Mount Saint Mary College Natural Science majors Alina Mendelowski of Walden, N.Y. (right) and Mackenzie Zupko of Montgomery, N.Y. (left) presented their research at the 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at William Patterson University on Saturday, April 20.
Two Mount Saint Mary College Natural Science majors have been busier than usual, and it’s not just because the semester is nearly over: The dedicated students presented at a pair of regional conferences last month and earned several awards.
Four Mount students attended the Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) NE-1 District Convention at Hofstra University on Sunday, April 14: Aleksandra Belugin of New Windsor, N.Y.; Daeryan Padgett of Port Jervis, N.Y.; Alina Mendelowski of Walden, N.Y.; and Mackenzie Zupko of Montgomery, N.Y. They were accompanied by James Moran, associate professor of Biology at the Mount.
Mendelowski, Zupko, and Moran have been jointly working on original research titled “Evaluating the Immune and Inflammatory Responses in Mice Following Exposure to the Artificial Oxygen Carrier Oxyvita,” which the students discussed at the conference.
Mendelowski received the first place John C. Johnson Award for best poster presentation given at District or National Convention.
Zupko received the Frank G. Brooks Award for Excellence in Student Research and gave a speech at the conference based on the trio’s research.
Oxyvita is a blood substitute that, when perfected, can be manufactured as a liquid and is also the first working blood substitute in powder form in the world. Thanks to Moran’s ongoing collaboration with OXYVITA, Inc. investigating the immune safety of the synthetic blood substitute, many Mount Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) projects have focused on testing Oxyvita over the course of more than a decade.
Mendelowski and Zupko continued their winning streak the next Saturday at the 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium at William Patterson University in Wayne, N.J. Here the pair received a second-place award for their Oxyvita poster presentation in the category of Physiology, Behavior and Toxicology.
After graduating from the Mount on Saturday, May 18, Zupko will be pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Science at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in the fall.