Neumann University student proving future of science remains diverse amid proposed federal budget cuts
As many college students wind down the semester, Janelle Goldsmith is gearing up for something extraordinary.
The senior biology major at Neumann University has been selected for a prestigious internship with the U.S. National Science Foundation, where she'll spend the summer conducting research at the University of New Mexico.
Goldsmith is one of just three students in the country chosen to join a research project that examines parasites in fish over several decades, an opportunity that combines her passion for environmental science and animal ecosystems.
"I already knew I wanted to work with animals and the environment in some capacity," she said.
But as a Black woman in STEM, Goldsmith admits the road hasn't always been easy.
"They don't look like me," she said, reflecting on the lack of diversity in science. "It's disheartening."
The opportunity was made possible in part by NSF funding awarded to Neumann University, but the future of that support is now in question.
The Trump administration has proposed slashing the agency's budget by more than half, raising concerns for students and educators alike.
"There is a concern, particularly for students who are not always represented in the sciences," Neumann University President Dr. Chris Domes said.
Still, Goldsmith is staying focused on the future.
"You never know the outcome," Goldsmith said. "One day, I'll be an ecologist."
This weekend, she heads to New Mexico ready to learn, grow and help change the face of science.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scientists analyze chunk of meteorite that fell to Earth last week in GA
A meteorite fell to Earth in Georgia last Thursday, and Channel 2's Linda Stouffer visited scientists in Bartow County to get a closer look at a piece of it. It blasted into Earth's atmosphere 27 miles above Georgia and was found by a meteorite hunter in Henry County. Researchers at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville are analyzing one of the largest pieces of the meteorite found so far. It weighs 150 grams and measures two inches by three inches. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'That is much bigger than what I thought it was going to be, so I'm really surprised that we got like a nice chunk like this,' Astronomer Karisa Zdanky said. 'You can just see like kind of the exact lines on the fusion crust of it just barreling through our atmosphere. So it's just really impressive to look at.' The meteorite is billions of years old, and you can see it later this summer at the Tellus Science Museum. Scientists have a lot to learn about the meteorite, including what kind of rock it is. It may have even come from outside our solar system. TRENDING STORIES: 83-year-old grandmother spent hours in jail for a crime she didn't commit, family says Police officer who shot, killed unarmed Black man under investigation after Atlanta bar fight Ross Harris, father accused of leaving son in hot car to die, released from jail [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
20 hours ago
Uterine cancer projected to rise in US by 2050, Black women likely to be hit hardest
Uterine cancer cases in the U.S. will rise significantly by 2050, with Black women three times more likely to die from it, a study from the American Association for Cancer Research projects. Uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. In 2024, there were almost 70,000 cases, according to the National Cancer Institute. Over the past 30 years, uterine cancer cases and deaths have jumped. NCI data shows that between 2015 and 2019, there was about a 2% increase in new cases per year, the highest for any cancer in women. Researchers at Columbia University used population data and computer modeling to predict how many people will get uterine cancer -- and how many will die from it -- over the next 30 years. They predict that the number of new uterine cancer cases will increase by over 50% for Black women compared to about 30% for white women by 2050. Elena Elkin, one of the study's authors and a Ph.D.-level researcher at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, pointed to an aging population as one major cause of the projected increase. "Like many cancers, uterine cancer is a disease of aging. Another major factor is the increase in overweight and obesity in the U.S. population," she said. Elkin pointed to decreases in hysterectomies -- surgery to remove the uterus -- for conditions like fibroids and endometriosis as another reason uterine cancer rates are increasing. More women are living with their uterus, putting them at risk of developing the disease, she noted. The uterus is a hollow, pear-shaped organ located in a woman's pelvis where a fetus develops and grows. Uterine cancer refers to any cancer that arises in this organ, including endometrial cancer, the most common form. Uterine sarcomas that develop in the muscles or the tissues of the uterus are more rare -- and more fatal. Overall, uterine cancer has an 81% five-year survival rate. "Survival outcomes are generally good, because most cancers are diagnosed at an early stage," Elkin said. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all. For those diagnosed with more aggressive forms of the disease, five-year survival drops to 20-50%. Black women are already more likely to have aggressive forms and are two times more likely to die from uterine cancer compared to white women, NCI statistics show. The American Association for Cancer Research study projects worsening racial disparities. By 2050, Black women could be three times more likely to die of the disease. "Studies have shown that these disparities are due to delays in diagnosis, barriers to accessing care, and receiving sub-optimal care," Elkin said. Some research has linked chemical hair relaxers to uterine cancer. In the U.S., about 95% of Black women under age 45 have used chemical hair relaxers at least once in their lives. Chemical relaxers have been found to have toxins like formaldehyde, heavy metals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals like phthalates and parabens. Many have been linked to cancer. Although chemical relaxer use has declined significantly in recent years, women who used them at all during their lifetime are still at risk of possible long-term impacts. There are currently no routine screening tests for uterine cancer. People are often diagnosed once they start having symptoms like abnormal vaginal bleeding typically after menopause, pelvic pain and weight loss. "We don't yet have a test that is accurate enough to provide the maximum benefit and minimum harm," Elkin stated. The study model found that if there was an accurate screening test for women at age 55, rates of uterine cancer cases would significantly decrease. "We can use models like this one to evaluate emerging technologies for screening," she said. Although the study's uterine cancer projections are concerning, Elkin said she remains optimistic. She pointed to emerging treatment like immunotherapy and bio marker-based therapies as promising options. Elkin also emphasized targeting risk factors as a way to lower the number of new cases. "Population level changes in overweight and obesity, perhaps through improved access to the current generation of weight loss medications, could lead to reductions in uterine cancer cases in the future," she said.
Medscape
2 days ago
- Medscape
Novel Drug Lowers Stubbornly High BP in Phase 3 Trial
TOPLINE: Lorundrostat, a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor, lowered blood pressure among adults with uncontrolled hypertension in a phase 3 trial, including in treatment-resistant cases. Adverse events tended to be mild and resolved without intervention, the investigators reported. METHODOLOGY: Launch-HTN enrolled 1083 participants across 159 clinic sites in 13 countries between November 2023 and September 2024, with follow-up until January 2025. The study population included adults with uncontrolled hypertension taking 2-5 antihypertensive medications (46.9% women, 28.7% Black or African American individuals, and 63.3% having a BMI ≥ 30). Participants were randomized in a 1:2:1 ratio to receive either 50 mg/d of lorundrostat with possible escalation to 100 mg/d (n = 270), 50 mg/d of lorundrostat (n = 541), or placebo (n = 272) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in automated office systolic blood pressure at week 6. TAKEAWAY: Participants who received lorundrostat showed a least-squares mean change in systolic blood pressure of −16.9 mm Hg (95% CI, −19 to −14.9) compared with −7.9 mm Hg (95% CI, −11.5 to −4.2) for those who received placebo (P < .001) At week 6, 44.1% of participants who received lorundrostat achieved systolic blood pressure below 130 mm Hg compared to 24.1% of those who received placebo (odds ratio, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.5-7.8; P = .003). Treatment efficacy was consistent across age, sex, race, BMI, and number of prescribed antihypertensive medications, the researchers reported. Treatment-emergent adverse were predominantly mild or moderate in severity. Prespecified adverse events of hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, or reduction in kidney function led to nine discontinuations among those who received lorundrostat compared with none among those who received placebo. About 2% of participants who received lorundrostat experienced hypotension with symptoms (vs 0.4% of those who received placebo). IN PRACTICE: 'These data support the use of lorundrostat as a treatment option for participants with uncontrolled hypertension, including treatment-resistant hypertension,' the researchers reported. SOURCE: Manish Saxena, MBBS, from Barts Health NHS Trust and Queen Mary University, in London, England, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on June 30 in JAMA. Mineralys Therapeutics, the company developing the drug, previously announced top-line results from Launch-HTN in March. LIMITATIONS: This study evaluated lorundrostat's efficacy and safety for only 12 weeks. Longer-term data are being collected in an open-label extension. The researchers used unattended office blood pressure measurements, though ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is considered the gold standard. A phase 2 study measured 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, however, and 'demonstrated similar patterns of [blood pressure] lowering,' they wrote. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Mineralys Therapeutics. Saxena and some coauthors reported receiving personal fees from Mineralys and other pharmaceutical companies. Some of the authors were employees of Mineralys. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
