Liberty student-doctors, undergraduate students present ongoing studies at LUCOM Research Day

Liberty University medical students, residents, and undergraduates who have conducted research under a Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) biomedical or clinical faculty member gathered on Jan. 13 at the Center for Medical and Health Sciences for LUCOM’s annual Research Day.

The event celebrates the research endeavors of Liberty students and faculty as well as healthcare professionals from regional academic institutions and clinical practices. The day provides a forum to disseminate research findings with oral and poster presentations that facilitate interactions and promote new collaborations between participating institutions.

“Research Day is a tremendous opportunity for our students to showcase the high-level research in which they have been involved and is so important in their development as a physician to help them understand the value of research throughout their future,” said Dr. Don Raleigh, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Operations.

LUCOM Professor of Microbiology Michael Price, Ph.D., organized the event for approximately 53 students, one Research Fellow, and 12 judges. The forum gives students valuable experience in sharing their work with the university community.

“It is an excellent opportunity for students to practice the dissemination of research findings, which is especially important with the recent changes in licensing exams and residency applications,” Price said.  “Our students must be able to differentiate themselves from their peers and engaging in productive research supports those efforts. Research Day not only strengthens postgraduate residency applications for LUCOM students, but also boosts residency match rates for LUCOM.”

Evaluations submitted by judges were used to award two prizes, Best Oral Presentation and Best Poster Presentation.

Best Oral Presentation was awarded to McClain Vail (LUCOM student), Austin Le Vey (LUCOM student), Thuy-Linh Nguyen (LUCOM student), Nathaniel Spears (LU senior, B.S.in  Biomedical Sciences), Jeffrey Houghton (LUCOM Research Tech), and Dr. Joseph C. Gigliotti (LUCOM Associate Professor of Physiology and Director of Research).  Their presentation was titled, “Interrelationship Between Diet and Exercise, Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress, and Metabolic Dysfunction: What Causes What?”

Best Poster Presentation was presented to John N. Pignataro (LUCOM student) and Lynnett L. Schindler, MD (Women’s Health of Central Virginia), who presented a poster on isolated fallopian tube torsion.

“I think this year’s Research Day was a strong return from the pandemic in terms of numbers attending,” Price said. “The oral presentations were excellent, with much discussion for every talk during the question/answer time. Likewise, the poster presentations were extremely well done and well attended, with many conversations extending past the official end of the event.  Overall, I think Research Day 2023 was a resounding success, and I look forward to expanding participation by our residents and fellow medical schools in the Commonwealth in the years to come.”