Remarkable moves

Although doctors didn’t expect him to live beyond last Christmas, Javier Forbes was among the 642 students who graduated from Northern Caribbean University (NCU) at the 102nd commencement held on Sunday at the main campus in Mandeville, Manchester.

In October 2024, following brain surgery and treatment, doctors advised that Javier should abort his studies as he was not expected to live beyond Christmas. He persisted, and, by the grace of God, completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies with a grade point average of 3.0. The commencement ceremony was doubly special for Javier because his mother, Jacqueline Brown-Guthrie, was also conferred with a Master of Arts degree in Education. They were among graduates who received special mention by Professor Lincoln Edwards, president of NCU.

The NCU president also highlighted Joneshia Thomas-Bryan, a PhD in biology candidate, who discovered a novel mutated E-coli strain under the guidance of her research adviser Dr Kacey Reid, along with professors Paul Gyles and Patience Alonge. Thomas-Bryan is also an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Technology. The research team successfully sequenced this unique bacterial variant and is currently submitting the sequence data to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank database for public access.

GROUNDBREAKING

“This groundbreaking discovery will provide invaluable genetic resources for the global research community studying bacterial diversity and microbial genetics, potentially advancing our understanding of bacterial adaptation and opening new avenues for therapeutic and biotechnological application,” noted Edwards.

The president also reported that NCU is partnering with the Organization for International Development (OID) to reduce the rate of breast, cervical and prostate cancers in Jamaica. He said the OID has purchased a full-service mobile unit outfitted with a registration/intake area, a mammography machine, and an examination room to provide comprehensive breast, cervical and prostate cancer screenings - using minimally invasive methods such as imaging devices, pap smears, and blood screenings - to the rural, urban and remote communities of Jamaica. OID is in the process of securing the necessary permits to ship the unit to NCU, where it will become operational.

“We have secured the services of local clinicians, including a medical oncologist. We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Wellness as we join forces to battle cancer,” Edwards disclosed.