Celebrating CSULB BUILD trainees at SACNAS and ABRCMS
By Hansook Oh
California State University, Long Beach BUILD used social media to highlight its students who attended or presented at the 2023 ABRCMS and SACNAS conferences.
Three BUILD trainees attended SACNAS and 24 trainees went to ABRCMS, some winning awards for their research presentations. Read below to learn about the trainees and their research.
SACNAS National Diversity In Stem Conference
Three trainees attended the SACNAS National Diversity In Stem conference from Oct. 26 to 28 in Portland, Oregon. See CSULB BUILD’s Instagram post featuring all the trainees who attended.
Grace Min is a third-year student juggling research and schoolwork, while double-majoring in psychology and criminology.
Madison Roach is a third-year student majoring in psychology and human development, who is carving out her path as an NIH BUILD Scholar and researcher.
Brooke Diaz is a fourth-year student majoring in child development and family studies.
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists
Twenty-one CSULB BUILD trainees participated in the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) from Nov. 15 to 18 in Phoenix, Arizona. Many presented posters and three students won travel awards.
Alyssa Alfaro is a junior majoring in biomedical engineering who conducts research under the mentorship of Perla Ayala, PhD. She presented her poster, “Effect of Micro-topographical Features within a 3D Model of Fibrosis.”
Vanessa Avila Rios is a senior majoring in molecular cell biology and physiology who conducts research under the mentorship of Judy Brusslan, PhD. She received a travel award to attend ABRCMS, where she presented her poster, “Analyzing ERF54 and ERF53 Interactions in the Bolting-Associated Leaf Senescence Gene Regulatory Network.”
Nicholas Banuelos is a senior majoring in environmental science who conducts research under the mentorship of Pitiporn Asvapathanagul, PhD. He presented his poster, “Microbial dynamic associated with environmental factors governing biological hydrogen gas production.”
Carlin Bruce is a junior majoring in psychology who conducts research under the mentorship of Araceli Gonzalez, PhD. She presented her poster, “Are You Stressed or Do You Simply Feel Stressed? Stressful Events and Personal Vulnerability as Predictors of Internalizing Symptoms.”
Jadon Buller is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering who conducts research under the mentorship of Ga-Young Kelly Suh, PhD. He presented his poster, “Automated 3D Path Planning to Simulate Aortic Catheterization.”
Shannon Chaffin is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering who conducts research under the mentorship of Perla Ayala, PhD. She presented her poster, “Bioengineered Collagen Scaffold Promotes Myotube Organization and Maturation.”
Jonathan Contreras Perez is a junior majoring in biology who conducts research under the mentorship of Erika Holland, PhD. He presented his poster, “Effects of Weathered Microplastics Coupled to Heavy Metals on Larval Fish.”
Rachael Gomez is a senior majoring in psychology who conducts research under the mentorship of Courtney Ahrens, PhD. She presented her poster, “Examining the Impact of Multiple Forms of Violence on PTSD for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.”
Anais Johnson is a senior majoring in biochemistry who conducts research under the mentorship of Young-Seok Shon, PhD. She presented her poster, “Synthesis of Hydroxy-terminated alkanethiolate-capped Pd nanoclusters for green catalysis in environmentally Benign Organic Solvents.”
Sophia Manjarrez is a senior majoring in molecular cell biology and physiology who conducts research under the mentorship of Ashley Carter, PhD.
She received a travel award to attend ABRCMS, where she presented her poster, “An Exploratory Study on Cancer Research Effort and its Relation to Cancer Disease Burden in 18 European Countries.”
Bryan Navarrete is a senior majoring in molecular cell biology and physiology who conducts research under the mentorship of Deborah Fraser, PhD. He presented his poster, “Investigating the Importance of LXR Activation in C1q Modulation of Macrophage Foam Cell Responses.”
Tess Nguyen is a senior majoring in psychology who conducts research under the mentorship of Araceli Gonzalez, PhD. She presented her poster, “Association Between Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Parental Behavior, & Posttraumatic Stress Levels in College Students.”
Angelica Sanchez-Gomez is a senior majoring in sociology who conducts research under the mentorship of Yang Lu, PhD. She presented her poster, “The Role of Depression and Anxiety on Vaccine Hesitancy During COVID-19.”
Alp Tahincioglu is a junior majoring in biomedical engineering who conducts research under the mentorship of Perla Ayala, PhD. He presented his poster, “Enhancing Skeletal Muscle Development on Bioengineered Composite Scaffold.”
Sofia Uribe is a junior majoring in psychology who conducts research under the mentorship of Bill Pedersen, PhD. She received a travel award to attend ABRCMS, where she presented her poster, “When Bigger is Not Better: The Impact of Social Exclusion, Group Size, and Social Distress on Unfairness Appraisal.”
Kailee Yang is a junior majoring in psychology who conducts research under the mentorship of Gabriella Hancock, PhD. She presented her poster, “Aging, Dementia, and Usability: Trends in Assistive Technologies for Cognitive Impairments (1980-2022).”
Attendees included Edwin Danahy, a junior majoring in biomedical engineering who conducts research under the mentorship of Perla Ayala, PhD; Jo Estrada, a junior majoring in microbiology who conducts research under the mentorship of Ashley Carter, PhD; and Kerollos Roufael, a senior majoring in biology who conducts research under the mentorship of Deborah Fraser, PhD.
CSULB BUILD congratulated Rios, Manjarrez and Uribe, who won travel awards to ABRMCS as first-time presenters.
The Diversity Program Consortium Coordination and Evaluation Center at UCLA is supported by Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health / National Institutes of General Medical Sciences under award number U54GM119024.
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