AUG. 8, 2003 | Partners in Research (PIR) – a program of the Arkansas Cancer Research Center (ACRC) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) – completed its 28th year Tues., July 29, with a scientific symposium featuring the research of the 28 participating medical, pharmacy and undergraduate students.

PIR is a full-time, 10-week program that is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). All of this year’s students were part of a cancer research team – working in labs alongside basic scientists to conduct research in ongoing ACRC studies. Students also attended weekly lectures presented by ACRC faculty and shadowed clinicians to learn firsthand how physicians interact with patients.

“The Partners in Research Program is an excellent opportunity for interested students to gain exposure to careers in cancer research,” said Richard W. Nicholas, M.D., ACRC director of cancer education, who co-directed PIR with Thomas J. Kelly Jr., Ph.D., a UAMS associate professor of pathology. “We hope that they will take with them the message about the importance of cancer detection, research and treatment.”

At the symposium, student research presentations were judged in three categories – medical student, pharmacy student and undergraduate student – with awards to the top three presentations in each category.

The first-place winners – all from Little Rock – were Naveen Saini, a second-year student in the UAMS College of Medicine; James Griffin, a second-year student in the UAMS College of Pharmacy; and Brynne Reece, a premedical student at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.

The first runners-up were UAMS second-year medical student Stacy Sax of Ozark, Ark.; UAMS second-year pharmacy student Brett Hicklin of North Little Rock, Ark.; and Fort Smith, Ark., native Brandon Walser, a biology major at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

The second runners-up were UAMS second-year medical student Justin Franz of Thayer, Mo.; UAMS second-year pharmacy student Chad Krebs of Little Rock; and Yazoo City, Miss., native Stephanie Dennis, a student at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
 

Sejal Sarolia and Brynne Reece (seated) were two of the participants in the recent Partners in Research program at UAMS. Reece was the first-place winner in the undergraduate category. Click on photo for larger view.

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This year’s symposium included a special presentation, “Cancer Research Careers,” by John W. Waterbor, M.D., Dr.P.H., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Waterbor is the director of the NCI-funded Cancer Research Experiences for Students Summer Internship Program at UAB.

Other students who participated in the 2003 PIR Program were Leigh Ann Dooley of Arkadelphia, Ark.; Michael Trieu of Benton, Ark.; Sejal Sarolia of Cabot, Ark.; Grant Bennett of Hot Springs, Ark.; Adam Woodruff of Jonesboro, Ark.; Bradley Byrne, Tricia Hicks, Kyle Johnson and Sara Peeples of Little Rock; Thomas Jennings of Mountain Home, Ark.; Natalie Brush-Strode of North Little Rock, Ark.; Erin Nicholson and Tammye Scott of Pine Bluff, Ark.; Vicky Chen of Russellville, Ark.; Charles Surber of Pinellas Park, Fla.; Justin Brewer of Oxford, Miss.; Kandris Hamilton of Tulsa, Okla.; Thetsu Mon Foote of Big Spring, Texas; and Tiffany Garnett of Texarkana, Texas.
 

Links on This Page

Arkansas Cancer Research Center: http://www.acrc.uams.edu/
Partners in Research: http://www.uams.edu/today/080901/students.htm
College of Medicine: http://www.uams.edu/com/default.htm
College of Pharmacy: http://www.uams.edu/cop/default.htm
If It’s Summer: http://www.uams.edu/today/2003/062503/mash.htm
Pharmaceutical: http://www.uams.edu/today/2003/060303/Pharm.htm
Become Scientists: http://www.uams.edu/today/2003/042403/CareerDay.htm
Match Day: http://www.uams.edu/today/2003/032003/MatchDay.htm

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