GGB Research Day Showcases Diverse Selection of Studies
Published February 13, 2020
story by dirk hoffman
Students and postdoctoral associates from laboratories affiliated with the Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics graduate program (GGB) shared their findings during the sixth annual GGB Research Day.
Twenty-five students and post-docs participated by delivering an oral presentation or presenting a research poster.
Cash prizes of $100 each were awarded to the best in category in oral presentation and poster presentation.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Study Recognized
Megan Conrow, a neuroscience student in the MD-PhD program, was awarded the “Best Oral Presentation Award” for her talk on “Cognitive Dysfunction and Transcription Dysregulation Following Knockdown of ADNP in Prefrontal Cortex.”
She is mentored by Zhen Yan, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of physiology and biophysics.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma Study Wins Prize
The “Best Poster Presentation Award” was presented to Alexandra R. Glathar, a doctoral candidate in the biochemistry doctoral program, for her study titled “Novel Mediators of the p63-Driven Ocogenic Processes in Squamous Cell Carcinoma.”
Her faculty mentor is Satrajit Sinha, PhD, professor of biochemistry.
Faculty From 23 Departments, 6 Decanal Units
GGB Research Day provides students, post-docs and faculty who are interested in the GGB graduate program a chance to meet and discuss their research, says Richard M. Gronostajski, PhD, professor of biochemistry and director of the GGB graduate program.
Soo-Kyung Lee, PhD, Empire Innovation Professor and the Om P. Bahl Endowed Professor of biological sciences in UB’s College of Arts and Sciences, was the keynote speaker. Her talk, titled “What Does The FOX Say? Learning From The FOXG1 Syndrome,” focused on neocortex development.
“We try to have new faculty from around the university give a keynote lecture so that they can be introduced to all of the GBB-affiliated faculty and students and let them know about their research,” Gronostajski says.
“Since our faculty are drawn from 23 departments and six decanal units around UB and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the research day event provides a forum to see all of the exciting work going on related to genetics, genomics and bioinformatics within the Buffalo research community.”
GGB Research Day was conducted Jan. 21 in the second-floor atrium of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences building.