Anavi Serna Moyeda

Fellowship: Adele Lewis Grant Fellowship (Adele Lewis Grant + Nell Mondy)

Project Title: Concise Synthesis of Stephadiamine Enabled by an SN2’ Amination

Project Abstract: Natural products, or compounds that are isolated from natural sources, are commonly utilized by the pharmaceutical industry as drugs or drug-leads. Often, a limitation in exploring the bioactivity of natural products is that they are not produced in sufficient quantities from natural sources. Total synthesis offers an alternative to isolation, allowing laboratory preparation of natural products from commercially available compounds, while also offering the possibility of accessing synthetic derivatives thereof that can also be evaluated for bioactivity. Additionally, the complexity of natural products often necessitates the development of new reactions, thus expanding the toolset chemists have.

Stephadiamine, a nitrogen-containing natural product, has been the focus of my research. Despite being isolated in 1984, its bioactivity is still unknown. Although Stephadiamine has been previously synthesized, it has only ever been prepared in single-digit milligram quantities after sequences of over 20 steps, rendering its preparation (and subsequent biological evaluation) impractical. We revisited Stephadiamine to shorten the steps needed to prepare it, thus facilitating its preparation at a larger scale and enabling its biological exploration. During the synthesis, I developed a new reaction to prepare allylic amines, which are valuable building blocks in the synthesis of nitrogen-containing therapeutics.

Bio:  Ana Victoria Serna is a rising fourth-year PhD candidate in the Trauner lab at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her B.Sc. in Chemistry from Rice University in 2023, where her interest in natural product synthesis sparked in the laboratories of Prof. Kürti and Prof. Magauer.

Her PhD research focuses on the total synthesis of structurally complex alkaloids and the development of new synthetic methods for constructing nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Following the total synthesis of stephadiamine, a structurally unique aza-propellane diamine alkaloid, her work focuses on the investigation of its biological activity and the development of an SN2′ amination for the preparation of allylic amines.

Isabelle Castro

Fellowship: Hartley Corporation Fellowship (Hartley Corporation + Nell Mondy)

Project Title: Investigating pathogen-xenobiotic co-exposure effects on blood brain barrier permeability, mortality, and associated oxylipin profiles in juvenile salmonids

Project Abstract: Hatcheries contain nutrient-enriched waters and highly dense fish populations, providing substantial risk for stressors including viral transmission and harmful algal blooms. Virus, infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and toxigenic (domoic acid producing) harmful algae Psuedo-nitzchia spp. co-occur in North Pacific coastal waters and hatcheries. IHNV has been suggested to increase blood brain barrier permeability and kidney injury, providing considerable opportunity for neurotoxic domoic acid to enter brain tissue and cause further damage or mortality in fish. This study will perform two experiments in which mortality is determined daily over 32-days in co-exposed juvenile salmon at increasing toxin concentrations in the presence or absence of IHNV (1) and mechanistic toxicity via oxidized lipids analysis over a 6 day experiment in which brain and kidney tissue is collected daily in 24 hour increments (2). Viral load quantified via RT-qPCR, toxin accumulation and oxidized lipids via mass spectrometry. Domoic acid is hypothesized to have heightened concentrations in brain tissue of IHNV-infected fish, with oxidative stress and damage biomarkers increasing with toxin concentration. Co-exposure is expected to have a synergistic effect on juvenile fish mortality. This study provides insights into fish physiology, ecotoxicology, and fisheries management. 

Bio: Isabelle Castro is a fourth-year PhD Candidate at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Her dissertation investigates how harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins affect salmon, trout, and other harvestable secondary consumers that are vital to food security, livelihoods, and cultural traditions. By characterizing how toxin exposure affects fish health, Isabelle's work will improve our ability to predict and mitigate HAB impacts, strengthening fisheries management and seafood safety monitoring. In turn, this research will support more resilient fisheries, bolster food security, and safeguard the wellbeing of communities that depend on healthy aquatic ecosystems.

With GWIS support, Isabelle will expand her research using analytical chemistry to characterize the toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic interactions between algal toxins and biological co-stressors in juvenile hatchery salmonids. This work will assess two forms of risk: human exposure through consumption of contaminated fish products, and fish health through tissue-specific biomarkers. 

