Scientific Posters

In this research group, students explored the biology of skin stem cells and how they respond to different environmental conditions. They gained hands-on skills in cell culture, data analysis, and experimental design while asking fundamental questions about where stem cells live, what they do, and how they adapt. Skin-ny Dip was led by RockEDU Fellows and postdoctoral fellows from the Fuchs Laboratory, Anita Gola, PhD and Merve Deniz, PhD.

Support Scientist Mentors

Natalie Alexander, Graduate Fellow, RU, Fuchs Laboratory

David Ng, Graduate Fellow, RU, Fuchs Laboratory

Nickole Sigcha-Coello, Research Technician, MSKCC, Fagin Laboratory

Andrea Chaikovsky, Postdoctoral Fellow, MSKCC, Lowe Laboratory

Deepika Nambiar,, Graduate Fellow, WCMC, An Laboratory

Lauren Anderson, Graduate Fellow, RU, Risca Laboratory

Jaina Wollowitz, Graduate Fellow, WCMC, In Rotations

The Wild World of Cells: How Neuromodulators Differentially Affect Epidermal Stem Cell Proliferation

Angelina Navarra, Baccalaureate School for Global Education; Eja Hamid, Wesleyan University

Sugar War: The Impact of Aspartame and Glucose on Healthy and Cancerous Keratinocytes

Katherine Chabla, St. John's University; Michael Torres, Institute for Collaborative Education (I.C.E.)

Keratinocytes in the Crossfire: Exploring the Interplay of Anti-Cancer Drugs and Inflammation on Healthy and Cancerous Keratinocytes

Romi Chaovat, Ramaz School; Brooke Horowitz, The Chapin School

Inflammation Unleashed: The HRAS Mutation in Keratinocytes

Diya Mukherjee, The Harker School; Ange Koumbem, Frank McCourt High School

In this research group, students studied kinases, proteins that help cells respond to their surroundings. They purified kinases from bacteria and tested how mutations, chemicals, and environmental changes affect protein structure and function. Protein Pioneers was led by RockEDU Fellow Tiffany Zhang (Graduate Fellow, Vinogradova Laboratory).

Support Scientist Mentors

Jared Ramsey, Graduate Fellow, RU, Kapoor Laboratory

Viren Baharani, Graduate Fellow, RU, Bieniasz & Nussenzweig Laboratories

Allie Lipshutz, Research Technician, MSKCC, Perry Laboratory

Anoosha Banerjee, Graduate Fellow, RU, Campbell Laboratory

Karl Lin, Graduate Fellow, MSKCC, An Laboratory

Iris Fagniez, Research Assistant, RU, Cassanova Laboratory

Marked for Destruction; Exploring Interactions of ERK Residues with MEKK1 E3 Ligase and Ubiquitin

Delia Jaffe, Wesleyan University

A Pioneer’s Voyage to Investigate Two Kinases of the MAPK Pathway

Stephy Chen, Queens Metropolitan High School

Designing ERK1 Active Site Mutations to Predict Orthosteric Inhibitor Resistance

Adela Song, JSerra Catholic High School

The Keys of ERK1 Protein Stability: Assessing the Salt Bridges and Hydrogen Bonds Significance

Anduena Toci, CUNY, Hunter College

Picking the Lock of ERK Activation: Investigating the Effect of Pesticide Residue DDE on Cancer Development

Camil Piperni, East Side Community High School

Exploring the ELISA: Discovering the Location of an Antibody Along ERK

Deanna Williams, The Beacon School

Biochemical Purification of ERK Mutants to Study MEK-Dependent Activation and Autophosphorylation

Ellie Campbell, Horace Mann School

Assessing the Ability of Mutated MEK2 to Resist the Trametinib Inhibitor

Savani Abeynayaka, East Brunswick High School

Molecular Marvels: Exploring the Impact of Mutations on ERK1's Kinase Activity

Zeinab Shah, Richard R Green High School

In this research group, students investigated how fruit flies adapt to new environments by studying the spotted wing Drosophila, a species that feeds on ripe fruit. Using tools like behavioral assays, genetics, and imaging, they explored how changes in the brain and body drive evolution. Oh Snap! (Fly Evolution) was run by RockEDU Fellow Shawn Mozeika (Graduate Fellow, Zhao Laboratory).

Support Scientist Mentors

UnJin Lee, Postdoctoral Fellow, RU, Zhao Laboratory

Jessica Jiang,, Research Assistant, RU, Shaham Laboratory

Florian Hollunder, Graduate Fellow, RU, Ruta Laboratory

Santiago Otero Coronel, Graduate Fellow, RU, Freiwald & Vaziri Laboratories

Jesse Jenkins, Research Assistant, RU, Bienasz Laboratory

Xin Yu Zhu Jiang, Graduate Fellow, MSKCC, Lai Laboratory

Jian Zheng, Graduate Fellow, MSKCC, Zhao Laboratory

Daniel Oh, Graduate Fellow, RU, Darnell Laboratory

A Fateful Choice: Analyzing Protein Preference in Wild-Type Drosophila melanogaster Development

Even Mackson-Landsberg, Frank McCourt High School

Machine Learning-Based Analysis of Gene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster

Bharat Elango, Cinnaminson High School

Randomness is the Spice of Life: Examining Stochastic Fluctuations in Lotka-Volterra Models

Finn Charest, Stuyvesant High School

The Effects of Nutritional Stress on Survivability and Immune System Response in Drosophila Melanogaster

Rex Beaver, Wesleyan University

Navigating Sweetness: How Gr43a Shapes Drosophila Larval Feeding Preferences and Behavior

Zoe Nagro, L C Anderson High School

The Great Gutsby

Keerti Yadav, Green Hope High School

A Knife Fight In The Mud: Competition and Interspecies Behavior Between Melanogaster And Suzukii

Stephen Kabongo, NYC Ischool

Ablation & Genesis: Comparative Genetic Analysis of Behavioral Preference in an Invasive Pest Species

Yifei Zhou, Shanghai YK Pao School

An Illusion of Choice: Exploring Mechanosensation and its Effects on Drosophila Egg-laying in Different Textured Agarose Gels

Olivia Auuffret, Bard High School Early College

In this research group, students examined how genes and the brain work together to control feeding behavior. They focused on leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, and explored how diet and gene activity influence energy balance and obesity. Representing research from the Friedman laboratory, Gene, Cell, Food was run by RockEDU Fellows Han Tan, PhD (Postdoctoral Fellow) and Zhaoyue Zhang ("ZZ"), PhD (Postdoctoral Fellow).