2024 Graduate Student Research Competition Results

Two women stand in front of a research poster at the Graduate Student Research Competition; one points to data while the other, a 2023 Graduate, looks on and smiles.

STUDENT RESEARCH COMPETITION

 

Fourth Annual Obesity Research Initiative  Symposium

Awards

Monetary awards were given to selected participants in Oral Presentation and Poster Presentation categories

Topic Categories

All submissions must be obesity related. Abstracts are accepted in one of four categories:

  • Basic Science Research
  • Clinical Research
  • Social and Behavioral Research
  • Community and/or Policy Research

Oral Presentation Winners:

A woman with long brown hair wearing a gray sleeveless turtleneck top smiles at the camera in an outdoor setting, representing the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition.Magen Lord, PhD Candidate, Department of Nutritional Sciences

Presentation: Behavioral mechanisms underlying cannabinoid-induced eating.

Magen Lord is a PhD candidate in Dr. Emily Noble’s Nutritional Neuroscience lab. Her research focuses on how the cannabinoid type-1 receptor in the brain interacts with neurons controlling eating and how activating the receptor affects eating behavior. Her research aims to understand how exogenous cannabinoid administration interacts with our endogenous cannabinoid system to lay the foundation for safe and effective pharmacotherapies targeting this system.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a white button-up shirt, smiles at the camera against a dark blue background, representing the spirit of Graduate Student Research in the 2024 Competition.Mary Catherine Prater is a PhD candidate and dietetic intern in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Presentation: Cottonseed oil diet enrichment offers protection from angiopoietin-like protein changes compared to olive oil in adults with dyslipidemia.

Mary Catherine Prater  is a member of the Human Nutrition Lab and studies with Dr. Jamie Cooper. Her research interests include how fatty acid composition of the diet can influence cardiovascular and metabolic health.

A young woman with straight, shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes smiles at the camera against a dark blue background. She is wearing a navy top.Eden Crain is a Dietetic Intern and Master’s student in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Presentation: Impact of chronic systemic LPS exposure on anxiety, memory, and neuroinflammation.

Eden Crain is part of the Gastrointestinal Neurophysiology Lab and works under Dr. Claire de La Serre and Dr. Connie Rogers. Her research interests include studying the interactions among the diet, gut microbiome, brain health, and behavior. She plans to become a Registered Dietitian after completing her study.

Student Poster Competition Winners

Mary Lazzaro is a MS/DI student in the department of Nutritional Sciences.A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a green knit sweater, smiles at the camera outdoors with trees in the background, celebrating her results in the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition.

Presentation: Health outcomes and risks of intermittent fasting in adolescence.

Alyssa Guadagni, with long brown hair and a patterned white top, smiles at the camera against a plain blue background.Alyssa Guadagni is a PhD/DI student in the department of Nutritional Sciences.

Presentation: Dose-response effects of pecan consumption.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a white button-up shirt, smiles at the camera against a dark blue background, representing the spirit of Graduate Student Research in the 2024 Competition.Mary Catherine Prateris a PhD candidate and dietetic intern in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Presentation: High PUFA vs. high MUFA diet interventions on blood lipids and additional markers of cardiovascular disease risk: systematic review and meta-analysis.

A woman presents her Graduate Student Research on a poster board to two other women in a conference room during the 2024 Research Competition, with additional attendees and posters in the background.
A woman gives a presentation at a podium during the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition, with a brain diagram and colored graphics displayed on a screen behind her.
People stand in pairs and small groups discussing Graduate Student Research posters displayed on whiteboards in a conference room setting.
A person stands smiling next to their Graduate Student Research poster displayed on an easel in a conference room, presenting Research Results for the 2024 Competition with other posters visible in the background.
A young man showcases his Graduate Student Research poster to an older man with a pink clipboard during the 2024 Research Competition in a conference room setting.
Five people stand side by side in a hallway, dressed in business attire, celebrating the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition results as they pose for a group photo.
Seven people, participants in the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition, stand in a hallway with a marble floor and office doors on each side, smiling at the camera. The group is casually and professionally dressed.
A woman stands next to a research poster titled Dose-Response Effects of Pecan Consumption at the University of Georgia, displayed for the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition, with data charts and study information showcased.
Two people stand by a presentation poster in a conference room, discussing its content at the 2024 Graduate Student Research Competition. Other attendees are visible in the background, reviewing results and engaging in conversation.