Shameka C. Humphrey, MSN, RN, a PhD Fellow in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing, received one of the top poster awards at the Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging (CCHA) 22nd Annual Symposium held in the Bradley Lecture Center at Children's Harbor on October 24, 2014.

The symposium was open to UAB junior faculty, pre and post-doctoral trainees and students.

Humphrey's poster presentation, "Detection of Olfactory Deficits in Older Adults with HIV: A Simple Peanut Butter Test", was named one of the top three posters presented at the conference. Her research features a three-case study examining racial differences in olfactory deficits in adults with HIV, and its influence on neurocognitive functioning, particularly executive functioning.

Humphrey credits being an on site, full-time PhD student in the UAB School of Nursing for the success she has had so far in her research. It enables her to gain hands-on experience from her mentor David Vance, PhD, MGS, Associate Professor in the UAB School of Nursing.

"This is a unique opportunity to be fully immersed in the research and academic culture that I feel will prepare me to become an independent researcher," said Humphrey.

The UAB Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging is an interdisciplinary community that promotes the health and well-being of older adults and their families through research, education and communication, specialty care, community programs, and informing public policy.