The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Biology major to speak at Ohio Academy of Science
Lacey Harris has been selected to present at the Ohio Academy of Science’s annual meeting at CSU, April 18.
Lake Erie College’s Lacey Harris has been selected to present at the Ohio Academy of Science’s annual meeting at Cleveland State University, April 18.
The LEC biology major was selected to speak for her work “Ovarian hyaluronan content declines from physiologic aging and radiation-induced, accelerated aging in mice.”
A LEC news release detailed that Harris developed her research while studying in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Her research has since been published in the study “Differential Sensitivity of Inbred Mouse Strains to Ovarian Damage in Response to Low Dose Total Body Irradiation,” along with several co-authors.
The study focuses on ovarian health the effects of hyaluronan. Harris’ work predicts a correlation between good ovarian health and an abundance of the component hyaluronan.
The news release highlights that Harris will continue to work in the field, researching continued correlations and ways to maintain hyaluronan production in human ovaries.
Harris was first recommended to enter the SURF program by LEC’s Associate Professor of Biology, Deborah Schulman. Upon completing her research and presenting the findings to her LEC peers, Harris was then urged by LEC’s Dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics John Tedesco to submit an abstraction of her research to the Ohio Academy of Science.
“It was clear that science and medicine were Lacey’s passions and I thought experiencing a high-powered research program would be a valuable opportunity for her,” said Schulman. “She produced an impressive body of data which she presented at the conclusion of the SURF program and which was subsequently selected to be presented orally at the Ohio Academy of Science’s annual meeting. I am proud of the work Lacey did and am pleased with how she represents the Lake Erie College School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.”
Cleveland State University has since cancelled all in-person presentations and events until April 13 due to ongoing concerns related to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
While the scheduled April 18 date for the Ohio Academy of Science falls outside of this window, CSU officials stated they will continue to monitor developments and adjust accordingly.