Students Showcase Research at Fralin Institute Symposium

This summer, Lilyanne Rascher experienced a rare kind of freedom for an undergraduate student.

A junior at Purdue University, Rascher spent the summer in Roanoke as part of the neuroSURF program at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. It’s one of three programs, along with cardioSURF and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s Early Identification Program, that allow selected undergrads a chance at full immersion in research projects in biomedical science, health, and medicine.

She and dozens of other students from across the country presented their research at the fifth annual Summer Programs Research Symposium, where she shared the results of her project on the use of focused ultrasound to enhance cancer treatment.

“I really enjoyed it because I got a lot of firsthand experience in the lab, and I got to use a lot of technologies that I’ve learned about in class but not necessarily gotten to use,” Rascher said.

The immersion into real, hypothesis-driven research projects distinguishes these summer programs from typical classroom science.

For example, students in the cardioSURF program attended the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences conference, where they presented their work and connected with international leaders in the field.

“That combination of daily mentorship and annual access to a premier national meeting accelerates students’ growth and helps launch them toward impactful careers in cardiovascular science and medicine,” said James Smyth, associate professor at the research institute and director of the cardioSURF program.

Symposium presenters were judged by faculty, trainees, and graduate students across multiple dimensions, including visual elements, oral presentation, and acquisition of knowledge, with three prizes awarded in each category, along with top prizes for overall winners. Students from the SURF-N and Hokie Summer Scholars programs on Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus also participated in the symposium.

This year’s winners, with their home school, summer program, and lab, were:

Visual elements

1. Presley Pickeral, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, neuroSURF, Meike Van der Heijden Lab
2. Lilyanne Rascher, Purdue University, neuroSURF, Jennifer Munson Lab
3. Caroline Toler, Centre College, cardioSURF, Scott Johnstone Lab

Oral presentation

1. Mihir Nimkar, Rockbridge High School, high school intern, Wynn Legon Lab
2. Nicholas Beach, Radford University, neuroSURF, Legon Lab
3. Sophia Kelly, Virginia Tech, neuroSURF, Read Montague Lab

Acquisition of knowledge

1. Nicholas Beach, Radford University, neuroSURF, Legon Lab
2. Hugo Liu, Virginia Tech, SURF-N, Legon Lab
3. Christopher Cosma, Michigan State University, cardioSURF, John Chappell Lab

Overall

1. Renee Sarmiento, Virginia Tech, cardioSURF, Smyth Lab
2. Azhaan Buttar, North Carolina State University, cardioSURF, Steven Poelzing Lab
3. Annie Walls, Virginia Tech, summer student, Van der Heijden Lab

Honorable mention: Mihir Nimkar

By Matt Chittum