Working alongside some of the top minds in science, a record group of 26 students recently completed summer internships at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
Sixteen students comprised OMRF’s 67th class of Fleming Scholars, while six others formed the third class of the OMRF-Langston University Biomedical Research Scholars Program. Additionally, four U.S. military academy students made up the 14th class of the John H. Saxon Service Academy Summer Research Program.
Since 1956, the Fleming program has given Oklahoma high school and college students hands-on biomedical research experience. It is named for Sir Alexander Fleming, the British scientist who discovered penicillin and in 1949 came to Oklahoma City to dedicate OMRF’s first building. Alumni of the Fleming program include OMRF Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., and Distinguished Career Scientist Rod McEver, M.D.
Fleming Scholar Austin Lopez of Tulsa, a biochemistry major at Oklahoma Baptist University, called her summer in the lab of physician-scientist Matlock Jeffries, M.D., “enriching.” Lopez worked on a study aimed at finding new treatments for osteoarthritis. She plans to become a physician-scientist.
“My experience confirmed my love for medicine,” said Lopez, who will return to OMRF this fall to work in the Jeffries lab. “It’s really motivating to get hands-on experience in the scientific research community and be a part of real-life developments in medicine.”
The Langston Scholars program aims to diversify biomedical research in Oklahoma. Launched in 2021, it is a partnership between OMRF and Langston University, Oklahoma’s only historically Black college or university.
“My impression of scientists is that they are very patient. You often run into problems and have to repeat projects several times,” said Langston Scholar Amia Quinn. Quinn spent her second summer in the lab of OMRF scientist Bob Axtell, Ph.D., who studies multiple sclerosis.
“These students represent some of the best young minds from the state,” said OMRF President Andrew Weyrich, Ph.D. “Our hope is that their OMRF experience inspires them to remain in Oklahoma and become difference-makers in biomedical research.”
