UNSOM Students: Research
The School of Medicine is one of the top-ranked medical schools of its size for research. The amount of funding per capita from the National Institutes of Health places our school in the top 10 of public medical schools. UNSOM is ranked first among the 16 other community-based medical schools in the country.
Medical students are encouraged to pursue interests in clinical and basic science research the summer between Years I and II, as well as in Year IV of medical school. The school also offers a combined degree program, MD/Ph.D.
Some of the research at the medical school includes:
Biomedical Engineering:
Applications of plasma physics
Neural Network Computing |
Cell and Molecular Biology
Molecular biology of ion channels
Neuromuscular transmission |
Pharmacology
Cardiac and smooth muscle electrophysiology
Vascular wall cell biology |
Microbiology
Opportunistic infections
Emerging viruses
Cancer immunology |
Neurological Disorders
Alzheimer's disease |
Suicide prevention
Smoking cessation |
The George G. Bierkamper Student Research Convocation provides a forum for the presentation of student research projects and results. Many students also have their work accepted for presentation at the Western Region Medical Students' Symposium at the American Federation of Medical Research Conference in Carmel, CA.
For more information on UNSOM research programs, visit our Office of Medical Research homepage: http://www.medicine.nevada.edu/research/
Research topics presented recently include (click for more info):
Anesthesiology
“Depressed Mood Predicts Analgesic Response to Intravenous Lidocaine” (2007 – Stanford Medical Center)
Biology
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Cancer/ Surgical Oncology
“Methylation Levels of the Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Gene in Patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia” (2009 – Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA)
“Biolistic Transfection of Glioblastoma Cells: Down Regulation of GRP-78 by Using SiRNA Delivered on Gold Microcarriers” (2009 – Keck School of Medicine)
“A New Anatomical Classification System For Parotid Tumors” (2008)
"Screening of Head and Neck Cancers with Hope of Implementing a Novel Treatment" (2005 - Sloan-Kettering Cancer Ctr.)
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Dermatology
“Screening for Melanoma in High-Risk Patients: Useful or Useless?” (2008)
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Emergency Medicine
“Bridging the Training Gap in Cardiac Arrest: Identification of Cardiac Arrest Decision-Making Deficits in Lay Rescuers” (2009)
“How Accurate Are Non-Medical Responders at Identifying Agonal Respirations?” (2009)
Internal Medicine and Biotechnology
“Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Computational Brain Model of Abnormalities of Attention” (2009)
“Accuracy of Self-Reported Height and Weight in Postmenopausal Women” (2009)
“Self-Efficacy As A Weight Management Tool: Evaluating The Self-Management Activities For Weight Questionnaire” (2008)
“Tissue-Specific Molecular Signature May Explain Differentiative Bias Of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells From Different Tissues” (2008)
“Outcomes in Patients with Triple-Contrast Gadolinium MRI Prior to Receiving Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Metastatic Brain Tumors: A Midterm Analysis” (2007)
"In Silico Knockin/Knockout in Model Neocortex Suggests Role of CA++ Dependent K+ Channels in Spike-Timing Information Transfer" (2005)
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Microbiology and Immunology
“Molecular Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies to the Bacillus Anthracis Capsular Polypeptide” (2007)
"Suitability of Serum Free Media for Fetal Thymic Organ Culture" (2005)
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Molecular Biology and Biophysics
"Interleukin-6 Influences the Metabolic and Endocrine Response to Endotoxemia" (2005 - Vanderbilt)
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Neuroscience
“Optical Disector Counting in Cryo- and Vibratome Sections Underestimates Particle Numbers: Effects of Tissue Quality” (2007)
"A Case of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Showing Rapid Reorganization of the Somatosensory Cortex" (2005 - Stanford Med. Ctr.)
