Medical University of the Americas

Research in Current Health Issues Presented at MUA

November 28, 2009

Current health issues such as “Solar Degradation of Biological Materials” and “Depression in Pregnancy” were the focus of more than two dozen original research projects presented by faculty and students of Medical University of the Americas at the first annual Research Day held on the school’s Nevis campus on November 28^th.

The concept for the day was developed by MUA Executive Dean Dr. Gordon Green as a way to enable students to gain skills in the techniques of poster creation and meta analysis as a method of medical research.

MUA student Katie Croteau presented research on C4 spinal transection

Simulating the conditions of a traditional medical conference—with strict adherence to time rules—each oral presentation was allotted 10 minutes and 5 minutes for discussion. The conference was attended by more than 75 members of the MUA community and took place in the 5th Semester classroom of the new academic building on campus.

Results of the Research Day were as follows:

Students

1st Place Poster: Helena Libis, Co-localization of BRDU and NEUN for the purpose of tracking spinal cord regeneration in urodela species

2nd Place Poster: Katie Croteau, C4 spinal transection

1st Place Oral Presentation: Suraj Tandon, Comparison of oral dexamethasone vs. Prednisolone treatment in croup

2nd Place Oral Presentation: Katherine Prowse, Au and Au-Pd nanoparticle synthesis and characterization

Faculty

1st Place Poster: Dr Tracey Weiler, The Identification and Characterization of a Novel Protein, c19orf10, in the Synovium

2nd Place Poster: Dr Richard Ishmael, Cytotoxic Aminoalkylamino Compounds from 1,4,5,8-Tetrachloroanthraquinone

1st Place Oral Presentation: Dr. Mamata Srinivasan, BRAF and P16 INK4a gene alteration in oral cancer

2nd Place Oral Presentation (tie):

Dr. Vikrant Chitnis, Solar disinfection of infectious biomedical waste: A new approach for developing countries

Dr Saby Moulik, Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) inhibits cortical bone formation by an IGF independent mechanism

Drs. Deborah Drake, Assistant Professor, Introduction to Clinical Medicine and Dr. Richard Ishmael, Associate Professor, Physical Diagnosis, collected the work and mentored students. Approximately thirty projects were presented, selected from more than 60 submissions.

Dr. Robert Mankoff, Associate Professor, Medical Psychology and Medical Ethics, was the Master of the Day and worked with members of the research committee in judging the presentations.

The Research Committee included: Dr Saby Moulik, Associate Professor, Physiology; Dr Rangarajan Srnivasan, Associate Professor and Course Director, Pathology; Dr Ashkay Tikoo, Professor Biochemistry; Dr Tracey Weiler, Assistant Professor Medical Genetics, and Dr Yuri Zverev, Professor Physiology.

Alberta Students Now Eligible for Provincial Loans

June 14, 2009

Medical University of the Americas is now approved for designation by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. Our Alberta students are now eligible to apply for provincial student loans effective immediately. We are required by the student support branch of Ontario to refer all students wishing to apply for loans to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP). Visit the OSAP website for information. Our school code is ZUBX and the provincial code is 4825. MUA is listed as: Medical University of the Americas PO Box 701 Nevis Charlestown, West Indies

Ontario Students Now Eligible for Provincial Loans

June 13, 2009