The GDB office wants to highlight and congratulate Anita Akef on her publication in Prized Writing. Prized Writing is a curated journal of student works from across all disciplines. Prized Writing receives over 400 submissions annually, with only 20 or so being chosen for publication. We are so proud of Anita and her accomplishments. Learn more about Anita and her work below, and make sure to check out her publication linked below.

The Global Disease Biology major has provided me with an introduction to the realm of research, thus sparked my enthusiasm for exploring this field of study. As I immersed myself further as a laboratory assistant and gained extensive exposure to research, my interest surpassed the prerequisites established for the GDB practicum. As a pre-med student, my motivation comes from a profound dedication to medicine and the enhancement of human health. Engaging in impactful research activities has proven to be an enriching experience as an undergrad. The Global Disease Biology major has served as a valuable instrument, allowing me to gain a more comprehensive and profound understanding of my areas of interest. I performed the research at Dr. Pinkerton’s laboratory at the Center for Health and the Environment. My interest was to assist with better understanding the health implications of engineered nanomaterials composed of silver that could be potentially inhaled into the lungs due to their ease of becoming aerosolized and their small size. I used autometallography which is a special method to visualize these silver nanoparticles in individual cells and in lung tissues. I enjoyed doing research and presenting research posters at the international conference of the American Thoracic Society 2023 and others at the UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference and Lung Day UC Davis 2023.

Read Anita's paper in Prized Writing: Prized Writing 2022-2023.