SDSU IMSD

Congratulations to our 2013 IMSD Graduates

Kari Szakal — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:57:46 +0000

IMSD Scholars, Faculty, and Program staff at the year-end celebration

We are proud to announce that the IMSD program has graduated yet another amazing class of future Ph.D.’s. Ten of our eleven 2013 graduates will be entering doctoral studies this fall, with the eleventh having earned an American Indians Into Psychology Fellowship through Oklahoma State University to continue her research in clinical psychology. The amazing success of the class of 2013 has set a record for the IMSD program, and has served to further inspire our continuing students in their pursuit of a doctoral degree.

We are extremely proud of our new graduates: not just because of what they have accomplished, but also for what they have given back. They have been wonderful ambassadors for our program; have served as mentors for many budding scientists (both within IMSD and outside of the program); have volunteered at program events; and have set an extraordinary example for all science students at San Diego State. These phenomenal students will be missed, but we will bring them back to participate in future program events, where they will continue to inspire new generations of dedicated science students.

Student Name	Major	Mentor	Ph.D. Program
Cathrine Aivati	Cell & Molecular Biology	Dr. Thomas Huxford	UCSD/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Molecular Biology
Alexandria Booker	Clinical Psychology	Dr. Vanessa Malcarne	University of Missouri, Kansas City PhD Program in Clinical Psychology
Genaro Hernandez	Cell & Molecular Biology	Dr. Roberta Gottlieb	UT Southwestern Medical Center PhD Program in Basic Sciences/Integrative Biology
Steven Esquivel	Microbiology	Dr. Anca Segall	University of Utah PhD Program in Molecular Biology
Gabriel Feeley	Chemistry	Dr. David Pullman	University of Washington Chemistry PhD Program
Erin Fletcher	Microbiology	Dr. Kelly Doran	Harvard University PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Kristin Frosio	Clinical Psychology	Dr. Nader Amir	Oklahoma State University American Indians Into Psychology Fellowship
Carolina Galindo	Astronomy	Dr. Fridolin Weber	City University of New York (CUNY) PhD Program in Physics
Alan Marquez	Aerospace Engineering	Dr. Luciano Demasi	University of California, Los Angeles PhD Program in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Omar Maximo	Cognitive Neuropsychology	Dr. Ralph-Axel Muller	University of Alabama at Birmingham PhD Program in Developmental Psychology
Kristine Schroeder	Chemistry	Dr. Douglas Grotjahn	University of Washington Chemistry PhD Program

IMSD Is Looking for New Applicants!

Kari Szakal — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:51:02 +0000

The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD-MBRS) program is recruiting for the 2013-2014 year, with students beginning in either the summer or fall. We are looking for students dedicated to earning a PhD in the STEM or behavioral sciences, with a passion for research. Low-income, first-generation and/or underrepresented students are highly encouraged to apply.

Visit the application section of our website for more details!

IMSD Students Recognized for Research at the Annual SRS

Kari Szakal — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:39:30 +0000

IMSD and MARC students relax after presenting at the Annual Student Research Symposium

San Diego State University once again celebrated its students’ research and creative endeavors with the Sixth Annual Student Research Symposium (SRS) on March 8-9, 2013. Undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Arts and Letters, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts, the College of Education, and the College of Business Administration came together to exhibit and discuss their work with an appreciative group of judges, faculty, staff, and fellow students. This year’s SRS was the greatest success yet, with 450 students registering to participate in the symposium.

Once again, our IMSD-MBRS and BEP students made an impressive showing at the SRS. Fourteen of our scholars presented research posters at the event, and eight gave oral presentations. And, out of the hundreds of bright young scientists and artists presenting their work at the SRS, three of our IMSD-MBRS students were chosen to receive awards for their research. All of our scholars did an outstanding job, and represented the IMSD-MBRS program with enthusiasm, intelligence, and aplomb.

Undergraduate Excellence Poster Awards

Kristen E. Frosio, Psychology, Mentor: Nader Amir

The effects of anxiety and cognitive load on attention control

Undergraduate Excellence Oral Awards

Genaro Hernandez, Biology, Mentor: Roberta Gottlieb

Statins Promote Cardioprotection via Induction of Mitochondrial Autophagy

Compact Scholar Research Award

Annalia Valdivia, Undergraduate, Psychology, Mentor: Linda Gallo

Weight Cycling and its Psychological Effect on Mexican American women

IMSD Oral Presentations

Ayon, Rey: Rattlesnake Encounters Alter Vigilance Behavior of California Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi)
Fletcher, Erin: Analysis of Oral Microbiota in Human Cancer Subjects
Garcia, Erika: Multilocus species delimitation in the Bishopella laciniosa species complex (Arachnida, Opiliones) from the southern Appalachian Mountains
Hernandez, Genaro: Statins Promote Cardioprotection via Induction of Mitochondrial Autophagy
Marquez, Alan: Fluid-structure interaction problems: the nonlinear analysis of Prandtl plane joined wings
Maximo, Omar: Impact of methodological variables on local functional connectivity measures in autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Valdivia, Annalia: Weight Cycling and its Psychological Effect on Mexican American women
Ward, Aaron: Metalloantibody LT1002 Uses Ca2+ to Bridge Antigen

