Acceptance Criteria: Predoctoral applicants are evaluated on the basis of:

1. an undergraduate major – with a Bachelor of Science or related degree in biology, molecular biology, genetics, environmental science, mathematics or related field with superior academic achievement;

2. G.R.E. scores of 600 per area or above,

3. the quality and strength of letters of recommendations,

4. the applicants desire to do research in areas related to children’s health and

5. previous laboratory and clinical research experience.

The postdoctoral fellows must also have proven academic accomplishments and hold the degrees of PhD or MD There are two postdoctoral programs. One is for those who have a PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics, molecular biology, molecular toxicology or genetics. For the PhD postdoctoral fellowship the individual will have had previous training in one programmatic area, e.g., epidemiology, and seeking research mentorship in another area, e.g. molecular genetics or vice versa. The PhD postdoctoral fellow will likely need a few courses to round their knowledge base but will spend at least 80% undertaking research. The postdoctoral physician applicant should have completed three years of their pediatric residency and have a strong interest in doing epidemiological or clinical studies using molecular skills and available cutting edge technology.

Students with undergraduate degrees in molecular biology, molecular genetics or related fields are optimum candidates for predoctoral study. The Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (DEB) in the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has had over 60 applicants per year. There are two excellent programs that will augment our predoctoral recruitment pool:

1. Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP)
   The PSTP program has 34 students currently, and we have three of these in the DEB. PSTP had an excellent year recruiting 7 students from Providence College, Xavier University, Eastern Michigan University, University of Dayton, Harvard, Duke and the Ohio State University. The summer undergraduate internship program also continues to be highly competitive and successful which is a part of this program and last year attracted 22 participants. This program is targeted to science undergraduates at highly ranked colleges and universities (ref. U.S. News and World Report issue on America’s Best Colleges) who have difficulty deciding whether to apply to graduate school or medical school and over 130 undergraduates applied last year. In addition to 9 weeks of full time research, the Interns have meetings with clinician-scientists, rounds with physicians, tour facilities, attend interesting surgeries and autopsies, work as volunteers in the ER in evenings and weekends and – of course – have ample contact with MD/PhD students and Program administrators. Thus the MECEH will draw at least one candidate each year from the PSTP and will participate in the recruitment and interview process with the MECEH as well. PSTP is participating in centralized recruiting activities run by the Office of Research and Graduate Education to enhance ethnic and geographic diversity of applicants and continues to seek high quality students from colleges with a national reputation for excellence. The average time for complete of the MD/PhD degree has gradually declined and is now 7.5 years, the national average. All graduates from the program currently hold faculty, fellowship or residency positions at top rank academic health centers.

2. Flex Option for incoming COM graduate students
   The Flex Option for graduate students in the biomedical sciences was proposed as a result of a survey of accepted doctoral applicants. Results indicated that many students are looking for a PhD program with flexibility. They want an interdisciplinary program that allows them to become familiar with the research in various departments prior to selecting a specific area of interest. In response to this, we have developed the Flex Option for a few accepted graduate students to be given the option of delaying their commitment to any specific program for one year until core coursework and lab rotations are completed. The College of Medicine has provided funding for the program to commence in Fall 2000. Four applicants will be selected for this program and they will receive tuition and fees, stipend and health insurance through Flex funding for their first year of study only. Funding will include a stipend amount consistent with other graduate programs, and will be competitive with stipends offered by other programs in the region. An Advisory Committee made up of representatives from each PhD granting program in the College of Medicine will act as the Selection Committee for applicants seeking entrance into our graduate programs via the Flex Option. Committee members from the MECEH training program that are on the Flex Option Recruitment Committee include Drs. Highsmith (Chair) and Jarrell. Students who gain acceptance into graduate study via the Flex Option will be free to select any of the graduate programs in the COM. The Advisory Committee has drawn up a potential curriculum for students who enter our graduate program via the Flex Option which are: Molecular Genetics, 3 courses in Molecular Biology of the Cell and Ethics in Research, which are ideal basic courses for the MECEH program. Thus, the Flex Option will provide considerable visibility as well as promote future disciplinary collaborations from the outset.

