Researchers of Emory

Megan Korn  is a Senior majoring in  Chemistry   She was awarded a Summer 2019 Conference Grant which she used to attend the Nucleosides, Nucleotides, and  Oligonucleotides  Gordon Research Conference. Towards the end of spring semester, I was making great strides in my research. My project revolves around designing small molecules for enhanced and synergistic methods of sequencing post-transcriptional modifications in RNA. In other words, I spend my days troubleshooting chemical synthesis, and see if my molecules react selectively with certain non-canonical bases in RNA. 

Yu Zhang is a Senior double majoring in Biology and Chemistry. She was awarded a Spring 2019 Conference Grant which she used to attend the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. In NCUR conference, I presented my research on the development of a new HIV treatment. I was very happy to talk with many scholars who were also dedicated in natural science research. According to the previous report, over 170 million people infected worldwide, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a significant public health burden. The primary mode of transmission for HCV is via exposure to infected blood, including transfusions from infected donors, and through intravenous use of illicit drugs. Although a minority of all HCV infections will spontaneously resolve without any clinical outcome, an estimated 80% of cases will progress into chronic hepatitis. The need for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV), has provided considerable impetus for the development of new classes of antiviral drug...

Julia Gensheimer  is a senior double majoring in Biology and Chemistry. She was awarded a Spring 2019 Conference Grant which she used to attend the Keystone Symposia: Cancer Immunotherapy: Mechanistic Insights to Improve Clinical Benefits. As a freshman at Emory, I was eager to join a lab studying cancer immunotherapy. I read research descriptions on faculty websites and contacted principal investigators to express my enthusiasm for joining their lab.  Rafi Ahmed , a world-renowned immunologist, replied within minutes. After learning of his legacy, I arrived at the meeting prepared for an intense interview. Instead, I was met with a smile as he simply asked me when I wanted to start!

Sydney Hwang  is a junior double majoring in Chemistry  and  Economics. She was awarded a Fall 2018 Conference Grant which she used to attend the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) This past November I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Indianapolis, IN. I enjoyed not only presenting my research to scholars in my field, but also networking with a plethora of passionate and driven science students. The conference offered various workshops that were attractive to undergraduate students, as they covered topics such as time management, applying to graduate school, writing an engaging personal statement, career pathways in science, and navigating mentor relationships. My favorite workshop was about the imposter syndrome, a psychological pattern in which one doubts their accomplishments and has a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud.” I was surprised to see th...

Elizabeth Ejzak  is a senior majoring in Chemistry. She was awarded a Summer 2018 Independent Grant which he used to conduct research on the effects of plant extracts on health span under Dr. Daniel Kalman and Dr. Cassandra Quave.  Have you ever wondered why we cannot remain springy, spry, and free of illness forever?  If so, you are in luck.  In recent years, there has been a huge increase in the number of studies into aging mechanisms, and delaying their onsets.  While there are theoretically infinitely many approaches, we fortunately have some insight on the keys to  longevity .   Cultures in regions such as the Mediterranean who consume higher quantities of plant-based foods, healthy fats and whole grains and lower quantities of animal-based foods tend to live the longest, while also delaying the onset of  senescence,  or age-related deterioration.  

Birk Evavold  is a rising senior majoring in Biology and Chemistry. He was awarded a Spring 2018 Independent Grant which he used to conduct research on the protein Galectin under Dr. Sean Stowell.  Like many kids, my interest in science was piqued by the renown first grade baking soda and vinegar volcano. But why does this tried-and-tested combination make children love science? For some, maybe it’s the lovely smell of acetic acid, but for me, it was the unexpected results. Fifteen years later, unexpected outcomes still fuel my passion for scientific research.  Now, my research focuses on a carbohydrate-binding protein called galectin-1 and its redox potential.  Galectin-1 has many previously identified important immunomodulatory roles, but its high-propensity to undergo oxidative inactivation is the focus of my project in the lab. Though my work fortunately has not yet recreated the explosive effects that initially kindled my scientific interest, the ...

Thomas Xia is a recent graduate who majored in Chemistry and Economics. He was awarded a Fall 2016 Independent Grant which he used to conduct research on the role a certain bacteria plays in the inflammation response after intestinal injury under Dr. Ashfaqul Alam.   When I first began looking for opportunities to be involved in scientific research during my freshman year, my main goal was to find an area of research that really sparked my interest. I eventually began working in Dr. Neish’s lab within the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Emory School of Medicine starting the second semester of freshman year. The field of biomedical research definitely felt very foreign when I first began, but under the mentorship of the lab, I gradually became more independent. I eventually began to formulate my own hypotheses and subsequently testing them through innovative experiments that my mentors and I designed together.   

Xiancong Zhang  is a rising senior majoring in Chemistry and Biology. He was awarded a Spring 2016 Conference Grant which he used to present at the Experimental Biology Conference in Chicago.   I went to Experimental Biology (EB) in Chicago from 4.22-4.25 as an undergraduate poster presenter. EB is an annual international meeting of six societies, focusing on the latest research progress and cross-communication between disciplines. According to its website, it is a “multidisciplinary, scientific meeting features plenary and award lectures, workshops, oral and poster presentations, on-site career services and exhibits spotlighting equipment, supplies and publications required for research labs and experimental study.”