AGA Research Foundation announces recipients of 2013 Student Research Fellowship Award

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Research Foundation has announced the 2013 Student Research Fellowship Award recipients. The awards are intended to stimulate interest in research careers in digestive diseases among high school, undergraduate, graduate and medical school students. The high school recipients are funded by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

"The AGA Institute remains committed to providing young researchers with unprecedented research opportunities," said Nicholas F. LaRusso, MD, AGAF, chair of the AGA Research Foundation. "We are extremely impressed by the caliber of nominations we received for the 2013 Student Research Fellowship Awards, and we look forward to watching these gifted students as they work to advance the understanding of digestive diseases through their novel research objectives."

A total of eight awards of $2,500 each were given to support high school students interested in performing digestive disease or nutrition research for a minimum of 10 weeks. Virtually all have indicated an intention to continue their studies in medically related fields. This year's Broad Scholars are:

• Alexander R. Cohen, Newton South High School, MA
• Ayesha Godil, Granite Bay High School, CA
• Chimdi V. Obinero, Commack High School, NY
• Jordan M. Poles, Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY
• Naryan L. Rustgi, Haverford School for Boys, PA
• Prateeti P. Sarker, Dulaney High School, Timonium, MD
• Henry N. Senkfor, Hawken School, Gates Mills, OH
• Jordan L. Widom, Ransom Everglades, Miami, FL

The AGA Research Foundation also awarded 22 AGA Student Research Fellowship Awards to undergrad, graduate and medical students looking to further their research careers. These promising students will receive up to $3,000 each to perform research in digestive diseases over a 10-week period.