Category: Student Voices

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Fall 2023 SURE Award recipient, Mykala Bledsoe (Sociology, ’25). Read on about Mykala’s research and how she plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her experience!

I began my research when completing a project on drug crime disparities, from access to substance use resources to the role of the criminal legal system. Harm reduction and decriminalization became a large part of my research when developing recommendations for how access to harm reduction programs and materials should be prioritized when addressing the overdose epidemic in DC. This developed into my thesis research which addresses harm reduction in three main parts: local data on disparities in access to harm reduction resources; using international perspectives and examples from Portugal, Switzerland, and the Netherlands; and the implementation of a harm reduction peer educator program. The last of which is a curriculum of harm reduction skills for substance use and nonviolence, interpersonal skills, and drug policy education for students to take and apply directly with community partners. It is also important to note that centering the perspectives and needs of those most directly affected by these disparities in my research is necessary to serve any community most effectively. The award money will be used to directly fund the supplies for the peer educator program that will be provided to serve DC communities. Materials like Narcan, sterile syringes, fentanyl test strips, etc are crucial in preserving the dignity of life for people who use drugs; however, these are incredibly underfunded and underserved to marginalized communities.

Additionally, the next steps for my project are to conduct my research and get approval from the IRB to conduct qualitative interviews in Switzerland and alongside DC community partners. Then I will further develop my recommendations for policy implementation as a multi-faceted program in DC. I would also love to make it to Portugal to do some research too! The SURE award was a wonderful opportunity to explore questions within my thesis without worrying about economic barriers. I am so excited to be able to use the grant to serve my community!

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Peri Wivell (Biology -Cellular and Molecular concentration Major, ’23). Read on about how Peri plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

Getting involved in research has always been a top priority for me throughout my undergraduate experience. I joined Dr. Maho Shibata’s lab in the GW Cancer Center during my sophomore year. Our lab applies concepts from developmental biology and stem cell biology to prostate cancer research. We use genetically engineered mouse models, explant cultures, and 3D organoid culture systems to study androgen signaling during prostate development, and to identify novel molecular drivers of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Under the mentorship of Dr. Shibata and her team, I learned several techniques essential to conducting effective research and started working on my own research project in spring of 2021.

My research involves studying the role of macrophage populations during development and in diseases of the prostate. Macrophages are specialized cells involved in a host of immune functions and have been known to play an important role in both pro- and anti- inflammatory responses. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common diagnosis affecting the aging male population with increasing prevalence and although the disease has become progressively common, its cause and mechanism of progression remain poorly understood. Because BPH is a disorder influenced by inflammation and the origin of macrophages in the prostate has not been fully elucidated, understanding the recruitment of macrophage populations could lead to the development of more effective treatments and therapies than those which currently exist.

Over this past summer and academic school year, I have been designing experiments, dissecting and embedding samples, conducting immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining on tissue sections to get a better understanding of the role these cells play on a microscopic level. In addition to gaining experience in conducting laboratory research and working with genetic model organisms, I’ve also improved my scientific communication and writing skills. This past summer, I presented my findings on the involvement of macrophages in different mouse models of prostatic diseases at the Summer Program Advancing Research on Cancer (SPARC) poster session. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to share my research with, while simultaneously learning from, other students and faculty working in different areas of cancer biology.

Because my research project requires daily/multi-day time-sensitive experiments, this makes summer an ideal time to make significant progress as I am able to work in the lab full time. With the support of the SURE award, I will continue to work on my project and use my findings to complete my senior thesis. Working in Dr. Shibata’s lab has been an invaluable part of my undergraduate experience and has not only helped me in my academic pursuits, but has also contributed significantly to my preparation for fulfilling my professional goals. I am hopeful that our research will lead to the development of more effective methods to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat cancer along with other diseases.

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Anuka Upadhye (International Affairs Major, ’23). Read on about how Anuka utilized the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

