K-State student wins award at research conference

Media Relations and Marketing
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506-0117
Phone: 785-532-6415
Fax: 785-532-6418

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Sources: Lorena Passarelli, 785-532-3195, lpassar@k-state.edu;
and Erica Cain, 785-317-0778, ericah@k-state.edu
Editor's note: Erica Cain is the granddaughter of Lois and Ron Hutfless and Pete Ramirez, all of Omaha, Neb.
News release prepared by: Keener A. Tippin II, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Friday, December 22, 2006

K-STATE STUDENT WINS AWARD AT RESEARCH CONFERENCE

MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University student has received an award for research she presented at the annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students.

Erica Cain, a senior in microbiology, Wamego, was honored for her research on baculoviruses and the factors that enable them to spread beyond the midgut of the insects they infect.

The conference, organized by the American Society for Microbiology and supported by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, is in its sixth year. It is the largest professional conference for biomedical students and is designed to encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue advanced training in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. It also provides faculty mentors and advisers with resources for facilitating students' success.

During the conference, Nov. 8-11 in Anaheim, Calif., more than 1,100 students participated in poster and oral presentations for nine subdisciplines in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. All undergraduate student presentations were judged and those receiving the highest scores in each scientific discipline and at each educational level were given awards. A total of 120 undergraduates received monetary awards of $250 for their outstanding research.

Cain, a 2003 Junction City High School graduate, previously received a Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the American Society for Microbiology. The fellowship aims to increase the number of undergraduate students of color pursuing graduate careers in microbiology.

She also received a fellowship from The Latino Institute Inc., which offers networking opportunities and a support system to make Latino and Latina students aware of graduate education and professional careers.

Cain has spent the last two years on the research team of K-State's Lorena Passarelli, assistant professor of biology, through grants sponsored by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and K-State's McNair Scholars Program.

"Erica has been a very productive and important member of my research team," Passarelli said. "She is characterizing the role of a viral fibroblast growth factor homolog during virus infection in vivo. We think that this factor allows the virus to more efficiently spread infection throughout its host."

Cain said the research project appealed to her interest in virology, a field she plans to pursue further in graduate school. She said she appreciated the opportunity to present her research at the conference.

"Many other national conferences tend to focus more on the graduate level and so forth," Cain said. "This conference was unique because of its size and focus on undergraduate research. It's nice to have different viewpoints looking at your research and critiquing your presentation. It's really nice to get that feedback."