All posts by: Sarah Hansen, M.S. '15

Group of five people in fieldwork clothing, one holding a small bird. Tropical forest in the background.

Mentors help students grow their research skills, from fieldwork in Puerto Rico to labs at UMBC

/ 4 min read

Ellie Bare completed multiple projects with Kevin Omland’s research group, gaining valuable leadership and research skills that will support her future success. “Dr. Omland encourages that in his undergrads, which is really special,” Bare says. “He’s really supportive of undergrads getting the full research experience.” Continue Reading Mentors help students grow their research skills, from fieldwork in Puerto Rico to labs at UMBC

Satellite image showing Africa on the right and a large sweep of tan atmospheric dust over the Atlantic Ocean along with white and gray clouds

UMBC researchers co-author new Science study on how atmospheric dust impacts ocean health

/ 3 min read

New findings reveal details of the complex relationship between atmospheric dust and vast populations of phytoplankton at the ocean’s surface. These tiny photosynthetic organisms form the foundation of the ocean food chain and play a key role in the global carbon cycle, so the new research will be especially useful as dust patterns shift with climate change. Continue Reading UMBC researchers co-author new Science study on how atmospheric dust impacts ocean health

Portrait of smiling Valerie Sheares Ashby; inside an academic building

Let’s celebrate! UMBC marks the inauguration of President Valerie Sheares Ashby with community events, April 18 – 27

/ 4 min read

“These first…months have been energizing, inspiring, and joyful. The more people I meet, and the more I start to make connections, the more I love this place,” President Valerie Sheares Ashby says. Her Investiture ceremony on April 27 is a historic milestone in the life of the university, one not to be missed.  Continue Reading Let’s celebrate! UMBC marks the inauguration of President Valerie Sheares Ashby with community events, April 18 – 27

Two students in professional attire pose outside the UMBC Biological Sciences Building.

UMBC’s Arjun Kanjarpane and Anya Viswanathan receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

/ 7 min read

Both recipients have the potential to make a major impact in their fields and in people’s lives through their research. “We are delighted that UMBC has continued its impressive string of Goldwater awards for this year,” says April Householder “This indicates just how strong STEM education at UMBC is—indeed, it’s among the best in the country.” Continue Reading UMBC’s Arjun Kanjarpane and Anya Viswanathan receive prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

four researchers in white lab coats seated in a traditional wet lab.

UMBC’s Ivan Erill demonstrates fast, low-cost method to monitor spread of antibiotic resistance over time

/ 5 min read

A new computational method developed by Ivan Erill and colleagues is simple, fast, and effective at detecting the spread and source of antibiotic resistance genes. “It’s great for studies trying to find insight into what’s happening in bacterial genomes,” Erill says. Continue Reading UMBC’s Ivan Erill demonstrates fast, low-cost method to monitor spread of antibiotic resistance over time

Four researchers in lab coats stand in a lab, two holding petri dishes up to the light. Glass-doored cabinets in the background.

Deepak Koirala to grow understanding of how enteroviruses replicate with $786K NSF CAREER Award

/ 6 min read

Diseases such as polio, the common cold, and meningitis are all caused by closely related enteroviruses and the way that these viruses multiply in the body is poorly understood. Deepak Koirala hopes to change that by investigating how the RNA structures within these viruses’ genetic material enable them to multiply. The answers could lead to drugs that attack specific mechanisms critical for viral replication, stopping these diseases in their tracks. Continue Reading Deepak Koirala to grow understanding of how enteroviruses replicate with $786K NSF CAREER Award

Portrait of a woman in a fuschia top outside a brick building with some greenery.

Mercedes Burns to study arachnid evolution in Japan through prestigious NSF CAREER Award

/ 6 min read

“The questions I’m asking in this CAREER grant set the stage,” she says, for discovering how arachnid species that can reproduce both sexually (with a mate) and asexually (without a mate) “control whether it’s going to be one reproductive mode or the other,” Mercedes Burns says. “Ultimately we want to understand what allows for this kind of reproductive strategy in these systems, which we don’t see commonly in animals.” Continue Reading Mercedes Burns to study arachnid evolution in Japan through prestigious NSF CAREER Award

Man in white lab coat standing in front of a chemical hood with lots of colorful containers.

UMBC’s Smith lab discovers enzyme ATE1’s role in cellular stress response, opening a door to new therapeutic targets

/ 5 min read

A new paper in Nature Communications illuminates how a previously poorly understood enzyme works in the cell. Many diseases are tied to chronic cellular stress, and Aaron T. Smith and colleagues discovered that this enzyme plays an important role in the cellular stress response. Better understanding how this enzyme functions and is controlled could lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets for these diseases. Continue Reading UMBC’s Smith lab discovers enzyme ATE1’s role in cellular stress response, opening a door to new therapeutic targets

 

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