Above: Michelle Everett, a voluntary member of the biomedical research program, looks at updated research information on S. epidermidis and new lab techniques.

Students, Instructor Study S. epidermidis with USM Microbiologist

Dr. Erin Riggins, science instructor at the Jefferson Davis Campus, has used the opportunities in biomedical research afforded her during her doctoral work to benefit students at MGCCC. Riggins was approached by her mentor, Dr. Mohamed O. Elasri, about offering biomedical research training for students at MGCCC. Elasri is an associate professor at The University of Southern Mississippi whose research focuses on pathogenic microbiology. From those discussions, Riggins was encouraged to apply for a Mississippi INBRE grant, which the college has now received for the second time.

“From there, we just started working on getting equipment and setting up the biomedical research laboratory,” Riggins said. “Dr. Elasri wanted our students at MGCCC to perform parallel work on S. epidermidis as his on S. aureus in hopes of learning more about their genetic regulation patterns and future drug targets.” The grant, which the college just reapplied for and won for a second time, has paid for renovation of space for the medical lab and all of the equipment needed to run it.

“Running a medical research lab is a very expensive endeavor,” Riggins said. “The college, from administration to maintenance, has been incredibly supportive, which went a long way in helping us win the grant. And it offers such exceptional opportunities to our students, opportunities university native students don’t usually get until their junior, senior or graduate years.”

This past year, the program has had about 10 students in the class each semester. The class is completely voluntary, so students do not receive credit for it, but they do gain valuable experience.

Additionally, 10 science students at the campus have been awarded Mississippi INBRE internships for this summer. Not all of these students are researchers in Riggins’ biomedical lab, but she did work with them to complete their INBRE applications.

Six students – Courtney Hyter, Maryann LaRue, Thuy Phuong Le, Katherine Lindgren, ThuyVi Nguyen and Victoria Reid – were selected for the Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars program. An 11-week summer research internship for undergraduate students, the program runs from May 18-July 31. Selected students spent one week in early May at The University of Southern Mississippi and are currently spending 10 weeks at host laboratories at Mississippi universities At USM, students attended a biomedical research training camp, which includes training in basic laboratory techniques, responsible conduct of research, ethics, biosafety, bioinformatics, and career development.

To participate in the Mississippi INBRE Research Scholars program, students must secure a mentor in a medical research field. One student, Thuy Phuong Le, is working with Dr. Andrew Smith, assistant director of Radiology at University Medical Center in Jackson. She is participating in research that focuses on development and testing of new imaging biomarkers for detection and staging of cancer, chronic liver disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with someone in an area I’m very interested in,” Le said. “Plus, this is just an incredible chance to see what real-world medical research scientists are doing, rather than just studying about it in a textbook.”

Another student, Victoria Reid, is working with Dr. Fengwei Bai, assistant professor of immunology and virology at USM, studying West Nile Virus. This research is to understand how viruses, like West Nile, are recognized by the host’s immune system and how immunity initiates and generates protective adaptive immunity. The goal is to use this knowledge to design effective vaccines or therapeutics, or microbicides for the prevention of transmission of viral pathogens.

“I’m truly excited about getting to participate in this internship,” Reid said. “This is not something I ever saw myself getting a chance to do until at least graduate school, if ever. I know I’ll learn a lot of great, new things.”

Four other MGCCC students – Aubrey Kimball, Kiana Matthews, Myranda Wooten and Latoria Glaude – were selected for the MS-INBRE program as Service Scholars. This program provides students with opportunities to reach out to their community as they inform residents about health related topics. Students are placed with “My Brother’s Keeper” an organization out of Jackson designed to enhance the health and well being of minorities through leadership in public and community health practices, collaboration in public and community health practices, collaborations and partnerships. Interns will serve the community as educators and service providers under the mentorship of My Brother’s Keeper’s professional staff.

The Service Scholars began their internship with a two-week training session in Jackson before being split up throughout the clinics and offices run by My Brother’s Keeper. There, they are introduced to their mentor and work for the rest of the summer with that mentor. Through the Service Scholars program, students have the opportunity to gain real-world experience in public health.

MGCCC students were awarded 10 of the 50 internships offered in Mississippi, most of which go to upper-level students at universities. “It is exciting that our students at MGCCC are able to win these internships and work at a level they would not have been able to elsewhere while they are still freshmen and sophomores,” Riggins said. “By the time they arrive at the university, they will be better prepared than other students to tackle scientific research. I could not be more thrilled for them!”