°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê

• An intensive ten-week biomedical science research experience during the summer between the student’s junior and senior years
• Work in a lab setting
• Opportunity to attend research seminars
• Chance to discuss alternative careers in research and how to apply to graduate school
• Opportunities to interact directly with SUNY Upstate Medical University faculty members and graduate students
• A $3,500 stipend for the ten-week period in addition to residential housing at SUNY Upstate Medical University

To be considered for a D-SURF Award, students must currently be juniors at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê, majoring in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology and carrying a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Eligible students must also be interested in pursuing a Ph.D.and show a demonstrated desire to do research

Before January 27, send to HPAC:

• Application, including personal statement
• Official transcript of study to date
• Two letters of recommendation

Recommendation to Upstate from °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê’s HPAC advisory board.

This summer I lived in Syracuse and worked full time in Dr. Huiayu Hu’s lab at Upstate Medical University researching a genetic blinding disease, retinitis pigmentosa. Retinitis Pigmentosa causes progressive degeneration of photoreceptors resulting in total vision loss, this disease affects 1 in 3000 to 7000 people worldwide. This is a disease that results in degradation of photoreceptors causing progressive vision loss. I researched the importance of two proteins, Protein O-mannosyltransferase 2 (POMT2) and α-dystroglycan (DAG), in the development of retinitis pigmentosa. These proteins can lead to the mislocalization of the Eyes shut homolog (EYS) protein, causing photoreceptor degeneration. I set up breeding tanks, ran PCRs and did double immunofluorescence staining on slides that I sectioned. I created scientific figures, wrote an article and presented my findings. Along with my main project I also helped assist and other projects in the lab as well, giving me a lot of new experience with equipment I wouldn’t have been able to work with at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê.

Gait Analysis in Pediatric Patients with Neuromuscular Disorder

Her work with preceptor Dr. Christopher Neville, PT, Ph.D. focused on pediatric gait analysis in the motion analysis laboratory at the Institute for Human Performance. Using the motion analysis system to calculate kinematics, a visual was provided to see the position and orientation of the lower extremities and how different angles formed by the joints correlate with each stride cycle and their specific velocities. A kinematic analysis was created to inform clinical care and allow them to address the primary causes and potential treatments of gait deviations in the patient.