Students participating in the UAB Department of Surgery's Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds (PRISM) and Surgery Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) programs had the opportunity to present their research at this year's Academic Surgical Congress in Washington, D.C.

Participants conducted their research through the eight-week summer PRISM and SURE research and internship experiences, which allows high school students and undergraduate students to explore careers in medical research and clinical healthcare settings.

"It is incredibly satisfying to witness the progress that our students make during the 8-week program. Through their research projects and shadowing experiences, students develop their scientific skills and gain a deeper understanding of healthcare career and research," said PRISM Program Co-Director Andrea Gillis, M.D.

The following students spoke to audiences including attending physicians and trainees -- presenting their research across a host of topics:

PRISM Program Presenters:

• Marisol Alvarado Resendiz: "Evaluating the Survivability Rates and the Intestinal Permeability of C. Elegans Subjected to Stressful Environments”
  Mentor: Dr. Colin Martin
• Prudence Wachira: "Improving Thyroid Pathology Reports Focused on a Patient Centered Approach: Mixed Method Study"
  Mentor: Dr. Andrea Gillis

SURE Program Presenters:

• Sarah Fu: "Anti-Cancer Effects of Cabozantinib-SV188 Cotreatment on Medullary Thyroid Cancer"
  Mentor: Dr. Renata Jaskula-Sztul
• Carla Aleman: "Cost Analysis of Thyroidectomy”
  Mentor: Dr. Polina Zmijewski
• Daisy Torres: "ST6GAL-1 Increases Growth Rate and Chemoradiation Resistance in Colorectal Cancer Mouse Model"
  Mentor: Dr. Karin Hardiman
• Sean O'Hare: “CD36-mediated Fatty Acid Metabolism Drives Stemness in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Cells”
  Mentor: Dr. Bin Ren
• Raven Horn: "Evaluation of an updated acute kidney injury definition for quality improvement in colorectal surgery”
  Mentor: Dr. Robert Hollis

About PRISM & SURE Programs

The Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds (PRISM) program is specifically designed for high school students interested in healthcare careers and provides support and mentorship from surgeons at UAB during their summer program. Through the internship, students participate in: research projects, seminars, workshops, and supplemental activities that stimulate students to enter health-related majors.

The Surgery Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program allows undergraduates to explore clinical, and translational research opportunities while exploring opportunities in the medical field. The 8-week summer program combines research with clinical practice experiences, providing opportunities for students to shadow physicians.