November 2022 eNews

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Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting

The Kentucky Academy of Science Annual meeting was held on November 11th and 12th this year, hosted by Morehead State University. Approximately 700 scientists and students attended this joint meeting of the Kentucky Academy of Science and the Kentucky Junior Academy of Science. Morehead State University is at the forefront of STEM education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and is the home of the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics. The Craft Academy is a dual-credit academy for academically exceptional Kentucky students interested in pursuing STEM degrees. On Saturday, November 12th, Dr. Jay Morgan, President of Morehead State University, welcomed the scientists before the plenary session entitled "Traveling Through Disciplines" with keynote speaker Dr. Andrea Armani. Oral presentations and posters were given by undergraduate students and high school students in 14 different disciplines. For the first time since the Academy's founding in 1914, a session was held focused on cancer. Dr. Julia Carter, President of Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory, and Courtney Martin, a graduate student at the University of Kentucky, co-chaired this session on cancer. Six high school and undergraduate students presented research reports, and Dr. Erik Bey, senior staff scientist at Wood Hudson, presented a report on his research and plans for the Undergraduate Research Education Program (UREP). High school students gave reports on innovative projects, such as "Developing a Low-Cost Device for the Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer". College undergraduates from Northern Kentucky University, Berea College, Western Kentucky University, and Wood Hudson Cancer Research Lab gave discussions on genetic molecular changes in cancer. One of the student reports was by Jonathan Scherff (pictured above), a Wood Hudson UREP student and sophomore at Mt. St. Joseph University. Jonathan's presentation reported the research proposal he prepared while participating in the summer virtual UREP held by Wood Hudson. Jonathan writes, "I want to thank Dr. Carter for giving me the opportunity to present my research project at KAS.  I also want to especially thank Dr. Bey, Dr. Douglass, Dr. Snyder, Professor Gilb, and the rest of the Wood Hudson team for their support and guidance over the last 5 months. The experience I gained and terminology I learned will undoubtedly carry with me and serve as the framework for all I will learn and discover in the many years to come. "

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November 29th is Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, or the National Day of Giving, is coming up on November 29th, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, just as the holiday shopping season begins. Created in 2012 by New York's 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, Giving Day is observed in 80 countries worldwide as a way to show our spending can be matched by generosity. Non-profit organizations make use of the awareness Giving Tuesday provides to make the most impact in their causes and campaigns, and Wood Hudson Cancer Research Lab is no exception. The simplest way to give is to donate money to an organization or cause you care about, but volunteering your time or donating goods can also be valuable as an experience for those who want to give more. At Wood Hudson, no donation is too small--all are appreciated, and all will be used to support our cancer research and research education program. Wood Hudson is an IRS 501(C)(3) Tax-Exempt Research Institute, and all cash donations are tax-deductible and will be gratefully acknowledged. Volunteers working on newsletters and other projects are an invaluable contribution to our organization, supporting our research mission. Statistics say that 28% of Giving Tuesday participants give money, 37% give time and goods, and 35% do both. Most participants enjoy being a part of something bigger than themselves, and with the wide reach of Giving Tuesday on social media platforms and the growing involvement of young people, this event of generosity promises to keep getting better, with the help of donors like all of us.

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Meet UREP Student Cecelia Reaugh

My name is Cecelia Reaugh. I am a first-year freshman and Northern Kentucky University and I work with Dr. Carter at Wood Hudson Cancer Research Laboratory. I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and have always had a love for biology. I am currently pursuing a degree in the Department of Biological Sciences at NKU. I was informed by a member of the Pre-Med Honors college that there was an opportunity to work with cancer research. I have a personal relationship with cancer as my mother has developed it many times, so I applied. I love working here with Dr. Carter. We stain slides of breast tissue so that we can better observe cancer under a microscope and diagnose the malignant tumors under various categories such as Infiltrating Carcinoma, Ductal Carcinoma in situ, and so on. I have learned a lot about how both research and laboratories work and I am very thankful for this opportunity and everything it has brought me. I hope to continue working here next semester as well.

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Happy Thanksgiving to all, and thank you for your generosity!

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