Immunology and Medical Microbiology students present at Autumn Immunology Conference

Students from the West Virginia University School of Medicine Immunology and Medical Microbiology program presented their research projects at the 53rd Autumn Immunology Conference (AIC) in Chicago, held November 21–24.

During the conference, Sam Ulicny, a senior IMMB student in the lab of Mariette Barbier, Ph.D., received the prestigious AAI Undergraduate Award. This award recognizes the top-ranking abstracts submitted by undergraduate trainees. His project was titled, “In vitro Evaluation of Individual and Synergistic Properties of an Antimicrobial Monoclonal Antibody against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.”

In addition, Perry Bauer and Adam Sharp were recognized with poster awards for their research. Sharp’s presentation, “Investigating the Role of Myeloperoxidase in the Development of Metastasis,” was honored based on the merit of his abstract. He is a senior in the lab of Tracy Liu, Ph.D. Perry Bauer received the Trends in Immunology Award for his poster, "Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Serves as a Potential Mediator and a Possible Novel Target in Preventing Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity." He is a senior in the lab of Venkatesh Sundararajan, Ph.D.

The students were accompanied by Meenal Elliott, Ph.D., a teaching associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology, who also delivered a presentation highlighting the hands-on laboratory experiences offered in WVU’s IMMB program.

Founded in 1971, the AIC annual meeting features plenary sessions by leading immunologists and provides a forum for students and trainees to showcase their latest findings through posters and workshops. Attendees also participate in keynote presentations, workshops and panel discussions covering a wide range of immunology topics.