Loma Linda University holds a symposium each summer showcasing biomedical research performed by diverse students affiliated with the School of Medicine’s Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, an NIH-recognized Center of Excellence on Health Disparities Research.
This year’s annual Health Disparities Research Symposium will take place Wednesday, Aug. 2, from noon to 7:30 p.m. at Wong Kerlee International Conference Center.
Agenda
Noon to 1:30 p.m. — Scientific panel featuring LLU-NIH alumni
Three PhD graduates who conducted doctoral research in the Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine through the center’s NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development grant will share their expertise and experiences in a discussion moderated by Daisy De Leon, PhD, professor of physiology and pharmacology.
The alumni panelists are:
• Frankis Almaguel, MD, PhD, who completed a nuclear medicine fellowship at Wake Forest Baptist Health in North Carolina and a radiology residency at Loma Linda University Health,
• Gabriel Linares, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at University of Southern California, and
• Dequina Nicholas, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at Boston University.
The LLU Initiative for Maximizing Student Development supports PhD students during their graduate training.
2:30 to 5:30 p.m. — Student research poster session
Minority students who have been mentored in research by faculty affiliated with the Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine will offer scientific poster presentations on their investigations.
The come-and-go session will feature 74 student research posters on disciplines ranging from public health to basic science to clinical trials.
These students come from local high schools, undergraduate colleges across the nation, medical schools all over the country and Loma Linda University PhD programs.
5:30 to 7 p.m. — Keynote: “Scientific Apprenticeships: Mentoring by Individuals and Programs”
This keynote address will be presented by Frank Bayliss, PhD. Bayliss is a professor at UC San Francisco and San Francisco State University. At the latter, he is also director of the Office of Student Enrichment Opportunities. He is a 2009 recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring for his work in advancing diversity and STEM education.
7 to 7:30 p.m. — Acknowledgements of students
The day will end with an acknowledgement of research fellows by the leadership of the LLU Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine.
Registration
Registration (free) for the symposium is encouraged by July 31 and can be done at llu.edu/hdr. For more information, e-mail chdmm@llu.edu.
About the Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine
The NIH- recognized center conducts research delving into the contributors of health disparities and diseases that disproportionately impact minority and medically underserved populations. Contributors to these disparities may include biological, environmental and socioeconomic factors.
The center also contributes to building diversity in the field of biomedical graduate professions. It offers several programs that give high school through graduate-level students experience in researching diseases associated with health disparities.
Learn more at the LLU Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine website.