A student from Salina is among students at Kansas State University receiving a Cancer Research Award. Sarah Galliardt is researching water quality and the high cancer incident in Russell and Lincoln Counties.

According to the school,  Galliardt is among 32 students selected by Kansas State University’s Johnson Cancer to receive Cancer Research Awards.

The competitive Cancer Research Award program offers students hands-on laboratory research experience and the opportunity to present their work. In addition, the students learn about research ethics and presenting science to the public.

“The Cancer Research Awards provide students with opportunities to apply their coursework to real-life situations and prepare for their future careers,” said Sherry Fleming, director of the Johnson Cancer Research Center. “As some of the university’s — and the state’s — top students, they will undoubtedly go far in their chosen fields.”

This award grants each student $2,000 to allow for the opportunity and time to spend on research and laboratory work rather than working a non-academic job. Each student also receives an additional $1,000 for supplies.

“This cancer research award will allow me to contribute to the scientific community’s search for a cure,” said Samira Laytimi, senior in medical biochemistry and undergraduate awardee. “I have many family members who have been affected by cancer, and this award will allow me to help them and so many other people fight and rise above the disease.”

The cancer research student awardees will be recognized at a banquet on Friday, April 12, 2024. Also invited to the banquet are the families of the student awardees, donors who make the awards possible, and university administrators and faculty who have supported student awardee efforts through their research.

Michael Bartkoski, senior in biochemistry and undergraduate awardee, said, “This award allows me to further my undergraduate cancer research as I work to find novel therapeutic drug targets for cancer chemotherapy patients fighting fungal lung pneumonia.”

The Johnson Cancer Research Center in the College of Arts and Sciences supports cancer research by faculty members, undergraduates and graduate students across the K-State campus. All programs are funded through private donations.

“The CRA award helps me to pursue my interest in chemistry research while also being able to purchase the materials I need to perform experiments,” said Marrissa Raynesford, senior in chemistry and undergraduate awardee. “I am also super grateful for the chance to network with other students in research and learn the many ways we can all fight back against cancer.”

The following student awardees are receiving Cancer Research Awards; included is each student’s faculty mentors. A list that includes their research project titles can be found on the center’s website.

Hilary Tallman, senior in life sciences, Andover, mentored by Mark Haub, professor of food, nutrition, dietetics and health; Lidia Lopez Vazquez, junior in biochemistry, Dodge City, mentored by Bradley Olson, associate professor of biology.

From Garden City: Allie Sandoval, junior in biology, mentored by Nicholas Wallace, associate professor of biology; Jaycee Stewart, junior in biology, mentored by Erika Geisbrecht, professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics; and Kameron Wildeman, senior in chemistry, mentored by Ryan Rafferty, associate professor of chemistry.

Logan Glover, sophomore in biochemistry, Goddard, mentored by Masaaki Tamura, professor of anatomy and physiology; Marrissa Raynesford, senior in chemistry, Hays, mentored by Christer Aakeröy, university distinguished professor of chemistry; Caden Blake, freshman in human health biology, Kansas City, mentored by Masaaki Tamura, professor of anatomy and physiology; Samira Laytimi, senior in biology, Lawrence, mentored by Kathrin Schrick, associate professor of biology; Carson Cole, junior in chemistry, Leawood, mentored by Peter Sues, assistant professor of chemistry; Michael Bartkoski, senior in biochemistry, mentored by Pankaj Baral, assistant professor of biology, and Dylan Feist, senior in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, mentored by Erika Geisbrecht, professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, both from Lenexa.

From Manhattan: Ayianna Bailey, freshman in microbiology, mentored by Kathrin Schrick, associate professor of biology; Cole Hayden, senior in biology, mentored by Ruth Welti, university distinguished professor of biology; Veronica Knight, senior in chemistry, mentored by Patricia Calvo, assistant professor of chemistry; Mia Thompson, senior in biochemistry, mentored by Sherry Fleming, professor of biology, and Emily Tolbert, junior in biology, mentored by Nicholas Wallace, associate professor of biology.

Bryttan Adams, sophomore in medical microbiology, Newton, mentored by Sonny Lee, assistant professor of biology; Kade Kaufman, senior in human health biology, mentored by Katsura Asano, professor of biology, and Adyson Harm, junior in biochemistry, mentored by Ryan Rafferty, associate professor of chemistry, both from Olathe; Katherine Boston, freshman in biology, mentored by Bradley Olson, associate professor of biology, Overland Park; Sarah Galliardt, senior in environmental science, Salina, mentored by Karin Goldberg, associate professor of geology.

From Topeka: Carson Ingold, junior in microbiology, mentored by Sonny Lee, assistant professor of biology, and Grace Sakai, sophomore in life science and integrated health studies, mentored by Katsura Asano, professor of biology.

From out of state: Heather Crawshaw, junior in biology, Tucson, Arizona, mentored by Anna Zinovyeva, associate professor of biology; Ryan Tucker, senior in chemistry, El Segundo, California, mentored by Chris Culbertson, professor of chemistry and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Riley Blitt, senior in biosystems engineering, Colorado Springs, Colorado, mentored by Patricia Calvo, assistant professor of chemistry; Jihyeon Kim, senior in biology and integrated health studies, Blue Springs, Missouri, mentored by Charles Pickens, associate professor of psychological sciences; Jane Eilers, senior in chemistry, St. Charles, Missouri, mentored by Christer Aakeröy, university distinguished professor of chemistry; and Paige Anderson, senior in psychology, McKinney, Texas, mentored by Charles Pickens, associate professor of psychological sciences.

From out of country: Prabhleen Kaur, sophomore in biochemistry, Ahmedabad, India, mentored by Daniel Higgins, professor of chemistry; and Setareh Khanjani, junior in biochemistry, Rasht, Iran, mentored by Davood Pourkargar, assistant professor of chemical engineering.

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Photo via Kansas State University: : K-State’s Johnson Cancer Research Center has presented 32 students with Cancer Research Awards.