TCIC Student Researchers Present at Major National Research Conference NCUR 2011.

Between April 14-16th, TCIC student researchers presented several posters at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR 2011). This year the conference was hosted by Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY and was attended by some 3000 students and faculty from across the nation. TCIC researchers Tim Morris, Kevin Rixmann, Ashley Graef, Reid Kuen and Samantha Wagner presented work from our projects on in-vitro 3D modeling of embryonic stem cells, breast cancer cells, cervical carcinoma and glioblastoma respectively as well as one on the effects of magnetic fields on cancer cells.

In addition to the student presentations, TCIC Director, Tim Lyden also presented a talk at the “Faculty and Administrator Network” session. Dr. Lyden’s talk focused on the continuing development of the TCIC and it’s current evolution into a mixed curricular/research model based loosely on that of the CiBER Center at UC Berkley.

Once again this year the TCIC posters/presentations were very well received and generated many interesting discussions and questions form the respective audiences.

Tim Morris’s poster was entitled:

CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL-DERIVED 3D STRUCTURES PRODUCED USING NATURAL SCAFFOLDING MATERIALS.

Kevin Rixmann’s poster was entitled:

MODELING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PRIMARY AND CELL-LINE DERIVED ARTIFICIAL BREAST CANCER TISSUES PRODUCED USING 3D CULTURE METHODS.

Ashley Graef’s poster was entitled:

CHARACTERIZATION OF COMPLEX IN-VITRO 3D “ARTIFICIAL TUMOR TISSUE” MODELS USING THE CERVICAL CARCINOMA CELL LINE HELA.

Reid Kuen’s poster was entitled:

THE EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS ON HELA CANCER CELL LINE.

Samantha Wagner’s poster was entitled:

DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF “ARTIFICIAL” BRAIN TUMOR TISSUES USING 3D TISSUE ENGINEERING APPROACHES AND BOTH PRIMARY HUMAN TUMORS AS WELL AS GLIOBLASTOMA CELL LINES.

Dr. Lyden’s talk was entitled:

THE TISSUE AND CELLULAR INNOVATION CENTER (TCIC): A UNIQUE HIGH IMPACT EDUCATIONAL EXPERIMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-RIVER FALLS INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN CUTTING EDGE BIOTECHNOLOGY.