I used my SURE Award to attend the UN Water Conference from March 22nd to 24th at the UN Headquarters in New York City. As someone who is interested in international environmental issues, specifically water justice and climate change, I was really excited that the UN was hosting its second water conference after 46 years. Thanks to the GW Sustainability Department, a cohort of GW students and faculty were able to attend. Some of the highlights were being able to sit in the General Assembly hall and observe a plenary session, where representatives of member states discussed the future of water security in their respective countries and made voluntary commitments to help other countries finance water projects. This conference was the first time I witnessed international climate change policy in action, and helped me understand how the UN worked. It was also amazing to see so many people who are interested in global water issues under the same roof, and I felt united being near people that understood the stakes of climate change and water. Unfortunately, I left the conference with mixed opinions. Many of the events over-represented global north countries, excluded the voices of marginalized groups, and lacked tangible results. However, I am grateful for the SURE Award and the UHP for giving me the opportunity to step foot in the UN Headquarters and get an inside look on what actually happens behind closed doors. Going to the conference has allowed me to be a more coherent critic of the UN’s current shortcomings, and actively channel the frustrations I felt during the conference into ways to address current gaps in the field. Overall, getting this experience has solidified that I would like to work on climate change and water justice throughout my career because of the urgency to solve these global issues. Without the SURE Award, I would not have found this clarity. Thanks again!

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Sana Hafiz (Public Health Major, ’24). Read on about how Sana plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

The research I have been participating in this semester is in Dr. Shooks Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Lab. This lab focuses on the tissue damage that occurs due to inflammation and injury to the skin. By researching the cell variants that are responsible for this process, pharmaceutical advancements are being made. For example, fibroblasts play a critical role in numerous physiological processes, including wound healing, tissue repair, and immune response. The research am conducting this semester aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying fibroblast function which is crucial for developing treatments for various related skin, immune diseases, and conditions. My research’s area of interest is the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in fibroblasts, and its role in cellular functions. iNOS takes part in a crucial role in the inflammatory response, therefore, the expression of iNOS and its role in cellular functions are areas of active research, and a better understanding of its regulation and function is crucial for developing treatments for various diseases and conditions.

The goal of this project is to investigate the expression patterns and subcellular localization of iNOS in fibroblasts using Immunofluorescence Antibody Staining. This will provide insight into the role of iNOS in fibroblasts, and its impact on cellular functions such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The results of this study will advance our understanding of fibroblast biology, and provide a foundation for future research in this field.

The implications of the research related to skin wound healing are very high, such as using our research in a pharmaceutical means, making each step of the research process very rewarding, even when things feel tedious. Applying my academic knowledge from my classes to research and vice versa also keeps me interested and motivated in my research.

The SURE Award was used to purchase antibodies used in immunofluorescence staining to observe where fibroblasts express iNOS proteins in the skin adjacent to wounds.

The next step of this research is to analyze the stained slides so that we can provide an analysis of iNOS in fibroblasts and its impact on cellular functions. Once completed, the findings of this study will provide a foundation for further investigations into the mechanisms underlying iNOS expression in fibroblasts and its implications in various physiological and pathological conditions.

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Anne Joseph (English and Music Majors, ’23). Read on about how Anne plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

No Safe Place, is an original musical written, composed, and directed by Anne Laurie Joseph— a graduating senior double majoring in English and music. The show follows the stories of a number of women who are speaking up about their experiences of sexual assault, while also discovering that they are not alone in their journeys of healing.

With the SURE Award, my team and I can tell a complete story, with the opportunity to capture the moment via recording. Funding is being used for set building, design, costume, props, and other equipment that we might need.

The show will premiere as a part of the 2023 Corcoran NEXT Festival, at the GW XX Blackbox Theater on Wednesday and Thursday, April 26 and 27, at 7:30PM. Please use the links below to review the program book, and to follow our instagram for updates and behind the scenes.

Program: https://dpb-web.instantencore.com/program/43030/page/65617?cid=5206675

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/safe_spaces_productions/

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, John Fine (Political Communication Major, ’23). Read on about how John plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon his research experience!

This research project mixes the idea of mythology with the study of presidential rhetoric to investigate how Democratic presidents have changed the way they discuss the following foundational American myths: American heroes, American exceptionalism, American religion and the American dream. I found this project to be an interesting and important endeavor because myths are often thought to be relics of a bygone age. If there is something revealed by the continued existence of myths like George Washington’s cherry tree, ‘Honest Abe,’ or the United States as a ‘city on a hill,’ it is that these ideas of myths are very much still alive and well with us today. My purpose in this project was to understand how the use of myths like that have changed. Specifically, I chose to analyze Democratic presidents in order to look at the effects of changing political opinions by one party affects their leaders’ rhetoric. The award money supported my research by allowing me to reimburse coders and cover the cost of missing work to complete my thesis and participate in the showcase. The SURE Award presented a wonderful opportunity to me because it allowed me to focus on my research and bring in help that led to finding some reliability in my project. If there was one thing that I learned from this process it’s that it is always worth it to apply to opportunities that can support you in completing your work. Seeking out those resources can be just as important as completing the work itself when it means that it allows you to put more time and effort into your project. The next step for my project is to complete my final draft and defend it before a group of 3 professors in order to complete the SMPA honors requirement!

