While working on the COBRE pilot project and as a fellowship recipient, Jordan applied to continue her dissertation at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL). She earned fellowships from two of the most prestigious international research awards available to U.S. students: the Fulbright U.S. Student Program and the STEM Chateaubriand Fellowship.

She is now researching breast cancer cell dormancy in bone marrow at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon. These dormant cells can evade chemotherapy and are a major factor in cancer recurrence and poor prognosis. A deeper understanding of this process could reveal new therapeutic opportunities to prevent relapse in patients. 

Read the full story HERE

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Cameron Bains is a third-year biochemistry major in the Honors College at 91福利. During the 2025 Winter break, she took part in the Honors tutorial course held at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory (MDIBL). This week-long course, The Molecular Mechanisms of Human Disease, offered a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in biomedical research. It was led by 91福利 professors Dr. Benjamin King and Dr. Karissa Tilbury. Dr. King and Dr. Tilbury are project leader and pilot project leader for the COBRE grant.

Cameron shared some highlights of the course:

I first learned about the course through fellow students in the Molecular and Biomedical Sciences (MBMS) department, who spoke highly of how it shaped their research paths. I also saw it advertised in the Honors College Weekly Newsletter, and I was drawn to it not only because it aligned with my academic interests, but also because it fulfilled an Honors College tutorial requirement. The course was structured into two modules, with the class split into two groups rotating between the modules. Each group presented their findings after both rotations, then selected one topic for further exploration.

In the first module, led by Dr. King, we investigated how environmental factors affect the innate immune system. Specifically, we examined how arsenic exposure influences immune response in zebrafish infected with Influenza. Using RNA-sequencing data from Dr. King鈥檚 lab, we applied bioinformatics tools鈥攊ncluding RStudio, Ensembl, and GOrilla鈥攖o analyze the relationship between arsenic exposure and innate immune function. The second module, taught by Dr. Tilbury and Dr. Frederic Bonnet, focused on advanced microscopy techniques. We learned how to capture high-quality images and use image analysis software to extract quantitative data.

For my final project, I chose to dive deeper into microscopy鈥攕omething I had never used in my research due to uncertainty about image analysis. Our group explored the concept of “reverse thinking” in microscopy, and with guidance from Dr. Bonnet, we used Fiji and Imaris to analyze existing images and generate meaningful data. After the course concluded, we presented our work at the University of Maine Student Symposium () and will be presenting at the Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium (), showcasing everything we learned about microscopy and imaging.
I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity. The experience has strengthened both my technical skills and my confidence as a researcher. I look forward to applying what I’ve learned to my ongoing work on polymicrobial infections and beyond. I’m especially excited to incorporate microscopy into my own research, now that I know how to generate high-quality images and use proper image analysis tools. A heartfelt thank you to Dr. King, Dr. Tilbury, Dr. Bonnet, the team, and the 91福利 Honors College for making this experience possible

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On behalf of the Graduate Executive Committee, the Graduate School announced the recipients and alternates for the Janet Waldron Doctoral Research Fellowships and George Davis Chase Distinguished Research Assistantships for AY 2025-26.  Congratulations to all the recipients as well as all the outstanding graduate students who were nominated for these awards.  Two students supported by the COBRE grant were recognized:

Jordan Miner – Biomedical Engineering, received the Janet Waldron Doctoral Research Fellowship.  The Janet Waldron Doctoral Research Fellowship (JWDRF) is open to all doctoral students, regardless of discipline and is designed to stimulate research and scholarship at 91福利 as measured by research productivity and doctoral-degree graduation rate.

Jordan Miner is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) at the University of Maine. She is co-advised by Drs. Karissa Tilbury and Andre Khalil and her research is focused on breast cancer. Early detection of breast cancer improves patient survival. However, how quick a tumor will progress is clinically very difficult to predict leading to the standard of care being a mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. Therefore, there is a need to develop cancer progression biomarkers to differentiate low- versus high-risk early-stage tumors. Cell surface receptors known as integrins play a crucial role in cancer cell migration. Her hypothesis is that by understanding which integrins are more active in breast cancer progression could lead to the development of novel biomarkers. To study this, Jordan has been developing 3D breast cancer models of cell lines at different stages of breast cancer progression and reducing the expression levels of key integrins to study their impact on cancer cell migration. Preliminary trials demonstrate promising results with at least one of the integrins studied thus far. “I am very excited to continue this research under the support of the Janet Waldron Doctoral Research Fellowship”, says Jordan. 

