Twenty-Fourth Annual Medical Student Research Forum Boasts Record Number of Participants
It was the Super Bowl of student research at the 24th Annual Medical Student Research Forum (MSRF) on February 6
The halls and lobbies of the Medical Education Center and Basic Sciences Building were teeming with posters, student presenters and more than 50 faculty judges. It was standing room only in Cooke Auditorium for the keynote address by prominent gastroenterologist, Ari Grinspan, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and director of the GI Microbial Therapeutics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Grinspan, who pioneered the Fecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) program to treat recurrent and refractory Clostridioides difficile infection at Mount Sinai, a referral center for the tri-state area, presented “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Microbiome.”
Organized by the Medical Student Research Committee, the MSRF aims to educate and support medical students and physicians in the discipline of scientific research, and recognize that with a strong fundamental understanding of the relationships between medical research and the practice of medicine, future physicians may more thoroughly serve their patients and their communities. This year’s MSRF showcased innovative research projects conducted by all classes in the School of Medicine (SOM) and had a record number of participants, with 105 total oral and poster presenters—nearly a 50 percent increase from last year and a 400 percent increase since 2014.
“The Medical Student Research Forum celebrates medical student research across all specialties in the categories of basic science, clinical science, medical education and public health studies. The success of this year’s forum is thanks to the teamwork and collaboration of both students and faculty who took time out of their busy schedules to support student research,” said Brian Tung SOM Class of 2022 and a member of the Medical Student Research Committee. “This event would not have been possible without the help of everyone involved, especially Dr. Petzke [Mary M. Petzke, Ph.D., assistant dean for medical student research and associate professor of microbiology and immunology], Dr. Nadler [Jerry L. Nadler, M.D., MACP, FAHA, FACE, dean of the School of Medicine and professor of medicine and pharmacology], our enthusiastic faculty and student volunteers.”
The inaugural Arthur Karmen, M.D., Award was presented at this year’s forum to Nadera Rahman, left, SOM Class of 2022, and Jacob Hehir, SOM Class of 2022, right, for their clinical science poster, “Differences in Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Measured During Rotary Chair Testing of Patients with Vestibular Migraine vs. Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis.” The award was established by Carol L. Karmen, M.D., center, clinical professor of medicine, in honor of her late father, who served as a mentor to countless students, residents, paramedical professionals and colleagues pursuing scientific and medical careers.
Dr. Arthur Karmen’s affinity for research started as a medical student when he completed a summer research elective exploring the possibility that enzymes might be released into blood following a myocardial infarction. Dr. Karmen ultimately demonstrated the presence of glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvic transaminases (aspartate and alanine aminotransferases) in blood. In 1954, he devised the method for measuring these enzymes and studied the serum of patients with acute myocardial infarction, showing that glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase increased after cardiac injury. The enzymes were measured in “Karmen Units,” a method still used today in laboratory testing around the world.
24th Annual Medical Student Research Forum Winners
Arthur Karmen, M.D. Award
Jacob Hehir, SOM Class of 2022, and Nadera Rahman, SOM Class of 2022
“Differences in Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Measured During Rotary Chair Testing of Patients with Vestibular Migraine vs. Vestibular Neuritis/Labyrinthitis”
Oral Presentations
First Place
Eliana Jacobson, SOM Class of 2023
“Small Non-Coding RNA Interactions During Zika Virus Infection in Neural Progenitor Cells”
Second Place
Marissa N. Contento, SOM Class of 2022
“Center Volume and Kidney Transplant Outcomes in Pediatric Patients”
Honorable Mention
Alexandrina Danilov, SOM Class of 2023
“Visualizing Changes in Activity of Cranial Motor Neurons in a Mouse Model of Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis”
Basic Science Posters
First Place
Huzefa Diwan, SOM Class of 2023
“Lineage Plasticity and Role of Inflammation in Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia”
Second Place
Kevin Clare, SOM Class of 2023
“Optical Imaging of Prefontal Deficits Induced by Cocaine: Neurons vs. Dopamine D2-receptor Expressing Neurons”
Third Place
Kelvin Zheng, SOM Class of 2021
“Possible Prophylactic Effect of Poria Mushroom Extract on Chemically-induced Chronic Kidney Disease in Vitro and in Vivo”
Clinical Science Posters
First Place
Elsie Ennin, SOM Class of 2021
“Characteristics of Patients with Neurocutaneous melanosis: the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Experience form 2003-2018”
Second Place
Richard Shi, SOM Class of 2022
“The Impact of Real-time Clinical Alerts on the Compliance of Anesthesia Documentation: a Retrospective Observational Study
Third Place
Albert Wu, SOM Class of 2022
“Retrospective Study of Factors Affecting Compliance in Patients Who Were Prescribed Efinaconazole 10% Solution for Onychomycosis”
