TouroCOM Montana & McLaughlin Research Institute Host 1st Annual Research Day

Dr. Tiffany Hensley-McBain, the driving force behind the research day and poster competition, expressed her excitement for the students and all their hard work. “Our students came to Montana to immerse themselves in a medical education focusing on the underserved and our rural community,” said Dr. Hensley-McBain. “However, they also get to experience an osteopathic education with access to world-class research opportunities—a unique pairing. Students were eager to capitalize on these opportunities to supplement their education this year. They demonstrated that they are student doctors and scholars. I cannot wait to see what they all do next!”

First-year student Jenna Bearup secured second place in the poster contest for her research titled "A Comparative Study of Suicide Means and Age among Military Personnel and Civilian Populations."

Amanda Tran and Amanda Friedman, TouroCOM Montana students, present their research on "New Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Post COVID-19 Infection" to faculty judges Dr. S. Diane Lund and Dr. Kartick Pramanik.

"Public health is paramount to me, which is why I chose to delve into the topic of suicide, particularly its connection with the military and the alarming rates of suicide within that community,” said Jenna. “With several of my family members serving in the military, this research holds significant personal importance."First-year student Lilia Crew focused her research project on "Bridging the Gap: Behavioral Testing in Mouse Models for Relevant Insights into Neurodegenerative Diseases."

"This project and Research Day have been invaluable for me, allowing me to develop further the research I've been conducting at McLaughlin Research Institute throughout the academic year. Presenting a comprehensive overview of my work to my classmates, faculty, and the broader community has been a rewarding experience."

The research poster categories span diverse fields, including case studies, public health, clinical and biomedical research, and osteopathic principles and practices. Here are the winners of the poster competition:

Public Health and Medical Education Research

First Place Winners

Pranav Selvan and Dylan Cruz: Community Health Worker (CHW) Model for Health Care Delivery and Environment Programs focused on Initiatives in USA and India

Second Place Winner

Jenna Bearup: Montana Suicide Rates: A Comparative Study of Suicide Means and Age of Military Personnel and Civilian Populations

Clinical Research and Osteopathic Principles and Practices

First Place Winners

Elaine Webber, Rilee Schmidt, and Christian Mark Carlos: Somatovisceral Connection Between the Iliotibial Band and the Colon

Second Place Winners

Madelyn Olivas, Sabrina Drobeck, and Caroline Aprigliano: OMT and Acupuncture as Part of Nonsurgical Treatment Approach for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Biomedical Research

First Place Winners

Alexandria Reyes, Claire Rodriguez, and Helan Paulose: Comparison of Superoxide Dismutase 1 Seeding Activity in Motor Cortex and Thoracic Spinal Cords of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients

Second Place Winner

Mark Kim: Synthesis and Lipidation of Human Recombinant APOE Protein to Support Future Alzheimer’s and Neutrophil Studies

Case Study

First Place Winners

Dana Elazar and Clairissa Kaylor: Outcome of Hemiarch Replacement Under Moderate Hypothermic Setting: A Clinical Case Series Study

Second Place Winners

Yong Kim and Faud Ishaq: Initial Application of Three-Dimensional Fusion Imaging Technology in Physician-Modified Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR): A Milestone Achievement in Montana

Mclaughlin Research Institute Achievement Award

First Place Winners

Alexandria Reyes, Claire Rodriguez, and Helan Paulose: Comparison of Superoxide Dismutase 1 Seeding Activity in Motor Cortex and Thoracic Spinal Cords of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients

TouroCOM Montana intends to host another Research Day next academic year.