UAMS Hosts American Heart Association Sweethearts for Look at Cardiovascular Research
| About 40 Arkansas high school students recently traded their classrooms for cutting-edge laboratories at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). The visit provided members of the American Heart Association (AHA) Sweethearts program an exclusive, hands-on look at the types of cardiovascular research performed at UAMS.
The Sweethearts program, designed for high school sophomores and juniors, aims to empower young leaders through health education and community service. During the two-night event, held Jan. 13-14, at the UAMS Biomedical Research Building, students rotated through five specialized laboratories, engaging directly with faculty members and researchers.
Rami Shahror, Ph.D., uses the mini-brain to discuss the warning signs of a stroke.
“This is a fun educational program, and I am glad it was so successful. Students were very excited as I escorted them between the labs,” said event organizer Abdel Fouda, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the UAMS College of Medicine.
The students participated in interactive demonstrations across several critical areas of heart and vascular health:
Hypertension and prevention: Yunmeng Liu, Ph.D., and her team, including Chris Mora and Katie Deck, taught students how to monitor blood pressure and explained the “silent” dangers of hypertension. The lab demonstrated how chronic high blood pressure can cause irreversible damage to the kidneys and heart.
Cardiovascular research: Rushita Bagchi, Ph.D., and her team members Somaya Ibrahim and Kyrilos Sadaka dissected a pig heart and discussed cardiovascular disease.
Vision and stroke research laboratories: Fouda and his team members Rami Shahror, Ph.D., Carol Morris, Christian Mitchel, Bushra Zaman, Ashlynn Cunningham and Mohamed Sadek showcased research into diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness, and discussed the warning signs of stroke. Paige Womack, BSN, RN, director of the UAMS stroke program, provided the “mini-brain” and stroke educational materials to distribute among the students.
Cardiac imaging: Erica Malone, Ph.D., provided live cardiac ultrasound demonstrations, allowing students to visualize the heart’s internal structures in real time.
The visit offered students a glimpse into the practical application of science, with many of them expressing a newfound interest in pursuing careers in medical research or clinical practice.