The Research Like a Champion competition winners were recently announced at the Harper Cancer Research Institute’s third annual research day. The donor who sponsored the competition was so impressed by the pool of research projects that he generously decided to provide funding for three projects.
The winning projects are as follows:
Multiplex-Lab-on-a-Chip (MLoC): High-Throughput Characterization of Breast Tumors and the 3D Microenvironment In Situ
Students: Sophomore chemical engineering major Kyle Cowdrick and Cody Narciso, chemical and biomolecular engineering graduate student
Mentors: Siyuan Zhang, the Nancy Dee Assistant Professor of Cancer Research, and Jeremiah Zartman, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering
Elucidating the Therapeutic Potential of Midbrain Pathways that Impact Breast Cancer Metastasis
Students: Sophomore biological sciences majors Madeline Chandra and Diane Choi, and freshman political sciences major John Lee
Mentors: Jenifer Prosperi, adjunct assistant professor of biological sciences, and Patrick Sheets, adjunct assistant professor of biological sciences
Aggressive, lethal breast tumors of Kenyan cancer patients
Student: Sophomore biological sciences major Maggie Kerper
Mentor: Laurie Littlepage, Campbell Family Assistant Professor of Cancer Research
Earlier in the semester, students from all colleges and majors were invited to submit innovative project proposals that looked into the causes, treatment, and prevention cancer. All projects required a mentor who was either a University faculty or staff member, a physician, or an industry scientist off-campus. Each winning project will receive $12,500 for research throughout the summer and academic year, which can be applied to student stipends, supplies and conference travel.
“Our students creative and driven, and the caliber of submitted proposals shows that they can create big ideas,” said Gregory Crawford, dean of the College of Science. “We hope that this competition will see the development of innovative approaches to find treatments or a cure to breast cancer and other forms of cancer.”
All winners will present their work at the next Harper Cancer Research Day in April 2015.