IMMB students at WVU tackle real-world health challenges through summer research

From investigating stroke disparities to exploring cancer metastasis and developing future treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, students in the Immunology and Medical Microbiology (IMMB) program at the West Virginia University School of Medicine are spending their summer contributing to impactful biomedical research.

Ten IMMB students are currently working in research labs across the University, as part of the IMMB Research Internship. The internship is a fully funded, two-year internship where students are paid for their research. They work in the lab full-time during the summer and continue working in a more limited capacity during the academic year.  

“The IMMB internship offers undergraduate students unparalleled opportunities to engage in cutting-edge biomedical research,” Jonathan Busada, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of the IMMB Research Internship, said. “With two full years of support, interns can be deeply immersed in their projects, which is far beyond the scope of typical undergraduate research experiences. This long-term engagement allows them to develop a thorough understanding of both their research and the broader processes involved in biomedical research.”

The ability to participate in research at an R1 institution was a draw for many of the participants when looking at programs. The University’s R1 ranking, the highest possible research ranking designated by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, places WVU in the top category for research-focused institutions. 

Perry Bauer, a senior IMMB student from Morgantown, is spending his summer in Venkatesh Sundararajan, Ph.D.’s lab where he and the team are studying cardiotoxicity, a major side effect of a commonly used chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin (DOX). Their research focuses on understanding how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), to which DOX has affinity, may contribute to mtDNA release, inflammation and heart cell death following DOX treatment.

Bauer explained that by uncovering how to prevent this heart cell damage, they hope to mitigate the severe cardiotoxicity that can ultimately lead to heart failure in cancer patients undergoing DOX treatment.

He hopes to one day become a physician and use the experience he is gaining to help his patients.

“I am an aspiring physician, and I believe that IMMB has laid an amazing foundation for that path,” Bauer said. “The program has not only provided excellent relevant courses but also excellent opportunities, such as the IMMB internship. The program focuses not only on highly rigorous scientific coursework, but also emphasizes application of course material through labs, which feature things like case studies and presentation symposiums.”

Adam Sharp, a senior IMMB student from Charles Town, West Virginia, is investigating how cancer interacts with the immune system. His research with Tracy Liu, Ph.D., focuses on developing strategies to modulate immune responses to more effectively fight cancer.

“This project stood out to me as a way I could make a meaningful impact through research,” Sharp said.

He also hopes to use his experience in the lab as a pathway to a career in medicine.

“As an IMMB student, I have grown in both the classroom and the lab, gaining valuable skills that will support my goals of becoming a physician,” Sharp said. “I chose IMMB because I knew I wanted to pursue a career in medicine, and this program offers a unique opportunity to explore both the research and clinical sides of the field.”

Other IMMB students and their summer research projects include:

• Victoria Smith (Aminata Coulibaly, Ph.D.) is characterizing sex differences in stroke to better understand why males and females differ in their recovery after a stroke.
• Bella Wilkerson (Ivan Martinez, Ph.D.) is researching whether cancer-related viruses like Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can produce a special type of RNA, hoping to identify new targets to investigate for treatment of HPV-related cancers. 
• Toby Zapotocky (Heath Damron, Ph.D.) is exploring an mRNA vaccine to prevent Alzheimer’s disease by mimicking the effects of the current antibody.
• Aidan Murray (Sharan Bobbala, Ph.D.) is exploring ways to optimize the delivery of a steroid used to treat drug-resistant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia to improve drug efficacy.
• Quentin Miske (William Walker, Ph.D.) is investigating whether giving cancer treatment at a specific time of day can better reach breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
• Samuel Ulicny (Mariette Barbier, Ph.D.) is studying whether a new antibody can work with regular antibiotics to better fight drug-resistant super-germs.
• Olivia Conaway (Dr. Barbier) is researching measuring protein expression in Lyme disease-causing bacteria to better support vaccine development by optimizing lab growth conditions.
• Zayla Steen (Edwin Wan, Ph.D.) is researching how the interaction between immune cells within the nervous system causes multiple sclerosis to develop, which could lead to new treatment strategies.

Kelly Collins, Ph.D., vice chair of the Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology department, explained that the IMMB Research Internship helps prepare students for diverse career and graduate school opportunities, gives them publication and research presentation opportunities and helps students experience the value of scientific research in treating diseases.

“Our mission is to make sure students are prepared to enter the workforce or continue on their educational journey with the foundational knowledge to make them successful candidates and contributors in their fields,” Collins said. “These students are our mission in action and are gaining experiences that will shape their futures, and perhaps the futures of those impacted by their work.”

The WVU IMMB program is one of only five bachelor’s degree programs in the United States that combines microbiology and immunology, and the only one housed in a school of medicine. Learn more about Immunology and Medical Microbiology at medicine.wvu.edu/immunology-and-medical-microbiology/