UAlbany Department of Biological Sciences: 2026 Showcase Day and 43rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
The University at Albany Department of Biological Sciences celebrated student academic and research excellence during two major events held at the end of the Spring 2026 semester: UAlbany’s Fourth Annual Showcase Day and the Department of Biological Sciences 43rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Together, these events showcased the wide range of undergraduate and graduate activities taking place across the University while recognizing students for their excellence in academics, research, communication and innovation.
Fourth Annual Showcase Day
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, UAlbany hosted its Fourth Annual Showcase Day, a campus-wide celebration dedicated to promoting and honoring academic, research, experiential learning and creative achievements.
The day featured poster and oral presentations, fairs, performances, discussions, demonstrations and exhibitions covering a wide array of subjects including STEM, arts and humanities, social sciences and professional studies.
More than 2,600 UAlbany students supported by over 400 faculty and staff mentors participated in a wide range of presentations showcasing research, academic projects, experiential learning and creative designs.
This day-long event was attended not only by UAlbany students, faculty, and staff, but also by prospective students, donors, sponsors, legislators, community leaders, institutional partners, and more than 200 middle and high school students from the Capital District region.
Biological Sciences Showcase Award Recipients
During the day, the Department of Biological Sciences showcased 104 poster presentations at the Broadview Center.
Below are the winners of the Department of Biological 2026 Showcase Poster Awards, which recognized exceptional class projects and research from several other UAlbany departments, including Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Anthropology, Psychology, Biomedical Sciences and Psychology, as well as institutions such as SUNY Polytechnic Institute, the RNA Institute and Albany Medical College.
This year’s 2026 Biological Sciences Showcase Poster awardees received $100 and include the following:
Best Undergraduate Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Showcase Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Afifa Ahmed | Cross-Disease Small Molecule Screening Identifies Therapeutic Candidates for CAG Repeat Expansion Disorders | Dr. Hannah Shorrock |
| Camryn Clark | Attentional Biases in Anxiety: A Comparative Review of Cognitive and Neurobiological Theories | Dr. Jeanette Altarriba |
| Margaret Amarjargal | Gli3 Mutant Mice as a Model to Observe the Effects of Aberrant Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Development and Terminal Nerve Migration | Dr. Paolo Forni |
| Sophia Giler | Global Analysis and Comparative Genomics of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST258 | Dr. Stephanie S.R. De Souza |
Course-based Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Showcase Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvia Drenkalo | Exploring Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Bacteroidota and Actinobacteria from Platinum Mine Tailings Soils in South Africa through Genome Mining | Dr. Stephanie S.R. De Souza |
Class Project
| Student | Presentation Title | Showcase Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Nevin Joseph | Hyperthyroidism (Graves Disease) | Dr. Elise Vogt |
| Jacklynne Osorio-Hernandez | Hepatitis C Virus: Understanding Risk, Transmission, and Prevention in College Communities | Dr. Cara Pager |
Master's Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Showcase Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Layla Farmer | Utilizing Necdin-Null Mice as a Model to Study GnRH-1 Neuron Migration and Terminal Nerve Development | Dr. Paolo Forni |
PhD Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Showcase Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Noah LeFever | Trp73: A Critical Transcription Factor for Maturation and Survival of Neurons of the Olfactory Systems | Dr. Paolo Forni |
43rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium
On Friday, May 1, 2026, the Department of Biological Sciences held its 43rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.
At UAlbany, undergraduate science students participating in research for credit play a key role in designing experiments, testing hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data, interpreting results and finally presenting their conclusions.
This year’s symposium featured twenty oral presentations from various UAlbany departments, including Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Psychology and Biomedical Sciences, as well as institutions such as the RNA Institute, New York State Department of Health and Albany Medical College.
Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Recipients
Each year, the Symposium recognizes outstanding research quality and effective communication through monetary awards. The 2026 recipients of the Glenn L. Bumpus Award received $1,000 each while the winner of the Departmental Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research was granted $250 and the awardee of the Dr. Robert Osuna Presentation Award earned $500.
Glenn L. Bumpus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Megan Leung | Visual Fixation Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster | Dr. Maxwell Turner |
| Diya Mangatt | Med24 Is Required for Normal Feeding Behavior in Zebrafish | Dr. Soma Dash |
The Robert Osuna Award for Undergraduate Research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
| Student | Presentation Title | Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Humayra Islam Oishi | Potential of Combined Small Molecule Treatment in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) | Dr. Andrew Berglund |
Departmental Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
| Student | Presentation Title | Advisors |
|---|---|---|
| Sanjida Ahmed | Modified Polycyclic Compound Synthesis and Screening in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 | Dr. Andy Berglund and Dr. Ting Wang |
Congratulations to all the Participants and Awardees!
The Department of Biological Sciences would also like to recognize Pauline Carrico and Stephanie S.R. De Souza, as well as Andrew Berglund, Elise Vogt and Matthew Stanger, for their exceptional contributions to both the UAlbany’s Fourth Annual Showcase Day and the Department of Biological Sciences 43rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. We also extend a special thanks to the UAlbany Foundation for administering the awards for these events.
Learn more about UAlbany’s Department of Biological Sciences.