Jennifer Hauser: Ms Hauser is investigating two questions that are important in determining risk for skin cancer and in particular, melanoma.  The first question deals with the role of constitutive melanin content in skin cancer risk, and the second question deals with the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) genotype.  Numerous clinical and epidemiologic studies have emphasized the role of skin pigmentation in determining skin cancer risk.  More recently, the MC1R gene has evolved as a melanoma susceptibility gene.  To address the above questions, she is comparing primary cultures of human melanocytes, each derived from a single donor.  She is measuring the induction as well as repair of DNA photoproducts after UV irradiation, and also determining the effects of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), the ligand of the MC1R, on these two parameters.  These effects are then correlated with melanin content and MC1R genotype.  Hauser received a Pan-American Society for Pigment Cell Research Travel Award in June 2004.

James Klyza: Mr Klyza graduated in 1994 from Cornell University with a BA focusing on a premed curriculum. In 2000, he received a MSPH from the University of Kentucky and worked in industrial hygiene/safety for the next five years. He has now completed his first year of didactic coursework and is currently full-time in the 2nd year with a lab rotation under Dr. Anil Menon PhD. The research assistance covers methylation of the CpG islands and, as a consequence, deactivation of the leptin gene. The leptin gene product is associated with satiety. Lab protocols learned include DNA extraction from tissue/gels, restriction enzyme digests, agarose gel electrophoresis, spectrophotometry, PCR amplification, bisulfite treatment, ligation of and transformation with plasmids, clonal culturing, and preparations before sequencing.

Heidi Sucharew: Ms. Sucharew is working towards a PhD in Biostatistics. She obtained her MS degree in Biostatistics from the University of Washington in 2002. Afterward, she worked as a statistician for cystic fibrosis clinical trials and research studies. Ms. Sucharew began the MECEH training program July 2006. Currently, she is working with Dr. Succop and Sandy Roda on the statistical analyses for the study of “Lead in Dust wipes by Portable XRF: Instrument Performance Characteristics Related to Wipe Material and Sample Composition.” In this study, they are looking at the effects of wipe material, moisture, amount of sample, and other factors that may affect the lead readings by portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers. She recently assisted in writing a grant with Sandy Roda for an extension of this project. This year she will be working on required courses and laboratory rotations while preparing her proposals for her qualifying exam.

We also train postdoctoral physician fellows who have completed three years of their resident training and who will then focus three years on a pediatric or obstetric research fellowship or related area in MECEH. The MECEH training program provides the opportunity for those in pediatric and adolescent medicine or obstetrics to learn cutting-edge molecular biology and toxicology methodologies and develop research skills for the identification of earlier markers of exposure, effect and susceptibility in children. Those fellows will obtain an MS degree although occasionally one may pursue a PhD. We have between 15 and 20 physician fellows in the program from the departments of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine.

Maninder Kalra: Dr. Kalra is a MD with previous training in Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Medicine. He graduated from the MS Epidemiology program at University of Cincinnati in 2002. Dr. Ralph Buncher, Dr. Grace Lemasters and Dr. Raouf Amin have been his research advisors throughout his graduate studies and pulmonary fellowship. Drs Lemasters and Amin have continued in that role since Dr. Kalra was appointed faculty at University of Cincinnati. Dr Kalra’s primary research has been in determining factors that explain susceptibility to OSA in children. He has 9 articles as first/senior author articles and 3 co-authored articles that have been accepted or published in peer reviewed journals. He was accepted into the PhD Epidemiology program in 2005. He will complete all laboratory and coursework requirements in Winter, 2007. Dr. Kalra is interested in pursuing genetic risk factors for OSA in children with emphasis on gene-environment interactions for his PhD thesis. He seeks to accomplish this under the strong mentorship of Drs. LeMasters and Dr.Chakraborty.

Jennifer Kaplan, M.D: Dr. Kaplan is a pediatric critical care fellow with an interest in understanding the inflammatory cell-signaling pathways associated with sepsis and critical illness. Her research currently is focusing on the nuclear receptor PPARγ, which is a ligand-activated transcription factor involved in lipid and glucose metabolism, atherosclerosis and inflammation. Under the mentorship of Basilia Zingarelli, M.D., Ph.D. in the Division of Critical Care Medicine, she is investigating the effects of uncontrolled systemic inflammation on the PPARγ signaling pathways in children in the pediatric intensive care unit. These findings may help to elucidate the role of PPARγ in critical illness and the complex interplay between glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism and inflammation.

