Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention Highlighted at Research Showcase
| The Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention took center stage in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Division of Research and Innovation’s latest Showcase of Medical Discoveries.
The center in the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health aims to understand the causes of birth defects and to reduce the number of babies born with birth defects. Conducting extensive research and developing community partnerships is key to the center fulfilling its mission.
The Feb. 5 showcase spotlighted 16 of the center’s research projects.
Event attendees walked throughout the room, eating hors d’oeuvres while viewing research posters and speaking to the researchers about their project.
Wendy Nembhard, Ph.D., MPH., director of the center, addressed the crowd, expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to take part in the showcase.
“It’s mandatory that the Center for Birth Defects perform research to understand the etiology of structural birth defects,” she said. “We’ve gathered a tremendous amount of intriguing data. We often collaborate with individuals and entities throughout the nation. If you’re interested in any of our work, we’re happy to speak with you about how we can partner to conduct research.
Wendy Nembhard, Ph.D., MPH, director of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Arkansas Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, speaks to the attendees of the UAMS Division of Research and Innovation’s Showcase of Medical Discoveries.
“I also have a tremendous team. All the work you see at the showcase is the result of our co-investigators, collaborators, our post-docs and our doctoral students who have come through our center. I appreciate their hard work. I also appreciate the center’s tremendous staff.”
Lydia Famuyide, MPH, and Emine Bircan, Ph.D., MPH, both had research posters featured at the event.
Famuyide is a doctoral student in the epidemiology program, while Bircan is a post-doc research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology. They both appreciated the chance to represent the center at the showcase.
“It was a great opportunity that I truly enjoyed,” Famuyide said. “I dedicate a lot of time working with my advisor and collaborating with other faculty — learning from them. It was nice to present the results of what we’ve been working on. It was a great day for me.
“I enjoyed the chance to explain the purpose of the projects and how we came up with the objective. It was great talking to people and especially being able to answer their questions.”
Bircan spoke highly of her experience presenting at the showcase.
“This showcase was exciting because you’re presenting your research, your findings and you’re discussing future projects and improvements on a particular research project,” she said.
“What I enjoyed the most is the opportunity to share knowledge and then building upon what I know after having discussions with other researchers.”
Bircan also liked how the event was another way for people to create solutions to public health issues.
Emine Bircan (left), Ph.D., MPH, listens to a comment about her research poster during the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Division of Research and Innovation’s Showcase of Medical Discoveries.
“We do a lot of writing, and you spend a lot of time conducting analysis,” she said. “But when you’re presenting, it’s a matter of discussing how to apply the research and the knowledge to real life situations. With public health, we’re thinking about more than one person. We’re working for entire populations. That’s why this showcase meant so much to me.”
Famuyide was on the move throughout the showcase meeting and presenting.
“This is something I’d definitely do again,” she said. “It’s important that we share our research results. That’s one of the reasons we do research is to share important information with other people.”