Carmen Rodríguez García

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Vessa Notchev Fellowships

Project Title: Oral L-lactate as a novel postbiotic strategy to support muscle function and regeneration in postmenopausal women: a proof-of-concept study

Project Abstract: After menopause, many women experience a rapid decline in muscle strength and recovery capacity, increasing the risk of falls, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life as they age. While exercise is one of the most effective strategies to preserve muscle health, not all women can engage in regular physical activity, highlighting the urgent need for safe and accessible nutrition-based solutions.

This project investigates an innovative idea: using L-lactate, a natural compound produced by muscles during exercise, as a nutritional tool to support muscle recovery. Rather than acting as a waste product, lactate may serve as a biological messenger. Certain gut bacteria can transform lactate into beneficial metabolites that reduce inflammation and support tissue regeneration.

I will conduct a pilot clinical study in postmenopausal women to test whether oral microencapsulated L-lactate, delivered directly to the gut, can activate this gut–muscle communication pathway. By combining functional muscle tests, inflammation markers, and gut microbial measurements, this study will generate the first human data on L-lactate as a postbiotic strategy for women’s muscle health.

The findings will provide critical pilot evidence to support future large-scale studies and advance new, science-based nutritional approaches to promote healthy ageing in women.

Bio:  Dr. Carmen Rodríguez-García is a tenure-track researcher and lecturer at the University of Almería, Spain. Her research focuses on precision nutrition, gut microbiota, immunometabolism, and the role of diet- and microbiota-derived metabolites in metabolic health and healthy ageing. Before joining the University of Almería, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, where she investigated gene–diet interactions and nutritional strategies for chronic disease prevention. She is currently developing an independent research programme at the intersection of nutrition, microbiome science, and women’s health. Her GWIS-funded project will explore oral L-lactate as a novel microbiota-targeted postbiotic strategy to support muscle function and recovery in postmenopausal women. 

Sania Mancer

Fellowship: Centennial + Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: A parasporal body-associated toxin encapsulation and delivery system in the larvicide Bti.

Project Abstract: Vector-borne diseases, including malaria and dengue, cause over 700,000 deaths annually, a crisis exacerbated by climate change that causes the expansion of mosquito habitats. To control larval populations, a pathogenic larvicidal bacterial strain named Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) has been successfully used for decades. Bti produces crystalline toxin inclusions, parasporal bodies (PBs), and is effective against larvae of different mosquitos including Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex species. While Bti larvicidal activity is well-documented, the structural organization and molecular function of the toxins within Bti PBs remain unresolved. Beyond the well-characterized Cry and Cyt toxins, Bti PBs contain additional components like an HK97-like protein with unknown function. Our preliminary data show that this major component assembles into an icosahedral nanocompartment and selectively packages putative nucleotidyl transferase and ribonuclease toxins. This proposal seeks to define the native assembly, trafficking, and larvicidal properties of the PB-associated nanocompartment within Bti. The long-term goal of this project is to investigate how the cargo-loaded nanocompartment contributes to the overall toxicity of Bti PBs. Completion of this work will reveal a novel toxin delivery system within Bti PBs, and will provide a molecular foundation for the modular engineering of next generation biopesticides with enhanced potency.

Bio: Sania Mancer is a Ph.D. candidate in Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan Medical School. She holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and an M.S. in Quantitative Biology from the University of Montpellier, France. Her current work lies at the intersection of microbial biochemistry and structural biology, focusing on toxin compartmentalization and delivery of a protein nanocompartment associated with insecticidal parasporal bodies in Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. The GWIS funding will support her access to light and electron microscopy facilities at the University of Michigan. 

Michelle Jung

Fellowship: Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: Maternal and offspring sucrose intake: effects on glucocorticoids and inflammation in the blood and brain

Project Abstract: Intake of sugar, including sucrose (table sugar), is high worldwide. We know little about how sucrose intake affects the developing brain, which is highly vulnerable to stress. Chronic elevation of glucocorticoid stress hormones is harmful for brain development. In rats, maternal sucrose intake causes chronic increases in glucocorticoids in mothers and offspring. Sucrose increases inflammation by triggering the release of inflammatory molecules (cytokines). Brain immune cells, microglia and astrocytes, respond to inflammation by changing their shape. We do not know the combined effects of maternal and offspring sucrose intake on adult offspring. I will test whether sucrose consumption is a stressor that increases glucocorticoids and inflammation in the blood and brain of adult offspring using rats. Mother rats were fed a control diet or high-sucrose diet including pregnancy and lactation. When offspring were weaned, offspring were fed the same control diet or high-sucrose diet until adulthood. First, I will measure glucocorticoid levels in the blood and in brain regions involved in the stress response. Second, I will measure cytokines in the blood and examine microglia and astrocyte structures to assess inflammation. Examining how sucrose disrupts stress hormones and inflammation in the brain will advance our understanding of diet-related brain disorders. 

