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>>Theresa Bierer: Here's Dr. Jani Ingrim, professor of chemistry and biochemistry in
the spotlight >>Jani Ingrim: The importance of cancer research
at NAU I think is maybe threefold, there are definitely researchers here at NAU that have
a lot to contribute. There is also our growing collaboration with the Arizona Cancer Center
where they definitely are a big part of things that we do up here but we're also becoming
a big part of what they're doing, working with us as scientists but also even some of
our unique capabilities here at NAU. And then finally it's just a wonderful place to work
with students and give them the opportunity to really see what working in the world of
cancer is all about. Outside of the classroom I think a lot of times students don't get
that opportunity to get a taste of how one would go about having a career in something
like cancer research or even in the medical world, before they get to graduate school.
So I think those of the types of things NAU has to offer in that area.
Well my specific research is really in environmental health, I am analytical chemist, I worked
for twelve years in the department of energy lab doing environmental chemistry. When I
came to NAU this wonderful opportunity to get involved in the Native American cancer,
at that point research, program was opened up to me where I could take my skills as an
analytical chemist and my work in the environmental world and sort of marry that with a collaborator
down in the Arizona Cancer Center and really look at exposure on the Navajo Nation. There
is definitely some issues with that but there is a lot of questions that need to be answered,
so our side of it is really going out and characterizing the exposure and then being
able to work with our collaborator, Dr. Margaret Briehl down at the cancer center and then
see how potentially can this cause cancer. Many many Native American students decide
to come to Flagstaff, whether they be Navajo or Hopi, but also because of the infrastructure
that has been built over time, we get other students from other tribes also who see this
as a great opportunity. Beyond students I think there is a great tie to the communities
in terms of the work that has been done through the Native American Institute, that's even
growing into being a new building. So I think there is kind of a grab back to the community
and an important utilization of their knowledge and how we can really grow as a university
in terms of really diversifying our outlook in a sense. Then we have these resident elders
from different tribes that play a role in some of the curriculum and also in some of
the advisement for our administration I think NAU offers some of the best opportunities
for students to do research. Again particularly for the undergraduates, we really work closely
and rely on our undergrads to play a large role in our research. To be honest I believe
those undergrads then step up to the plate and do some really nice work. We're not afraid
to take in a freshman into our lab and sort of, you know, work with them and by the time
they're seniors they're just doing some incredible work. For native students I think it's been
really nice for me, I've worked with a number of different native students and I am a member
of the Navajo tribe but my language skills aren't great, so it's been really wonderful
to sort of say you need to help me here. I think that makes students even more plugged
into the research and it becomes their project as opposed to something they're just working
on. In hopes for the future in cancer research,
particularly for NAU are centered on really growing our capabilities, both labor-wise,
some more faculty members, and then facilities I mean its really difficult, I'm an analytical
chemist, instruments are really important, so that we could do the measurements here
ourselves and answer those questions ourselves. Then I really hope that we can increase the
number of native students that are working in our labs sometimes I think it's a little
intimidating so how do we maybe work closer with the Native American Services group to
really improve those opportunities with those students and other students on campus.