Thanks to a collaboration between the University of Arkansas 鈥� Fort Smith and the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), AV抖阴 students had the opportunity to conduct hands-on research projects that could also lead to new treatments of neurodegenerative diseases and cancers.
This past semester, AV抖阴 students Priscilla Devora, Christopher Mizell, Natalie Nguyen, Deborah Robertson, Brenda Rosales, and Mark Spradlin had the opportunity to work with ARCOM faculty Brandy Ree and Lance Bridges to analyze proteins that could play a role in the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as how vitamin A derivates can be utilized as treatments for lymphoma.
The research was made possible through a biomedical research course taught by Dr. Jeff Shaver, associate professor of biological science at AV抖阴. The professor said the course gave students the opportunity to gain real-world research experience.
鈥淥ne of the main goals is for our students to understand research and see the difference between research in a laboratory course and research with an institution like ARCOM,鈥� Shaver said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e doing much more background reading, research and planning. They鈥檙e finding out that in order to do research at this level, there鈥檚 a lot more trial and error than what they鈥檒l see in a lab course.鈥�
It also helped students like Rosales discover career paths. The Fort Smith native signed up for the course not knowing what she wanted to do after graduation. But after the eye-opening experiences in Shaver鈥檚 course, Rosales wants to go to grad school to continue cancer research and possibly obtain a position in a biomedical laboratory.
鈥淚n a classroom setting, you usually have a protocol and you know what the outcome is. But here in the lab, it鈥檚 always different,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no protocol to the research. In a classroom setting, literature suggests a concentration and students use it as a guide, but at the ARCOM lab setting, that is what is unknown.鈥�
Last month, Rosales鈥� group was recognized for their research when they won an award at the annual Student Research Symposium at AV抖阴.
In the fall, Shaver will offer an advanced biomedical research course for students from this semester鈥檚 course to continue their work, with the goal of eventually having upperclassmen students serve as mentors to students in the introductory research course. Shaver is also looking at opportunities for collaboration with other educational entities locally and statewide.
鈥淭his course has shown that our students are definitely interested in research,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really not having to recruit for the class, because students are already talking to their peers about it and generating interest in the class.鈥