Plasencia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Sophomore Ashley Plasencia has been accepted into the Texas A&M College of Medicine DRUMR program.

The Developing and Readying Underrepresented Minority Researchers Summer Research Program has received a National Institute of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) grant to provide exposure, training and mentoring for under-represented minority students, one from each Texas A&M University System school.

“I will be an undergraduate researcher,” Ashley said. “We are each responsible for developing our own research project and presenting our findings at the end of our DRUMR program with faculty and our peers.”

Her areas of research interest are cardiology, immunology, genetics and animal metabolism.

The Texas A&M College of Medicine 10-week summer undergraduate research program in Bryan-College Station will incorporate TAMUS students and produce a network of diverse researchers to address NIDDK-related areas important in biomedical research.

Ashley, from Pflugerville, plans to graduate in the Class of 2023 with a degree in biology. Her research opportunity begins May 24 and runs through July 30.

“I am very excited to join this program,” she said. “I’ve been wanting to explore the opportunities in research and where this path could take me later in life.”

A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.