Bio: Minseon Jung is a PhD candidate in the Department of Zoology at the University of British Columbia. Her current research in Dr. Kiran Soma’s lab investigates how sucrose (table sugar) intake affects hormones, brain, and behaviour. She is particularly interested in how maternal sucrose consumption impacts the developing offspring brain, which is highly vulnerable to stress. With the support of the GWIS Fellowship, she will examine whether maternal sucrose consumption is a stressor that disrupts glucocorticoid physiology and induces inflammation in the offspring. Minseon is passionate about expanding access to research opportunities for students and promoting equitable and inclusive scientific community. 

Deborah Wood

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Jean Langenheim + Elizabeth Weisburger Fellowships

Project Title: Developing a UV-activated streptavidin pull down strategy to characterize physiologically relevant nanoparticle protein corona formation for delivery applications in atherosclerosis

Project Abstract: Nanoparticles rapidly adhere a layer of proteins, called the protein corona, when they encounter biological environments. This protein corona dramatically influences how nanoparticles behave in the body, including how effectively they traffic to healthy organs and diseased tissues like atherosclerotic plaques. Despite this, current methods to study protein coronas rely on incubating nanoparticles in healthy biological fluids at the benchtop, which does not recapitulate the complexity of cellular environments. Thus, I aim to develop a new strategy to isolate and analyze protein coronas that form on dendrimers, a type of highly branched polymeric nanoparticles, directly from complex endothelial cell lysates. I will synthesize dendrimers modified with a light‑sensitive biotin linker that allows them to be selectively captured on streptavidin beads, followed by gentle release using ultraviolet light. This approach preserves native protein coronas, enabling downstream proteomics analysis using gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. By comparing protein coronas formed under healthy versus disease‑like conditions, this project will reveal whether disease‑specific protein coronas influence nanoparticle uptake in atherosclerosis. Ultimately, this research will provide new insight into how nanoparticles interact with diseased tissues and guide rational design of more effective cardiovascular nanomedicines.

Bio:  Deborah Wood is a Ph.D. student in the Biomedical Engineering Department at Georgia Tech and Emory University. She completed a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia and postbaccalaureate training at Northwestern University. Her background is highly interdisciplinary, shaped by her research experience in nanoparticle synthesis, endothelial mechanobiology, proteomics, and assay development alongside her career goal of leading a cardiovascular nanomedicine research lab. Deborah’s doctoral research focuses on the protein corona—the layer of proteins that rapidly forms on nanoparticles and reshapes their biological behavior in vivo. With support from the GWIS Fellowship, she will develop a novel method to isolate protein coronas directly from complex endothelial lysates, enabling more physiologically relevant analysis of nanoparticle behavior in vascular microenvironments. Ultimately, she aims to demonstrate how the protein corona can guide the rational design of more effective cardiovascular nanomedicines to benefit human health.

Silvia Meyer Nava

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Ariel Hollinshead Fellowships

Project Title: The role of Brg1/smarca4a during craniofacial development in zebrafish

Project Abstract: Cranial neural crest cell (cNCC) development is a complex process requiring coordinated migration, proliferation, differentiation, polarity, and cell death to build the craniofacial skeleton. Disruption of these programs leads to craniofacial malformations, including cleft lip and palate. PRDM (positive regulatory domain) transcription factors with lysine methyltransferase activity have been implicated in craniofacial cartilage development. In zebrafish, RNA-seq from prdm3 and prdm16 mutants suggests PRDM3 primarily functions as a transcriptional repressor, whereas PRDM16 acts largely as an activator. One gene differentially expressed in both mutants is smarca4a/brg1, an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler within the SWI/SNF complex. We hypothesize Brg1 cooperates with Prdm proteins to modulate chromatin structure and accessibility to tissue-specific transcription factors during craniofacial development. brg1 is expressed from 24–48 hpf and overlaps with prdm3/prdm16 expression in the pharyngeal arches. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we generated brg1 mutants and observed pharyngeal skeleton hypoplasia with reduced expression of dlx5a, col2a1, sox9a, and runx2b. While single brg1, prdm3, or prdm16 mutants show cartilage disruptions, prdm3;brg1 and prdm16;brg1 double mutants display more severe defects, indicating genetic interaction. CUT&RUN-qPCR revealed PRDM3, PRDM16, and Brg1 co-bind shared targets, including downstream Wnt signaling promoters, supporting a cooperative mechanism in transcriptional regulation.

