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Three students from United States military academies have completed biomedical research summer internships at OMRF. Two students from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and one from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., participated in the foundation’s ninth annual John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program. Oklahoma City native and Heritage Hall High School graduate Paige Miles is a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy. She worked in the lab of Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., studying blood vessel development. “Both of my parents are doctors in Oklahoma City, so when I heard about this opportunity I jumped at the chance to not only get experience working in medical research but also to move home for a few weeks,” said Miles. “This has been an unbelievable opportunity, and I am so fortunate have the chance to work with a great scientist like Dr. Griffin.” Connor King, also a midshipman at the Naval Academy, investigated cell division under the guidance of researcher Roberto Pezza, Ph.D. The Suffolk, Va., native researched a protein involved in DNA recombination and its function in cell development. “I have a pre-medical focus, and this experience has had a big impact on me because it shows the lifetime of research and work that goes into making each of these discoveries,” said King. “It really changes your perspective on the value of research science.” Finally, U.S. Air Force Academy cadet Lionel Gumireddy studied the impact of diabetes on the heart with OMRF scientist Kenneth Humphries, Ph.D. Gumireddy worked on an enzyme that has been linked to diabetes. “I’ve learned even more than I expected, and I have loved every minute of the experience,” said Gumireddy, a Pittsburgh, Pa., native. “I’m trying to be a doctor in the Air Force, and I’m leaning toward critical care transport. This introduction to the research side of medicine has been eye-opening.” Muskogee physician John Saxon, III, M.D., established the program to honor his late father, a West Point graduate and Air Force pilot. “This exposure to real-world medical research is invaluable to the students, and it also adds needed help and fresh perspectives in our labs,” said OMRF Senior Human Resources Specialist Heather Hebert, who coordinates the program. “We’re grateful to Dr. Saxon for supporting this unique program.” |
Oklahoma science students wrap up summer program at OMRF
For 14 gifted science students from around the state, Friday marked the completion of eight weeks of in-depth research at OMRF.
These students took part in OMRF’s prestigious Sir Alexander Fleming Scholar Program where they were given the unique opportunity to work side-by-side with senior-level researchers at the biomedical nonprofit research facility.
As Fleming scholars, these students took part in hands-on, individual research projects studying everything from age-related muscle loss called sarcopenia, to how understanding blood cells called platelets can help advance treatments for cardiovascular disease, to in-depth projects on autoimmune disease like lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
“This program has certainly opened my mind to how vibrant the scientific community is,” said Westmoore graduate Han Li, who will be a freshman at Emory University this fall. “For example, I saw just how many researchers collaborate with each other through nationwide seminars and through PubMed. I want to explore the research culture further as a result of this experience.”
In addition to working in the lab, Fleming Scholars attended lectures by OMRF scientists to learn about diverse research projects and science-related career options. They attended social events and spent time as a group outside the lab. At the end of the summer, scholars made formal presentations outlining their individual research results to OMRF’s scientific staff.
Moore native and Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics graduate Keirah Jefferson said completing the project and giving a presentation is a challenge in such a short window of time, but it taught her to appreciate the challenges scientists face regularly.
“I have gained more insight on what it is like to be an actual scientist and be listed as an author on a publication. My time at OMRF has motivated me to consider biomedical research, particularly translational research, as a career,” said Jefferson, who will be a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis this fall. “This has been an amazing opportunity. Things like these are rare, and the amount of guidance I’ve received during my time as a Fleming scholar will set a positive tone for my pursuit of science.”
Founded in 1956, the Fleming Scholar Program has provided advanced science training to more than 500 Oklahoma high school and college students. Named for Sir Alexander Fleming, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered penicillin and in 1949 dedicated OMRF’s first building, the one-of-a-kind program annually attracts up to 100 applicants.
Two current OMRF senior scientists, Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., and Rodger McEver, M.D., started their research careers as Fleming Scholars. James is the Program Chair OMRF’s Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Program, the foundation’s largest program, and McEver is the foundation’s Vice President of Research.
For more information on the Fleming Scholar Program, visit www.omrf.org/fleming.