IMSD Poster Presentations

Aivati, Cathrine: Development of an in vitro functional assay for myosin folding by the UNC-45 chaperone protein
Booker, Alexandria: Cognitions and Cancer Screening in Hispanic Americans
Chhouk, Rosannae: Analytical method development of persistent organic pollutants using GCxGC/TOF-MS in desert tortoise plasma samples
Fortin, Elizabeth: Numerical Homogenization of Crushed Honey Comb Cores
Frosio, Kristen: The effects of anxiety and cognitive load on attention control
Galindo, Carolina: The Effect of Gravitational Lensing on Dark Energy Measurements
Ott, Nadia: Reduction of Order for Higher Order Linear Ordinary Differential Equations
Paco, Czarinah: Identification of a Group B Streptococcal fibronectin binding protein that mediates invasion of the blood brain barrier
Ramos, Sashary: Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer Based on Sensitive Analysis of Biomarkers Using Nonlinear Laser Wave Mixing
Reyes, Efren: Characterization of Group B Streptococcal clinical isolates and bacterial determinants that mediate Blood-Brain Barrier disruption
Tierney, Savanna: Exploration of Source Memory in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Tisnado, Jerrell: Borate Binding to the Periplasmic Iron Transport Protein FbpA in a Marine Bacterium
Trang, Duyen: Exploring Ethnic Match, Acculturation Match, and Parental Acculturation as Correlates of Parental Agreement with Therapists on Biopsychosocial Causes of Child Problems
Zamudio. Alicia: Coxsackievirus Infection of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells, Alterations in Stem Cell Function, and Accelerated Disease Progression in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Harvard Beckons

Kari Szakal — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:32:34 +0000

Monday, March 18, 2013

Harvard Beckons

For the second consecutive year, a student in Professor Kelly Doran’s microbiology lab has been accepted to Harvard University.

Professor Kelly Doran and Erin Fletcher in the Doran Lab. Photo: Natalia Van Stralen

Story Keywords: Sciences, Student Affairs, Faculty, Students, Biology, Health, Research, Undergraduate Research, Leading Innovation and Discovery, News, Graduate Students, Commencement

Erin Fletcher, who graduates in May, will join 2012 SDSU graduate Ellese Carmona as a candidate in Harvard’s biological and biomedical sciences Ph.D. program. Both Aztecs were members of Kelly Doran’s microbiology lab.

Doran said Fletcher and Carmona “contributed significantly” to research projects in her lab, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB).

Disease prevention

Undergraduate and graduate students in Doran’s lab study bacterial pathogens associated with human disease. They examine host-pathogen interactions in the central nervous system and the female reproductive tract, as well as in the development of cancer. The end goal, Doran said, is to develop novel therapeutics for disease prevention.

“Professor Doran guides the students in her lab, but also gives us the independence to interpret data and think for ourselves,” Fletcher said. “Working here has built up my confidence. I know I am prepared for a rigorous Ph.D. program.”

Multiple awards

Recent members of Doran’s research team—including Carmona and Fletcher—have published 14 papers in respected peer-reviewed journals over the last three years.

At the 2012 SDSU Student Research Symposium (SRS), two of Doran’s students (including Carmona) won President’s Awards for best oral presentation; two won Provost’s Awards for best poster presentation and Fletcher was honored for best undergraduate oral presentation. The Doran Lab performed well again in this year’s SRS, taking two President’s Awards.

For three consecutive years, Doran’s students have also excelled in competition at the Southern California American Society for Microbiology (ASM) annual meeting, which has supported their travel to the national ASM meeting to present their research.

Quest for the Best

Fletcher—and Doran as her mentor—are also among the winners of the 2013 Quest for the Best competition. The award honors SDSU’s most outstanding students and the faculty or staff members who have contributed significantly to their personal growth.

Asked about her role in the students’ success, Doran was modest.

“The students deserve the credit. They worked hard. They sought out and took advantage of opportunities. I just provided support in an environment where they could learn and reach their full potential.”

IMSD Scholars Shine at 2012 SACNAS Conference!

Michelle Lopez — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 06:42:29 +0000

L-R: Alicia Zamudio (Feuer Lab), Kristen Frosio (Amir Lab), and Elizabeth Travis (Hovell/Lai Lab) Awarded 2012 Outstanding Research Awards at the SACNAS Conference in Seattle, WA