News and Awards
Recent News
- Aidan Ruth was appointed to the SOM's Center for Educator Development, Advancement and Research (CEDAR) editorial review board in January 2024.
- Alicia Pate, Assistant professor and Director of physiology education joined the faculty of CASE on March 1, 2024.
- Meadow Campbell was recently promoted to Associate professor. She had been an assistant professor since joining CASE in January 2022.
- Several anatomy graduate students (Stuart Atwood, Amelia Coello, Lokesh Coomar, Carl Lee and Lizzie Reschenberg) and Campbell and Ruth presented research at the anatomy connected meeting March 22-25, 2024 in Toronto.
- Graduate students Amelia Coello and Lokesh Coomar and several medical students (Sophia Izha, Allison Smith, Chloe Hutchison and Elizabeth Kramer) presented research at the 30th Annual Graduate Research Symposium on April 26, 2024
- Aidan Ruth was appointed to vice chair of the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) Professional Development Committee in April 2024. Ruth will serve as vice chair, and then will serve as chair for two years.
- Aidan Ruth was recently promoted to Associate professor. She had been an Assistant professor since joining CASE in July 2019.
- The Paul A. Young Library opened at Young Hall on May 31, 2024. Paul A. Young was the chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology from 1969-2004. In 2004 the department was reorganized into the current Center for Anatomical Science and Education (CASE). Young was the course director for neuroscience for many years. In 2010, Paul A. Young Hall, which houses Practical Anatomy and Surgical Education (PASE) and the Adventures in Medicine and Science (AIMS) program, was named in honor of Young鈥檚 contributions to the University. Young passed away in June 2023 at the age of 96.
- Graduate student Elizabeth (Lizzie) Reschenberg successfully defended her master's thesis defense on June 14, 2024. Her research project was titled "Does the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Have Two Bundles? Comparing Gross and Histological Observations."
- Medical students Elizabeth Kramer, Allison Smith, Yuktesh Kalidini and Chloe Hutchison and Tan presented research at the American Association of Clinical Anatomists meeting in June 17-21, 2024 at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
- Graduate student Sai Pidatala successfully defended his master's project defense on July 8, 2024. His research project was titled "Creating a Series of Case Report Based Self-Review Imaging Quizzes to Aid in Student-Integration of Gross Anatomy with Radiology and Clinical Practice".
- Two second-year medical students, Emilyann Key and Elizabeth (Liz) D'sa, completed SOM medical student summer research fellowship (SRF) program in July 2024. The summer research fellowship (SRF) program is a six-week summer program between the M1 and M2 academic year. Emilyann Key worked with co-PIs Ruth and Kristina Dzara (CEDAR) on a research project titled 鈥淩epresentation of Sexual Dysfunction in Commonly Used USMLE Step 1 Exam Third-Party Resources.鈥 Liz D'sa worked with Frolov and Martin on a research project titled "Genetic Signature of a Body Donor with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with a Highly Penetrant C9ORF72 Mutation."
- Camille Henderson, an undergraduate student at Clark Atlanta University in Decatur, Georgia, completed the 10-week summer undergraduate research program offered through the School of Medicine's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This program gives underrepresented in medicine students, who are passionate about science and interested in exploring the possibilities of an M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degree, an opportunity to conduct biomedical research. Camille worked with Frolov and Martin on identifying the genetic insights of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Her project was titled "Understanding Clinical Heterogeneity of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with a Genetic Approach."
- Graduate student Stuart Atwood successfully defended his master鈥檚 thesis on Sept. 17, 2024. His research project was titled 鈥淎 Rare Case of Polymicrogyria in an Elderly Individual."
- Graduate student Carl Lee successfully defended his master鈥檚 thesis on Oct. 29, 2024. His research project was titled "A Case Study of Rare Genetic Mutations in an Individual with Spina Bifida.鈥
- Faculty, staff, and graduate students published papers this year, with many more in
process.
- Andrey Frolov and John Martin, along with Miguel Guzman from the Department of Pathology and Ghazala Hayat from the Department of Neurology, published their research 鈥淭wo Cases of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with Contrasting Clinical Phenotypes: Genetic Insights鈥 in Cureus in March 2024.