Jordan is in her second semester collaborating with her mentor and advisor Karissa Tilbury, Ph.D., on a COBRE Pilot Project: Determining the Role of 伪11尾1 Collagen Binding Integrins in the Progression of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) to Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC).  “The COBRE grant has been instrumental in my research project as well as my professional development. Not only has it provided financial support for myself and the supplies of the project, but it has also allowed me to take French courses to strengthen my application to continue my dissertation in Lyon, France this fall.” We wish Jordan the best on her pending applications to study at the Cancer Research Center of Lyon ().

Allie Conner – Microbiology, is a First alternate for the Chase Distinguished Research Assistantship. These awards are made on a competitive basis and involve nomination by the department of study and submission of a research proposal delineating the research to be undertaken.
Allie, a PhD student in Microbiology, is a member of the Wheeler lab, Microscopy and Image Analysis Core (MIAC) for the COBRE grant.  

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91福利鈥檚 Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) has announced the 2024-25 academic year fellowship awardees. This year鈥檚 awards were supported by CUGR, Office of the Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, Maine EPSCoR office (through an NSF award), EPIC program, and 91福利 Space (through a Maine Space Grant Consortium [MSGC] award).

The CUGR Research and Creative Activities fellowships were developed to enhance and increase undergraduate student involvement in faculty-supervised research and are supported through the office of the Vice President for Research. Each fellowship provides $3,000 per student for costs associated with the project.

The 2024-25 Academic Year MSGC Undergraduate Research Fellowship awards help provide research opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students in aerospace technology, space science, human exploration and space development, Earth science and other science- or engineering-related fields. The focus of proposed projects funded by the fellowships must be aligned with the research priorities of NASA鈥檚 Earth and space science strategic enterprises. Selected projects will be awarded up to $3,000 each.

Among the awarded projects, 17 were led by COBRE faculty:

2024-25 Academic Year CUGR Research and Creative Activities Fellowship 

• Elaina Cote, Molecular and Cellular Biology, 鈥淯sing Paralyzation Assays to Assess the Function of Periactive Zone Proteins at the Neuronal Synapse in C. elegans,鈥� advised by Zhao Xuan
• Toby Dunne, Biochemistry, 鈥淯nderstanding GPCR Desensitization by Autophagy to Treat Chronic Conditions,鈥� advised by Joshua Kelley
• Gabriella Giftos, Microbiology, 鈥淓xamining the Role of Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis in JC Polyomavirus Infection of Primary Kidney Cells,鈥� advised by Melissa Maginnis
• Emily Hammond, Biomedical Engineering, 鈥淥ptimizing 3D Breast Cancer Heterospheroid Production To Enhance Diagnostics And Instrument Testing,鈥� advised by Karissa Tilbury

2024-25 Academic Year MSGC Research Experience

• Maddison Coffin, Biology, 鈥淪wimming in Protein: Mylpf Protein Helps Zebrafish Build Muscle Strength,鈥� advised by Jared Talbot
• Angelina White, Biology, 鈥淲hat Cues Help Muscle-Forming Cells Migrate to Different Regions of The Body?,鈥� advised by Jared Talbot

2024-25 Academic Year EPIC Research and Creative Activities Fellowships

• Ben Curtis, Biochemistry, 鈥淰alidating a Novel Drug Screen and Candidate Drugs Against Influenza A Infection in Zebrafish,鈥� advised by Benjamin King
• Myla Schneider, Biology, 鈥淭he Evaluation of Paroxetine and Cetirizine Combination in JC Polyomavirus Infection,鈥� advised by Melissa Maginnis

