Five undergraduate students from Wichita State were among the 26 students recognized at the 23rd annual Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) Symposium in Kansas City, Missouri.

The WSU students who received an Award of Excellence:

• Yara Abdine, junior in biomedical engineering, gave the poster presentation, “Glycosylation unveiled: Exploring the structure and function of FSH hormone glycoforms”
• Mark White, senior in biochemistry, gave the poster presentation, “Using FRET to Assess Conjugate Binding of Anthrax Toxin’s PA and Antigen Spy0469”

The WSU students who received an Honorable Mention:

• Lauren Hughes, junior in biomedical engineering, gave the poster presentation, “What’s Linker Have to Do With It? Examining the Structure and Stability of Palladin’s Ig3-4 Linker Region”
• Breanna Leach, sophomore in biomedical engineering, gave the poster presentation, “Patterns of brain Ferritin expression in the Drosophila divalent cation transporter mutant Malvolio”
• Julie Tran, senior in chemistry, gave the poster presentation, “Structural Elucidation of the Ig3 Domain of Myopalladin by NMR”

Led by the University of Kansas Medical Center, the collaborative network aims to prepare and inspire promising students for careers in bioscience.

The annual symposium serves as a platform for students, faculty and researchers to showcase their scientific endeavors, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Under the guidance of faculty mentors, students engaged in presenting poster and oral presentations, highlighting the diverse range of research projects undertaken.

"The symposium is a testament to the commitment of our students and faculty in advancing the biomedical sciences in Kansas,” said Douglas Wright, principal investigator for K-INBRE and professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center. “It provides a unique opportunity for students to exhibit their hard work and for faculty researchers to share groundbreaking developments in the field.”

As K-INBRE continues to shape the future of bioscience in Kansas and Oklahoma, the annual symposium recognizes and nurtures talent within the academic and research community.

The other participating institutions include the University of Kansas Medical Center, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, Washburn University and Langston University.

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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