WVU Cancer Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Program welcomes 2022 cohort
The West Virginia University Cancer Institute has welcomed five students to campus for the Summer Undergraduate Research Program. The highly competitive program provides funding and opportunities in clinical and basic cancer research for undergraduate students who want to pursue careers in the field.
Students are paired with a Cancer Institute scientist as they complete a 9-week research project in the Institute’s Research Labs and will present their results at a mini-symposium on August 1. The goal is to expose them to cancer research, train them in how to use state-of-the-art instrumentation and equipment and services and meet with other students and colleagues for professional networking. Participants also have the opportunity to participate in various training seminars, workshops and programs to broaden their research experience at WVU.
This year's cohort includes:
- Ali Albwaidley, a junior studying immunology and medical microbiology at the WVU School of Medicine, will be working with Research Assistant Professor Alexey Ivanov
- Cody Pasden, a junior studying biology in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, will be working with Professor and Associate Director of Basic Research Lori Hazlehurst
- Alexander Pueschel, a junior studying biomedical engineering at the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, will be working with Assistant Professor Margaret Bennewitz
- Ritika Sagar, a sophomore studying biology at Pennsylvania State University, will be working with Professor Lan Guo
- Hannah Smart, a sophomore studying neuroscience in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, will be working with Associate Professor Elena Pugacheva
Various projects are available that provide a research experience focused upon molecular, biochemical and/or cellular approaches toward understanding the mechanism of cancer, the development of anticancer drugs and applications of nanotechnology to cancer research. The participating labs focus on blood and hematological malignancies such as leukemia or lymphoma, as well as breast, lung and head and neck cancers.