AOA Awards Research Scholarship to Medical Student

AOA Awards Research Scholarship to Medical Student

OU College of Medicine student Nyle C. Almeida, a member of the Class of 2022, spent the summer participating in a research fellowship made possible by a grant from the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society.

Almeida was awarded the AOA’s 2019 Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship, which provides a $6,000 award for medical students to undertake a research project with an academic mentor. Almeida conducted his research at UCSF Brain Tumor Center in San Francisco in the laboratory of Shawn L. Hervey-Jumper, M.D.

Almeida’s project focused on primary brain tumors in adult patients, who often lose the ability to speak, read or write. In particular, he explored tumor cells that affect the pathways controlling cognition in the brain. Findings from the study will lead to better understanding of the brain’s ability to repair and modify itself in response to brain tumors.

“Understanding the pathophysiology of this disease is critical for developing the next generation of cutting-edge treatments,” he said.

Almeida said he has long had a goal of becoming a physician-scientist. Working in an internationally recognized research laboratory is a significant opportunity on that path. “Improvements to medical care don’t occur in a vacuum,” he said. “Translational research has always been fundamentally important in bringing advancements from bench to bedside. For this reason, I find it fascinating to be involved in work that could potentially lead to novel treatment options and bring about tangible benefits.”

Recipients of the AOA research fellowship are excellent students who want to increase their understanding of scholarly discovery, said Annie Moreau, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and AOA councilor for the OU College of Medicine.

“We are very proud of Nyle’s academic excellence and his enthusiasm for this research fellowship,” Moreau said. “He will no doubt be a wonderful physician who understands the value of research in providing the very best care for his patients.”