2024-25 Academic Year NSF Research Fellowships

• Seth Ashby, Microbiology, 鈥淒etermining Essential Genes Contributing to the Regulation of the Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (UPRmt),鈥� advised by Suzanne Angeli
• Sydney Brown, Molecular and Cellular Biology, 鈥淓valuation of cellular calcium flux in response to JC Polyomavirus infection,鈥� advised by Melissa Maginnis
• Daniela Chavez de Paz Solis, Biology, 鈥淭he Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms in Muscle Fiber Regeneration of Zebrafish Affected By Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy,鈥� advised by Clarissa Henry
• Oyku Goktug, Biochemistry, 鈥淚nvestigating DPM3 Deficiency: Mechanisms of Muscle Resilience in Dystroglycanopathies,鈥� advised by Clarissa Henry
• Benjamin Hunt, Biology, 鈥淎n Investigation of Neurodegenerative Mechanisms Associated with cat-4 Gene Mutations via their Impact on Clarinet (CLA-1) Localization,鈥� advised by Zhao Xuan
• Jasper Makowski, Microbiology, 鈥淐haracterization of the role of L-type calcium channels in BK Polyomavirus infection,鈥� advised by Melissa Maginnis
• Melisa Matonsi, Biochemistry, 鈥淚dentifying Key Genes for the Prolongation of the Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (UPRmt),鈥� advised by Suzanne Angeli
• Mason Soares, Microbiology, 鈥淚nvestigating Myosin Essential Light Chain Function,鈥� advised by Jared Talbot
• Mary Tanner, Biology, 鈥淚nvestigating how muscle-driven movement promotes cartilage growth,鈥� advised by Jared Talbot

The full list of awardees is available on .

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Dr Melissa Maginnis, Associate Professor of Microbiology and COBRE project leader, was asked by Admissions to be a recruiter for student athletes interested in STEM careers.

91福利 women’s soccer program is on a roll, winning the last two America East Championships (2023 & 2024) and participating in the NCAA Tournament.
Four of the key players are actually part of two winning programs at 91福利. Lara Kirkby, Abby Kraemer, Kristina Kelly and Myla Schneider are doing biomedical research in the lab of Melissa Maginnis who studies viruses that affect human health. All four players have their sights set on going to medical school or pursuing advanced degrees. The lab is becoming a draw for student-athletes who are interested in the sciences, and the work happening in the Maginnis lab has become a key part of the soccer program’s recruitment process.

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October 10, 2024  Grad Student Spotlight, Graduate School, GSBSE, IMPACT Newsletter, Medicine, Research News

The National Institutes of Health awarded University of Maine Ph.D. candidate Amanda Ignacz the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award. This nationally competitive award honors and invests in pre-doctoral students by helping them obtain research training while conducting their dissertation research. 

Enrolled in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering鈥檚 (GSBSE) biomedical science program and advised by Clarissa Henry, professor of biomedical sciences, Ignacz鈥� research focusses on a zebrafish model for dystroglycanopathies, a rare form of neuromuscular disease. Although the specific disease Ignacz is examining, DPM3-mediated dystroglycanopathy, has only been diagnosed in eleven individuals, it is a subset of more common diseases called Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation. Ignacz explained, 鈥淭here are no cures for Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation. So it鈥檚 really critical that we understand the driving mechanisms through which disease progresses and this is the focus of my research.鈥�

Her own interest in neuromuscular disease and its progression stems from the loss of her younger brother who passed away from complications with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This can make setbacks in her own research harder to deal with. 鈥淚 can tend to take setbacks a little bit harder, a little more personally, because I am so personally invested in my research because of my brother,鈥� remarked Ignacz. 鈥淐larissa Henry has really shown me what being a resilient scientist means. She鈥檚 really modeled self-advocacy and positive self-talk, and being really adaptable when approaching things, both in life and experiments.鈥�

Ignacz aspires to stay in academia and establish her own lab to continue studying neuromuscular disease once she graduates. Through this research she hopes to help identify driving mechanisms of neuromuscular disease progression and help develop therapies that can improve the lives and outcomes of people diagnosed with neuromuscular disease.

Ignacz first learned of the award opportunity during a grant writing class, but waited until she had enough data to tell a compelling story. 鈥淚 ended up really enjoying the writing process and integrating the creativity of writing with my love of science,鈥� she said.  