Amy Rohs, M.D: Dr. Rohs is a medical doctor with previous training in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Occupational and Environmental Medicine.  She is  interested in the causation and prevention of environmental and occupational lung disorders through research done with the strong mentorship of Dr. Lockey.  This research involved workers at a distant expansion plant exposed to vermiculite ore containing asbestiform fibers.  She believes there is a need to understand the genetic susceptibility of the diseases caused by these fibers, because of not only the occupational exposure but also the large actual and potential environmental exposures secondary to its wide use in industry and residential settings.

Laura Stadler, M.D: Dr Stadler is in her third year of Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s.  Her primary research advisor is Dr David I Bernstein.  She is currently being funded through Dr Grace Lemasters’ Molecular Epidemiology Training (T32) Grant and is receiving NIH Loan Repayment for her research regarding Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infections in Adolescents.   

Dr. Stadler has been involved with “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase II Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of the Cytomegalovirus gB/MF59 Vaccine in Preventing Systemic Cytomegalovirus Infections in Healthy Adolescent Females (DMID 04-039)”, a multicenter trial planned to start in early 2006.  Recruitment is expected to take 1 year, with study duration of three years, with a year of analysis.  

Dr Stadler’s masters thesis research will focus on the first of a three staged study, “Seroprevalance and Prospective Risk Factor Analysis of CMV Infections In Adolescent Males (DMID 05-0126).” Recruitment is expected to take 1 year, with study duration of three years, with a year of analysis.  The study aims are: to determine the seroprevalence of CMV infections, to determine the risk factors of acquisition of CMV infections, and to determine the magnitude and duration of the CMV virus in adolescent males.  These studies will allow us to better understand the transmission of CMV, design prevention strategies, and adequately power a vaccine trial in the adolescent male population.  

Both studies are sponsored through Cincinnati Children’s VTEU with Vanderbilt University, and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.  Both studies consist of three separate parts: a Seroprevalence study, Prospective Risk Factor Analysis, and Prospective Viral Load Analysis.  Participants will complete a comprehensive questionnaire of potential risk factors regarding: demographics, household contacts, environmental exposures, and sexual practices that will be analyzed with regard to CMV serostatus. 

Stavra Xanthakos, M.D: Dr. Stavra Xanthakos is in her third year in the fellowship program and has completed all courses and will have completed her labs by spring 2005. She will graduate summer 2005. Her primary research advisor is Dr. Daniels.  Her area of research will be directed toward pediatric gastroenterology. Her master’s thesis research is the prevalence and determinants of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in young adult women.  Her central hypothesis is that high visceral adiposity, high body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance syndrome, high dietary intake of fat and sugar and lower socioeconomic status in childhood enrollment of study subjects and data analysis is in progress. (Note: Dr.Xanthakos is being funded on the MECEH years 01 and 03 but for the year effective September 2003 she was funded from another NRSA training grant fund  (PI Dr. Mitch Cohen in Pediatrics at the CHMC).

Another training initiative is the recruitment of postdoctoral PhD or MD candidates. These postdoctoral positions are for either epidemiologists/clinicians interested in gaining more molecular laboratory skills or for molecular biologist/geneticist for gaining skills in epidemiology.

Robert W. Holdcraft, Ph.D.: Dr. Holdcraft completed his Ph.D. in Genetics at the University of Washington in December 2003.  He is now working as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Joanna Groden in preparation for a career as an independent researcher in the fields of molecular genetics and gastrointestinal cancer.  By participating in the MECEH training program, Dr. Holdcraft hopes to continue his postdoctoral training and gain valuable experience in the theories and application of molecular epidemiology to basic and applied science research.  With Dr. Groden he is pursuing a project investigating the interplay between mutations in the cystic fibrosis gene (Cftr) and intestinal cancer as well as the relationship between inaccurate DNA repair, inflammation, and intestinal cancer.

            Aim #1:  To examine the role of mutations in Cftr in increased susceptibility to intestinal cancer.  Epidemiological studies have uncovered an increased incidence of intestinal cancers in cystic fibrosis patients.  This study will examine the possibility of an increased susceptibility to intestinal tumors in heterozygous carriers of Cftr mutations using the Cftr mouse model. 

            Aim #2:  To examine the interplay between errors in DNA mismatch repair, gut inflammation, and intestinal tumor development.  Chronic gut inflammation is known to be a risk factor for development of intestinal tumors.  This study will evaluate the role that DNA repair plays in development of  "inflammation-induced" tumors using Mlh1-null mice in which the DNA mismatch repair pathway is inactivated.

