Graduate student research noted at Phi Zeta

Excellence in Basic Science Research: Shigeharu Tsuda, department of physiological sciences

Shigeharu Tsuda holds his award. At right is Dr. Jeff Abbott. (Photo by Dr. Rowan Milner)

This award recognizes excellent scholarship of a UF CVM graduate student, either nearing completion or having completed a master of science or Ph.D. degree within the past year that involves a research topic in basic science. The award consists of a plaque and $100.

Tsuda’s dissertation work is to investigate the relationship of TBI-induced noradrenergic disruption with multiple morbidities that include motor, cognitive, anxiety, and pain disorders using a rodent model. His research has already yielded several abstracts and he recently presented a poster at the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. He has prepared two full-length manuscripts. His mentors are Drs. Floyd Thompson and Dr. Prodip Bose.

Excellence in Master’s Studies: Dr. Valerie Scharf, department of small animal clinical sciences

Dr. Ammon Peck, associate dean of research and graduate studies, with Dr. Valery Scharf and Dr. Jeff Abbott. Scharf received the Excellence in Master’s Studies Award. (Photo by Dr. Rowan Milner)

This award recognizes excellent scholarship of a UF CVM graduate student either nearing completion or having completed the master of science degree within the past year. The award consists of a plaque and $100.

“Dr. Scharf has been called an exceptional clinician, competent surgeon and a fantastic teacher with a tremendous potential as a clinical scientist,” Peck said.

Her research has involved both in vitro and in vivo assessments of chemotherapeutic agents targeting osteosarcoma. She is first author of publications in Anticancer Drugs and the American Journal of Veterinary Research. She recently defended her thesis and was recently awarded the best podium presentation in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Annual Symposium Resident’s Forum. Her mentors are Drs. Jim Farese, a former UF CVM faculty member, and Dr. Rowan Milner.

Excellence in Doctoral Studies: Sherry L. Adams, department of physiological sciences

Sherry Adams received the Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award. She is pictured with Dr. Jeff Abbott. (Photo by Dr. Rowan Milner)

The intent of the award is to recognize excellent scholarship of a UF CVM graduate student either nearing completion or having completed the Ph.D. degree within the past year. The award consists of a plaque and $100.

Adams is currently working on a research project related to respiratory rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury. Her work involves a combination of an animal model of TBI brain injury that modulates cardiorespiratory neural control & the effects of TBI in humans on airway defensive reflexes. Sherry has five first author and four co-authored published research abstracts presented at international meetings, including the International Society for the Advancement of Respiratory Psychophysiology and Experimental Biology. Her mentor is Dr. Paul Davenport.

Charles F. Simpson Memorial Scholarship: Erica K. Brockmeier, department of physiological sciences

This award is given to a recipient whose research is ideally in an area identified with Dr. Charlie Simpson, in animal pathology, with a special emphasis on hematoprotozoan/cardiovascular related diseases or hypertension, but other areas of research are considered. Both master of science and Ph.D. students currently pursuing their degrees, or having completed their graduate studies in the past year are eligible. This award consists of a plaque and $500.

Brockmeier received her Ph.D. degree this past December. During her studies, she was rewarded the very competitive STAR fellowship from EPA to study molecular processes involved in the masculinization of female mosquitofish by androgens that are released into the environment from paper mill effluents. She developed this model as a bioindicator for contaminants that are inadvertently released into the environment and which have androgen like properties. Results from this work resulted in publications in Aquatic Toxicology, BMC Genomics and possibly PLOSOne. Her mentor is Dr. Nancy Denslow.