While the award is a recognition of Ignacz鈥� potential as a researcher it will also help fund training opportunities and attending conferences such as the Gordon Research Conferences and a Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinical Research Conference, among others. 

Ignacz expressed thanks to her mentors within GSBSE and the broader research community, in particular the current Director of GSBSE Gregory Cox, and looks forward to continuing her development as a researcher at 91福利. 

Written by: Daniel Timmermann

Contact: Erin Miller, erin.miller@maine.edu

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Science is often portrayed as a solo researcher working long into the night in the pursuit of their world changing result, but we feel that this doesn鈥檛 reflect what actually happens, especially not in the . Our group focuses on research that advances understanding of how muscles are positioned in the body and how they grow in strength through time. This summer, our group has been incredibly active with a large team of students, technicians, and the PI (Jared Talbot, Assistant Professor)  supporting one another to achieve these goals as one lab in the COBRE community. Every Talbot lab member works together with other researchers to get the job done and we find that mutual support and community building are key to accomplishing our research goals. 

It鈥檚 hard to name a single person who acts alone – instead, our experiments proceed through an interlocked web of expertise. For example,Tayo Adekeye (PhD student, SBE) investigates how a gene called Mylpf impacts muscle formation as part of a team of students. Tayo mentors three undergraduates in the lab, each with their own projects that work together to produce a mosaic of knowledge.

This summer, Maddie Coffin (Senior Biology major) joined the project, and seeks to identify how the timing of protein expression influences Mylpf activity. Tayo and Maddie work together on experiments like athletes passing a baton. Maddie collects and cares for embryos, then Tayo steps in for step he has trained on extensively, before passing animals back to Maddie for further analysis. Maddie鈥檚 own work springs from a project pioneered by a previous undergraduate, Sadie Waterman (Graduated 2023). By refining Sadie’s protocol, Maddie and her team achieved clearer results, reflecting how these 鈥榖atons鈥� can be passed passes can across years of work. Maddie credits the genotyping she needed for her experiments to the support of another student, Mason Soares (Senior, Microbio major). In turn, Mason often works with Troy Hupper (Senior, Bio major) and Jordan Roamer (Junior, Marine Science major) to share space and time using the PCR equipment for their own pieces of the project, so everyone can get good genotyping results quickly.

This collaborative spirit is echoed by Jordan, who finds working in the lab calming and enjoys the sense of responsibility. As a lab technician, Jordan takes on a variety of maintenance tasks, from cleaning and organizing data with Becca White (Senior, high school) to genotyping and stock maintenance. These two technicians have been trained and supported by our lab manager Teresa Easterbrooks (M.Sc., 2023), who ensures that all reagents are ready at the  time they鈥檙e needed.  Their contributions, though often behind the scenes, are crucial to experimental success. The achievements of our group are the result of skills and talents of numerous bright minds, who each layer in the foundations of progress.

This support structure also allows for specialization in work across career stages. For instance, Angelina White (Junior, Biology) has developed refined methods for examining gene expression quickly and at high resolution, which she uses to advance every other project in the lab. A new graduate student Amin Foroughi-Nezhad (PhD, SBE) is bringing new informatic perspectives to the team. Dr. Talbot does his own baton-passing steps, coming into experiments, taking the lead at key points such as microscopic imaging. He says 鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit like when a surgeon arrives, gloves up, adds the final stitches, and passes a patient back to the operating team.鈥� This kind of experimental involvement excites him because it lets him do the hands-on work that he loves, while preserving time for research planning, all  without compromising the students鈥� ownership of their experiments. Dr. Talbot is himself supported by other researchers in the COBRE team, who meet weekly to discuss obstacles and possibilities in their research programs. Each of the students in the Talbot Lab has their own project this summer – and yet each finds themselves thanking and being thanked by others in the group about how they鈥檝e aided in the success of projects that they don鈥檛 鈥渙wn鈥�. We know that many labs run exactly like this – but it is a joy to see it work so well. We posit research works best when it grows from mutual generosity, because the seeds of success are found when intertwining stories grow together.

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