LSU Vet Med participates in LSU Discover Day to highlight undergraduate research

Anang Bungwon

Iyana Charles

Juliet Flanagan

From left PhD candidate Kayla Beckers, Juliet Flanagan, and Associate Professor Jenny Sones (LSU 2008)

Matthew Schwing

Veterinary Technician Cullie Bulbertson and Matthew Schwing

Chelbye Turner

Comparative Medical Sciences Department Head Tammy Dugas and Chelbye Turner

Alexandra Wachenschwanz

Research Associate Frank Garza, Alexandra Wachenschwanz, and Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department Head Frank Andrews

Khoivu Nguyen

Maia Williams

Landry Higgins

Landry Higgins and Associate Professor Adriano Vatta

LECOR Senior Design Team

From left, Stefano Dardano, Thomas Coreil, Luz Lawes, Allison Zieschang, Khoivu Nguyen

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Multiple faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students working with LSU School of Veterinary Medicine researchers participated in the 9th annual LSU Discover Day Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium on Friday, April 22, 2022 at the LSU Student Union. More than 300 undergraduate students from a wide variety of majors and from over 20 different colleges and universities presented art, posters, oral presentations, performances, poetry readings, and more.

The LSU Vet Med Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research had several representatives at LSU Discover Day:

• LSU undergraduate student Maia Williams made a podium presentation entitled “De novo Tendon Neotissue from Equine Adult Stem Cells,” and her graduate student mentor was PhD candidate Takashi Taguchi.
• LSU undergraduate Khoivu Nguyen made a podium presentation entitled “Coxofemoral Hip Extended Radiographs Alter Joint Volume,” and his mentor was Catherine Takawira, research associate.
• LSU undergraduate Iyana Charles participated in the poster presentations (details below) and received a first-place prize.
• Senior Design Team won first place in the College of Engineering team division. The team's poster presentation by LSU undergraduates Allison Zeischang, Luz Lawes, Khoivu Nguyen,  Stephano Dardano, and Thomas Coreil was entitled “Neotissue Injection Device for Tendon Recovery.” Faculty mentors were Mandi Lopez, DVM, PhD, DACVS, professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and director of the Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research, and Dorin Bolder, Charles P. Siess Jr. Professor, LSU Department College of Engineering.
• Laura Kelly, a former undergraduate student working in LECOR, featured prominently in the poster form.

The undergraduates participating on behalf of LSU Vet Med presented posters on their research. The LSU Vet Med participants were Anang Bungwon, Iyana Charles, Juliet Flanagan, Matthew Schwing, Chelbye Turner, and Alexandra Wachenschwanz. 

• Bungwon’s poster was entitled “MicroRNAs Downregulate the Antiviral Immunity to Pneumovirus Infection,” and her faculty mentor was Antonieta Guerrero-Plata, BSc, MSc, PhD, associate professor of Pathobiological Sciences.
• Charles’s poster received a first-place prize. Her poster was entitled “Shoeing Effects on Motion and Expansion of Laminitic and Unaffected Equine Hooves,” and her mentors were PhD candidate Rita Aoun and Mandi Lopez, DVM, PhD, DACVS, professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and director of the Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research.
• Flanagan’s poster received a second-place prize. Her poster was entitled “Sexual Dimorphism in Preeclamptic BPH/5 Mice Explained by Alterations in Sex Steroid Hormones,” and her faculty mentor was Jennifer Sones, DVM (LSU 2008), PhD, DACT, associate professor of theriogenology in Veterinary Clinical Sciences. 
• Schwing’s poster was entitled “Effects of Leachates from 3D-Resin Printed Objects on Goldfish Sperm Motility and Membrane Integrity,” and his faculty mentor was Ahmed Abdelmoneim, BVMS, MS, PhD, assistant professor of Comparative Biomedical Sciences.
• Turner’s poster received a second-place price. Her poster was entitled “2-D Cell Culture Model to Test Whether Particulate Matter Air Pollution Induces Vascular Dysfunction Downstream of the Lung via Release of Endothelin-1,” and her faculty mentor was Tammy Dugas, PhD, professor and head of Comparative Biomedical Sciences.
• Wachenschwanz’s poster was entitled “Effects of Daily Oral Administration of Siberian Ginseng on Health and Behavior in Horses,” and her faculty mentor was Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, DACVIM, professor and head of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

LSU honors undergraduate student Landry Higgins works under the direction of Dr. Cathleen Williams of the School of Animal Sciences. Adriano Vatta, BVSc, MSc, PhD, DACVM, associate professor of Pathobiological Sciences, served on the thesis committee for Landry, who presented her work on attempting to control parasites in goats through alternatives to anthelmintics, in this case using pine straw.   

LSU undergraduate student Bryan Edwards presented a poster for the Visual Displays session entitled "A time- and cost-effective system for automated dechorionation of zebrafish embryos.” and his faculty mentor was Ahmed Abdelmoneim, BVMS, MS, PhD, assistant professor of Comparative Biomedical Sciences.

Joseph Francis, BVSc, MVSc, PhD, associate dean for research and graduate education at LSU Vet Med, served on the LSU Discover Faculty Advisory Board.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LSU DISCOVER DAY

About LSU Vet Med: Bettering lives through education, public service, and discovery

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is one of only 32 veterinary schools in the U.S. and the only one in Louisiana. LSU Vet Med is dedicated to improving and protecting the lives of animals and people through superior education, transformational research, and compassionate care. We teach. We heal. We discover. We protect.