Ingrid Kelley, undergraduate research assistant in the GTRL, presented the following poster:
A Pilot Study Exploring Relationships between Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, Fatigue, and Selected Chemotherapy Drugs for Breast Cancer
Poonam Gandhi, Senior I, and Denise Cauble RN, PhD candidate in Nursing, participated in the university-wide I-Engage Mentoring Program this summer. The program involved developing a course of study together. Throughout the semester, Poonam gained a general knowledge of genetics and genomics as it pertains to nursing. The course entailed self study, laboratory practice in the GTRL, workshops, and mentoring with Denise. Poonam’s final project was a poster presentation on Trisomy 13 – Patau Syndrome at the CoN Scholarship Day August 19, 2010. Poonam received 3 hours credit for participating.
Erin Santos, undergraduate honors nursing student, was one of 18 students selected nationally to attend the 2010 National Human Genome Research Institute Summer Workshop in Genomics at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. She attended with her faculty mentor, Dr. Newcomb, from the UTA Genomics Translational Research Lab. The Summer Workshop is an intensive six-day course designed to update faculty and researchers on genomic science. The course highlights ongoing research on the genetic basis of various diseases and disorders, and current topics on the ethical, legal and social implications of genomics.
Ingrid Kelley, undergraduate research assistant in the GTRL, is spending the summer of 2010 as a research assistant at NIH in Bethesda. In June she gave a presentation there regarding her role in various studies in the UTA GTRL. Ingrid has been involved in recruitment for Dr. Newcomb’s WalkAbout study, screening, DNA extraction, data entry, and data analysis for Dr. Raudonis’s study of cytokine influence on fatigue in women with breast cancer, and recruitment and transcription for the GTRL collaboration on a study of intergenerational mechanisms for transmission of family health histories. The GTRL appreciates Ingrid’s meticulous attention to detail and positive energy.
The GTRL was happy to welcome Krystal Morris, a fellow of the NIH/NIDDK Step-Up program to UTA for the gene deletions. She also coached participants on the spirometer summer of 2009. Krystal worked with Dr. Newcomb on the WalkAbout study of children with asthma. Krystal distributed recruitment materials to community organizations, assisted with screening interviews in subject homes, and collected saliva and analyzed it for the presence or absence of selector technique to enhance the accuracy of pulmonary function measurement. Krystal commented regarding clinical research, “Challenges include parents who won’t return phone calls, rescheduling appointments, children getting sick/injured, and rejection. It is not as simple as going into the lab, testing your samples and drawing a conclusion.” We have to agree.
The GTRL members, Denise Cauble and Connie Cephus were selected to attend the Summer 2009 Genetics Institute (SGI), a one-month intensive research training program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. SGI is sponsored by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Ms. Cauble and Ms. Cephus are doctoral students in the College of Nursing. Ms. Cauble is focusing on the expression of genes that code for pro-inflammatory enzymes in non-healing diabetic wounds, and Ms. Cephus is investigating genetic susceptibilities for heart failure in children.
GTRL member Patricia Kelly, MS, RN, CNS, AOCN was selected as one of 15 scholarship recipients for the Spring 2009 City of Hope Clinical Cancer Genetics Intensive Program. The Clinical Cancer Genetics Intensive Course is a multi-modal NCI grant-funded year-long program for physicians, physician assistants, genetic counselors, and PhD genetics and advanced practice oncology nurses. The course combines interactive case conferencing, an on-campus genetics workshop, and continuous Web-based learning to prepare participants for an advanced practice role in clinical cancer genetics and research collaboration.
Pat will use this training to develop advanced practice cancer risk assessment skills for nurses in the community and promote research relating to hereditary cancer syndromes.