Bukola Odeniyi, a UALR sophomore majoring in biology and chemistry, won second place in cell biology for her poster at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) last month in Atlanta.

Bukola studied the effects of Fenofibrate, an anti-inflammatory drug, on the expression of a protein called RANTES and its receptor CCR5 in human microvascular endothelial cells. This receptor also serves as a co-receptor required by HIV to enter a host cell and cause infection. Fenofibrate decreased the expression of RANTES; however, CCR5 was not expressed in the cell line. She has done more work examining the drug’s effects on the receptor in CD4 T cells. She will be presenting her latest results at the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics conference March 14 to 17. The drug may have possible implications for HIV, and she plans to expand her research in this area.

She conducted her undergraduate research at UAMS in the Biomedical Research Center I in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department under the mentorship of Dr. Elvin T. Price, professor of pharmacy.

The national research conference for undergraduate and graduate students is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

She conducted her undergraduate research at UAMS in the Biomedical Research Center I in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department.

Most of the students presenting at the conference were working on government-funded research projects and participating in government-funded scholarship programs.

Bukola is a member of UALR’s University Science Scholars Program, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in STEM program, and the Donaghey Scholars Program. She and her identical twin, Dolapo, were co-salutatorians at Parkview Magnet High School

“I was surprised that she won an award, because the competition was tough,” said Dr. Jim D. Winter, director of the University Science Scholars Program in the College of Science and Mathematics. “The junior and senior students had much experience, excellent knowledge of their research, and were primed because of the large number of graduate school recruiters at the conference. Bukola obviously did an outstanding job of explaining her research to the judges.”

The conference is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students who participate in programs funded by the NSF’s Human Resource Development Unit, including underrepresented minorities and persons with disabilities.