The University of Toledo

The 2010 Biomedical Sciences Graduate Student Research Forum was held on the University of Toledo Health Science Campus on March 30-31, 2010.  The event is organized annually by the Council of Biomedical Graduate Students of the UT Health Science Campus where the students are given the opportunity to present and discuss their work with their fellow students and faculty.  The keynote address entitled "Catching Activators in the Act" was presented by Anna Mapp, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Michigan. 

Three Cancer Biology track students placed in the top six, Sanjeevani Arora placed third and was awarded $200; Venkata Mohan Dangeti and Srinivas Vinod Saladi received honorable mention.  First place was awarded to Sima Rahman (CVMD) and second place to Mithun Khattar (IIT). 

The 2009-2010 Council of Biomedical Graduate Students who coordinated the event were Mithun Khattar (President, ITT track), Saurabh Sharma (Vice President, NND), J.P. Lavik (Secretary, ITT), Jian Wu (Treasurer, CVMD), and Suneethi Sivakumaran (Risk Assessment Officer, CB).  Biomedical Sciences track representatives were Damien Earl, Minal Mulye, and Venky Chari. 

Faculty advisors were Dr. Randall Ruch and Dr. Randall Worth.  Posters were judged by several faculty from the Health Science Campus.

All students participating in the research forum did outstanding work and the program was a success. 

The 2010 Graduate Student Research Forum was held in the lobby of the Center for Creative Education building. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Venkata Mohan Dangeti (CB track, Patrick lab)  talks with Vivian Maltese while Dr. ZiJian Xie and Dr. Edith Mensah-Osman are judging back to back.  In the back, Dr. Mark Wooten talks with a student about his work. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Sanjeevani Arora (CB track, Patrick lab) is explaining her work to judges Dr. Robert Trumbly and Dr. Bina Joe. Sanjeevani placed 3rd overall. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Mesfin Gonit (CB track, Ratnam lab) explains his results with judge, Dr. ZiJian Xie. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Venkata Mohan Dangeti (CB track, Patrick lab) answers Dr. Wooten's question during judging. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Srinivas Vinod Saladi (CB track, de la Serna lab) and Tom Blomquist (CB track, Willey lab) deep in discussion. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Venky Chari (CB track, Ratnam lab) with his work.

Sanjeevani Arora (CB track, Patrick lab) with her poster.  Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Haymanti Bhanot (CB track, Maltese lab) next to her poster.  In March, Haymanti presented her work at the Molecular and Cellular Biology Keystone Symposia X3: Cell Death Pathways: Apoptosis, Autophagy and Necrosis, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Himangi Marathe (CB track, de la Serna lab) displays her poster between judging sessions.

Lauren Stanoszek (CB track, Willey lab) with her work.  Lauren is a student in the UTCOM MD/PhD program. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andy Beavis

Suneethi Sivakumaran (CB track, Ratnam lab) with her work.  Suneethi is an elected member of the Council of Biomedical Graduate Students.

Tom Blomquist (CB track, Willey lab) stands next to his work.  Tom is also a member of UTCOM's MD/PhD program.  He is will defend his work soon and will return to medical school to finish his MD degree.

Srinivas Vinod Saladi (CB track, de la Serna lab) with his work.  Vinod's poster placed in the top six.