BGSA is proud to feature Courtney Culpepper, a Ph.D. student in Dr. Yuan Liu’s Lab at Georgia State University, who with her hard work and patience was awarded the prestigious F31 grant for her dissertation work. The F31 grant, provided by National Institutes of Health (NIH), enables promising predoctoral students to obtain individualized, mentored research training from outstanding faculty sponsors while conducting dissertation research. The F31 is also used to enhance workforce diversity though a separate program. Courtney has received a diversity training grant supplement for Dr. Yuan Liu’s R01, and it will provide funds for the remaining three years of her Ph.D. Her project focusses on unveiling the mechanisms that govern the expansion of immuno-suppressive immature myeloid cells during chronic inflammation and how these cells can resolve inflammation and promote cancer. It’s a proud moment for GSU and BGSA since receiving grants is one the most important step in the ladder of a successful research. Courtney, at the age of 24, has achieved a great deal with this grant and through her research skills and determination, we are sure she will graduate with flying colors and make us all even prouder. Courtney is not only brilliant in academics, but also strives to be a part of co-curriculum activities which proves how versatile she is. She is a major part of the upcoming BGSA committee and we wish her good luck and extend our congratulations to her on her achievements.

     BGSA is proud to announce the acceptance of one of our Ph.D. students, Anuhya Konduru, to a very prestigious training and Biotech workshop organized by The American Society for Cell Biology and Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, CA. This is a rare and gratifying moment for the Biology department at GSU since the workshop is very competitive and only 50-60 Ph.D. and Post-Doc applicants are accepted. Anuhya is a Ph.D. candidate in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University. Her dedication and thirst for knowledge is seen from her work and proven by her achievements. She always thrives for the best and doesn’t seem to stop at anything. The workshop is an ASCB-KGI Biotech course, which is a week long summer course. It will introduce the accepted scientists to the skills they need to thrive in industry and will expose them to the culture and infrastructure of life sciences companies through MBA-style case-based teaching, professional development workshops and a team-based project. Being accepted to this intense and profound workshop is a matter of immense pride and a great opportunity for the future scientists who wish to explore the industrial sector. We extend our congratulations to Anuhya and wish her all the luck in her future endeavors.