Scholarships and Assistantships
I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment
Background
Dr. I. Reid Collmann was a former Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine. To honor his years of leadership and service, the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment was established. The purpose of this endowment is to insure and enhance the quality of medical student education programs.
Dr. Collmann initiated the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Education Fund to give students an opportunity similar to his own student research experience. As a young medical student, Dr. Collmann quickly learned firsthand how research affects patient care. His wish of establishing this fund was built with hopes of empowering medical students with this same knowledge. The awareness of research’s impact on patient care is information that will build a solid foundation for the remainder of the student’s medical career.
Application and Assignment Process
Applications are accepted December 1, 2009 through February 28, 2010. Work assignments are given as soon as possible after the application deadline. Every effort is made to match the student with his or her interests with the corresponding researcher and laboratory. Space for this program is limited and preference is given to M1, M2 and premed students.
Applicants are encouraged to learn more about our research laboratories by visiting the research section of our Web site.
Requirements
Once awarded, the I. Reid Collmann, M.D. Medical Student Educational Endowment requires an eight week commitment from the student.
The student is compensated for his or her time in the research labs and is expected to complete the entire eight week commitment.
Each student will be evaluated mid-term on the basis of professionalism, eagerness to learn, and active engagement with the laboratory staff and researchers.
At the conclusion of the program, each participant is required to write a report describing their experiences during the eight week assistantship. Start dates are flexible and can run from mid-May to early August as long as eight consecutive weeks are served.
Application Process
The applications are not be accepted at this time.
Previous Collmann Student Experiences
Scott Brown
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Brown conducted research under the guidance of faculty and staff in Surgery, including Stacy Kirkpatrick, Laboratory Supervisor; Deidra Mountain, PhD, Assistant Professor; Oscar Grandas, MD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Vascular Research Laboratory; and Victor Krylov, MD, PhD, Professor. In light of previous studies on hormone replacement therapy, Brown’s research included growing tissue cultures of smooth muscle cells from post-menopausal women and then subjecting them to various physiological and pharmacological concentrations of estrogen, isolating the proteins after 24 hours, and then having them analyzed. He later tested the effects of certain estrogen blockers and estrogen’s signaling pathway to identify effects on cellular proliferation.
Brown also participated in lecture and hands-on training in microsurgery, learning how to tie sutures under a microscope. Of his experience, Brown said he has discovered his passion for research.
Andrew Elliott
Samford University, Birmingham, Ala.
Elliott conducted research with Roger Carroll, PhD, Professor, Anesthesiology. His research included testing citrated native human blood to determine if Novo7, a blood clotting factor that activates the body’s blood clotting system, would help blood clot at certain pH and temperature levels. Elliott said he most enjoyed being able to see what goes on behind the scenes in research and how it directly affects what will be used in the trauma bay on patients.
William Ergen
University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, Tenn.
Ergen conducted hormone replacement therapy research with Surgery faculty and staff including Mitchell Goldman, MD, Chair and Professor; Stacy Kirkpatrick; Dr. Mountain, Dr. Grandas and Dr. Kyrlov. Ergen’s research entailed histochemically staining carotid artery sections with a primary antibody mixture designed to attach to proliferating cell nuclear antigens (PCNAs). The goal was to identify if the cells treated with estrogen, estrogen/progesterone were in a "high proliferating state" post injury. This high proliferating state indicates hyperplasia, a pathological state that compromises the integrity of vascular surgical procedures carried out on post-menopausal women who receive hormone replacement therapy. Of his experience, Ergen said, "It’s been quite wonderful; this was my first bench research experience."
Brittney Hall
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Hall conducted research in the Conformational Diseases and Therapeutics Research Laboratory in collaboration with Valerie Berthelier, PhD, Director, and Erica Rowe, PhD, Joint Postdoctoral Research Associate. Hall’s research involved finding a compound which can alter the conformation of aggregates associated with Huntington's Disease. If an inhibitor is found, it can possibly lead to the development of new medications for the treatment of Huntington's while an activator will help researchers investigate the pathway of the disease. Hall said, "I have especially enjoyed working with Dr. Rowe and Dr. Berthelier and loved the independence they allowed."
Andrea Ward
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tenn.
Ward worked under the direction of Mike Karlstad, PhD, Division Chief, Surgical Research. Ward helped to develop an in vitro system to study insulin responses in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. She participated in studies designed to investigate the cross-talk between the pathways that mediate the actions of angiotensin II and IV peptides in the development of insulin resistance in burn injury. Ward also presented a research seminar, "Angiotensin System Improves Insulin Receptor Signaling and Skeletal Muscle Glucose Uptake In Burn Injury," at the American College of Surgeons Tennessee Chapter meeting in May.
Steven Yau
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Yau worked with Murray Marks, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, processing and harvesting bones that will be used for teaching purposes and research. Yau also participated in and observed several forensics cases, including reviewing slides of muscle tissue samples to see if there is a correlation between taphonomy, the post-mortem interval, and the decomposition rate of skeletal muscle tissue. Yau said his experience was interesting, especially in learning how to identify bullet entry points and angles in forensics cases.