The 2017 Fleming Scholars, their hometowns and current schools, are:
Abigail Ballard, Norman, Austin College
Monica Davis, Jones, Northern Oklahoma College
Lauren Gawey, Oklahoma City, University of Georgia
Madeline Gish, Edmond, Hillsdale College
Kari Hall, Edmond, University of Oklahoma
Keirah Jefferson, Moore, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Kristy Johnson, Blanchard, Oklahoma State University
Jarett Lewis, Edmond, Bishop McGuiness High School
James Li, Edmond, Washington University in St. Louis
Han Li, Oklahoma City, Westmoore High School
Joshua Ross, Pryor, Oklahoma State University
William Towler, Edmond, Oklahoma State University
Henry Unterschuetz, Tulsa, University of Oklahoma
Kobby Wiafe, Bethany, Baylor University
Military academy students get hands-on lab experience at OMRF
Three U.S. military academy students have completed a crash course in biomedical research at OMRF through the John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program.
Two students from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and one from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., participated in the foundation’s eighth annual program.
John Saxon III, M.D., a Muskogee physician and OMRF board member since 2000, established the program to honor his father, a West Point graduate who taught for five years at the U.S. Air Force Academy and was a career Air Force pilot before passing away in 1996.
The Saxon program is designed to provide military academy students with an opportunity to work side-by-side with OMRF’s senior scientists.
Matthew Lerdahl, a Coon Rapids, Minn., native and cadet captain first class in the U.S. Air Force, worked in the lab of Roberto Pezza, Ph.D., studying cell division.
Lerdahl, a biology major, specifically worked on what happens when cell division goes wrong in mitosis, which can result in disorders like Down syndrome and is implicated in certain cancers.
“This experience has been even more intense than I thought, and that’s a great thing. It’s very hands-on and the mentors are super helpful but also give you the freedom to make mistakes and learn on your own,” said Lerdahl. “It made me a better scientist and researcher. The environment here is just phenomenal.”
Erin McShane, a battalion sergeant major at the U.S. Naval Academy, is a chemistry major who was assigned to the lab of Ken Humphries, Ph.D., where she worked with an enzyme called PFK2. This is important because it is under-expressed in people with diabetes. It could provide a clue as to why diabetics can’t properly metabolize glucose.
“This project has been fascinating and a truly unique experience. I have an interest in serving in the Navy’s medical corps, and this has provided invaluable exposure to what medical research looks like up close,” she said. “We have sent someone from the academy here for several years, and I am thrilled to have had this amazing opportunity.”
Yuma, Ariz., native and Naval Academy midshipman second class Jocelyn Rodriguez worked under the guidance of Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., where she studied the formation of the vasculature, specifically during development of embryos. Rodriguez, who studies chemistry, said understanding how vessels work is important not only for embryonic development but also during the development of a tumor. Understanding how to disrupt the process could lead to new ways to slow or stop tumor growth.
“I have an interest in becoming a medical officer, and this opportunity has been great for my future,” she said. “It’s fun to pick the scientists’ brains to see if I want to do research or be more on the clinical side of things. It’s also great to see the leadership styles here at OMRF. Dr. Griffin is phenomenal and you can really see people love to come to work every day in her lab. It’s inspiring.”
Local students complete summer Fleming scholar program at OMRF
For most students, summer is more about beach towels and video games than beakers and microscopes, but for 13 Oklahoma high school and college students, this summer wasn’t like most.
For these gifted students, Friday marked the completion of eight weeks of research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation as Sir Alexander Fleming scholars. Of those selected for the prestigious program, nine hailed from the Oklahoma City metro area.
“This has been a great opportunity to work with amazing scientists who have taught me more than I could have imagined,” said Caroline Say, a graduate of Casady School and now a junior at the University of Wisconsin. “This program helps give young scientists an incredible and vital head start in an extremely competitive field. These few short weeks will stay with me forever.”
As summer scholars, the students took part in hands-on, individual research projects under the direction of senior-level OMRF scientists. These in-depth projects covered a wide range from studying autoimmune diseases like lupus and Sjögren’s syndrome, to learning about the role of proteins in cell division, investigating the connections between obesity and osteoarthritis, and working with mitochondria to understand how muscle mass decreases with age.
In addition to working in the lab, Fleming Scholars attended lectures by OMRF scientists to learn about diverse research projects and science-related career options. They attended social events and spent time as a group outside the lab. At the end of the summer, scholars made formal presentations outlining their individual research results to OMRF’s scientific staff.
Emily Wilkie, a recent Classen School of Advanced Studies graduate who will attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., said this program has helped to solidify her goals moving forward.
“My experience has proven that I am definitely fascinated by medical research, and I do plan to pursue my undergraduate research in college,” she said. “I plan to major in biology. From there, I know anything can happen.”
Lindsey Purcell, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology major at Oklahoma State University, echoed many of the same sentiments about her experience.
