Campbell MSBS students present Capstone I Research in Progress Talks

December 9, 2024

The Capstone I Research in Progress Talks are part of the culmination of students' work in their final year of the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS) program at Campbell University.

The second-year students in the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine presented their initial research to fellow students, faculty and staff Dec. 4 and 5.

The research projects, which will continue throughout the semester, give students the chance to showcase their findings while putting classroom knowledge into practice, said Dr. Christopher Fink, assistant professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at Campbell.

The students' work centered on a variety of topics, including critical medical and environmental issues. For their projects, students study and analyze existing data, as well as conduct the relevant research.

The recent presentations were part of their research plans as that work moves forward, Fink said. Each of the five groups, composed of several students, presented their work over 30 minutes before taking questions.

Projects presented Dec. 5 included, "Investigating an Association between Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Reported Cases of Cervical Cancer in U.S. Adult Women," by Sheevanie Casimir, Kylie Finley-Johnson, Isabel Franco and Nancy Wise, and "HPV Vaccination Uptake before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Research in Progress," by Sidney Briski, Dre Colston and Laura Petrera.

Mimi Coleman, Jordan Tuck and Shay Wilkes on Dec. 4 presented "Investigating the Relationship between PFAS Serum Levels and Hormonal Changes in Adolescent Males."

PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are found in myriad products, including nail polish and pesticide, the group says, as well as other sources, such as agriculture and manufacturing. These chemicals can then end up in drinking water, causing a number of serious health issues.

Another ongoing project, also presented Dec. 4, is titled "Investigating an Association Between Limited Physical Activity and the Occurrence of Depression Among Adults 65 years and older," by Harry Lee, Khalia Lynch, Madysen Tuck and Justine Vallejo.

Depression poses a significant health concern, affecting 8 million Americans who are 65 and older. Just 10 percent of the people with an official diagnosis of depression receive care. The students ask, "Is limited physical activity associated with an increased occurrence of depression in the elderly, ages 65 years and up?"

The hypothesis: "Elderly individuals who reported lower levels of physical activity also report higher levels of depression symptoms."

Joshua Berlin, Simone King and Morgan Woodard on Dec. 4 presented their project, "Investigating an Association between Time Since Diagnosis and Adherence to Hypertension Treatment."
In the U.S. alone, 45 percent of people 18 and older have hypertension, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in three people have hypertension that's going untreated.

It's estimated that 31 percent of all people with hypertension - commonly called high blood pressure - fail to regularly take their prescriptions, about 41 million people globally, according to the American Heart Association.

Many people with high blood pressure experience no symptoms, which is inherently problematic and why the condition is called the "silent killer." People can go days without taking their prescriptions yet experience no symptoms; headaches and chest pain, for example.

It's important to understand why people don't take their medications, the students say, citing the primary reason for the project.

Hypertension is not just a number, Berlin said.

"It poses serious health risks," he said. "It can contribute to major complications, like congestive heart failure, stroke, renal failure … which could lead to death."

The MSBS program, Campbell says "is a rigorous two-year graduate degree program designed for applicants who need to enhance either their academic record or standardized test scores for admission to health professions programs. This program couples a challenging curriculum with personalized student advisement."

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