Lauretta Ihenatu, a junior majoring in biology won first place for her oral and poster presentation in the molecular cell biology category at the 13th Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in Nashville, Tenn. Professors Dr. Doreen Cunningham and Dr. Marino Green accompanied Ihenatu along with 9 other students to the conference. The others students were:

Laurian Bashay, a forensic science major from Suffolk, Va.

Brittany Dunigan, a biology major from Chicago, Il.

Adazae Egolum, a biology major from Forestville, Md.

Unique Gupton, a biology major from Raleigh, N.C.

Justin Jones, a biology major from Fort Valley, Ga.

Cherrisse Lynch, a biology major from Christ Church, Barbados.

Kacy McHoney, a biology major from Bonneau, S.C.

Jennifer Plair, a biology major from , Hampton, Va.

Derrick Williams, a biology major from Greenbelt, Md.

During the conference, the students networked with other students while navigating the many summer research internship and graduate schools opportunities. More than 1,100 vendors from colleges, universities and companies were in attendance to actively recruit some of the best and brightest minority students in the world.

ABRCMS is the largest, professional conference for biomedical, bioengineering and behavioral mathematic students. The conference is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue advanced training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, engineering and mathematics and to provide faculty mentors and advisors with resources for facilitating students’ success.

This conference was sponsored by a grant for which Dr. Mark A. Melton, dean of the School of Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering, serves as principal investigator.