- Aidan Ruth published a post "Helping Students Master their Mindset through Metacognition" on the School of Medicine鈥檚 peer-reviewed CEDAR community blog in March 2024.
- Aidan Ruth published her work 鈥淪triking a (vocal) chord: musical instruments as mnemonic devices when teaching the functional anatomy of the larynx鈥 in Advances in Physiology Education in June 2024.
- Dan Daly and Yun Tan published their work 鈥淎 Unique Case of Vascular Variations in the Upper Limbs: A Brachioradial Artery and Bilateral Persistent Median Arteries With Incomplete Superficial Palmar Arches鈥 in Cureus in October 2024.
Past News
- Michael Ariel and graduate student Shivika Ahuja published their paper 鈥淩esponses of the in vitro turtle brain to visual and auditory stimuli during severe hypoxia鈥 in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
- Graduate students Joe Cherullo, Lokesh Coomar and Carley Olson presented their research or served on an American Association for Anatomy committee at the annual Anatomy Connected meeting March 25-27, 2023 in Washington, DC.
- Dan Daly and Yun Tan and several medical students published their paper 鈥淎 Rare Presentation of Atypical Fissures Associated with an Unusual Accessory Liver Lobe in Translational Research in Anatomy Volume 30, March, 2023.
- Dan Daly and Yun Tan and graduate student Carley Olson published their paper 鈥淎 Unique Presentation of an Upper Subscapular Nerve Variation Accompanied by an Accessory Subscapular Artery in Cureus March 2023.
- Graduate student Carley Olson successfully defended her Master鈥檚 thesis entitled 鈥淎 Rare Case of External Hernias and Penoscrotal Webbing: An Anatomical and Genetic Study鈥 on June 20, 2023.
- Graduate student Lokesh Coomar was featured in the American Association for Anatomy Artists of Anatomy series in June 2023.
- Graduate student Hilda Mata successfully defended her Master鈥檚 thesis entitled 鈥淎n Image Question Band of the Upper and Lower Limbs鈥 on June 30, 2023.
- Dan Daly was promoted to associate professor effective July 1, 2023.
- Jay Bauman and Dan Daly received a SPARK Microgrant, SLU Research Institute. "3D reconstruction and printing of skulls for medical education." $1000 in July 2023.
- Meadow Campbell presented 鈥淪ocial Media and Your Professional Self: Serving Others through Connection and Communication鈥 at the SLU, Spotlight on Women in Medicine and Science (SWIMS) Symposium, September 13, 2023.
- Meadow Campbell, John Martin, Andrey Frolov and graduate student Carley Olson published their paper 鈥淎 Rare Case of Penoscrotal Webbing and Extensive Hernias: An Anatomical Report with Genetic Insights鈥 in Cureus .
- Meadow Campbell was featured in the American Association for Anatomy Faces of Anatomy monthly series in November 2023.
- CASE is now on Twitter using the handle @SLU_Anatomy. The site shares updates; new research by CASE students, faculty, and staff; fun quizzes and anatomy memes; and SLU news related to anatomy.
- CASE welcomed Meadow Campbell as an assistant professor and faculty member in the Department of Surgery at the School of Medicine. Campbell teaches gross anatomy and histology. She is an award-winning teacher with a background in biological anthropology.
Faculty, staff, and graduate students published many papers this year, with many more in process.
- Andrey Frolov, graduate student Lokesh Coomar, Miguel A. Guzman and John R. Martin III published their paper titled 鈥淢ixed Cerebrovascular and Alzheimer鈥檚 Type Pathology Mimicking Lewy Body Disease and Its Possible Contribution to Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Patients with Bipolar Disorder/Schizophrenia鈥 in the Open Journal of Pathology, volume 12, pages 88-99. DOI:
- Graduate student Lokesh Coomar, along with Daniel T. Daly and Jay Bauman published their paper titled 鈥淎 Unique Variation of Quadratus Plantae in Relation to the Tendons of the Midfoot鈥 in volume 7 of the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology.
