Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center

10/24/2021

Join us this week for International Brain Tumor Awareness week! We have merch sales going on in Jamrich on Monday and Tuesday, followed by two amazing guest speakers on Wednesday and Friday. Finally, join us for an open lab on Thursday night catered by Border Grill! See the flyer below for details on how to join us this week!

*Edit*

Here are the "clickable" links

Dr. Rovin's Talk: https://nmu.zoom.us/j/93636010445?pwd=TWk0eVNyd3Yra2dLbXNyVVZPa1VmQT09

Dr. Balyasnikova's Talk: https://nmu.zoom.us/j/99114353651?pwd=WTNhdGRTdlFpZnRlRjA4emJ4andidz09

Any inquiries can be emailed to draymond@nmu.edu

07/27/2021

Another great story of the success of a Biology student!
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Northern Michigan University alumna Madiline McNamara has been conditionally accepted to Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine through its highly competitive early assurance program. She graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in biology with a physiology concentration and said she hopes to practice medicine in her hometown of Iron River or elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula.

According to Erich Ottem, NMU biology professor and pre-med adviser, MSU's early assurance program targets first-generation college students who have a strong desire to practice a high-need specialty in areas where there are health care shortages.

“It's open to any university, however the real focus is on mid-sized regionals like Northern,” said Erich Ottem, NMU biology professor and pre-med adviser. “It's highly sought after and very prestigious, requiring a high GPA and good MCAT score to qualify. A lot of students from rural areas all over Michigan apply for very few available slots. Madi's really bright, tenacious and an excellent people person. She's also fiercely loyal to her hometown of Iron River.”

McNamara said a Type I diabetes diagnosis at the age of 10 sparked her interest in medicine.

“It first entered my mind to go that route when I was young and going in and out of hospitals. I wanted to know what was wrong with me and learn more about my own body. That snowballed into a dream of becoming a doctor. My goal is to help Type I diabetics. Having a doctor who can truly relate to that disease would be an awesome connection. I would understand what they're going through and make them feel safe.

“I'm super humbled and grateful to be accepted by a medical school whose mission matches what I believe in: getting medical care to rural areas where it's currently sparse. Going to a smaller university was a big factor for me. I had more one-on-one time with professors who were so helpful. I couldn't have done it without Dr. Ottem this past year. He encouraged me to go for it when I was on the fence, answered my questions, wrote a letter of recommendation and helped me prep for my interview. I called him right away when I got the email that I was accepted and he was excited.”

McNamara also credits Suzanne Williams, previous pre-med adviser and recent retiree, along with Amber LaCrosse, her research mentor at the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center on campus.

After the seven-month “involved process” required to gain admission, McNamara is taking a gap year before she enrolls in medical school in fall 2022. Perhaps it is no surprise that she will spend the time serving her hometown—in this case, as an educational specialist in upper-level science classes at West Iron County High School.

Prepared By
Kristi Evans
NMU News Director

04/14/2021

This week's Student Research Spotlight!

Originally from Grand Rapids, I am a senior at NMU and will soon receive my Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. My future plans are to attend the University of Michigan in pursuit of my Ph.D. in Chemical Biology. At the UMBTC, my research project focused on the effects of estradiol on brain cancer cells but in general, my research interests range from cancer biology to RNA expression. My previous research experience is with Dr. Williams, where we worked with acid phosphatase from mung beans! Some of my hobbies include hiking, plants, and adventuring with my dogs!

04/05/2021

This week's Student Research Spotlight!

Hello! I am a graduate student from the Republic of Panama, currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Psychological Science at NMU. I have been collecting data for my thesis in the UMBTC lab for almost a year. My project focuses on Fluoxetine as a novel treatment to attenuate cisplatin-induced cognitive impairments. This project has allowed me to better understand the brain at a molecular level. After finishing my master's, I would like to turn my persistent questions into a Ph.D. and a career that enables me to consistently think about neuroscience topics.

Besides working in the lab, I am also a Graduate Teaching Assistant and communicate neuroscience to Spanish-speaking communities. In my free time, I like to play with my dogs, go on hikes, and read dystopian novels.

03/25/2021

Student Research Spotlight!

This is Allison Riehl, one of our senior lab members. Here's a little bit about Allison!

"I am from Macomb, MI around Detroit. My major is Cell and Molecular Neuroscience and I will be graduating in May. I am in the process of applying to medical school at Michigan State University and have plans to become a Psychiatrist. Within my 3 years in the UMBTC, my main project has been determining the effects of Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, on glioblastoma cell lines. This project has perfectly mixed my interests within the field of mental health psychology and biology. When I’m not in the research lab, I spend most of my time at work as a direct care worker for individuals with mental disabilities. Supporting my residents and facilitating improvement in them is extremely rewarding. I hope to translate these important skills I’ve learned within my job and the UMBTC into my future career as a doctor!"

08/30/2020

Ryan was such a special part of our lab and we are so proud to be able to honor him everyday through our continued work and research ❤️

Curtis Aho is scheduling 10-minute photo sessions in Marquette to raise money for UP Brain Tumor Center.

08/05/2020

The IncredibleBank Hope Starts Here Challenge raises funds and awareness for the Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center (UMBTC). The UMBTC is a collaborative effort between UP Health System, Northern Michigan University and the Superior Health Foundation. Its mission is to empower patients and families dealing with brain tumor advocacy, research, education, and treatment.
FAQ's for the 2020 Hope Starts Here Challenge:
1. How does a virtual event work?
You will sign up for the event you chose on our registration website, then anytime between August 22 and August 30 you will complete your event on your own, anywhere you’d like. We encourage you to share a picture and a post afterward on our Facebook event page!
2. Will there be awards this year?
There will be no medals or trophies given out this year, however, our competitive athletes can log into their RunSignUp account to submit their self-timed results to see where they placed. (We’ll likely give a shoutout to our top finishers on our Facebook event page).
3. Since it’s a virtual event, when and how will I get my Hope Starts Here t-shirt?
T-shirts will be shipped directly to you this year! Shirts will be shipped in two separate batches. To receive your t-shirt before the start of our week-long event, you must register no later than August 2. (We recommend this so that you can wear your shirt while you do your event). If you register after August 2nd, you’ll receive your t-shirt roughly 2-3 weeks after the event concludes. Important: Please be sure that we have your current mailing address on file when you register through RunSignUp.
4. Do I have to be in the Marquette-area to participate?
Nope! The beauty of the virtual event is that you can participate literally ANYWHERE, so please share the word with your out-of-town friends and family and encourage them to sign up, too!
5. How do I sign up?
Since we won’t be gathering in person this year, the only way to register is through this link: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Marquette/HopeStartsHereChallenge
6. I have more questions. Who do I contact?
Hop on over to our RunSignUp page and click “Contact Race” to send our Planning Team a message!

Sign up: https://runsignup.com/Race/MI/Marquette/HopeStartsHereChallenge

The 2021 IncredibleBank Hope Starts Here Challenge is on Saturday May 8, 2021 to Sunday May 16, 2021. It includes the following events: Virtual Half Marathon, Virtual 31K Challenge, Virtual Duathlon, Virtual Duathlon Team, Virtual 10 Mile Mountain Bike, Molly's Mile - Virtual 12 and Under Kids Run,....

06/24/2020

Click the link to sign up!
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frunsignup.com%2FRace%2FMI%2FMarquette%2FHopeStartsHereChallenge%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0os1wrctLi9jCg2xwPnBTRECFqhomragBlGwvNjs5TMVMqMPc8W5URZoM&h=AT1XFubzextm5cAjNrHyGIdiHNCJ4efv4FC8eSSUmDBTcGGXeJwXwhk_-Pdl89WEAt4ilus2rTl5gUFSqx0hlzQ9sCJ_Sc65BE1z5vpOElYXMmNV90hWn7al00TWahftXPUdjQ

The 2020 IncredibleBank VIRTUAL Hope Starts Here Challenge is on Saturday August 22, 2020 to Sunday August 30, 2020. It includes the following events: Virtual Half Marathon, Virtual Duathlon, Virtual Duathlon Team, Molly's Mile - Virtual 12 and Under Kids Run, Virtual Leisure Walk, Virtual 10K Run,....

