This April, a group of Northeastern University undergraduate students traveled to Chicago to participate in the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s annual meeting. Representing one of the largest groups Northeastern has ever sent, undergraduates Bita Adel-Zadeh, Ava Kominski, Migue Van Louis Darcera, Hiroki Yamaguchi, Jillian Zerkowski, Priya Thuran, Rupsa Jana, and Mark Teh proudly presented their research led by Professor Kirsten Fertuck, Biochemistry Program Director and ASBMB Chapter faculty advisor.
The event opened with the Undergraduate Poster Competition on Saturday, April 12, where hundreds of undergraduate and even high school posters were presented. Among the participants, fifth-year cell and molecular biology major Migue Van Louis Darcera received an Honorable Mention for his research on pulcherriminic acid as a regulatory signal in bacteria biofilms, conducted in Professor Yunrong Chai’s lab.
The undergraduate presenters gained valuable experience sharing their research with fellow students and received constructive feedback from judges. Adel-Zadeh presented her work on the characterization of tau species in plasma as a detection method for Alzheimer’s disease. Jana introduced her development of engineered STING-ICG lipid nanoparticles for trackable delivery in BRCA-deficient breast cancer treatment. Kominski explored the function of a plausible DNA polymerase protein, Pol A2. Teh discussed the role of plant UDP-glycosyltransferase in cardiotonic steroid biosynthesis. Thuran presented on structurally characterizing Noonan Syndrome-associated NRasT50I mutation. Yamaguchi examined the pathway through which Lon protease regulates the cell envelope in Acinetobacter baumannii, and Zerkowski investigated the coloration mechanism of Mercenaria mercenaria.
Outside of their research presentations, students explored a wide range of sessions tailored to their individual interests. Topics spanned from biochemistry’s role in addressing climate change to advances in protein design for drug discovery, offering endless opportunities for learning and inspiration. A standout moment was a keynote talk on scientific perseverance, delivered through a memorable poker analogy that captured the challenges and realities of today’s research environment. Additionally, a women’s networking dinner featured a candid discussion on the complexities of pursuing a career in research as a woman, providing attendees with valuable mentorship and advice.
Students also expanded their professional networks throughout the conference, forging new connections with researchers from other institutions. Thuran had the opportunity to meet Kendra Marcus, a past graduate student of the Mattos lab and current faculty member at Amherst College, for a coffee chat, leading to a valuable conversation in navigating early scientific careers. The group also had an opportunity to get to know one another better over a dinner organized by Professor Fertuck.
For those who missed this year’s excitement, ASBMB annual meeting will return from March 7–10, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Students interested in presenting should stay connected with the Biochemistry Club ([email protected]) for updates on application deadlines and details.
We look forward to seeing another strong Northeastern presence in ASBMB in 2026!
