Matt Skancke is currently a second year medical student and has been mentored by Dr. John van Aalst, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, since November 2008. His project on promoting vasculogenesis was made possible by the North Carolina Summer Scholars Program and was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Skancke won the First Place Oral Presentation for the Basic Science category.

Gita Madan is currently doing research as a Howard Holderness Distinguished Medical Schoars Research Fellow and will begin her fourth year of medical school after the Fellowship. Her project, "Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Demonstrate Robust Osteoinduction And May Be An ideal Source For Tissue-Engineered Bone," also mentored by Dr. van Aalst, won the First Place for Basic Science Poster category. 

The John B. Graham Student Research Society was established in 1987 to recognize and promote student research at the School of Medicine. Students whose abstracts are accepted for poster or slide presentations at Student Research Day are inducted. Throughout the year, student members exchange ideas and share their experiences about conducting research.   In addition, the Society serves to encourage collaboration with faculty to promote productive research opportunities for students. Learn More