The BMEGG has two excellent finalists in the annual UC Davis Grad Slam competition. Congratulations to Rajul Bains and Roshni Shetty!

Rajul Bains
Master's student, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group
"Microfluidic Tumor-on-a-Chip Model for Cancer Research"

"My research uses microfluidic technology to create mini "organ-on-chips," which simulate human body conditions to study how our immune system fights cancer. I'm enthusiastic about my work and love sharing it with friends and family who might not be familiar with my research! Participating in Grad Slam is a fantastic chance for me to bring this exciting work to a broader audience!"

Roshni Shetty
Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group
"Sex, Drugs, and the Heartbeat"

"I am passionate about understanding the intricacies of the human heart's electrical activity and molecular orchestration of rhythm. My research delves into sex-specific differences in cardiac electrophysiology, aiming to uncover the mechanistic basis for divergent arrhythmia susceptibility between sexes. Females are at increased risk of drug-related side effects and sudden cardiac death. However, female sex is underrepresented in basic research and clinical studies, and cardiac safety assessments often overlook these sex differences, leading to uniform medication prescriptions across sexes. To address this gap, we are developing a tool to predict female electrical activity responses to drugs based on male data, with the aim of enhancing cardiac safety assessments for females. But I'm not just crunching numbers in the lab – I am deeply committed to science communication, and I see Grad Slam as an excellent opportunity to shed light on the significance of my research and advocate for sex-inclusive fundamental and clinical studies and healthcare practices."

Additional details here: Top 10 Finalists of 2024 UC Davis Grad Slam Announced | UC Davis Graduate Studies