The BHSI and the Georgia Health Sciences University select two students each year (one student from UGA and one from GHSU) for the annual GHSU/UGA Student Exchange Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research. The winners each receive a cash award of $250, an award certificate and an invitation to present a research seminar at the other institution with travel and accommodations provided. The award was created to foster research interactions between UGA and GHSU and honor the overall scientific merit and quality of the students’ work, as well as mastery of their scientific field and verbal presentation skills. The BHSI selects UGA’s Student Exchange Award winner from one of UGA’s ARCS Foundation Scholars. GHSU winners are selected during GHSU’s Annual Graduate Research Day poster competition each spring.

For more information, contact the BHSI office at (706) 542-5922.

2002-2003

“Acinetobacter: A Bacterial Model for Elucidating Gene Amplification in Cancer” – Andrew Reams (Ph.D. student, Microbiology)

“The Prohormone Processing Protease amontillado is Required During Early Development in Drosophila” – Lowell Rayburn (Ph.D. student, Genetics)

“The Role of Tetrahydrobiopterin in Glucocorticoid-Induced Hypertension” – Brett Mitchell (Ph.D. student, Physiology)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology

“Rab11-Family Interacting Proteins (Rab11-FIPs): Integral Components in Plasma Membrane Recycling” – Chadwick Hales (Ph.D. student, Molecular Medicine)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

2003-2004

“Microarray Analysis of Early Differentiation Events in Human Embryonic Stem Cells” – John Calhoun (Ph.D. student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

“Investigating the Potential Role that Endosymbiotic Wolbachia May Play in the Pathogenesis of Lymphatic Filariasis” – George Punkosdy (Ph.D. student, Cellular Biology)

“The Rat Granulosa Cell Cycle During Follicle Development and Luteinization”- Jennifer Cannon (Ph.D. student, Physiology)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2004-2005

“Cell Culture RNAi Assay for Novel Components of Chromatic Boundaries in Drosophila” – Vladimir Belozerov (Ph.D. student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

“New Players in DNA Double Strand Break Repair: PSF and p54(nrb)”- Durga Udayakumar (Ph.D. student, Molecular Medicine)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Cellular Biology

2005-2006

“Endocannabinoid Mechanisms of Stress Antinoception and their Sites of Action” - Richard Suplita (Ph.D. student, Psychology)

Co-sponsor: MCG Depart. of Physiology

“AIRE Controls Dendritic Cell Function: New Insights into the Balance Between Tolerance and Autoimmunity” – Daniel Eisemann (Ph.D. student, Molecular Medicine)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Cellular Biology

2006-2007

“Exercise Enhances Learning of Conditioned Place Preference to Morphine in Rats” – Sarah Eisenstein (Ph.D. student, Neuroscience)

Co-sponsor: MCG Program in Neuroscience

“Ceramide-mediated Cell Signaling During Early Embryonic Development” – Kannan Krishnamurthy (Ph.D. student, Molecular Medicine)

Co-sponsor: Developmental Biology Group

2007-2008

“Lysophospholipid signaling in cancer and development” – Jillian Hurst, (Ph.D. student, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences)

Co-sponsor: MCG Graduate Student Organization

“Bak regulates mitochondrial morphology and pathology during apoptosis by interacting with Mitofusins” – Craig Brooks (Ph.D. student, Cellular Biology and Anatomy)

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Cellular Biology

2008-2009

“Mitochondria-targeted Antioxidants in the Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders” – Meagan McManus, Ph.D. student, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

Co-sponsor: MCG Program in Neuroscience

“Expression and Regulation of Hemochromatosis Genes in Retina” – Jaya Gnanaprakasam, Ph.D. student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

2009-2010

“Immunosuppressant drug regimen adherence in adolescent organ transplant recipients” – Megan McCormick, Ph.D. student, Psychology

Co-sponsor: GHSU Graduate School Organization

“Expression and Regulation of Hemochromatosis Genes in Retina” – Tiffany Nguyen, Ph.D. student, Pharmacology and Toxicology

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

2010-2011

“Factors associated with perceived need for mental health services among parents of adolescent solid organ transplant recipients” – Bonney Reed-Knight, Ph.D. student, Psychology

Co-sponsor: GHSU Graduate School Organization

“IRF8 Regulates Acid Ceramidase Expression to Mediate Apoptosis and Suppresses Myelogeneous Leukemia” – Xiaolin Hu, Ph.D. student, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Co-sponsor: Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology