WVU Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Ph.D. student attends national thesis conference

A West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine doctoral student recently represented the University by attending the national Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Meeting and Roundtable discussion in San Francisco in December 2022.

Janelle Chuah is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program at the WVU School of Medicine. Chuah placed first in WVU’s 3MT Competition in April 2021. She then represented WVU at the regional level in February 2022, where she placed second, allowing her to attend nationals in December.

Through the 3MT Competition, graduate students are challenged to present their chosen research topic in three minutes using a single, static slide. The competition develops academic, presentation and research communication skills, and also supports the development of graduate students' capacity to effectively communicate their research to a general audience.

The National 3MT Showcase and Roundtable was held at the Council of Graduate Schools 62nd Annual Meeting in San Francisco in December 2022. The competition featured the research of 11 graduate scholars from universities and colleges across the United States. Chuah said she spent many hours perfecting her Three-Minute Thesis presentation, which was titled “Switch on the ‘Garbage Disposal’ to treat Alzheimer’s Disease.” 

“Proteins in our bodies do not last forever, similar to the way meat can go bad in the fridge,” Chuah explained. “The ‘garbage disposal’ is how I refer to the proteasome protein complex in my 3MT presentation. The proteasome removes proteins we no longer need, comparable to a garbage disposal removing waste.” 

She explained that researchers have observed a build-up of protein waste in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, and that scientists believe this waste could become toxic over time and interrupt brain cell communication. Chuah’s research focuses on protein waste removal regulation and potential dysfunctionalities as related to disease. 

“I am passionate about the research I do because it contributes to the search for therapeutic strategies that can target symptoms and help treat Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Chuah. 

Chuah added that in addition to conducting such vital research, she also wants to make sure she can communicate her findings to a wide array of audiences effectively.

“It’s great being part of a community like WVU that is supportive of communicating research with so many different audiences,” said Chuah. “My primary research goal is to have strong scientific communication skills. I don’t just want to be a researcher who knows science, I also want to be able to share the science with a wide range of audiences.” 

She added that the National 3MT Showcase and Roundtable provided an opportunity for her to not only share her research, but also to learn from other graduate students from around the country. 

“There is always something to be said about listening to other people's talks and learning how to communicate your own research better,” said Chuah. “The other students were just fantastic. It was incredible to see them take something as extensive as literature and communicate that research in layman’s terms.” 

Chuah is expected to receive her Ph.D. from the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program in the summer of 2023. She said she hopes to pursue a career in scientific communications so she can help bridge the gap between scientists and the general public.  

To learn more about the WVU School of Medicine's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine visit https://medicine.wvu.edu/biochemistry-and-molecular-medicine/.