Bio:  Silvia Meyer-Nava, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry, studying the epigenetic regulation of cranial neural crest development. Her research combines zebrafish genetics, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural crest cells, CRISPR genome editing, transcriptomics, and chromatin profiling to understand how gene regulatory networks control cell fate determination during embryonic development, under the supervision of Professor Kristin Artinger. Originally from Mexico, Dr. Meyer-Nava earned both her M.S. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), working with chromatin remodellers in Drosophila. With support from the GWIS Fellowship, Dr. Meyer-Nava will generate preliminary data to advance her long-term goal of establishing an independent research program focused on developmental epigenetics and gene regulation. Through her research, she aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying congenital craniofacial disorders while contributing to the training of future scientists through research, mentoring, and teaching. 

Taela Dudley

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Monique Braude Fellowships

Project Title: A noisy-channel investigation of the impact of social perception on message perception

Project Abstract: It is well understood in linguistics that language comprehension relies both on linguistic and non-linguistic information. To determine meaning, we draw from two types of non-linguistic information: knowledge about the world and about the speaker. It is also well known that language ideologies– socially constructed beliefs about how people should speak– can prompt assumptions about a person’s identity and character. Much research has shown how world knowledge shapes our inferential reasoning, but less is known about how knowledge about the speaker influences this. This study addresses this gap by investigating how stereotypes affect language comprehension.

Prior work observed that implausible sentences (e.g., “the mother gave the candle the daughter”) were interpreted differently when spoken by a first-language (L1) English speaker compared with a second-language (L2) English speaker. When heard in L2 English, these sentences were assumed to be mistakes and were reinterpreted to plausible meanings. But when heard in L1 English, these sentences were interpreted literally, from lower expectations for a L1 speaker to make grammar mistakes. The current study replicates this paradigm to test whether social expectations about a speaker similarly produce different interpretations for racialized American English accents—specifically, whether listeners interpret messages differently based on speaker race.

Bio:  Taela Dudley is a PhD student in the Linguistics department at the University of Chicago. She is interested in how we make social and situational inferences through language. Currently, her research centers around how listener inferential reasoning may vary for speakers of different identities. She is especially interested in examining this question through a lens of systemic disparity as it relates to racial and gendered interactional dynamics in education and criminal justice settings. With the support of the GWIS fellowship, Taela will be able to explore how racial bias affects language comprehension. Taela aims for her research to inform collaborations with educators and policymakers to develop practices for reducing covert forms of discrimination.

RuthMabel Boytz

Fellowship: Nell Mondy + Eloise Gerry + Monique Braude Fellowships

Project Title: Alphaviruses and Mitochondrial Dymaics: Unraveling the Intersection of Replication and Innate Immunity

Project Abstract: Besides their role in energy production, mitochondria play a crucial role in the body’s first line of defense against viruses. Mitochondria help organize key signaling molecules that trigger the production of antiviral proteins. The shape of the mitochondrial network is important for this process, with longer mitochondrial networks enhancing antiviral production. Many viruses, such as Zika virus, deliberately alter mitochondria shape to weaken this response and enhance their ability to replicate. However very little is known about whether highly pathogenic neuroinvasive alphaviruses, particularly Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), use similar strategies. We have found that EEEV causes mitochondria to become abnormally elongated. This project will dissect the molecular mechanisms by which EEEV causes the changes in shape of the mitochondria, and determine how this affects viral replication, the innate immune response, and development of neuronal injury. By focusing on the modulation of a fundamental cellular process, mitochondrial dynamics, this project takes a novel approach to understanding what makes this virus so damaging to the brain. Insights from this work may inform the development of novel host-directed antivirals that can be used off-the-shelf to treat future emergent neurotropic viruses.     