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Nutrition
“Bone Health Status Prior to a Period of Weight Loss in 17 Patients” (2009)
“Protection Of Muscle Mass In Overweight Patients Experiencing Significant Weight Loss” (2008)
“The Effect of Health Risk Appraisals On Patient Outcomes In A Weight Management Clinic” (2008)
“Needs Assessment For Development Of Targeted Diabetes Education Materials” (2008)
“Effect of Weight Loss on C-Reactive Protein in Overweight Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors” (2007)
"Development of Recommendations Based on Mechanisms of Interaction and Evidence of Interactions Between Herbal Supplements and Cardiovascular Drugs" (2005)
Obstetrics and Gynecology
“A Literature Review of the Current Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment and Epidemiology of Sexual Transmitted Illnesses in Pregnancy, and How These Infections Compare in Non-Obstetrical Patients” (2009)
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Pathology
“Gene Sequencing to Determine Phylogeny of Norovirus Infections” (2007- Nevada State Health Lab)
Pediatrics
“Assessment of Left Ventricular Function Using Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography During Vasopressor-Induction Increases in Afterload in a Rabbit Model” (2009)
“Effect of Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers on Skin Test Sensitivity to Dust Mites and Molds in a Desert Environment” (2009)
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Pharmacology
“The Role of Alpha-7 Integrin in Vascular Injury and Remodeling” (2008)
“Effects of Supraphysiological Temperatures on Contractile Force of the Mouse Flexor Digitorum Brevis Muscle” (2007)
“Functional Phenomics of Cardiac CIC-2 Chloride Channels” (2007)
"Impact of Global Phosphorylation Status on the Biophysical Properties of Ca2+ Activated Chloride Currents in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells" (2006)
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Physiology and Cell Biology
“Functional CaMKII In Middle Colon Smooth Muscle Contributes To Colonic Dysmotility In Murine DSS-Colitis” (2009)
“Development of Computer Software for Detailed Evaluation of Spermatozoa Flagellar Motility” (2009)
“Expression Of Testes-Specific Genes In Mice Spermatogenic Cells” (2008)
“Noise Amidst The Silence: X-Linked MicroRNAs Are Highly Expressed During Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation” (2008)
“Functional And Molecular Alterations Of Colonic Smooth Muscle In The DSS-Induced Murine Model Of Colitis” (2008)
“Identification of Vagal Neural Endings within the Stomach Wall by Using an Anterograde Labeling Technique” (2007)
"Isolation and Characterization of a CD34+ Multipotent Progenitor Cell Line from the Postnatal Murine Gastric Tunica Muscularis" (2005)
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Psychology
“Evaluation of Digit Span and Spatial Span Subtest as Neuro-psychological Indices for Detection of Malingering” (2007)
Sports Medicine
“Outcomes of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction with Abnormal Bone Excision” (2009 – American Sports Medicine Institute, Birmingham, AL)
Surgery/Orthopedic
“A Simple Technique For The Laparoscopic Use Of Hemostatic Collagen Fleece (TachoSil)” (2008)
“A Comparison Of The Surgical Efficacy Of ALIF And XLIF L4-5 Fusion Procedures With Posterior Fixation” (2008)
“Application of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Repair of Atrophic Non-Union Fractures in Young and Old Rats” (2007 – University of Colorado)
"The Effect of Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors on Primary (Direct) Bone Healing" (2005 - Orthopedic Surgery, UC Davis)
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Surgery and Plastic Surgery
“Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Apoptosis in Vascular Cells Proceeds through the Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway” (2009)
“Colocalization of F-Actin and CD18/11b in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury” (2009)
“Immediate Postoperative Complications and Radiological Features of Interbody Fusion Between Infuse BMP and Actifuse: a Radomized Prospective Trial” (2009)
“Necrosis And Apoptosis In Cells Isolated From Rat Skeletal Muscle Following Ischemia And Reperfusion” (2008)
“The Effect Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Induced IL-6 On TNFa, IL-1 And Neutrophil Polarization And Adhesion” (2008)
“The Effect Of Hyperbaric Oxygen On Inflammatory Mediator Production In Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury” (2008)
“Vagotomy During Hiatal Hernia Repair: A Benign Esophageal Lengthening Procedure” (2007 – University of Washington)
“Measurement Of A Tissue Damage Biomarker And Apoptosis In Burn Wounds” (2007)
** “The Effect Of Hyperbaric Oxygen On Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression In Ischemia Reperfusion Injury” (2007)
"The Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) on Neutrophil CD 18 / 11B Adhesion and Polarization in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury" (2005)
"The Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Concentrations" (2005)
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Surgery/Trauma
“Tight Glucose Control Improves Mortality in Adult Brain Injury Patients” (2009)
“Glucose Levels And Enteral Supplementation With B-Hydroxy-B-Methylbutyrate, Arginine And Glutamine In Critically Ill Trauma Patients” (2008)
“Continuous Mechanical Rotational Therapy of Patients with Post-Traumatic Respiratory Insufficiency: Results of a Case Series Analysis” (2007)
“Retrospective Analysis of Short-Term Outcomes Resulting from Endovascular Treatment Following Traumatic Vertebral and Carotid Injury” (2007)
“Re-administration of Recombinant Human Activated Protein C Reduces Vasopressor Use in a Severely Septic Trauma Patient” (2007)
"The Effect of Shock Resuscitation Fluids on Cellular Dysfunction" (2005)
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