- Recent graduates Shivika Ahuja and Dane Meyer were authors of a study, along with co-authors Ahmad Odeh, Sania Karir, Felicia Lee, Young Lee, Zoe Henkes, Larry Yang, and Daniel T. Daly, and Yun Tan, titled 鈥淩are Branching Pattern from the First Part of the Axillary Artery.鈥 This work is under review in Case Reports in Vascular Medicine.
- Aidan Ruth presented "Successful Interviewing (in the Zoom Era)鈥 at the American Association for Anatomy annual meeting in Philadelphia.
- Graduate student Feras Kaid successfully defended his thesis titled 鈥淭he Use of Dissection Instructions for Gross Anatomy Education.鈥
- Graduate student Nigel Maglasang defended his thesis titled 鈥淐erebral Vascular Density And Its Possible Correlation With Alzheimer Disease Progression In Elderly Individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis.鈥
- Aidan Ruth is also a member of the professional development committee for the American Association for Anatomy.
- On May 19, 2022, John Martin was interviewed on KTRS 550am, the Jennifer & Wendy Show, regarding the SLU Gift Body Program. The episode can be heard at:
- On April 20, 2022, Martin was interviewed on the SLU Mission Matters Podcast regarding SLU Gift Body Program. The episode is available at: /mission-identity/programming/mission-matters-podcast.php
- Aidan Ruth gave a talk titled 鈥淎natomical Terminology: Understanding Self and Others鈥 to the 天美传媒制片厂 Learning Community 鈥淓d Talks鈥 series.
Faculty and graduate students achieved many publications in 2021.
- Recent master鈥檚 graduate Shivika Ahuja, along with Daniel T. Daly and Yun Tan, were part of a study titled 鈥淩are Left Colic Artery Variation of the Gut Arterial System.鈥 This work was published in Folia Morphologica in November. doi:
- Master鈥檚 student Lokesh Coomar, along with co-authors Nicholas R. Fanselow, Nolan Wallace, Daniel Sehi, and John Martin, Yun Tan, and Daniel T. Daly published "A Case of Multiple Posterior Intercostal Artery Common Trunks in Conjunction with Additional Arterial Variations." This work appears in Case Reports in Surgery, Article ID 7430752.
- Recent graduate Shivika Ahuja, with Hannah Sullivan, Mark Noller, and Yun Tan and Daniel Daly, published "A Unique Case of Incomplete Bifid Ureter and Associated Arterial Variations." This work appears in Case Reports in Urology, Article ID 6655813.
- Recent graduate Yehi Elgammal and Andrey Frolov, Yun Tan, and John Martin, published "The Branching Pattern and Intraneural Distribution of the Musculocutaneous Nerve.鈥 This work appears in the Journal of Anatomical Science and Research, volume 4, issue 4.
- Daniel T. Daly and Yun Tan, along with several student co-authors, published 鈥淎 Unique Ipsilateral Axillary Artery Variation鈥 in the International Journal of Anatomical Variations, volume 14, number 1.
- An additional collaboration between Daly and Tan, along with several graduate students, is being prepared for submission. The work is titled 鈥淭he Relationship Between Accessory Fissures of Human Lungs and Bronchopulmonary Segment Location: A Cadaveric Study.鈥 Another work in progress is titled 鈥淯nique Case of Vascularization: Accessory Brachial Artery and Radial Persistent Median Artery.鈥
- Finally, Daly, Tan, and graduate student Nigel Maglasang are working with collaborators on their paper titled 鈥淎typical Fissures Associated with an Unusual Accessory Liver Lobe.鈥
- Aidan Ruth and co-author Mikaela Stiver presented a workshop at the Society for Craniofacial Genetics and Developmental Biology titled "7 Habits of Highly Effective Graduate Students: Planning for Success.鈥
- Graduate student Alex Taylor defended his doctoral dissertation titled 鈥淯sing Quantitative Ultrasound to Evaluate Postmortem Adult Bone Quality.鈥
- On April 12, 2021, John Martin was interviewed for a news article in Live Science titled 鈥淏aby Born with Three Penises鈥 available at:
- In 2020 CASE welcomed Jay Bauman as Assistant Professor. Bauman teaches human anatomy and is active on several graduate student committees and publications.
