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PROmoTE scholars participate in the NRTC Seminar Series, providing team oral presentations. MD-seeking students present their research at the Dale J. Benos Medical Student Research Day in the Fall, and PhD-seeking students present in the spring at the Department of Medicine Trainee Research Symposium. PROmoTE Scholars also have the opportunity to attend a national conference. 

2024 PROmoTE

 2019 PROmoTE Scholars

  • Fabian Berru & Stephen Cunningham

    PROmoTE 2019 Team Research Topic: “Elevated Serum Phosphate induces genetic markers for Systematic Anemia and inflammation in murine hepatocytes”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Dr. Orlando Gutierrez & Dr. Christian Faul

    Current Scholar Highlights

    FFabian Berruabian Berru, MD - Residency 
    Berru, F. N., Womack, R. Gutierrez, O. M., "Ferric Citrate Affects Serum IL-6 Levels in CKD Patients", Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2019. 
    scStephen Cunningham, MS
    Presentations: 
    - Stephen Cunningham, Brian Czaya, Beatrice Richter, Kylie Heitman, Christopher Yanucil, Isaac Campos, Dominik Kentrup, Fabian Berru, and Christian Faul, "Elevated Phosphate Levels Induce Markers of Systemic Inflammation and Anemia in Murine Hepatocytes", UAB Trainee Research Symposium, March, 2020.
    - Accepted Poster Presentation - Experimental Biology. April 2020 (Conference cancelled due to COVID-19)
    - Work in Progress (August 2020) : Department of Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism

    Service: Treasurer,Graduate Biomedical Student Outreach club

  • Cody Savage & Chanelle Hunter

    PROmoTE 2019 Team Research Topic “Developing Physiologically Relevant Tissue Chip Models of Renal Vasculature and the Study of Vascular Calcification”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Dr. Palaniappan Sethu & Dr. Abolfazl Zarjou

    Current Scholar Highlights

    csCody Savage, MD - Residency
    Savage, C., Hunter, C. Spangler, D., Sethu, P. Zarjou, A., "Investigating the Role of Ferritin Heavy Chain in Vascular Calcification",Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2019. 

    Awarded:
    Physician Scientist Development Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grant (T35) - summer 2020
    Serves as APSA Mentor, Treasurer for the Neurosurgery IG, & MS2 rep for the Anesthesiology IG
    chChanelle Hunter - Y4, PhD degree seeking
    Hunter, C., Savage, C., Donoghue, L., Sethu, P., Zarjou, A., "Developing Physiologically Relevant Tissure Chip Models of Renal Vasculature and the Study of Vascular Calcification",UAB Trainee Research Symposium, March, 2020.
  • Mary Claire Chumley & Ari Ginsparg

    PROmoTE 2019 Team Research Topic: “A Series of Studies in Polycystic Kidney Disorder Approved with Team Science Techniques”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Dr. Michal Mrug & Dr. Bradley Yoder

    Current Scholar Highlights

    MCCMary Claire Doss, MD
    Chumley, M.C., Harrison, K, Williams, D. M., Kumar, V., Mrug, M. "Effects of Kidney Transplantation on Cytogenesis in Kidneys Procured from Deceased Donor with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease". Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2019. 

    Chumley, M.C., Kim, H., Mrug, M "A Novel Prognostic Imaging Biomarker based on Individual Cyst Growth Rate in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease" Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2020, as a part of the Summer Medical School research program. 

    agAri Ginsparg - Y5, PhD degree seeking
    Accepted Poster Presentation - Experimental Biology. April 2020 (Conference cancelled due to COVID-19)
    Presented Poster on telomere binding protein design - RosettaCon - August 2020
    Serves as Secretary of the Informatics Club

  • J. Miller Allan & Cailin Kellum

    PROmoTE 2019 Team Research Topic:“Effects of Early Life Stress on cardiovascular function in a novel MSEW mouse strain and immunological homeostasis in adolescent humans”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Dr. Daniel Feig, Dr. Jennifer Pollock, & Dr. Michael Seifert

    Current Scholar Highlights

    maJ. Miller Allan, MD - Research Residency
    Allan, J.M., Kellum, C.E., McPherson, K.C., Neder, T.H.; Sedakal, R., Seifert, M.E., Feig, D.I., Pollock, J.S.,"Effects of Early Life Stress on cardiovascular function in a novel MSEW mouse strain and immunological homeostasis in adolescent humans", Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2019. (Awarded 2nd Place - Renal Division)
    ckCailin Kellum - Y5, PhD degree seeking
    Cailin E. Kellum, J. Miller Allan, Kasi C. McPherson, Thomas H. Neder, Randee Sedaka, Michael E. Seifert, Daniel I. Feig, Jennifer S. Pollock. Early life stress mediates enhanced aortic vasorelaxation in Sv129 mice. UAB Trainee Research Symposium. March, 2020.

