Denzel Washington's hometown hosts awarding of scholarships bearing Washington f...(ve disorders such as Parkinsons disease....),Health

This years scholarship recipients are Lindsey B. Ross, a resident of Los Angeles, in the graduate student category, and Debi M. Thomas, of La Palma and Davis, Calif., undergraduate. Ross is in her first year of medical school at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Thomas is in her junior year at the University of California, Davis, studying neurobiology, physiology and behavior.

Ross, who has participated in several research projects, said she fell in love with every aspect of research when she was a student at Stanford University, studying a protein involved in muscle regeneration cell signaling. The recipient of several honors, scholarships and awards, Ross already has established a reputation for involvement in volunteer work and community service.

She also has overcome significant challenges to pursue her dreams of becoming a physician and research scientist and serving communities that are plagued by health care disparities. Not surprisingly, she received glowing recommendations for the Washington Family Scholars program from highly respected faculty who have worked with her in the past.

Thomas has been involved in two research studies at UC Davis. In one, she assisted in formulating tests and speech recognition exercises for people suffering from the language disorder called aphasia. More recently, she has studied the possible neurotoxic effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), particularly PBDE-47. PBDEs are man-made chemicals used as flame retardants in a variety of consumer products.

Excited about conducting research in the neurosciences, but unsure which exact path she wants to take, Thomas believes the Washington Scholars experience will help focus her ambition.

Her letters of recommendation include references to a long-time interest in the sciences, her accomplishments as a pianist and artist, her academi
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