Research experiences prepare undergraduate student to pursue a career in virology

“I like viruses,” said Floricel Gonzalez. “They’re awesome.”

The microbiology and English double major went on. “But we need to find ways to stop pandemics from happening. I want to contribute to organizations that work on those problems.”

As a WSU senior, she already had a head start. In 2014, Gonzalez took home a national award for oral presentation of her work about how viruses infect bacteria. At the annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS) in San Antonio, Texas, she was honored for her research, “Identification of Cell Surface Receptors Enabling Bacteriophage … » More …

Undergraduate student earns national recognition

Last year Bree Berg was one of 10 students nationwide—and the first WSU student ever—selected by the American Association for Cancer Research (AARC) to receive the Thomas F. Bardos Science Research Education Award. It is an honor recognizing the potential of exceptional next-generation scientists.

For 3 years, Berg immersed herself in prostate cancer research. Her investigations focused on part of a biomarker protein that is typically found in all stages of prostate cancer with greatest expression in late stage and metastatic illness. The research eventually could lead to development of an inhibitory peptide to stop the binding of the proteins … » More …