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Best in Class
Excellence in thought is not just a mission statement—across campus students are creating and discovering with implications that carry beyond the classroom.
Targeting proteins for cancer research
—by Kristen Whitely, biochemistry major
"Under Dr. Frankis Almaguel, I researched a novel approach to treating neuroendocrine prostate cancer, which is a very deadly type of prostate cancer with few treatment options. The main treatment option is chemotherapy, but often the cancer cells will become resistant to this treatment over time.
"While mitochondria are often known as the powerhouses of a cell, these mitochondria proteins function to regulate cell death. Changes to the proteins can allow cells to escape the normal death process which is seen in cancer and chemotherapy resistant cells. The experiments consisted of testing the effects of a mitochondrial protein inhibitor and determining whether the drug is able to resensitize prostate cancer cells to chemotherapy. My results indicate that a non-lethal dose of this drug will resensitize the cells to chemotherapy.
"I presented this research at a Loma Linda University symposium at the end of the summer as well as at the Murdock conference, where I won the 2022 Murdock Poster Prize for Molecular and Cell Biology. My poster presentation was one of only 15 projects selected for this award."
Cost-effective solution for clean wheelchair use
—by Matthew Orvek, product design major
"The original problem I set out to solve is wheelchair users often get dirty hands as they contact the wheels and hand rims. Shoulder injuries are another concern, because of the repetitive motion. While there are some existing solutions to these problems, like wearing gloves all day or using an electric wheelchair, they are inconvenient or expensive. I’ve tried to design something that is simple and versatile that would be much less expensive.
"I have designed a handle that attaches to the outside of the hand rim. As you push forward, it locks and as you pull back, it releases allowing the wheel to freewheel. It’s been a challenge to create something universal because of the lack of existing data on wheelchair design dimensions.
"As is true with most projects, you go in thinking one thing, but it's important not to make assumptions and to continually ask questions throughout the project to ensure you’re creating an effective solution."
Agnes Lister: An indispensable partner and colleague who changed the world
—Marcus Wiggers, history, pre-medicine major
"While researching the revolutionary surgeon Joseph Lister, I came across the extraordinary contributions of his wife, Agnes. It quickly became apparent that Agnes Lister had an outsized impact that does not correlate with the credit she receives in academic literature.
"Analyzing a large array of sources about Joseph Lister allowed me to compile fragmented details about Agnes into sources that didn’t even exist, as direct documentation about her is very limited. My research revealed that Agnes composed lab notes, letters, and speeches for her husband, was an active participant in the laboratory, and was even willing to be experimented on herself. Many of Joseph Lister’s written articles published in British medical journals also show detailed and comprehensive edits by Agnes, demonstrating her thorough understanding and competency as a scientist.
"If the story of the Listers is told with Agnes included, there is a new lens into a more accurate portrayal of history and medical advancement. Women deserve to be included in scientific narratives, and medical students today deserve to see that women have been indispensable to science."
Lessons learned in blood: Operation Torch during World War II
—by Ryan Li, history, pre-medicine major
"Previous to World War II, the U.S. Army knew that whole blood was best to transfuse into someone suffering from shock, but entered the war using blood plasma as a substitute. When the inadequacy of blood plasma became apparent, the U.S. pivoted to supplying whole blood. The U.S. had to innovate using new refrigeration techniques and technology along with adequate preservatives to supply blood in sufficient quantities to the frontlines, saving countless lives in the process.
"In the modern day, there are still arguments and debate about the use of whole blood over other types of transfusion materials. It is important that we know what came before so that we may continue to make progress in the future."
Can exercise help kids with ADHD manage their symptoms?
—Jenna Wagner, health science major
"I wanted to explore what was known about exercise’s impact on people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), so I reviewed recent studies that explore the use of exercise as a method for ADHD symptom management. The research does seem to support that physical exercise before activities increased neurocognitive function and improved inhibitory control in those with ADHD. However, it seems that exercise may cause children without ADHD to have poorer performance in those same testing activities, when compared to those who rested.
"Knowing that research supports exercise as an effective way to minimize ADHD symptoms, I can see a myriad of applications in working with children in schools, during 1-on-1 sessions with, say, an occupational therapist, or at home.
"I presented these findings at the Seventh-day Adventist Health, Physical Education & Recreation Association conference, which was a really exciting experience."
Computer application to support nursing education
—by Hayden Tinker, with Matija Benko, Garrett Moody, and Reece Reklai, computer science majors
"We created a web-based application for medication administration that the School of Nursing could use in teaching drug administration skills. We coded in Dart which was challenging as a newer language with less existing knowledge around it which made it more difficult to find solutions to coding errors.
"Reese and Matthew worked on the front end that users interact with, using Flutter for the framework. Garret and I worked on the back end using Dart shelf, organizing all of the data so it was easy for the front end to access.
"Sometimes our vision of how the app would work was misaligned, but we worked with our customers in the nursing department to make sure we were meeting their expectations.
"It was much different working with clients that couldn’t give the clear requirements we have for class assignments. We basically got experience doing what we will be doing when we leave college. It's been super fun working with the clients outside of a class environment, meeting with the team to plan and problem solve."
Start your day right with SYDR
—by Jake Freedle, math and business administration majors, with Isac Rivera, business administration major
"Isac and I developed a concept for an app that takes the guesswork out of morning sunlight exposure, a practice that has an incredible impact on well-being. Andrew Huberman, professor of neuroscience at Stanford University, considers viewing morning sunlight to be among the top five actions that support mental and physical health.
"With my experience in math and finance and Isac’s background in business consulting, we efficiently combined our strategies to build a concept that considers user inputs including geolocation and demographic factors to recommend an individualized duration of sunlight exposure to users. Our mobile app, SYDR, will incorporate daily reminders and progress tracking to motivate people to start their day right."
Hand-bound and custom illustrated Beatrix Potter anthology
—by Cascadia Schneider, graphic design major
"I remember the stories of Beatrix Potter from my childhood. I wanted to pay homage to my parents and their excellent taste in children’s books by creating my own book dedicated to Potter’s short stories.
"I started by using a digital software program to design the technical aspects of a book such as size and margin, and selected fonts. I wanted to highlight the pastoral nature of the stories in my illustrations which were predominantly made using a sketching and inking process.
"Once my book was laid out, I printed, trimmed, and hole punched the pages, then used handsewn binding to bring the pages together. It was so fun to create something beautiful and tangible from start to finish."
