GREENVILLE, S.C. (July 7, 2016) – Deanna Fry, a senior cell biology major at Bob Jones University with a minor in chemistry, is serving this summer as an intern for the Research Immersion for Undergraduates (RIU) program as a part of the Bob Jones University Cancer Research Lab in Greenville, South Carolina.
“The RIU program is a research-based approach to support undergraduate learning, as well as to create an opportunity for undergraduates to actively engage in both research and other avenues of scientific inquiry,” says Dr. Steve Figard, Director of Cancer Research as well as a biology professor at BJU. “There is increasing data that shows that students who do extensive research projects as undergraduates pursue graduate education and additional research opportunities at higher rates and will have improved academic achievement and graduation rates, while developing fundamental critical-thinking skills.”
Fry, a resident of Springfield, Missouri, is researching the cytotoxic effects of almonds on both gastric and colon cancers. Fry is working to characterize the location of the cytotoxic agent in the almond and to determine the method of cell death activated by the agent.
“I am so grateful for this internship opportunity,” says Fry. “I believe that this experience will better equip me to serve others as I follow God’s call by pursuing a career in genetic counseling.”
