The Minority Medical Student Award Program (MMSAP) encourages minority medical students to pursue an interest in hematology research. For an eight- to 12-week period, MMSAP participants will work closely with their mentors on a hematology-related research project. The subjects investigated by this year’s students include thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), sickle cell anemia, MDS, and acute myeloid leukemia. The awardees will have the opportunity to present the results of their research at ASH’s annual meeting in December.
This year’s program has the largest number of participants yet, including four returning students. Each award recipient will receive the support of a research mentor and a career-development mentor, travel stipends to attend medical meetings, and subscriptions to The Hematologist and Blood.
Returning Participants
Imo AkpanUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoResearch Project:Determination of the manner in which changes within the γ-globin gene are linked to differences in histone H3 (lys9) methylation following decitabine administration in the baboon modelResearch Mentor:Joseph DeSimone, PhDUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
May ChoMeharry Medical CollegeResearch Project:Structural requirements of LDB1 functionResearch Mentor:Stephen Brandt, MDVanderbilt University Medical Center
Tiffany D. JacksonMercer University School of MedicineResearch Project:Production of erythrocytes from human embryonic stem cellsResearch Mentor:Kenneth Zuckerman, MDH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida
Courtney Nicole JohnsonUniversity of Southern California, Keck School of MedicineResearch Project:Disease knowledge in chronic myelogenous leukemia patients as a predictor of compliance to treatmentResearch Mentor:Sikander Ailawadhi, MDNorris Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
First-Time Participants
Tiana CarrilloUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoResearch Project:Iron-mediated ROS production as a mechanism for RARS and the basis for therapeuticsResearch Mentor:Seth J. Corey, MDNorthwestern University
Drees Griffin Jr.University of Alabama School of MedicineResearch Project:Creation of the UAB thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura–hemolytic uremic syndrome registryResearch Mentor:Marisa Marques, MDUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Michelle LongWake Forest University School of MedicineResearch Project:Pediatric immune thrombocytopenic purpura: drug treatments and responsesResearch Mentor:Ellis J. Neufeld, MD, PhDChildren’s Hospital, Boston
Myntee NganganaThe Ohio State University College of MedicineResearch Project:Association between epigenetic changes and acute myeloid leukemiaResearch Mentor:Michael Caligiuri, MDThe Ohio State University
Jennifer NicholsUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoResearch Project:The effects of environmental cues and differentiation state on hematopoietic stem cell colony growth, morphology, and fetal hemoglobin productionResearch Mentor:Joseph DeSimone, PhDUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
Kandyce PearsonUniversity of IowaResearch Project:Characterization of K13-NEMO interactionResearch Mentor:Preet Chaudhary, MD, PhDNorris Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
Stacey PereiraRush Medical CollegeResearch Project:Kinetics of engraftment: single-donor dominance versus dual-donor chimerism in double cord blood transplant outcomesResearch Mentor:Colleen Delaney, MDUniversity of Washington
Pablo N. QuintanaUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoResearch Project:Targeting miRNAs that regulate the glucocorticoid receptor as a potential therapeutic for multiple myelomaResearch Mentor:Steven T. Rosen, MDNorthwestern University
Vanessa SarfohUniversity of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical SciencesResearch Project:Magnetic resonance imaging of liver and cardiac ironResearch Mentor:Janet Kwiatkowski, MDChildren’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Ngozidilenna WilkinsUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesResearch Project:Characterization of platelet α-granule dynamicsResearch Mentor:Brian Storrie, PhDUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
