BUSNA & Wash U support Student Researcher

In 2022, Birdshot Uveitis Society of North America contributed to the School of Medicine of Washington University in St. Louis. The $2000 grant was to support the birdshot research lab of Dr. Lynn M. Hassman. The university subsequently matched our donation and welcomed its first BUSNA-sponsored student researcher this past spring.

Jenny Shunyakova, a medical student from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, was chosen for the short term research position. She had expressed an interest in ophthalmology as a potential career, but at the time was unfamiliar with birdshot. While working in Dr. Hassman’s lab, Ms. Shunyakova soon became fascinated with birdshot research. She recently wrote to the BUSNA board members, saying “I found myself wanting to continue learning more about the genetics and presentation of the disease.”

Throughout her time interacting with patients with birdshot, Ms. Shunyakova “learned some incredibly valuable lessons on the privilege that it is to have sight, and on the importance of protecting it.” After speaking to a birdshot patient who created quilts for her community, and hearing the relief she felt when her vision started to improve, she said she “understood how important it is to give recognition to this disease.” She also contributed to a laboratory project that analyzed the effect of a potential new therapy for birdshot.

Dr. Hassman also reflected on the experience, which she said, “instilled a passion for both ophthalmology and uveitis research in Ms. Shunyakova.” She continued that she looks forward to “continuing to mentor her and collaborate with her on research projects in the future.”

Dr. Hassman and Ms. Shunyakova thanked us for making the experience possible.

We at BUSNA are grateful to Washington University for partnering with us on this project, and to Dr. Hassman and Ms. Shunyakova for their birdshot research. We are happy to welcome another researcher into the birdshot community, and expect that many birdshot patients will be positively impacted by their research.