VERMILLION, S.D.— Junior
Lara Boman, a native of Edina, Minn., could have spent her summer at home exploring and enjoying the Twin Cities. Instead, the striker chose to continue learning both on and off the pitch in South Dakota.
Boman received one of 10 grants through South Dakota's EPSCoR program. The research was a new topic to Boman, biomedical engineering, with a specific focus on mathematical modeling of macrophage polarization. Etienne Gnimpieba, Ph.D., oversaw Boman's research at the University Center in Sioux Falls.
Days spent out of the lab were filled with training and studying the game at the new First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex.
"I realized I wanted to train here over the summer," Boman said. "That spurred me to look for a job to do while living here. I walked into the biomedical engineering office, met with department representative Carol Lushbough and asked if there were any opportunities. She asked me about myself and then told me I should take advantage of this research project."
Boman's summer started out with a learning curve about the topic and how to use the computer software, Matlab, in order to perform the research of macrophages.
Macrophages, the white blood cells sent to a wound site, are either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. The study of macrophages helps understand how the body reacts to implanted devices, such as a pacemaker, in addition to learning how to control the polarization to allow the body to accept the device.
Boman spent each day looking at sets of equations, deciding which variables to use and creating models of macrophage polarization using the Matlab program. She pieced together a presentation where the images display the comparison of Boman's models to experimental data that had previously been collected. The models were simulated to demonstrate the matching of the graphs between the experimental data and Boman's models. While the integrated model remains theoretical until experimentally validated with biological data, it constitutes a first step toward a comprehensive analysis of macrophage polarization at multiple levels.
Boman presented the final project in Pierre, S.D., the day before preseason soccer camp began back in Vermillion.
"While I enjoyed the experience this research opportunity provided, the idea of working at a computer in a lab all day is not for me," said Boman. "I would rather be active and interact with people.
"After this summer, I realized I want to pursue medical school and become a doctor."
South Dakota women's soccer opens the regular season at their new home, the First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex, this weekend.
South Dakota, picked to finish fifth in the Summit League Preseason Poll, is coming off its most successful season in Division I history. The Coyotes reached the four-team Summit League Tournament for the first time after a 5-3 record in league play. Senior striker
Corey Strang, a two-time all-Summit pick, returns as the Coyotes' leading scorer with 11 goals and five assists from a year ago.
The home opener is against the Idaho Vandals, the Big Sky's 2015 regular season champion, at 2 p.m. Friday. The Vandals return eight all-Big Sky honorees from last season led by Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year Amanda Poertner.
The Yotes return to the pitch at noon Sunday for a rivalry game against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The Fighting Hawks return nine of 11 starters, including 87 percent of its offensive production from 2015. North Dakota took the lead in the all-time series 11-10-5 with a match in Grand Forks last season.
Tickets for the first weekend's games are only $1. Other promotions include a student tailgate, team day and a youth clinic following Sunday's match with North Dakota. A complete description of promotions are available
here.
