Geoffroy Laumet's mentorship recognized with top honors
Back row (from left): Lizzy O'Guin, Hari Ramakrishnan, Hina Khan, Keas, Laumet, Dashiell Jones and Aaryn Edwards.
Front row (from left): Hannan Hua, Busola Ajagbe, Alex Chapman and Sabrina de Souza. Not pictured are Jaewon Sim and Gwendolyn Urbain.
Credit: T. Lee
For the students working in Geoffroy Laumet’s laboratory, his mentorship has been nothing short of transformative.
Whether it’s meticulously guiding them through complex experimental designs and techniques or preparing for medical school applications, the assistant professor in the Department of Physiology has always been, and continues to be, a constant source of guidance and inspiration for his students.
“Mentorship is crucial to me because it allows me to pass on the knowledge and passion for research that were instrumental in my own career,” said Laumet, who came to MSU in 2019. “It's about guiding students not just in academic achievements but in fostering a professional ethos and a sense of personal responsibility that will serve them throughout their lives.”
Laumet’s commitment to mentorship was recently recognized last month with the 2024 Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor of the Year Award during MSU’s 2024 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). For Laumet, the student-driven award that only undergraduate student researchers can submit nominations for, is exceptionally gratifying.
“It's a testament to the impact of my efforts on my students’ academic and personal growth,” Laumet said.“Their initiative to nominate me is perhaps the most significant acknowledgment of my work that I could ask for.”
Credit: T. Lee
Currently, Laumet’s lab has four undergraduate student researcher with the recent graduation of physiology senior Hari Ramakrishnan, who led the nomination process. Ramakrishnan says he was drawn to work in Laumet’s lab because of its reputation for groundbreaking research in neuroscience, particularly concerning pain mechanisms, which aligned perfectly with his academic interests and career aspirations. The decision led to Ramakrishnan winning the top grand prize during the 2022 UURAF event for his research on reducing the side effects of the chemotherapeutic drug, cisplatin, which is used to treat a variety of cancers. He was the first physiology major to win the top honors.
“Dr. Laumet has been instrumental to my academic success, particularly through his guidance in developing my scientific research skills and critical thinking abilities,” said Ramakrishnan, who has plans to go to medical school. “Winning the grand prize at UURAF in 2022 with his guidance is a milestone that has greatly enhanced my academic profile and confidence in my research capabilities.”
For MSU alumni Lizzy O’guin, who graduated in December of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in physiology, her transition from undergraduate researcher to research assistant in Laumet’s lab was a natural progressionGeo. She credits Laumet’s mentorship as the most influential part of her college experience.
“I do not come from a family of scientists and neither of my parents are college educated,” said O’guin who is currently applying to medical school. “When I told everyone I wanted to be a doctor after my father died, we all knew I would need a much different additional support system. That is what Dr. Laumet has given me.”
To find out more about Geoffroy Laumet's laboratory, visit its website at www.laumetpainlab.com