Erin Baker: Ms. Baker was a FLEX student who was admitted as an undecided predoctoral student and was funded for one year to take predoctoral classes from the PhD programs throughout the COM. Upon completion of the first year, the FLEX student is guaranteed admission into the program of their choice.  Ms. Baker chose the MECEH program.  She has completed all course and laboratory requirements, and is currently finishing her MS thesis work and preparing to take the qualifying examinations. She is currently doing research with Dr. Lanphear and Dr. Dietrich in the Cincinnati Children’s Center.  Her current research  project examines current practices and attitudes surrounding the issue of returning results of testing done in a research. Her doctoral dissertation will examine molecular methods to assess environmental exposures and neurodevelopment in young children.  Last year she rotated through Dr. Kathleen Dixon’s lab doing research on DNA repair, and Dr. Deka’s laboratory conducting DNA amplification and visualization techniques. 

Jocelyn Biagini: Ms. Biagini learned hands-on basic epidemiology methodology as part of the NIEHS study on diesel exhaust, allergy and atopy in children (LeMasters, PI). Thus far, she has learned questionnaire development, protocol development, subject recruitment, project management, retention strategies and planning and providing educational materials.  She also has gained experience writing a grant proposal and in doing research presentations and publications.  During spring and summer quarters 2003, she rotated in Dr. Hershey’s genetics lab learning tissue culture and isolation of cell receptors that play a role in allergy.  She has also been analyzing a data set from the Children’s Hospital Allergy Clinic.  She has finished her master’s thesis (December 2004, as a precursor to her PhD).  Her research title “The Effects of ETS and Other Indoor Exposures on the Upper Respiratory Health of Infants” was a poster presentation at the Society of Epidemiology, June 2004 and has been submitted to the Journal of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology.  She has completed all course and lab requirements and is preparing for the written and oral qualifying exams in June 2005. Her doctoral dissertation will examine genes related to nicotine metabolism and respiratory disease in infants.  

Holly Ippisch, M.D: Dr Ippisch’s primary research has been in utilizing non-invasive forms of cardiac imaging to evaluate cardiac function in children with obesity.  Dr. Stephen Daniels and Dr. Thomas Kimball have been her primary research advisors throughout her cardiology fellowship, and they have continued in that role during her participation in the MECEH program.  Under the guidance of Drs. Daniels and Kimball, Dr Ippisch has gained experience in writing grant proposals, as well as evaluating and presenting research data.  Her laboratory experience has primarily been in the Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging and Hemodynamic Research Laboratory at CCHMC. She has made 6 presentations and has two articles in preparation. She has completed all laboratory requirements and will complete her coursework requirements Spring, 2005   Dr. Ippisch is interested in pursuing non-invasive ways of evaluating cardiac disease in children with emphasis on utilizing echocardiography for her MS thesis. She began the fellowship 7/2003 and will finish her fellowship June 2006.

Salma Musaad, M.D: Dr. Musaad is an MD who is a predoctoral student and is examining the genetics of neurodegenerative and complex diseases. By spring 2005 all course requirements will be completed and all lab rotations are now finished. She advanced her experience in Taqman PCR and analysis in Dr. Deka’s laboratory. Her rotation work has successfully culminated in the presentation of a poster titled “An association study of 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11HSD1) polymorphisms in Samoans with type 2 diabetes and obesity” at the Society for Epidemiologic Research June 2004, and the abstract is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. During her rotation in the laboratory of Dr Kathleen Dixon (a former MECEH preceptor until moving to the Univ. AZ), Musaad derived proteins from Coomassie Blue stained 2D gels of Hela cell lysates that were specifically immunoprecipitated with anti RPA p-34 antibody. Dr. Musaad has gained valuable experience with the techniques of immunoprecipitation of proteins from Hela cell lysates, isoelectric focusing of protein samples using the Ettan IPGphor system, SDS gel electrophoresis (2 Dimensional), silver staining, Coomassie staining of 2D gels, Western blotting, ECL Plus Western blotting detection system and interpretation of results using the Storm imager.  In fall 2004, Dr. Musaad performed an independent study with Dr. Grace LeMasters in the CCAAPS study, where she will take part in the grant writing process, and will develop hands on experience with conducting field work and clinic visits.   She is currently in the process of applying for a Minority Fellowship from NIEHS.

