WesternU Research Symposium provides experience, learning opportunities for students

Western University of Health Sciences' Office of Research and Biotechnology held its 2nd annual Research Symposium Nov. 23, 2024 on the WesternU California campus. (Rodney Tanaka, WesternU)

Western University of Health Sciences' Office of Research and Biotechnology held its 2^nd annual Research Symposium Nov. 23, 2024 on the WesternU California campus.

Keynote speaker Edward S. Glaser, DPM, presented "Biomechanics of the Foot and Chronic Pain: A New Research Frontier." The symposium featured seven oral presentations and 32 posters by WesternU students.

Students said they chose their research projects based on their interests and their eagerness to work with particular faculty mentors.

College of Veterinary Medicine student Heidi Nam presented the poster "Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Abdominal Lymph Nodes in Young Cats."

College of Veterinary Medicine student Heidi Nam presented the poster "Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Abdominal Lymph Nodes in Young Cats," a collaboration with WesternU Pet Health Center Veterinarian YeunHea Lee, DVM, MS. Nam said she was motivated to conduct this research because she wanted to work with Dr. Lee.

"Working with (Dr. Lee) was the main part of why I wanted to start this research in the first place, and I just love cats," Nam said. "She already had this plan to do lymph node sizing, so it was a perfect opportunity to join her on this."

Nam said she has always been interested in research and loves the research process. Research is important because you can keep learning and you can keep contributing to society with the information that you find, Nam said. She appreciated the opportunity to present her research at the symposium.

"I think it was an amazing opportunity to look at what others are working on, and I think that this is a great opportunity to share my study and see what others think of it," she said.

College of Pharmacy Master of Science in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSBPS) student Manisha Ghising talks about her research poster.

College of Pharmacy MSBPS student Manisha Ghising said she completed a thesis while working on her bachelor's degree in Nepal, which sparked her interest in research and lab work.

"I'm just a curious person. I like to delve deep into whatever I'm doing," she said.

Participating in the symposium is very beneficial, she said.

"This is my first poster presentation," Ghising said. "It's a very good experience. It really helps me build my confidence."

Left to right: COMP students Vedi Hatamian and Seyedshayan Shojaei and College of Podiatric Medicine student Arash Azari Matin with their research poster.

College of Podiatric Medicine student Arash Azari Matin presented a research poster with College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific students Vedi Hatamian and Seyedshayan Shojaei. Matin said he appreciates the interprofessional nature of this symposium.

"When you see all the research and all the information your classmates and your colleagues have been working on, it's a win-win situation," Azari Matin said. "When you teach something to someone else, I think you understand it better. So someone comes to me and asks about this research, I try to explain it so it makes more sense to me at the end of the day. I ask them questions about their research and that gives me more information as well."

COMP student Avery Lahodny said she has always been curious as a student, sitting in lecture and asking "why?" As an undergraduate, she was introduced to the idea that research is how you get those 'why' questions answered. Research provides concrete answers to your questions, which then elicits more questions and more learning, she said.

COMP student Avery Lahodny with her research poster.

"Research for me as a future practitioner is essentially how I can show patients that I'm not only going off anecdotal evidence but I'm using real studies and things that have happened to help how I curate their care," Lahodny said. "To let them know I'm doing as much as I possibly can and I find research helps me do that."

She is motivated to continue with research because of her interest in obstetrics and gynecology.

"As a future practitioner who wants to guide patients in this vulnerable population of women, I want to increase research in that area so then more women have actual evidence about what's going on in their body and how they can guide their behaviors to best support themselves," she said.

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