Medical Student Research Fellowship Event Marks 45 Years with Presentations, Awards

Faculty, fellows, postdoctoral fellows, and residents in the College of Medicine came together recently for the 45th-Annual Medical Student Research Fellowship (MSRF) program presentations. The event took place from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the General Education Building.

The MSRF program enables UT Health Science Center medical students, selected on a competitive basis, to engage in individualized research projects under the supervision of College of Medicine faculty investigators in both basic science and clinical science departments during the summer or off-quarters. It introduces students to biomedical research and to careers in academic medicine, and provides an excellent opportunity for professional and academic growth.

Co-directed by Matthew Ennis, PhD, professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology; Amali Samarasinghe, PhD, associate professor of Pediatrics; and Steve Goodman, PhD, professor of Pediatrics, the 2024 MSRF program was included a record 80 M1 students.

The event featured presentations from students, whose projects ranged in focus from epidemiology, social determinants of medicine and disease, population and global health, to surgery, cancer, immunity, inflammation, neuroscience, eye, and others. "The student presentations were excellent, among the best in this history of the program," Dr. Ennis said.

The top eight awardees in the class of 2024 were:

Claire Sorenson - mentored by Angela Nakahara, MD

Hanna Seiters - mentored by Lauren Bell, MD

Resi Chehardy - mentored by Maunil Bhatt, MD

Holly Gates - mentored by Devra Becker, MD

Joel Elasy - mentored by Liza Makowski, PhD

Chester Ngien - mentored by Steven Tavalin, PhD

Richard Cape - mentored by Monica Jablonski, PhD

Sarah Oh - mentored by Monica Jablonski, PhD

The MSRF program is supported by funding from the Office of the Executive Dean of the College of Medicine, participating departments and mentors, as well as Carol and Greg Houser.

The MSRF program featured presentations on research including epidemiology, social determinants of medicine and disease, population and global health, and more.

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