Paul Gulig, Ph.D., associate dean for graduate education and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences, congratulates Serena Giovinazzi, the gold medal finalist of the UF Medical Guild Research Competition. Photo by Maria Belen Farias
Serena Giovinazzi’s eyes welled up with tears when her name was announced as the gold medal finalist of the 2012 Medical Guild Research Competition.
“It feels wonderful to be chosen as the winner,” said Giovinazzi, who is pursuing a doctorate degree in molecular cell biology at the UF College of Medicine’s Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences. “It was an honor to compete with all of my terrific colleagues.”
Giovinazzi’s research on breast cancer was one of the six research projects showcased during the March 20 competition, which occurs annually as a part of the college’s weeklong Celebration of Research.
UF Medical Guild members Janice Nelson, Diane Malphurs, Diane Yang and Jenny Borchelt with the inaugural winners of the Medical Guild Advancement to Candidacy Award. Photo by Maria Belen Farias
Each year, students compete in research competitions in the six concentrations that comprise the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences. The winners of each concentration move onto the competition sponsored by the UF Medical Guild, an organization created by a group of faculty spouses.
This year, the guild and the Office of Graduate Education created an additional competition called the Medical Guild Advancement to Candidacy Award.
“This new award is created to recognize and reward three third-year students in our program who have excelled in their academic and research performance,” said Paul Gulig, Ph.D., associate dean for graduate education and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences at the UF College of Medicine.
The three inaugural winners are Marianne Goodwin, Yiming Yin and Jung Hyun-min.
College of Medicine Dean Michael L. Good, M.D., and Paul Gulig, Ph.D., associate dean for graduate education, pose with the winners of the 2012 UF Medical Guild Research Competition winners. Photo by Maria Belen Farias
As part of the celebration, faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students presented more than 300 research posters highlighting their cutting-edge interdisciplinary research.
“We have seen some spectacular research and findings this year,” said Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine. “There’s an absolute increase in the quality and applicability of these presentations each year.”
Congratulations to:
Silver medal finalists
Brandon Sack (Immunology & Microbiology)
Marci Mitchell (Neuroscience)
Bronze medal finalists
Nikolett Molnar (Physiology & Pharmacology)
Joeva Barrow (Biochemistry)
Karlie Bonstaff (Genetics)