Saul Carcamo of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Christian Marks of Opelousas are winners of Northwestern State University’s Student Research Awards, presented during the university’s 25th annual Research Day. The awards are sponsored by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and recognize outstanding research, distinguished artistic performance or creative work completed by a student or team of students. Nominations are evaluated on originality, design and methodology, impact on or contribution to the student’s academic field and the potential larger impact of the nominated work.

Both Carcamo and Marks are seniors in the Louisiana Scholars’ College with concentrations in scientific inquiry.

Carcamo’s research explored a novel mechanism for regulating glycolysis and glutaminolysis during the cell cycle. Studies of cell metabolism are applicable in cancer research, specifically in tumor suppression. Carcamo completed an internship at the Wolfson Institute of Biomedical Research at University College of London in 2011, where he worked with a team of collaborators on the project. He will graduate in May and is applying to several MD/PhD programs in the United States.

Marks’ research presentation was on cellular localization of TRPV2 and molecular mechanisms of TRPV2 translocation. She conducted studies in a pharmacology lab at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland last summer as part of a Summer Undergraduate Research Program internship. There, she and collaborators studied placement and mechanism of movement of TRPV2, an ion channel within the cell. The research is applicable in the field of pharmacology.

Following graduation in May, Marks plans to attend Vanderbilt University and pursue a Ph.D. in pharmacology or neuroscience.