First Dr. Raniyah Ramadan Symposium Set For Jan. 31 At ECU

FIRST DR. RANIYAH RAMADAN SYMPOSIUM SET FOR JAN. 31 AT ECU

Four presentations are scheduled for the First Dr. Raniyah Ramadan Symposium at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31 at the Estep Auditorium of East Central University’s Bill S. Cole University Center.

The symposium, which will be an annual event, is named in honor of the late Dr. Raniyah Ramadan, who was a research scientist in neuro-ophthalmology.

“Through The Dr. Raniyah Ramadan Foundation, the family is proud to honor the legacy of our daughter by supporting the educational opportunities that inspire life-long learning and advance knowledge,” said Siham Ramadan, mother of Raniyah.

This year’s symposium will feature four speakers from the medical research science field.

Among the topics presented are: “Central Mechanisms Regulating Visceral Pain”; “Molecular Pathogenesis of Severe Bacterial Endophthalmitis”; “Exploring the Role of Caveolin-1 in Retinal Physiology and Pathophysiology; and “Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Inhibit Retinoblastoma.”

“Central Mechanisms Regulating Visceral Pain” will be presented by Dr. Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, professor of Physiology and Director of the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

“Molecular Pathogenesis of Severe Bacterial Endophthalmitis” will be presented by Dr. Michelle C. Callegan, professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and associate director for research at the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience.

“Exploring the Role of Caveolin-1 in Retinal Physiology and Pathophysiology” will be presented by Dr. Michael H. Elliott of the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center Department of Ophthalmology and Dean A. McGee Eye Institute.

“Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Inhibit Retinoblastoma’ will be presented by Sharolyn Simpson, of ECU and the first recipient of Raniyah Ramadan Undergraduate Research Program Scholarship.

The symposium is being facilitated by the ECU Biology Department, Tri-Beta Biology Club and ECU College of Health and Science.

“The purpose of the symposium is to show what’s being done in the neuroscience research field and to engage scholarly activities between the two universities (East Central University and the University of Oklahoma),” said Nick Cheper, professor and chair of ECU’s Department of Biology.

Dr. Tawfik Ramadan, father of Raniyah, and members of the Ramadan family plan to attend the symposium.

The Ramadan family invites the public to attend.

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