UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At University Park and around the world, Penn State students are actively involved in research that supports health and human development.
Undergraduate kinesiology student Andrew Oneglia spends many of his days inside a laboratory wearing a white coat and protective gear as he processes various samples from study participants.
His work is part of a larger effort at Penn State to find a solution for women at risk of osteoporosis and other ailments caused by bone loss.
Oneglia is assisting Mary Jane De Souza, professor of kinesiology and physiology, with a study on dried plums, in the Women’s Health and Exercise Laboratory.
Essentially, researchers want to know if daily consumption of dried plums can help prevent or reverse the loss of bone due to osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Oneglia processes fecal, urine and blood samples to check for biomarkers of bone turnover, phenolics, vitamin D3 and expression of immune and inflammatory mediators to assess potential mechanisms contributing to changes in bone health with dried plum consumption. He also will assist with drafting the academic article that outlines the study’s findings.
“I’m gaining experience in every aspect of being a researcher,” Oneglia said. “Dr. De Souza is making sure I have all aspects developed to become a top researcher.”
Carissa Heine, a nutritional sciences major, conducted research in Ghana with Alison Gernand, assistant professor of nutritional sciences and Ann Atherton Hertzler Early Career Professor in Global Health.
Heine and Gernand have been working with women planning to become pregnant to identify vitamin and mineral deficiencies that are co-occurring and may influence the health of a future pregnancy. Now Heine is examining what lifestyle practices and behaviors may influence micronutrient status in pre-pregnant women.
“Universally, more research is needed in this planning-to-become-pregnant stage so that you can have a really healthy pregnancy that you’ve planned for,” Heine said.
The research experience has several benefits for Heine. She is learning how to apply for a grant, prepare and conduct interviews, and enhance her communication skills. She also has had the opportunity to travel internationally, improving her cultural competency and awareness.
“To gain these skills during my college experience as an undergraduate student is huge,” Heine said.
Katie Smith, a health policy and administration major, has had multiple opportunities to conduct research as a student. For example, Smith conducted in-person interviews as part of an embedded international experience for instructor Celeste Newcomb’s course "Exploring the Health Care System in Costa Rica."
Each day, students visited a hospital or clinic and talked with the doctors and staff. Students also shadowed Attention Technical Assistants of Primary Care workers, who travel to residents’ homes and assess patients.
Ultimately, Smith formulated her analysis into a capstone project for the course and research poster titled, "Examining Primary Care Organizational Structure in Costa Rica." The poster earned second place in the Undergraduate Research Exhibition for course-based projects and first place in the College of Health and Human Development Alumni Society Research Poster Competition.
“The trip to Costa Rica taught me to always keep a broader perspective and be open to new experiences,” Smith said. “It also taught me how think critically, seek multiple sources, and really look at the full picture.”