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, JP Infortuna (Political Communication Major, ’23). Read on about how JP plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon his research experience!

My senior thesis project examines a small portion of the evolution of musician advocacy over the last 60 years. Specifically, it focuses on the development of the benefit concert to determine how the strategies and tactics employed by musicians around these events have grown and how their impact and scope have changed. In order to investigate this, I examined three cases (The Concert for Bangladesh, Live Aid, and Live 8) and employed a news coverage analysis to determine how these concerts were received by the press both contemporarily and retrospectively. The SURE Award has been instrumental to my research in two major ways. First, it ensured I had access to all of the news articles I needed in order to complete this analysis in a reliable fashion. This allowed me to complete a fuller examination of the coverage that surrounded these events than would have otherwise been possible, giving me access to publications with a paywall, like Rolling Stone. Second, it enabled me to hire a coding assistant, helping bolster my findings and ensuring that they stand on solid ground. Without a second coder, my findings would be speculative at best. Through the process of writing my thesis, I have learned a great deal about not only the history of benefit concerts, but about the research generally. I never thought I would pursue a project as large as this has turned out to be, but I have found the experience incredibly rewarding. I’ve also found it has sharpened every skill I honed at GW, from writing to data analysis. All in all, the award has set me up to create a project that I can be immensely proud of, which is something I am beyond grateful for.

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Priscilla Pang (Neuroscience Major, ’24). Read on about how Priscilla plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

As a Neuroscience major, I’m interested in studying development. As interesting as the brain is, how the brain makes connections and matures during development fascinates me. One of the most common ways neurons form functional connections with each other is through activity or input. For instance, neurons involved in your sensory systems depend on sensory input to refine their connections.

As part of my work in the Colonnese lab, I am studying a structure called the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). It has a variety of functions and properties, but one special characteristic is that all the neurons express a protein called parvalbumin (PV) that gives these neurons their unique way of firing. My research project asks the question of whether the expression of PV in TRN cells is dependent on sensory input. Abnormal TRN function has also been implicated in disorders like schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and seizures. Better understanding how the TRN develops can also help elucidate the mechanisms behind abnormal function in these disorders.

I have learned a lot in the process of doing research. Not only have I been exposed to different lab techniques, but also working with different people with different styles. I plan to use the SURE award to attend the Society for Neuroscience conference. Presenting at a conference will be a great opportunity to receive feedback about my research and to meet new people. I am very thankful to Professors Carol and Lee Sigelman for their endowment of the SURE award, and to the University Honors Program for supporting students in their academic and research endeavors!

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!

The following blog post was written by fellow UHPer and Spring 2023 SURE Award recipient, Lexi Carmine (Biomedical Engineering Major, ’24). Read on about how Lexi plans to utilize the SURE Award funding to further expand upon her research experience!

With the ability to control the sleep-wake cycle, hormone secretion, and cardiovascular health among other things, the circadian rhythm is an indispensable process within the human body. A disruption in the circadian clock would thus be very damaging to an individual over an extended period of time for a number of reasons ranging from fatigue to disorders such as depression and anxiety. Thus, when a disruption is present it is vital to use therapeutic techniques to restore the natural rhythm. The most optimal way to treat a disrupted circadian rhythm is to fix the amount of endogenous melatonin within the system by manipulating the amount that is being released by the pineal gland, which is an important structure located deep within the human brain. The gland secretes melatonin from the pinealocyte cells by way of tryptophan and serotonin biosynthetic pathways. Previous work has shown that low intensity therapeutic ultrasound releases insulin from human islets and rodent pancreas at increased levels all while retaining cell viability. Extending these findings to other endocrine diseases could determine if ultrasound changes the release of melatonin from the pineal gland, which could potentially reestablish previously disrupted circadian rhythms.

This research is something I am extremely grateful to get to take part in and I have learned so much throughout the process of this research and am looking forward to seeing what the results of the project show. I am planning on utilizing the award money by purchasing a melatonin ELISA kit in order to see how much melatonin the rat pineal glands are producing before and after ultrasound exposure. We have exposed the glands to the ultrasound and the next step is to complete the ELISA kits in order to collect the data and see some results.

I am extremely grateful for the SURE program for supporting my research endeavors two years in a row and continuing to help me learn more and more about research.

Interested in applying for your own SURE Award funding? Find out more about the application process here!