UC Davis student receives Alpha Omega Alpha student research award

A first-year UC Davis medical student has been named recipient of the Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn Kuckein Student Research Award.

Jennifer Ornelas

Jennifer Ornelas, a native of Fairfield, Calif., will receive $5,000 to pursue her proposed research project. The award, which encourages and supports student research, was named in honor of Carolyn L. Kuckein, Alpha Omega Alpha's longtime administrator and an honorary member of the society, who died in 2004.

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the United States, affecting 40 million to 50 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Ornelas will study the use of botanical extracts in affecting the behavior of sebocytes, which are commonly involved in the development of acne. She will be working under the direction of Rivkah Isseroff, UC Davis professor of dermatology and Raja Sivamani, second year dermatology resident at UC Davis.