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Carol Morris, Ph.D., discusses her research with Aline Andres, Ph.D., during the April 1 UAMS Showcase for Medical Discoveries at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
Image by Nathan Tidwell
UAMS Showcase for Medical Discoveries Features Postdoctoral Fellows
| The latest University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Showcase of Medical Discoveries spotlighted the work of postdoctoral fellows.
“It is vital that we consistently recognize the immense value our postdoctoral researchers bring to UAMS,” said Mohamed Elasri, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for Research & Innovation and the director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Laboni Roy, Ph.D., with UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D.Image by Nathan Tidwell
The showcase was the first coordinated by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, which supports postdoctoral scholars through training, community, and professional development. The aim is to foster excellence in research, enhance career readiness, and promote the well-being of postdocs across all colleges at UAMS.
More than 25 postdoctoral fellows presented their research to colleagues, faculty, and guests at the April 1 showcase, held on the 10th floor of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
Larissa Cruz, Ph.D., of the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, is researching associations between body composition, physical activity, and academic performance in adolescents who were fed human milk, dairy formula, or soy formula in infancy and followed through early childhood, with reassessments at 14 years.
“At 14 years of age, we didn’t find a clear association between body mass index or physical activity and academic performance. We did find that the children of mothers with higher IQ scores tended to perform better academically,” she said.
Maha Hanafi, Ph.D., of the College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is studying a treatment for lung cancer.
“We’ve identified a molecule that can simultaneously inhibit two critical enzymes involved in the development of non-small cell lung cancer,” she said.
Manuel Martinez-Ruiz, Ph.D., of the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, is part of a team researching glucose homeostasis in the University of California, Davis Type 2 diabetes mellitus rat model.
Humberto Reyes-Pardo, Ph.D., was among the postdoctoral fellows presenting research.Image by Nathan Tidwell
“In this model, we observed that daily leptin administration induced an improvement in glucose homeostasis and increased insulin sensitivity. Also, our study suggests that exogenous leptin treatment has minimal effects on functional gastrointestinal outcomes,” he said.
The treatment of ischemic eye injuries and disorders was the focus for Rami Shahror, Ph.D., of the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.
“The CD5L protein accelerates the healing of the tissues by cleaning the dead cells,” he said. “The protein can be injected directly into the injured eye, and we found a huge improvement after this treatment.”
Elasri praised postdoctoral fellows for their contributions to UAMS’ mission.
“Postdocs serve as the essential engine of our research enterprise. Their tireless work not only advances our current scientific understanding but also shapes the future of medical science,” he said.