06/02/2020

Hello all! The 16th Annual Walk in the Park for Brain Tumor Research is still happening! They are doing a virtual version so participants can maintain social distancing and participate from wherever they are!
Here are the details from the Walk in the Park coordinators:

We are doing a virtual event this year, meaning that people can sign up and walk anywhere (practicing safe social distancing, of course). The date of the virtual walk is June 27th, or people can walk on any other day they choose. The idea on June 27th is for people to post pics and videos to our page throughout the day to make it a truly virtual event.

People can register by ordering a t-shirt online, which will be shipped to them directly. The deadline for ordering t-shirts is June 8th. More details can be found at http://eskywalkinthepark.com/.

Please check it out!

11/21/2019

Hi everyone! Don’t forget! We are here for our open house tonight, from now until 7:00 pm. Please stop by for some science and sweets 🙂 We are on the third floor of the west science building in room 3611.

11/19/2019

Hey everyone! This Thursday, November 21st, our lab is having an open house! So come join us for some lab tours, refreshments, and a merchandise sale. We would love to see you there!

10/09/2019

Hi everyone! Please join us at Aubree’s Marquette on October 30th from 4:00 pm- 9:00 pm. We are hosting a “Dine to Donate” in honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Week. If you come and have dinner, 20% of your total bill will be donated to our cause. We hope to see you there! If there’s any questions, feel free to PM our page.

05/14/2019

Hey everyone!

We just want to thank you for making our 2019 Hope Starts Here Challenge a huge success.

We had 600 participants this year, and raised $30,000.

These are this year’s winners!

Individual duathalon:
1st place: Kirk Harger from Wetmore, MI
2nd place: Christian Palomaki from Marquette, MI
3rd place: Kelsae Fitzpatrick from Hubbell, MI

Team duathalon:
1st place: Rink/Rife team
2nd place: Closner Construction team
3rd place: L-Squared team

Half Marathon:
1st place: Sydney Bruestle from Marquette, MI
2nd place: Kelly Menge from Negaunee, MI
3rd place: Mike Bolf from Marquette, MI

10k:
1st place: Mickey Sanders from Marquette, MI
2nd place: Russell Magnaghi from Marquette, MI
3rd place: Hugo Wiman from Marquette, MI

5k:
1st place: Alex Christiansen from Milwaukee, WI
2nd place: Chad Blumenschein from Rhinelander, WI
3rd place: Cully Papin from Marquette, MI

Youth 1 Mile Run:
1st place: Jack Grant from Marquette, MI
2nd place: Kyle Sager from Marquette, MI
3rd place: Abe Kentala from Marquette, MI

More detailed results can be found here:
https://my6.raceresult.com/125467/

Again, thank you to everyone who came out last Saturday! We appreciate your help and support immensely.

Hope Starts Here Challenge 2019, 05/11/2019, Marquette

05/11/2019

Good morning from our UMBTC student researchers! We will be spending our day at our Hope Starts Here Challenge. Events start at 8:00 am, and lunch is at 11:00. Come see us! We have tons of merchandise available as well 🏃🏻‍♂️ it should be a super fun day!

05/10/2019

UMBTC Student Researchers Rudy Mosca and Nicholas Shortreed want you to come check out our awesome merchandise and silent auction at the Hope Starts Here Challenge! The event starts tomorrow at 8 am!

05/09/2019

Race conditions are looking a lot better than this... Forecast is calling for plenty of sunshine and a 65 degree day! A perfect day to come out for our Hope Starts Here Challenge ☀️🧡

05/07/2019

Hi everyone! There have been mistakes regarding the tentative times of events on race day for the Hope Starts Here Challenge. Please take a look at these updated times below while making your plans for race day! Thank you!

7:00 am- 10:00 am: Registration (half marathon registration will close at 7:45 am

8:00 am- Start of half marathon

8:30 am- Start of duathalon

9:15 am- Start of 1 mile kids' run

9:45 am- Start of leisure walk

10:00 am- Start of 10k run

10:15 am- Start of 5k run

11:00 am- Start of awards/lunch

Again, thank you to everyone who plans on coming out for this awesome event and for supporting The Upper Michigan Brain Tumor Center.

04/26/2019

We want to say a HUGE thank you to all of our 2019 HSH sponsors!! 🧡