    Accepted Poster Presentation - Experimental Biology. April 2020 (Conference cancelled due to COVID-19)
    Accepted Poster Presentation - Hypertension 2020 - “Adverse Childhood Experiences impact blood pressure and pulse wave velocity in adolescents” (Clinical Science, Epidemiology, Therapeutics)
    Awarded: NIH NIDDK PRIME T32 2020 - 2022
    Awarded: NIH NIDDK F31

2020 PROmoTE Scholars

  • Ayaka Fujihashi & Hailey Levi
    PROmoTE 2020 Team Research Topic - Presented at NRTC, September 2020:
    "Fibroblast HDAC1 induces fibrosis in male mice"
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Timmy Lee, Kelly Hyndman & Taka Saigua
    Screen Shot 2020 05 21 at 11.32.20 AM



    Current Scholar Highlights

    Ayaka Fujihashi - MS1, MD degree seeking
    Ayaka FujihashiPresentation: 
    Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham; September 2020 - 2nd Place, Renal Division
    Hailey Levi - Y1, PhD degree seeking
    Levi




    Service: GBS Recruitment Team

  • Bethany Langner & Derian Pugh
    PROmoTE 2020 Team Research Topic; Presented at NRTC - September 2020
    "The effects of antihistamine use in sickle cell pediatric patients"
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Jennifer Pollock, Julie Kanter, Ammar Alishlash, Jeffrey Lebensberger
    Screen Shot 2020 05 21 at 11.46.32 AM



    Current Scholar Highlights

    Bethany Langner - MS1, MD degree seeking
    LangnerPresentation: 
    Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham; September 2020. - 2nd Place - Renal Division 
    Derian Pugh - Y1, PhD degree seeking
    Derian Pugh



  • Matthew Kiszla & Lucinda Hall
    PROmoTE 2020 Team Research Topic; NRTC Presented - September 2020:
    "Evaluating autonomic nervous system responses in Bmal1-KO rats and pediatric kidney transplant recipients experiencing chronic stress"
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Orlando Gutierrez, David Pollock, Michael Seifert
    Screen Shot 2020 05 21 at 11.41.44 AM


    Current Scholar Highlights

    B. Matthew Kiszla - MS1, MD degree seeking
    Matthew Kiszla
    Presentation:
    Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; September 2020. 

    Lucinda Hall - Y1, PhD degree seeking
    Bethany Langer Image



2021 PROmoTE Scholars

  • Hemant Srivastava & Ashley Mejia

    PROmoTE 2021 Team Research Topic - Presented at NRTC, September 2020:
    "Novel aspects of Polycystic Kidney Disease: from the Microbiome to Heart Failure"
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Christian Faul, Jared Cook, Michal Mrug

    Current Scholar Highlights

    Hemant Srivastava- MS4, MD degree seeking
    Ayaka FujihashiPresentation: 
    Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham; September 2021 - 2nd Place, Renal Division
    Ashley Mejia - Year 2 - DO Degree Seeking
    Levi






  • Shaina Bolden & Ahsan Lakhani
    PROmoTE 2021 Team Research Topic; Presented at NRTC - September 2021 "Early Life Stress and Low Resilience Increase Adolescent Cardiovascular Risk Factors and the Pro-inflammatory State in Mice" PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Jennifer Pollock, Michael Seifert

    Current Scholar Highlights

    Shaina Bolden - MS4, MD degree seekingLangnerPresentation: 
    Poster Presented at: Dale J. Benos Medical School Research Day, University of Alabama at Birmingham; September 2021. - 1st Place - Renal Division 


    Ahsan Lakhani - MS3 - MD Degree SeekingDerian Pugh



2022 PROmoTE Scholars

 

  • Venu Reddy & Ashley Denslow

    PROmoTE 2022 Team Research Topic: “Insights into Modeling IgA Nephropathy”

    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Jan Novak, Dana Rizk, Colin Reily and Matthew Renfrow

    Current Scholar Highlights

    Venu Reddy - MS3, MD degree seeking Fabian Berru
    scAshley Denslow - Y3, PhD degree seeking - Theme: Immunology


  • E. Brody Rhodes & Teresa Beamon

    PROmoTE 2022 Team Research Topic: “The Effects of Timed Salt Intake on Rats and Humans”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Orlando Gutierrezz & David Pollock

    Current Scholar Highlights

    csE. Brody Rhodes - MS3, MD degree seeking
    chTeresa Beamon - Y3, PhD degree seeking

  • LaTimberly Washington & Gillian Kelly

    PROmoTE 2022 Team Research Topic: “Early Life Stress is Associated with Increased Reactive Cytokine Production and an Elevated Risk for Developing Hypertension

    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Jennifer Pollock & Michael Seifert

    Current Scholar Highlights

    TWLaTimberly Washington - MS3, MD degree seeking


    GCGillian Kelly - Y3, PhD degree seeking

  • Kayla Baker & Michael Ho

    PROmoTE 2022 Team Research Topic:“Natural History of Albuminuria in Pediatric Sickle Cell Anemia Patients and Humanized Sickle Cell Diseased Mice”
    PROmoTE Mentors: Drs. Malgorzata Kaszton & Jeffrey Lebensburger

    Current Scholar Highlights

    KBKayla Baker - MS3, MD degree seeking

    MHMichael Ho - MS2, MD degree seeking

2023 PROmoTE Scholars