UB Medical Students Win Two of 11 Scholarships Awarded by Prestigious Sarnoff Foundation

Editor's Note: This replaces a news release sent earlier today that misidentified a scholarship winner as male.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Two University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences students have won scholarships from the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation to conduct intensive work in a biomedical research laboratory in the United States.

Joshua Balderman of Kenmore and Mojdeh Kappus of Burt, both second-year medical students, were among 11 finalists selected from 50 applicants. This is the first year UB medical students have entered the competition.

Winners are selected based on intellectual and academic achievement and leadership ability. They also submitted an essay detailing how they would solve a specific problem.

Fellows select a laboratory where they will spend their next year, based on their specific research interest in cardiovascular medicine. Balderman hopes to work in a laboratory where he can do research on small vessel engineering. Kappus plans to continue her research into atherosclerosis.

Winners receive a $27,500 stipend, plus up to $7,000 for travel to select a preceptor and fellowship laboratory, moving expenses, health insurance and computer equipment.

They also receive financial support to attend the Sarnoff Annual Scientific meetings, American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, American Society for Clinical Investigation Annual Meeting and NIH Clinical Investigator Student Trainee Forum.

The students will present the results of their research at two national conferences at the end of their research year.