\u201cThis program has prepared me extremely well for my future career,\u201d she says. \u201cI am walking away with numerous hours of real laboratory experience and countless connections with laboratory staff and management. I’m more than confident that this experience will help ease my transition from college into the working world.\u201d Kadra plans to work in a clinical hospital lab and potentially continue her education as a hematologist. <\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2130\/Olivia-Brown-copy.jpg\")
Olivia Brown<\/strong>, a senior from Richmond, RI, won second place for her poster highlighting the point-of-care diagnostic techniques for the diagnosis of sickle cell disease (SCD) in low-income countries. Traditional diagnostic methods for SCD, a hereditary hematological disorder, are impractical in low-income countries where people are disproportionately affected because they require specialized training and equipment. Brown\u2019s work explored alternate methods for early detection with the goal of facilitating early diagnosis and improving patient outcomes and management.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing an MLS major has been incredibly rewarding,\u201d Brown says. \u201cI just completed my 11-month clinical internship, which gave me invaluable hands-on experience and really helped prepare me for the field. Along the way, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many amazing technologists who have inspired and mentored me.\u201d After graduation later this month, Brown will work at South County Hospital as a medical laboratory scientist. <\/p>\n\n\n Marsha Przybylko<\/strong>, a senior from North Smithfield, RI, won third place for her poster about bacteriophage therapy (the use of small viruses called bacteriophage) to treat antibiotic-resistant infections. \u201cOver time, antibiotic-resistant infections have grown more prevalent and severe,\u201d she says. <\/strong>\u201cHowever, discovery of new antibiotics is costly and time-consuming, which led me to research bacteriophage therapy as a possible solution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Przybylko\u2019s work focused on how the potential implementation of bacteriophage therapy would affect the clinical laboratory, how bacteriophage therapy works, and what lab tests should be run for patients undergoing phage therapy. \u201cA key element of my poster was a summary of relevant case reports about the use of bacteriophage therapy around the world, which highlighted both the challenges and benefits associated with phage therapy,\u201d she says. Przybylko will soon begin a full-time position as a medical laboratory scientist working in clinical chemistry, hematology, and the blood bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/cels\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2130\/Marsha-copy.jpg\")