“This is a good stepping stone into learning what research looks like, so learning techniques will help make me more comfortable and more experienced,” said Purcell, a Putnam City North graduate. “OMRF has solidified my desire to be involved in medicine. Before this program, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree.”
OMRF’s Fleming Scholar Program has served as a launching pad for hundreds of Oklahoma students seeking science-based careers. Since 1956, scores of Fleming Scholars have gone on to establish successful medical and research careers, including two OMRF program chairs, Rodger McEver, M.D., and Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., who got their start in the eight-week summer program.
For more information on the Fleming Scholar Program, visit www.omrf.org/fleming.
2016 Fleming Scholars
Nicole Biddinger, Bartlesville, Purdue University
Andrew Blattler, Oklahoma City, Mount St. Mary
Zane Dennis, Tulsa, Baylor University
Michael Harmon, Enid, Chisholm High School
Uday Kohli, Edmond, University of Oklahoma
Joey Maher, Yukon, Harding Charter Preparatory High School
Evan McKinnis, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Lindsey Purcell, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma State University
Annelise Poss, Tulsa, Oklahoma State University
Caroline Say, Oklahoma City, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dat Truong, Oklahoma City, University of Oklahoma
Emily Wilkie, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Ariel Thorson, Oklahoma City, Bethany High School
Three military academy students complete summer program at OMRF
Three United States military academy students have completed a whirlwind course in biomedical research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation through the unique John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program.
OMRF board member John Saxon, M.D., of Muskogee established the program in 2009 to honor his late father, who was a West Point graduate, career Air Force pilot and taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy. With Saxon’s support, OMRF now provides a select group of military academy students with an opportunity to gain hands-on research experience with senior scientists at the Oklahoma City-based nonprofit.
This summer, two midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and one cadet from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co., traveled to Oklahoma City to work on projects in OMRF laboratories.
“I think the team mentality was the most pleasant surprise about working at OMRF,” said Thomas Hentges of Boise, Idaho, a chemistry major at the Naval Academy. “All the staff seemed to genuinely care about one another and always took opportunities to help with anything their coworker might need. Advice and wisdom was always freely shared, and it seemed like an incredibly positive work environment.”
Hentges worked with Rodger McEver, M.D., in OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology Research Program where he focused on gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms by which the body is able to resolve injury and infection. Through genetic mutation of a critical protein involved in directing white blood cells to an affected area, he sought to understand the link between a white blood cell’s ability to stick to the region of interest and the physical skeletal structure of the cell.
For George Peng, also a chemistry major at the Naval Academy, the summer was spent looking for possible relationships between diabetes and heart dysfunction. Working with Kenneth Humphries, Ph.D., in the Aging and Metabolism Research Program, Peng investigated whether a high-fat diet changes the concentration of certain biologically important proteins in the hearts of lab mice.
“The best part was working in a real research laboratory,” said Peng, a Severn, Md., native. “While I’ve always found lab classes at school interesting, it is very rewarding to participate in actual scientific research and contribute to discoveries that make a difference. A lot of what I’ve done for the past month wasn’t covered in-depth in school and this experience has pushed me to learn many new things.”
Robert Pahissa, an Air Force Academy cadet and Carson, Wash., native, looked at how two different complexes affected blood vessel development in mice with the goal of further understanding early vascular development.
Pahissa, who worked with Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., also in OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology group, said the program helped to propel his career goals forward, as he has his sights set on becoming a physician in the U.S. Air Force.
“It is a profession which allows me to serve others while allowing me to interact with people on a personal level using knowledge I will have gained,” he said. “OMRF was a great place to spend five weeks furthering that knowledge.”
Saxon, an OMRF board member since 2000, launched the program with an initial gift of $250,000. Saxon’s hope is that the laboratory exposure helps to expand the students’ knowledge base and strengthen the scientific abilities needed to aid our country in combating threats like bioterrorism.
“John Saxon’s dream of honoring his father and enriching the careers of young military students continues to be a great success for all involved,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “It’s our pleasure to have these students work with us each summer and a great opportunity to offer them research training that will benefit them during their military service and thereafter.”
OMRF celebrates 60 years of its Fleming Scholar Program
On Saturday, OMRF welcomed current and former Sir Alexander Fleming Scholars for a special 60th anniversary celebration of the foundation’s one-of-a-kind science internship program.
More than 120 guests from across the country gathered at OMRF’s Gaylord Pavilion in the foundation’s research tower to share six decades of cherished memories.
