Physiology PhD student Andrea Edel (Pierce, Aliani labs) claimed first prize in the 2nd annual 3MT thesis competition, which challenges graduate students to consolidate years of research into one short, interesting, straightforward presentation. Edel won $5,000 to help further her research.
St. Boniface Hospital researchers figured prominently in the competition, comprising one third of the 9 finalists.
Andrea Edel presented “Flaxseed: A Modern Prescription for High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol”
Stephanie Caligiuri presented “A New Therapeutic Strategy to Combat the Number One Global Silent Killer”
Emma Hauch presented “Extracellular Matrix Reloaded”
“All of these women represented St.Boniface Hospital Research well and did an outstanding job under a very high pressure situation” said Dr. Grant Pierce, Executive Director of Research, who attended the competition.
Judges for the final competition were: Fiona Odlum, Assignment Editor, Breakfast Television, CITY-TV Winnipeg; The Honourable Theresa Oswald, Minister of Jobs and the Economy, Province of Manitoba; and Patricia Bovey, Chair, University of Manitoba Board of Governors.
There are three regional competitions taking place in Canada later this year, in addition to a Francophone competition in Quebec. Edel will move on to the Western regional competition in Calgary on May 2, 2014. There will be a national 3MT® virtual competition during which the regional winners will be judged against one another in May 2014.

Pictured left to right: Stephanie Caligiuri, Andrea Edel, Emma Hauch