WS Chronicle

There won’t be much vacation this summer for Winston-Salem State University senior outside hitter Avoni Seymour.

Instead of spending the summer on the beaches of her native Nassau, Bahamas, she will complete an internship in biomedical research at WSSU.

“It’s a really big deal because it’s my last summer as an undergrad and my goal is to go to medical school,” Seymour said. “So this is the perfect opportunity for me to sharpen my skills and prepare for the next level.”

A rising senior on the Lady Rams volleyball team, Seymour earned second team All-CIAA last season after totaling 242 kills and finishing second on the team with 302 digs.
The Provost Scholar of Biomedical Research internship will allow her to participate in “The Rule of Matrix Metalloproteinase in Mediating Vascular Remodeling in the Setting of Breast Cancer Invasion and Metastasis” research with the goal of studying ways to stop the growth and migration of tumor cells specifically related to cancer in the breast. The research will be conducted with Dr. Mesia Moore-Steed in collaboration with Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes.

“The data that I get from this research can be utilized in various conferences, publications and research,” Seymour added.

There aren’t many people who would turn down time in the Bahamas to complete medical research; however, Seymour’s dedication and support system allowed her to answer the call.
“This is a sacrifice that I had to make,” Seymour said. “Of course, I wanted to go home and see my family, but I had to dedicate my time to the lab because it is what I need to help me. My parents are behind me 100 percent so I made it my duty to come back, and it will definitely benefit me in the long run.”