First-Year Students Gain Research Experience

First-year students Wesley Shaw, Colby Godwin, Branden Sumner, and Jonathan Nowlin participated in the school’s 2018 Summer Scholars Research Program, which pairs beginning students with research faculty and projects for three months prior to dental school.

Thus far, the students have presented their research at the ECU Medical Student Research Day and at the dental school’s Celebration of Research and Scholarship in August.

First-year students (left to right) Wesley Shaw, Colby Godwin, Branden Sumner, and Jonathan Nowlin participated in the school’s 2018 Summer Scholars Research Program.

Wesley Shaw presented “Understanding the Effects of Arrabidaea chica extract on Inflammatory Signaling Pathways” by W. Godwin, W. Shaw, M. A. Foglio, and R. Murata. Wesley will represent the school at the American Association of Dental Research meeting in 2020.

Colby Godwin presented “Cytokine Profile of Human Gingival Fibroblasts Following Exposure to Lipopolysaccharide and Zymosan Present in Cell Wall of Microorganisms,” by W. Shaw, W. Godwin, C. Gay, and R. Murata. Colby will represent the school at the Hinman Student Research Symposium in 2019.

Branden Sumner presented “Influence of Maternal Diet and Physical Activity on Dental Maturity and Caries Occurrence in Offspring,” by B. Sumner, T. Windley, J. L. Current, A. Kordis, and L May.

Jonathan Nowlin presented “Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes and Barriers to Oral Health Care as Perceived by Psychiatric Patients and Dental Providers,” by J. Nowlin, J.G.L. Lee, P. Averett, V. Ananda, J Benjamin, and W. Wright. Jonathan will represent the school at the “SCADA” student research competition at the American Association of Dental Research meeting in 2020.