Bio:  RuthMabel is a 5th year PhD student in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale University. She holds a BA in biology from Lewis & Clark college. She is broadly interested in understanding how new viruses emerge in human populations. Prior to beginning her PhD research she was a research technician at the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories where she contributed to early studies on drug repurposing for SARS-CoV-2 as well as antibody treatments for Ebola virus. Her current research focuses on the effects of neuroinvasive viruses on mitochondria and how this compares to mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. The support from GWIS will allow her to take a systems-level approach towards understanding these processes and support her access to high-resolution confocal and electron microscopy resources. 

Isabel Heslin

Fellowship: Ethel Allen Fellowship

Project Title: Seasonality and Nutritional Variation in Eastern African Mammals: Implications for Human Evolution

Project Abstract: The evolution of our species has been shaped by diet. The adaptation of larger brains and increased sociality is often tied to the inclusion of meat in a higher-quality diet around a million years ago. The nutritional component of diet is essential to understanding how ancient humans interacted with their environment, such as how ancient humans obtained the fat and protein necessary to sustain larger brains. The fossil record limits our ability to understand the nutritional composition of ancient human diets. By studying contemporary animals as proxies, we can model hominin diets based on the amount of fat and protein available in modern resources. This study aims to establish a sampling protocol to obtain tissue samples from naturally occurring carcasses of eastern African mammals to run nutritional assays. This study will be done at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, which boasts a large population of wild eastern African wildlife. This is the first step in a larger project aiming to quantify the nutritional composition of eastern African resources. I am especially interested in how increasing seasonality is affecting the nutritional composition within mammals inhabiting savannah environments in Eastern Africa and how diet has shaped the evolution of our species. 

Bio:  Isabel Heslin is a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University, advised by Dr. Andrew Du. She holds an M.A. in Archaeological Studies from Yale University, where she was advised by Dr. Jessica Thompson. Her research is aimed at quantifying the nutritional composition of contemporary eastern African mammalian carcasses and other available resources to build empirical models of early hominin diet and foraging behavior, with a focus on how macronutrient constraints shaped key adaptations in our genus. Isabel is deeply committed to fostering collaborative, interdisciplinary research and outreach, particularly across eastern Africa. The GWIS Fellowship will be crucial to supporting the fieldwork, data collection, and lab analyses necessary to generate a seasonally explicit macronutritional database for eastern African savannah ecosystems in collaboration with Kenyan institutions and researchers. 

Nafrisha Cassim Bawa

Fellowship: Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: Signal dependent role of diabetic gene HNF4 alpha in regulating lipid metabolism

Project Abstract: Dyslipidemia is a metabolic disorder characterized by the body's inability to regulate blood lipid levels effectively. Current pharmacological treatments often target nuclear receptors. Nuclear receptors are proteins that modulate gene expression, particularly within the liver, to manage lipid metabolism. A critical nuclear receptor, hepatocyte nuclear factor four alpha (HNF4α), is well-documented for its role in regulating insulin activity, maintaining hepatic health, and protecting against fatty liver disease.

Emerging research indicates that HNF4α may possess a more complex regulatory role than previously understood. It appears to function synergistically with other nuclear receptors and their corresponding drug targets, modulating specific gene subsets only in the presence of certain therapeutic agents. This project aims to elucidate the precise mechanisms by which HNF4α interacts with these drugs and proteins to control lipid-regulating genes in response to specific pharmacological signals.

By uncovering these novel regulatory pathways, this research seeks to optimize the use of existing medications and facilitate the development of more targeted, effective therapies for patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia. Ultimately, understanding these interactions could lead to safer, personalized medical interventions, reducing the incidence of complications such as cardiovascular disease and fatty liver, and improving long-term health outcomes for affected individuals.

Bio:  Fathima Nafrisha Cassim Bawa is a postdoctoral fellow at Institute of Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences specializing in Pharmacology. During her PhD she studied cell-specific role of nuclear receptors in regulating lipid metabolism and identifying new targets with therapeutic potential to treat metabolic diseases. She is currently doing research in Dr. Mitchell Lazar’s lab on understanding transcriptional regulation of metabolism by nuclear receptors using functional genomics and metabolomics approaches. Funding from GWIS will support her research in understanding how the liver achieves signal specificity in transcriptional regulation of metabolic genes. 