Patrick Ryan: Mr. Ryan has completed laboratory rotations with Drs. Menon, Tomlinson, and LeMasters.  Dr. Craig Tomlinson directs the Genomics and Microarray Laboratory (GML).  This state-of-the-art facility is equipped with a 48-pin microarrayer, two dual laser fluorescent scanners, an Agilent Bioanalyzer, a tetrad thermocycler for 96- and 384-well plates, and a robotic machine dedicated to high-throughput liquid dispensing.  The microarrayer has the capacity to spot approximately 60,000 DNA samples per slide, and the scanner reads Cy3- and Cy5-fluorescent tagged, target cDNA.  Ryan conducted a rotation in the GML during the fall of 2002.  He learned tissue culture techniques, RNA isolation, and how to convert RNA tocDNA for microarrays.  He recently (December 2004) completed his M.S. thesis (requirement preceding PhD) entitled "Is it traffic type, volume or distance? Wheezing in infants living near truck and bus traffic” which was just resubmitted after review to the J. of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Last year he presented his M.S. thesis in a spotlight session at the national meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, June, 2004. He has co-authored two additional publications.

Andrew Smith, M.D: Dr. Smith began the program June, 2004 after graduating from Princeton for undergraduate and from Northwestern Medical School and finishing his residency at the UC COM.  He began classes in the summer 2004 and has begun a laboratory rotation winter 2005.  His research will examine oxidative stress genes and their relationship to environmental exposures to tobacco smoke and development of respiratory disease in children. By the end of spring quarter he will have finished all required course work and written his proposal for the Master’s thesis statement of intent.

Meet our Graduates

Jessica Graus Woo, MHSA, Ph.D.: Dr. Woo graduated from the University of Cincinnati Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in December 2004, and completed the Molecular Epidemiology in Children’s Environmental Health (MECEH) training program in 2003.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.   

Dr. Woo’s research focuses on genetic and environmental factors that predispose children and adolescents to obesity and its metabolic complications, such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.  Her dissertation research explored the particular role of the adipocyte protein adiponectin as a biomarker for protection against these poor metabolic outcomes, and the role of genetic polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene, ACDC.  Results from her dissertation research are published in such journals as the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity Research.  Since the completion of her dissertation, Dr. Woo has extended her research to include infancy as another critical period in the development of predisposition to obesity and its complications.  To pursue this research, she received pilot funding from the University of Cincinnati Center for Environmental Genetics to examine the genetic susceptibility to the environmental contaminant bisphenol A (BPA) and its metabolite bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) with respect to adiponectin and insulin resistance during pregnancy.  She has also submitted a grant to the NIH to study the role of adiponectin in human milk. 

Dr. Woo’s participation in the MECEH training program was instrumental in her current research path.  Practical laboratory training in genotyping prepared her to undertake the significant genotyping required for her dissertation research.  In addition, her work centers on the use of molecular genetics and the use of molecular biomarkers in epidemiologic research, which would not have been possible without the coursework undertaken through the MECEH training program.

Mark Chames, M.D.: Dr. Chames has finished his fellowship and has completed all laboratory rotations and course work.  His “wet” laboratory experiences with Drs. Dan Nebert, Howard Sherzter and Leslie Myatt.  He is currently finishing his MS thesis on the role of the glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL) enzyme in the development of preeclampsia. GCL, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in glutathione synthesis, is a heterodimer composed of catalytic and modifier subunits.  Using polymerase chain reaction, he is studying the levels of expression of the constituent proteins in placentae from normal and preeclamptic placentae.  In addition, he examined the enzymatic activity of GCL in these placentae, using high performance liquid chromatography to quantify the levels of gamma-glutamylcysteine, the immediate product of this reaction.  His hypothesis is that preeclampsia is associated with altered placental expression of GCLC and GCLM as measured by Real Time Polymerese Chain Reaction.  He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has published 5 articles.

