At MUSC Research Day 2014, Academic Magnet senior Vaibhav Mohanty presented his senior thesis on the effects of ibuprofen on chicken embryo development and received second place out of 14 studies, most by college students, in the undergraduate poster presentation category. Each contestant presented his or her research to three judges with ten minutes to speak and five minutes to answer questions.

Research Day, which occurred from Thursday, November 13, to Friday, November 14, featured graduate and undergraduate projects from MUSC, the College of Charleston, Clemson, and other colleges around the United States, as well as three studies by Academic Magnet High School students. The research covered a wide range of fields, including social, behavioral, basic, and clinical sciences. There were 236 studies represented in the poster presentation category and 236 in the oral presentation category. All of the posters were situated in the MUSC Wellness Center gym, and participants enjoyed taking in the sheer variety and innovation of each others’ research. “It’s like a little fair,” Vaibhav recalled with a smile.

With his mentor, Dr. Edward Krug, Vaibhav found preliminary evidence of a dose-dependent relationship between acute exposure to ibuprofen and decreased viability and underdevelopment in growing embryos. Ibuprofen is found in Advil and Motrin, two common over-the-counter, fever-reducing pain relievers. However, the drug’s possible side effects in humans include gastrointestinal bleeding. The dosage used in the study corresponded to that of an adult human taking ibuprofen, and the effects were quite pronounced. Based on the results of this animal model, there is a possibility that the drug can harm human embryos. Even when popping an OTC painkiller, people should be aware of the tradeoff between the potential benefits and side effects involved with taking any medication.

As his first time presenting in a real science fair setting, Research Day was a new experience, and Vaibhav loved it. “I really enjoyed the thesis process,” he reflected. Congratulations to Vaibhav for a great AMHS career!