Halley Le

Fellowship: Nell Mondy Fellowship

Project Title: Electrifying enzyme active sites will allow for reversible binding and reduction of oxygen

Project Abstract: The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy hinges on our ability to not only harvest renewable sources (e.g., solar, wind), but also store and transport this energy efficiently. This necessitates the conversion of electricity into storable forms—whether within batteries or energy‑dense fuels—and back into electricity when needed. These processes are underpinned by materials known as electrocatalysts, which facilitate the breaking and forming of chemical bonds to release or store energy. Currently, many technologies are limited by the high cost and poor efficiency of electrocatalysts, particularly during a critical process: the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), where oxygen is converted into water. 

This research aims to advance a class of materials called conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as electrocatalysts for efficient ORR. Conductive MOFs combine electrical conductivity with high internal surface area—qualities desirable for electrocatalysis, and have recently emerged as promising ORR catalysts. My work proposes the development of conductive frameworks with active sites known to reversibly bind to and reduce oxygen in biological systems. In doing so, I will electrify the bio-inspired catalytic centers, evaluate how the resulting structure and electronic properties influence ORR activity, and use these insights to guide the design of next-generation electrocatalysts.

Bio:  Halley Le is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University, working in the group of Dr. Justin L. Andrews. She earned her B.A. in Chemistry from Bennington College in 2025, where she developed a passion for electrochemistry and materials science. Her research now focuses on designing two-dimensional, electrically conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with biomimetic active sites for applications in electrocatalysis and energy conversion. Drawing inspiration from the catalytic centers of metalloproteins, this work aims to translate nature’s design principles into efficient, scalable electrochemical materials.

Support from the GWIS Fellowship will allow Halley to help launch catalysis as a new research direction in the Andrews lab while advancing the design of bio-inspired electrocatalysts for renewable energy technologies. 

2026-2027 Honorable Mentions

Graduate Students

Christine Habjan, Weill Cornell Medical College

“Developing a radiotheranostic to treat therapy resistant pancreatic cancer by targeting an upregulated tumor associated MUC1 glycoform”

Denali Kincaid, Pennsylvania State University

“Mantle melting and crustal assembly of flood basalts during deglaciation: the Tungnárhraun lavas of South Iceland”

Erica Scarpitti, Vanderbilt University

“Spatiotemporal Patterns, Proxies, and Processes of Disturbance-Driven Landscape Change in the Pantanal, Brazil.”

Georgina Gemayel, University of North Carolina

“Impacts of Climate Change on Women’s Nutrition and Infant Feeding in Lebanon”

Gretchen Hilt, University of Alabama

“The impact of trophic interaction-induced stress on environmental DNA shed rates in at-risk cave-obligate fish and crayfish species”

Holly Gamblin, University of Manitoba

“Changing biomes: Implications of a rapidly shifting landscape on Arctic sea ice scavengers”

Isabela Zimmermann Rollin, University of Pittsburgh

“Developing noninvasive targeted gene delivery to the primate spinal cord”

Janet Li, Drexel University

“Closed-loop Neuromodulation of Anticorrelated Spontaneous Activity Between Default and Dorsal Attention Networks”

Lindsay Wright, Cornell University

“Full-Field X-ray Diffraction for Ultra-Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Thermometry”

Marie-Pier Poulin, University of Washington

“The Influence of Extreme Climate Events on Social Dynamics and Disease Transmission in an Endangered Keystone Predator”

Miaoxi Liu, University of California San Francisco

“Dissecting the mechanism of jumbo phage antagonism in clinical bacteria”

Mitheera V, University of Texas & MD Anderson Cancer Center

“Gain-of-function p53 missense mutants drive tumor transcriptional heterogeneity in Kras-initiated NSCLC”

Sophia Richter, University of Notre Dame

“Rewilding giants: the role of large herbivores in shaping ecological communities in African savannas”

Yue (Anna) Yu, University of Michigan

“Integrating community contexts into psychological models of human coexistence with wildlife to inform conservation planning”

Yulan Chen, Vanderbilt University

“Neural Mechanisms of Emotion Regulation in Dimensional Internalizing Psychopathology”

Early Career 

Daniela Pinto, University of Lisbon & iMed - Research Institute for Medicines

“Towards Reliable Engineered Probiotics: Creating a Stable Lactobacillus acidophilus Chassis for Clinical Synthetic Biology”

Madhumala Sadanandappa, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

“Transcriptome-Based Profiling of Pediatric Low-Grade Gliomas to Improve Diagnostic Precision”

Sophie Pouillé, Queen's University

“From soil to stream: investigating the mobility of trace metals from permafrost to surface water in warming High Arctic watersheds.”