Erin Haynes (Shelton), Dr.P.H: Dr. Haynes’ primary advisor was Dr. Lanphear.  She finished her post-doctoral fellowship December 2004. With Dr. Groden she conducted DNA purification and analysis using PCR during spring quarter 2002.  The training grant supported her presentation at the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology entitled, “Vitamin D Receptor Fok1 Polymorphism and Blood Lead Concentration in Children”.  She also received a travel award from the ISEE/ISEA to present her research.  This work is published Environ Health Persept 2003.  She currently has three research projects underway and taught a course last fall semester (’03), “Community Exposure Assessment.”  Her first project, apart of the NIEHS Children’s Center, was to develop and evaluate a pesticide test kit for families.  She wrote and directed a video to accompany the Home Pesticide Sampling Kit, which covered aspects of pesticides and pesticide collection pertinent for families with small children.  She also developed a Healthy Homes Resource Center at the Better Housing League. Her second project is to investigate the neurobehavioral effects of low-level manganese (Mn) exposure.  This research was submitted as an R21 to NEIHS on Feb 1, 2004 and to the EPA on Feb 11, 2004.  It has been funded by NIEHS. 

Cynthia Molloy (Briede), M.D.: Dr. Molloy has completed her MS degree from the DEB.  Her “wet” laboratory experience was with Dr. Stella Davies and Dr. Marsha Willis-Karp.  In Davies’ laboratory, Dr. Cynthia Molloy examined the feasibility of using buccal brushing for genetic studies in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  She learned to use cytology brushes to collect buccal cells in children with ASD, isolate DNA from the buccal cells using a modified PUREGENE DNA isolation technique, quantifying DNA spectrophotometrically, and PCR amplification and genotyping GSTT1 and GSTM1using TaqMan.     In Dr. Marsha Willis-Karps’ laboratory, Dr. Cynthia Molloy learned state-of-the art methodologies in immune phenotypes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  Dr. Molloy isolated and cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells and measured cytokine levels in supernatant of cultured cells using ELISA techniques. 

Michelle Stevenson, M.D: Dr. Stevenson has completed all required credits towards her MS in Epidemiology.  She is a pediatric emergency medicine fellow who developed her research interests in acute asthma with Dr. Hershey. She has developed a project entitled “IL-4 and IL-13 Signaling Pathways: Allelic Variants, Biomarkers, and Correlates to Functional Outcome in Pediatric Asthma.” This work was presented at two national meetings.  Through this project she has obtained significant “wet” lab experience in Dr. Hershey’s lab in learning flow cytometry and PCR and did a dry lab experience with Dr. Shukla in the Center for Biostatistical Services.  Dr. Stevenson has submitted for a K08 award in June, 2004 as she transitions into her academic career.  Dr. Stevenson received a Fellow-In-Training Travel Scholarship to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting in March, 2004.  She has three publications and one in progress and two presentations at national conferences.

Steve Sutton, M.D: Dr. Sutton is a second year Fellow and will finish the program June 2005. His fellowship research has centered on egg food allergy.  He presented preliminary data at the annual meeting of the American College of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology in November, 2002. He also has an interest in immunology and is a co-investigator of an ongoing study concerning the effects of anti-IL-5 on individuals with hypereosinophilic diseases. Another project is in Dr. Gurjit K. Hershey’s laboratory looking at gene-environment interactions and the development of asthma.   He is currently helping design the study and will be working on collecting patient genetic and environmental data as well as analyzing the data.   Dr. Sutton will graduate summer 2005. His primary research advisor is Drs. LeMasters, Hershey and, Assa’ad the latter two in the division of Allergy and Immunology. He has 3 publications and 1 book chapter and has submitted for a K08 award. 

Diane Smelser: Ms. Smelser has worked in the Department of Environmental Health for over 10 years as a full time Research Associate and a part-time PhD student.  She completed her BS degree in Biology and a BA degree in Secondary Education at the University of Cincinnati.  She has worked on numerous epidemiology studies within the department, gaining experience in areas of basic epidemiology methodology such as questionnaire development, maintaining a cohort and data analysis.  Six years ago she joined Dr. Ranjan Deka’s laboratory in population genetics, and decided to pursue genetic epidemiology for her dissertation work.   While in his laboratory, she has become proficient in DNA extraction, PCR, genotyping, protocol development, whole genome scans, fine mapping and data analysis.  She has worked on several projects in Dr. Deka’s lab, including “Candidate Genes involved in Type 2 Diabetes in the Samoan Population”.  This work was presented at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting, and is currently under review for publication. She has also worked on projects involving the genetics of obesity, stroke, Parkinson’s disease.  In September 2004, she became a full-time student after completing her PhD Qualifying exam in August, 2004. She is currently working on her dissertation, with Dr. Deka as her advisor. Her dissertation topic is “Candidate Gene (BEACON and Adiponectin) Association with Metabolic Syndrome in the Pacific Samoan Population”.  She will be collecting the genotype data and using the demographics of the population to analyze the data.  The study will include children as well as adults.  She plans on finishing her dissertation by December, 2005.   

