “Assessing the Clinical Significance of HPV Quantitation in HIV-Associated Anal Dysplasia.”  Kendrick is mentored by Dr. Bruce Shiramizu.