March 16, 2023

BCAP Scholars headed to Junior Science and Humanities Symposium national competition

Thirteen Biomedical Career Advancement Pipeline Scholars presented research at the 59th annual Southeast Michigan Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at Wayne State University's College of Education in February, and now three move on to the National Symposium to be held next month.

The student research was conducted in the Biomedical Career Advancement Pipeline during the summer 2022 program with mentors from the Wayne State University School of Medicine and Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network.

BCAP Scholars Nabeeha Jalali, Fiona Samson and Pooja Kapoor.

Following the summer program’s completion, a select group of students continued to edit their project papers and slideshow presentations, as well as create posters representing their research in the BCAP Scholars program. Students applied for and were invited to present orally at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

Three BCAP Scholars made it to the final round of the presentations and placed in the top five presentations:

Second place: Nabeeha Jalali, research conducted under Teena Chopra M.D., M.P.H., professor of Infectious Diseases and a founder of the WSU Center for Emerging and Infectious Diseases

Third place: Fiona Samson, research conducted under Siddhesh Aras, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics

Fifth place: Pooja Kapoor, research conducted under Xiangmin Zhang, Ph.D., assistant professor of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium distributed $4,500 in academic scholarships to the first, second and third place winners. All three finalists from BCAP Scholars will present orally or via poster at the National JSHS meeting, hosted by the Naval Research Center in Virginia Beach, Va., in April.

The Biomedical Career Advancement Pipeline Program is a summer research experience for high school students in grades 10 through 12 interested in pursuing health science careers. Students work alongside senior research and clinical faculty to explore research investigation.

BCAP is a collaborative program between the Michigan Area Health Education's Southeast Regional Center, the Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network and Detroit Public Schools Community District. The program was established in 2014 by Jennell White, Ph.D., assistant professor of WSU Pharmacology.

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