History and Achievements
University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati and the College of Medicine have long recognized the importance of identifying and recruiting highly qualified minority students.  The University is celebrating 36 years of sponsorship of a Graduate Minority Fellows and Scholars Program.  During that time, more than 1200 minority students have benefited from the Program.  The Office of Research and Advanced Studies offers awards to underrepresented students through the auspices of the Albert C. Yates Fellows and Scholars Program.  Yates Fellows & Scholars not only receive financial assistance, but free tutorial services, mentoring, and academic counseling.  Members of groups which are underrepresented in specific university programs, and who are from the United States and its territories are eligible to apply.  More than 1,500 students have pursued their educational goals through the auspices of the Yates Fellows and Scholars Program.  There are currently 15 Yates Fellows and Scholars at the University of Cincinnati, of which 3 reside in the College of Medicine.  For Fall 2003, 26 Yates Fellows were named at the university; 3 of these were awarded to incoming graduate students in the College of Medicine.  In addition, Dr. Allene Wallace Reed scholarship fund is being developed at the university for second year doctoral students of African-American descent.

To address the current need for increased applications from underrepresented domestic students, the Office of Research & Graduate Education, responsible for centralized support of recruitment of graduate students for the College of Medicine, is targeting historically black colleges and universities.  In 2001, the Office of Research & Graduate Education sent representatives to present seminars at historically black colleges, including Tennessee State University in Nashville, Spelman and Morehouse Colleges in Atlanta, and Wilberforce and Central State Universities in Ohio.  Among other activities described, recruiters and minority graduate students from the College visit campuses with larger minority student bodies and good science programs to present information about our predoctoral programs in biomedical sciences.

Several plans have been laid out to increase minority enrollment.  We are establishing a formal partnership with minority colleges.   Two potential colleges with minority students have been identified to serve as partners to develop a partnership or pipeline between the programs.  One is the aforementioned Xavier-Tulane pipeline program with the support of Dr. John McLachlan at Tulane University.  Dr. Deka plans outreach activities specifically to colleagues at Howard University. We are also exploring opportunities to link with a program in our tri-state area and contacts are underway.

The University sponsors a Minority Graduate and Professional Visitation Program that attracts about 100 students from more than 20 historically Black colleges and universities. The students spend 2-1/2 days on campus visiting graduate departments and programs in which they are interested, including those in the college of medicine, and attending programs and social events, including a banquet, especially designed for this occasion. Visiting students have ample time to interact with faculty and students to learn more about programs of interest. Prospective students are provided with information regarding admission policies and financial aid, and subsequent follow-up is done on a departmental basis, usually by telephone contact.

The College of Medicine also actively participates in the Environmental Health Career Opportunities (EHCO) Program and Albert Yates’ Fellows and Scholars Program. The EHCO Program is designed to involve undergraduate and/or professional school students who belong to ethnic groups currently underrepresented in biomedical science professions in contemporary biomedical research during the summer months. The Program emphasizes comprehensive research, educational and motivational experiences that focus on biomedical research and education careers related to environmental health and associated sciences. The ECHO Program expects to support four participants each year. The Program provides use of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, University Hospital, Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Research Foundation, and affiliated biomedical research facilities and core resources for summer research, education and training. These students often matriculate as predoctoral students in one of the environmental health sciences.

Department of Environmental Health

The MARC program has been particularly successful for the Department of Environmental Health. The College of Medicine provides a descriptive summary of research opportunities available to gradate students to MARC program advisors at about 250 undergraduate institutions, inviting applications from their MARC-supported students for summer research experience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. In past summers, several MARC students have worked in the laboratories of several MECEH faculty.

The Department of Environmental Health also are represented at the NIGMS Minority Programs Symposium by two University of Cincinnati representatives, one faculty member and one graduate student, and as indicated earlier, we participate in the graduate Minority Fellows and Scholars Program, which funded 50 students throughout the University last year.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

The Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics currently has several minority students. A past African-American student was recipient of the NIEHS Minority Fellowship Award and is currently employed at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Another Hispanic student also has a position in molecular Epidemiology at NIOSH. Two minority students are recipients of the Albert Yates Fellowship. The Division also has trained several physician fellows who have gone on to faculty positions at Howard University and Morehouse School of Medicine.