- Several student and faculty publications came out in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic impacting face-to-face instruction. Daly and Tan collaborated with student researchers to publish 鈥淎 Case of Left Retroexternal Iliac Artery Megaureter Associated with Additional Renal and Vascular Congenital Anomalies鈥 in Case Reports in Urology, volume 2020, Article ID 8946435. . Frolov, Lawson, Tan, and Martin collaborated with Master鈥檚 student Lauren Polcaro to publish results of her thesis work in the journal Advances in Sexual Medicine. The article was titled "A Rare Case of 83-Year-Old Transgender Female: Can Thyroid Hormone Deficiency Be Involved in Transgenderism and Gender Dysphoria?鈥 Volume 10.
- MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant, Ph.D., D-ABFA was elected as the President of the Board of Directors for the American Board of Forensic Anthropology (ABFA) on February 19, 2019. The ABFA is the only professional certification body for Forensic Anthropologists. Certification with the ABFA is the highest level of professional certification in Forensic Anthropology. As president of the Board of directors, Tersigni-Tarrant will be responsible for overseeing the board of directors, the yearly certification testing and ensuring that the ABFA is evolving as necessary with the ever-changing medicolegal environment. Tersigni-Tarrant's term will begin in July 2019 and runs until June 2020.
- MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant, Ph.D., D-ABFA participated with other forensic anthropologists from around the country in the forensic analysis of human remains following the decimation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria. Working with the Bureau of Forensic Science in Puerto Rico, MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant and colleagues completed 43 cases in 5 days in January, 2019.
- The CASE sponsored Annual Gift Body Interfaith Memorial Service was held at St. Francis Xavier College Church November 9, 2018.
- The CASE sponsored Annual Gift Body Interfaith Memorial Service was held at St. Francis Xavier College Church November 3, 2017.
- Paul A. Young, Ph.D., D.Sc (hon) contributions to the School of Medicine community were recognized in Spring 2017 issue of Grand Rounds Saint Louis University School of Medicine Alumni Magazine.
- Joshua W. Little D.C., Ph.D. was selected as a mentor for a SLU undergraduate student, Vruta Kansara, receiving a 2017 SLU Center for Neuroscience Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
- The CASE sponsored Annual Gift Body Interfaith Memorial Service was held at St. Francis Xavier College Church November 4, 2016.
- Mohammed Waheed-Uz-Zaman Rana, Ph.D: 1934-2016.
Mohammed Waheed-Uz-Zaman Rana, Ph.D., professor emeritus of anatomy, and leader in the Islamic and interfaith community in St. Louis, died Sunday, Oct. 16. He was 82 years old. - John R. Martin, Ph.D. and Yun Tan, M.D., Ph.D. represented CASE at the 26th Annual Minority Scientist Showcase at the Saint Louis Science Center on January 16, 2016.
Recent Awards
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Ruth received an early career travel award for her abstract submitted to Anatomy Connected 2024. Her abstract, 鈥淚ncorporating Structured Metacognitive Training into an Undergraduate Anatomy Classroom鈥 was selected as one of the top five submitted to the conference by early career researchers.
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Graduate student Amelia Coello was a poster award finalist for her research titled 鈥淚mpact of Endentulism on the Human Viscerocranium鈥 at the Anatomy Connected 2024 Annual Meeting.
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Graduate students Ali Gibbs, Colette Grypp, Lily Zahrai, and Emma Foust were awarded Graduate Teaching Assistantships (TA's) in May 2024 to assist in the summer, fall and spring Human Gross Anatomy courses. TA recipients receive a stipend, health insurance and a tuition scholarship.
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Campbell won the Best Hair and Rising Star Superlative Award at the School of Medicine's Annual Faculty Awards Banquet on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
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Daly won the Golden Apple Pre-Clinical Award at the School of Medicine's Annual Faculty Awards Banquet on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The Golden Apple Award is the highest teaching award presented by the graduating class to recognize outstanding dedication to medical student education. Recipients are selected by the entire School of Medicine student body.
