December
2, 2024
SWOSU
Press Release
Six
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) students from the
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences recently attended
the 30th annual Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority
Participation (OK-LSAMP) research symposium held at Oklahoma State
University in Stillwater, Okla. on Oct. 19, 2024. The symposium
featured nearly 62 students from 12 universities and colleges across
Oklahoma, with participants demonstrating a range of research
projects and presentations.
SWOSU
students Colter Esparza from Willow, Okla., and Adreana Aquino from
Edmond, Okla., earned significant recognition at the symposium,
winning second and third prizes, respectively, for Outstanding Oral
Presentation. Esparza’s presentation, titled “Signaling pathways
and molecular mechanisms involved in the survival of pancreatic
cancer cells under metabolic stress,” was mentored by Dr. Pragya
Sharma, Assistant Professor in the SWOSU Department of Biology and
Biomedical Sciences. Aquino’s presentation, “SSA0809 is a
homotrimeric reactive intermediate deaminase (Rid) A with unique
substrate specificity,” was guided by Dr. Vijay Somalinga,
Associate Professor in the same department.
In
addition to Esparza and Aquino, SWOSU students Olayode Olabode,
Bryant Franco, and Erik Mesta also presented their research at the
conference. Their participation highlights the extensive involvement
of SWOSU students in advanced research activities. The team of
research students was led by Dr. Marcella Santos, Assistant Professor
in the Department of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, with additional
mentorship provided by Dr. Renan Bosque, Assistant Professor, and Dr.
Muatasem Ubeidat, Professor, both of whom played crucial roles in
guiding and supporting the students’ research endeavors.
The
OK-LSAMP program is dedicated to supporting undergraduate students
from minority backgrounds, encouraging their participation in
research and pursuit of career in STEM fields (sciences, technology,
engineering, and mathematics). The goal of this program is to
increase the number of underrepresented minority students who
complete high-quality STEM degrees, promoting diversity and inclusion
within these critical fields.
