Two students win St. Albert’s Day competition
Two Students Win St. Albert’s Day Competition
By Marena Keci
While the coronavirus pandemic may have subsided, the winner of this year’s St. Albert’s Day PhD student competition seeks to design antivirals to protect people from future emerging coronaviruses.
“The most exciting aspect of my research is that it has implications for the development of vaccines and antivirals to protect us against future outbreaks of coronaviruses,” said Monika Evdokimova, who is in her sixth year of the PhD program (Microbiology and Immunology track).
“My goal is to learn more about how coronaviruses bypass host immune defenses to cause disease,” she said.
Evdokimova’s recurring lab rotations and participation in various core curriculum classes helped her discover an interest in virology. She described Loyola’s research environment as very collaborative.
“We are constantly exchanging reagents, equipment, and ideas,” she said. “In addition, my department has several weekly events that allow us to keep up with current literature, meet researchers from other institutions, and learn about what other people in and out of the department are working on. We are always working to develop our science communication skills so that we can clearly communicate our work to different audiences,” said Evdokimova.
Evdokimova’s advisor, Susan Baker, PhD has taught her new skills, helped her “think like a scientist” and inspired her to develop her project into an interesting and important story.
“She also encourages me to always be up to date with literature and give clear, interesting research talks that allow me to get others excited about my work,” said Evdokimova. Students who have graduated from Dr. Baker’s lab have succeeded in many diverse fields. “She is always open to introducing me to these former students and helping in any way she can. As a leading coronavirologist, Dr. Baker has developed a broad professional network and is open to helping me succeed in any career path that I choose,” said Evdokimova.
Other PhD students recognized were:
Mackenzie Smith, Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics track (2nd place) and Claudia Rose Keating, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology track (3rd place).
Evdokimova hopes to work as a virologist at a federal research facility (like the National Institutes of Health or the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases), or work at a non-profit organization involved in vaccine development research.
The MS Graduate Student Oral Competition winner is Hope Burnham, who is pursuing her MS in Cell and Molecular Physiology. Her research focuses on genetic causes of heart disease, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy, a hereditary heart disease.
“We study a recently discovered gene called Myosin Binding Protein H-Like (MYBPHL) that is highly expressed in the heart’s atria. We know that mutations in the gene cause dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias, so now we are working to understand the role this gene plays in the development, contraction, and cardiac conduction.”
Burnham discovered her passion for research in a research-project-based course during her senior year at the University of Alabama. She worked with fruit flies to study genes in the insulin pathway and realized she wanted to continue doing research with a translational aspect. “The Physiology department at Loyola gave me the opportunity to explore various body systems, and ultimately, I decided I wanted to learn more about the heart,” she said.
When applying to graduate programs, Burnham wanted a close-knit community. “During the interview process, all the Stritch professors seemed really invested in my goals and what I wanted out of a graduate education. It was a very welcoming environment right from the start,” she said.
Burnham works in Dave Barefield’s lab. “Dr. Barefield has found ways for me to help on other lab members’ projects and even gave me the opportunity to write a review paper that will be published.”
Additional MS students recognized:
Maria del Mar Villanueva Guzman, Infectious Disease and Immunology program (2nd place) and Oliwia Bochnacka, Cellular and Molecular Oncology program (3rd place).
Burnham hopes her research will advance understanding of how the heart functions and changes when diseased, to help find new ways to treat and prevent heart disease rather than simply treating symptoms. “So far, we manage symptoms because we don’t really have medications to treat cardiomyopathies,” she said.
After she completes her master’s degree, Burnham will pursue an MD/PhD degree. “I am interested in how clinical practice intersects with research. I intend to better understand the problems patients face so that I can use my research to address these concerns,” she said.
November 2023
By Marena Keci
While the coronavirus pandemic may have subsided, the winner of this year’s St. Albert’s Day PhD student competition seeks to design antivirals to protect people from future emerging coronaviruses.
“The most exciting aspect of my research is that it has implications for the development of vaccines and antivirals to protect us against future outbreaks of coronaviruses,” said Monika Evdokimova, who is in her sixth year of the PhD program (Microbiology and Immunology track).
“My goal is to learn more about how coronaviruses bypass host immune defenses to cause disease,” she said.
Evdokimova’s recurring lab rotations and participation in various core curriculum classes helped her discover an interest in virology. She described Loyola’s research environment as very collaborative.
“We are constantly exchanging reagents, equipment, and ideas,” she said. “In addition, my department has several weekly events that allow us to keep up with current literature, meet researchers from other institutions, and learn about what other people in and out of the department are working on. We are always working to develop our science communication skills so that we can clearly communicate our work to different audiences,” said Evdokimova.
Evdokimova’s advisor, Susan Baker, PhD has taught her new skills, helped her “think like a scientist” and inspired her to develop her project into an interesting and important story.
“She also encourages me to always be up to date with literature and give clear, interesting research talks that allow me to get others excited about my work,” said Evdokimova. Students who have graduated from Dr. Baker’s lab have succeeded in many diverse fields. “She is always open to introducing me to these former students and helping in any way she can. As a leading coronavirologist, Dr. Baker has developed a broad professional network and is open to helping me succeed in any career path that I choose,” said Evdokimova.
Other PhD students recognized were:
Mackenzie Smith, Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics track (2nd place) and Claudia Rose Keating, Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology track (3rd place).
Evdokimova hopes to work as a virologist at a federal research facility (like the National Institutes of Health or the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases), or work at a non-profit organization involved in vaccine development research.
The MS Graduate Student Oral Competition winner is Hope Burnham, who is pursuing her MS in Cell and Molecular Physiology. Her research focuses on genetic causes of heart disease, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy, a hereditary heart disease.
“We study a recently discovered gene called Myosin Binding Protein H-Like (MYBPHL) that is highly expressed in the heart’s atria. We know that mutations in the gene cause dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias, so now we are working to understand the role this gene plays in the development, contraction, and cardiac conduction.”
Burnham discovered her passion for research in a research-project-based course during her senior year at the University of Alabama. She worked with fruit flies to study genes in the insulin pathway and realized she wanted to continue doing research with a translational aspect. “The Physiology department at Loyola gave me the opportunity to explore various body systems, and ultimately, I decided I wanted to learn more about the heart,” she said.
When applying to graduate programs, Burnham wanted a close-knit community. “During the interview process, all the Stritch professors seemed really invested in my goals and what I wanted out of a graduate education. It was a very welcoming environment right from the start,” she said.
Burnham works in Dave Barefield’s lab. “Dr. Barefield has found ways for me to help on other lab members’ projects and even gave me the opportunity to write a review paper that will be published.”
Additional MS students recognized:
Maria del Mar Villanueva Guzman, Infectious Disease and Immunology program (2nd place) and Oliwia Bochnacka, Cellular and Molecular Oncology program (3rd place).
Burnham hopes her research will advance understanding of how the heart functions and changes when diseased, to help find new ways to treat and prevent heart disease rather than simply treating symptoms. “So far, we manage symptoms because we don’t really have medications to treat cardiomyopathies,” she said.
After she completes her master’s degree, Burnham will pursue an MD/PhD degree. “I am interested in how clinical practice intersects with research. I intend to better understand the problems patients face so that I can use my research to address these concerns,” she said.
November 2023