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Daly won the I Want to Have a Drink With Superlative Award at the School of Medicine's Annual Faculty Awards Banquet on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
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Martin won three awards including Outstanding Lecturer in a Pre-Clerkship Course, Passion for Education and Outstanding Pre-Clerkship Course for the first-year, medical school Brain and Behavior course at the School of Medicine's Annual Faculty Awards Banquet on Saturday, June 8, 2024
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Ruth won the Most Caffeinated Superlative Award at the School of Medicine's Annual Faculty Awards Banquet on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
Past Awards
- Graduate student Carley Olson took third place in the Master鈥檚 Category of the SLU Graduate Education Three-Minute Thesis Competition on February 22, 2023. Participants had three minutes to present their research and show the audience what it means and why it matters.
- Patty Anderson was the recipient of the July Staff Pillar of Professionalism Award through the Office of Professional Oversight. The Pillar of Professionalism award recognizes staff that exceptionally model the core principles of professionalism and rise above their peers.
- Dan Daly was the recipient of the School of Medicine 2023 Passion for Education Award at the annual School of Medicine Faculty Awards Banquet on Friday, August 11. The Passion for Education Award acknowledges an educator who students feel has the biggest overall impact on them, who exemplifies the qualities of a professional medical educator. This is the highest award presented at SLU.
- John Martin was the recipient of the School of Medicine 2023 Pillar of Professionalism Award on Friday, August 11. This award acknowledges an educator who displays exemplary conduct and promotes honesty, accountability and integrity.
- Meadow Campbell was the recipient of the Faculty Mentorship Award through the SLU Graduate Student Association in June 2023. This award is intended for a professor who has inspired students and enhanced students' graduate education.
- Graduate student Lokesh Coomar was the recipient of the SLU Graduate Student Leadership Award in June 2023. This award is intended for a graduate student who has demonstrated a high level of leadership to their department and/or the university community.
- John Martin was awarded the Golden Apple Pre-Clinical Teaching Award.
- Master鈥檚 student and teaching assistant Lokesh Coomar received the Graduate Student Association Teaching Award, having received twenty-three nominations.
- Daniel T. Daly was awarded the Passion for Education Award in the SLU School of Medicine.
- John Martin was awarded the Golden Apple Pre-Clinical Teaching Award and the Outstanding Lecturer in a First Year Course.
- John R. Martin, Ph.D. was the recipient of the American Medical Student Association, Saint Louis University School of Medicine Golden Apple Pre-clinical Teaching Award by the Class of 2019.
- Tersigni-Tarrant, Ph.D., D-ABFA and John R. Martin, Ph.D. were the recipients of awards
at the second annual School of Medicine's Faculty Awards Banquet on Friday, February
1, 2019. Tersigini-Tarrant was the recipient of the Student Professionalism Award
and was the top of three finalists for the award. Finalists were selected by nominations
from the student body and supplemented by objective evaluation data from OASIS. Winners
were determined by a student body vote.
- Martin was the recipient of the Spirit of SLUSOM Award, the highest overall award for Passion for Education. Martin also received the award for Outstanding Lecturer in a First Year Course.
- The award for Outstanding First Year Course was presented to Martin and Sean Goretzke as the Co-Course Directors of the Basic Clinical Neuroscience Course.
- Other finalists included the Introduction to Clinical Anatomy course directed by Tersigni-Tarrant.
- MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant, Ph.D., D-ABFA was the recipient of The Spirit of SLUSOM Award, the highest award for Passion for Education, at the first annual School of Medicine's Faculty Awards Banquet on 02/23/18. Nominated by medical students and supplemented by objective evaluation data, Tersigni-Tarrant was the top of three finalists for the award. In addition to receiving this prestigious award, the Introduction to Clinical Anatomy course, under Tersigni-Tarrant's leadership, was one of three finalist in the Outstanding First Year Course category.
