Thanks to Participants for a Successful MSTAR Program

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated in the 2024 Medical Students Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) program. Last summer, the scholars presented their research and received invaluable feedback from faculty and fellow scholars, which will help them improve their work and prepare their posters for publication in peer-reviewed journals. This event would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Amber McIlwain, Seal Center on Aging Editor, who mentored the students in writing abstracts, creating posters, and transforming them into full manuscripts. Special thanks to Iterim Director of SCOA Dr. Landay and Kelley for logistical assistance. We also appreciate the UTMB Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health, led by Dr. Berenson, for providing stipends to the MSTAR students. Congratulations to all the MSTAR scholars for their excellent work. We eagerly look forward to seeing your research published in peer-reviewed journals!

Meet the MSTAR Scholars and Learn About Their Projects:

• Amber Nguyen - Trends in receipt of Gabapentinoid and SSRI/SNRI therapy among older breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer survivors in the United States. Mentors: Dr. Raji & Dr. Kuo
• Bethany Leach - Sex and Ethnic/Racial Disparities in End-of-Life Care for Texan Colorectal Cancer Decedents. Mentors: Drs. Raji, Kuo & Serna
• Kafayat Oyejide - Low-frequency ultrasound therapy alleviates neuropathology and neuroinflammation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology. Mentor: Dr. Fracassi
• Arati Bendapudi - Acquired Hypothyroidism and Cognitive Decline among Mexican American Older Adults. Mentor: Dr. Al Snih
• Pratik Gongloor - Anabolic Interventions to Improve Recovery from Hospitalization in Geriatric Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. Mentor: Dr. Hommel