Research & Scholarship: presenting at a conference (6+ points) - Class of 2028

 Presenting my research on racial disparities in glioblastoma survival at the Cancer Research Symposium through Morehouse School of Medicine allowed me to synthesize months of literature review, data analysis, and scholarly communication into a single cohesive presentation. The strongest element of this experience was my ability to translate complex neuro-oncological and epidemiological data into accessible insights for a multidisciplinary audience. The poster visuals, particularly the comparative survival charts, effectively conveyed racial disparities and the mediating role of surgical access and allowed me to win 3rd place among my cohort.

However, I recognized opportunities for improvement. My discussion section could have included deeper statistical correlation testing beyond relative survival rates, and I hope to incorporate multivariate analysis as I continue to expand this project. Additionally, time constraints limited audience Q&A, which could have enhanced interdisciplinary feedback. In future presentations, I will practice tighter time management and integrate preliminary computational modeling data from my current studies for a more robust translational connection.

This experience bridged my cancer health equity internship with my current computational neuroscience work, reinforcing my understanding of how cellular and systemic inequities intertwine. Examining glioblastoma through both a molecular and sociomedical lens revealed the pattern that scientific innovation alone cannot close survival gaps without equitable healthcare access. The project also deepened my grasp of astrocytic function and tumor microenvironments. Presenting publicly also echoed themes from my Public Health coursework, where discussions on social determinants of health provided context for interpreting survival disparities among racial groups.

This presentation solidified my commitment to becoming a physician-scientist specializing in neuro-oncology and health equity. The feedback from faculty and peers affirmed the need for researchers who can translate data into community-centered solutions. As a next step, I plan to refine this project for submission to an undergraduate research journal and prepare a follow-up study integrating patient-level data and genomic factors. Long-term, this experience further motivated me to pursue an MD-PhD focused on neuroscience, continuing the work I began here toward bridging the gap between bench science and equitable clinical outcomes.

By: Kandace N. Bryant