The Fleming Scholar Program was founded in 1956 to give Oklahoma’s top science students an opportunity to gain lab experience in a research setting. The program was named after Sir Alexander Fleming, the legendary Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered penicillin and also came to Oklahoma City in 1949 to dedicate OMRF’s first building.
“It was truly wonderful to come back here. My number one memory is the kindness and support that was there and the willingness of the scientists to work with you,” said Marguerite DeVonne French, M.D., a member of the 1957 class who traveled from Kansas City, Mo., to attend. “This program has always been great, and it taught me at an early age that good things come from hard work.”
French also remembered appearing on NBC’s Today Show, then hosted by Dave Garroway, along with all her Fleming classmates. Another guest on the show that day was President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who, in the wake of the Sputnik mission, had launched a nationwide campaign to strengthen science education in the U.S.
As scholars, students take part in hands-on, individual research projects under the direction of senior-level OMRF scientists. In recent years, these in-depth projects have covered a wide range of topics from autoimmune diseases like lupus and Sjögren’s syndrome to the role of proteins in cell division, the connections between obesity and osteoarthritis, and how mitochondria function as muscle mass decreases with age.
In addition to lab research, scholars learn from OMRF scientists about diverse research projects and science-related career options. They attend social events and spend time as a group outside the lab. At the end of the summer, scholars made formal presentations outlining their individual research results to OMRF’s scientific staff.
Saturday evening’s festivities featured a panel of former Fleming scholars answering questions varying from their favorite memories to how it influenced their career choices.
Kennith Layton, M.D., a Stillwater native who was a Fleming Scholar in 1991 and is now an interventional neuroradiologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, also made the trek to OMRF because of the lasting positive impact of the program. “It made a huge impression on my life and really pushed me into science as a career,” he said. “I have nothing but fond memories of the program; it was a great way to spend a summer. I loved having this opportunity to come back and see what’s been going on here.”
“It’s fantastic to see the range of people who have had an interaction with OMRF over the past 60 years,” said Rodger McEver, M.D., Fleming class of 1965 and who now serves as head of OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology Research Program. “I’ve talked with scholars who are here this summer and one of my fellow Flemings from 51 years ago, Ann Cosgrove Thayer. It was a fantastic event to bring together such a wide span of brilliant minds that have both touched and been touched by this organization.”
Military academy students complete summer of research at OMRF
With one generous gesture, John Saxon III, M.D., combined two of his passions: medical research and the military.
With gifts totaling $350,000 since 2009, Saxon followed through on his long-standing plan to benefit the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. In doing so, he also found a way to memorialize his father.
Saxon, an OMRF board member and Muskogee physician, established the John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program to honor his late father, who was a graduate of West Point and an Air Force pilot.
The program is designed to provide military academy students with an opportunity to work side-by-side with OMRF’s senior scientists. The students are selected by science faculty at each academy.
This summer, OMRF welcomed two standouts from the United State Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and one from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Tirzah Prince, a Provo, Utah, native and cadet first class in the Air Force, worked in the lab with Courtney Griffin, Ph.D., studying genes that regulate blood vessel development. Prince, a biology major, has a goal of serving her community as a physician.
“I have been so blessed to have this opportunity,” said Prince. “This experience has given me a deep appreciation for the work and development that goes into medical treatments and research. I have been surprised by the teamwork atmosphere and collaboration that goes on. It’s impressive that these scientists are coming together to solve some of the biggest questions in medical research.”
Dani Given is a brigade sergeant major at the Naval Academy and a Raleigh, N.C., native majoring in chemistry. In the lab with OMRF’s Lorin Olson, Ph.D., Given has observed the activity of two specific genes activated in wound healing.
“The best part of my summer experience has been getting the hands-on laboratory experience,” said Given, who aspires to a career in the medical field. “Not many midshipmen get to work in a lab as well-equipped as OMRF’s. I’ve already learned a great deal more than I could have from reading a textbook about the same material.”
Fellow midshipmen and third-year naval academy cadet Paige Stateler, who intends to go to medical school, seconded the benefits of getting to work directly with top-level scientists in a lab setting. Stateler, a St. Libory, Ill., native and chemistry major, studied a specific type of cell death called necroptosis, which is believed to occur in many cells throughout the body. Her research was conducted with OMRF scientist Florea Lupu, Ph.D.
“I wanted to be challenged here and learn to think in ways that I never have before while being pushed out of my comfort zone,” said Stateler. “That has definitely happened in the short time I’ve been here along with so much more I never could have expected.”