- John R. Martin, Ph.D. was a finalist for the Outstanding Lecturer in a First Year Course category at the first annual School of Medicine's Faculty Awards Banquet on 02/23/18. Nominated by medical students and supplemented by objective evaluation data, Martin was one of three finalists for the award. Additionally, the Neurosciences course, in which he Co-directs with Sean Goretzke, MD, Department of Neurology, was one of three finalist in the Outstanding First Year Course category.
- John R. Martin, Ph.D. was honored with a School of Medicine's Distinguished Teacher's Award on 05/1/17. The Distinguished Teacher's Award recognizes faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching skills and dedication to teaching to ensure the best educational experience for 天美传媒制片厂 medical students. John R. Martin, Ph.D. was awarded for Presentation Skills which honors achievement in presenting didactic materials.
- Bryan T. Vahey, B.S., received a travel award and was named a finalist for the American Association of Anatomists Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award for the 2017 Experimental Biology Conference in Chicago, IL. His abstract was entitled, "Facet joint inferior articular process degeneration following lumbar spinal hypomobility." Bryan is a Master's student in Joshua W. Little's laboratory.
- Tanaya Pulisetty, a SLU undergraduate student performing research in Joshua W. Little's laboratory, received a travel award and was selected as a finalist for the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) Undergraduate Student Award for her abstract entitled, "The ligamentum flavum thickens during the advanced stages of hypomobility induced lumbar spinal osteoarthritis." The AAA Undergraduate Student Award recognizes the top undergraduate student abstract and presentation at the 2017 Experimental Biology Conference.
- Jeffrey Allison, B.S., received a travel award from the American Association of Anatomists to attend the 2017 Experimental Biology Conference in Chicago, IL. His abstract was entitled, "The lumbar facet joint synovial fold intimal surface length decreases during the onset of cartilage degeneration following spinal hypomobility." Jeffrey is a Master's student in Joshua W. Little's laboratory.
- Yun Tan, M.D, Ph.D. was honored with a SLU Student Government Association Faculty Excellence Award at a special ceremony on 04/28/16 at the Pere Marquette Gallery. The Faculty Excellence Awards were developed to recognize distinguished SLU faculty members. Nominations for the awards come from the SLU community with an emphasis on student nominations.
- Adam Benckendorf, a SLU undergraduate student performing research in Joshua W. Little's laboratory, received the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) Undergraduate Student Poster Presentation Award at the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference AAA Award Ceremony in San Diego, California, on April 5th, 2016. This award recognizes the top undergraduate student abstract and presentation.
- John A. Merlo, B.S., received a travel award and was named an American Association of Anatomists finalist for the Langman Award. The Langman Award recognizes the top graduate student abstract and presentation for the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference. John is a Master's student in Joshua W. Little's laboratory.
- John A. Merlo, B.S., graduate student, was selected to present his abstract entitled, "Onset and Progression of Facet Joint Articular Cartilage Degeneration Following Lumbar Spinal Hypomobility" as a platform presentation in the Morphological Sciences Award Hybrid Symposium for the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference. John is a Master's student in Joshua W. Little's laboratory.
- Adam Benckendorf, a SLU undergraduate student performing research in Joshua W. Little's laboratory, received a travel award and was selected as a finalist for the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) Undergraduate Student Award for his abstract entitled, "The Lumbar Facet Joint Capsule Thickens Following Spinal Segmental Hypomobility Induced Osteoarthritis." The AAA Undergraduate Student Award recognizes the top undergraduate student abstract and presentation at the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference.
- Jacob A. McDowell, a SLU undergraduate student performing research in Joshua W. Little's laboratory, received a travel award and was selected as a finalist for the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) Undergraduate Student Award for his abstract entitled, "Lumbar Spinal Segmental Hypomobility Induced Osteoarthritis is Associated with Early Regression of Facet Joint Synovial Folds." The AAA Undergraduate Student Award recognizes the top undergraduate student abstract and presentation at the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference.
- Adam Benckendorf, a SLU Honors Program undergraduate student performing research in Joshua W. Little's laboratory, was awarded the Presidential Scholarship Investigative Learning Experience (ILEX) to attend and present his research at the 2016 Experimental Biology Conference.