More than 30 research posters competed for prizes at the 2024 Biomedical Sciences Symposium, which took place on Sept. 9 at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City.  Hosted by the Division of Research and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, participants included students from UNC Charlotte, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) and NC State University. 

Three winning posters are from the College of Science, taking a prize in each category. UNC Charlotte students from the College of Science, College of Engineering and College of Computing and Informatics (CCI) accounted for half of the awards presented.

“We have excellent training and mentoring of students on our campus and we have fantastic lab facilities. Our undergraduate and graduate students are given hands-on training with state-of-the-art equipment and have opportunities to present their work at conferences and to publish their work,” said College of Science Dean Bernadette Donovan-Merkert. “We continue to build top-tier research enterprises on our campus to support the Charlotte region by training the technical workforce of scientists and engineers of tomorrow.”

College of Science Winners:

Best Poster Award from the Journal Biomolecules:

• Trevor Price*, Sarah Lotz, Katie Reagin, Rae Lee, Kristen Funk: “Investigating the intersection of viral infection, neuroinflammation, and tauopathies,” from the biological sciences Funk Lab.

The prize is the US dollar equivalent of 200 Swiss Franc per team.

Best Poster Awards from the Biomedical Sciences Symposium

• Infectious Disease topic category winner:
  • Kaitlin Klotz, biological sciences Ph.D. student in the Chakrabarti Lab: “Regulation Telomerase Activity in Trypanosoma brucei Through RNA Structural Dynamics and Enzyme Post-Translational Modification”
• Nanomaterials topic category winner:
  • Erin Mills, biological sciences Ph.D. student in the Johnson Lab: “Immunomodulatory nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) stimulate protective bone cell responses following S. aureus challenge”

The prize is $200 per team.

Review the full list of poster award winners on the Biomedical Sciences Symposium website.

Sponsors of the event included: North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Atrium Health, BioCytics, the Carolina BioOncology Institute, and Illumina.

The UNC Charlotte Division of Research and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center hosted the 2024 Biomedical Sciences Symposium on Sept. 9 at the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City. The symposium offered the opportunity for attendees to “seek catalytic partnerships that can lead to a big vision for building solutions in the biomedical sciences,” said Deb Thomas, associate vice chancellor for the Division of Research.

More than 350 attendees participated in the conference, a day-long event highlighting innovation and translational research featuring speakers, research presentations and poster sessions in topics such as cancer research, regenerative medicine, artificial intelligence in biomedical sciences, diagnostic imaging, infectious diseases and global health, medical devices, and nanomaterials and structure-based drug design. 

Thomas cited the importance of hosting the conference on campus after a pandemic pause due to UNC Charlotte’s 272 percent increase in research expenditures in the past decade, the recent establishment of the College of Science and the university’s overall enrollment growth, with 40 percent of Charlotte students in STEM fields. 

“We decided this was an inflection moment in the life sciences at UNC Charlotte and that reinvigorating this symposium on our campus is really important, tying us together with the region,” said Thomas. 

NCBiotech President and CEO Doug Edgeton was a featured speaker and showcased North Carolina’s place as a national leader in the biomedical field, with more than 830 life sciences companies in the state for a workforce of 75,000+ people in manufacturing, contract research and testing, research and development, and agricultural technology. The NCBiotech Charlotte office, which opened in 2006, has supported the strengths of the Charlotte area, outlined by Edgeton as advanced manufacturing and metrology, biomanufacturing, computational life sciences and health informatics, medical devices, and human health and nutrition. “The Charlotte region is such a rich part of the tapestry of the state and we are so blessed to have an area of the state that is growing,” said Edgeton.

A panel of Charlotte college leadership discussed interdisciplinary biomedical research and centers across the university, highlighting the collaborations and innovations from faculty and students. The panelists were: College of Science Dean Bernadette Donovan-Merkert, College of Computing and Informatics Dean Bojan Cukic, William States Lee College of Engineering Dean Rob Keynton and College of Health and Human Services Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies Shanti Kulkarni. 

The featured speakers continued with Jai Patel, vice president of research at Atrium Levine Cancer Center at Atrium Health, and Anthony Atala, director of Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, who discussed genomics and cancer research and advancements in organ transplants. Steve Kearney, chief medical officer at SAS, presented on the applications of artificial intelligence and implications in the biomedical sciences.

The afternoon breakout sessions offered 29 different speakers highlighting their research from medical groups, UNC Charlotte and Wake Forest. A poster session and competition completed the day’s agenda.

The conference also showcased four different biomedical related research centers at Charlotte. Highlights included Daniel Janies, director of CIPHER: Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks; Juan Vivero-Escoto, director of CITRANS: Center for Innovation, Translational Research and Applications of Nanostructured Systems; XiuXia Du, director of CEMIT: Center for Environmental Monitoring and Informatics Technologies for Public Health; and Pu Wang, co-director of AI Center for Human Digital Twin and Computational Health.

Additional sponsors of the event included Illumina, BioCytics, and the Carolina BioOncology Institute.

The UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence honors outstanding non-tenure track teachers on our campus and provides an example of the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching.

This year, two College of Science faculty have been named as finalists for the award and one was recognized with an honorable mention. The winner of the award will be announced at a ceremony on Sept. 5.

Bernadette Donovan-Merkert, dean of the College of Science, said “I am excited to have our College of Science faculty recognized for their outstanding teaching abilities. Our faculty take great care to make their course content meaningful while building students’ confidence to learn difficult subjects and inspiring them to be scientifically inquisitive.”

Susan Michael, senior lecturer, chemistry

Michael is an exceptional teacher who has touched the lives of her students through her desire to get to know each of them individually. She is universally recognized as an excellent teacher by her students and peers.

“As a teacher, I believe it is my responsibility to do four basic things for all of my students,” said Michael. “I must motivate my students to want to learn; I must present the material in a manner that makes it easy for students to learn effectively; I must provide meaningful opportunities for students to use or practice their newly acquired knowledge; and I must assess their learning in a fair and appropriate manner.”

John Taylor, teaching professor, mathematics and statistics

Taylor is a distinguished educator known for his innovative and student-centered approach to teaching mathematics. His teaching philosophy is rooted in motivating students and fostering self-confidence. Taylor’s commitment to education is evident in his development of comprehensive guided notebooks and a library of course videos, which have become invaluable student resources.

“I believe that each student has a unique learning style and that each class requires its own approach,” said Taylor. “I feel it is important to motivate and encourage students and ensure that they maintain a high level of self-confidence. My mission as a teacher is to consider all variables and provide an environment and method that is as effective as possible.”

Andrew Goff, lecturer of biological sciences, was also recognized with an honorable mention.

When a subdivision in Union County grew increasingly concerned over a bright red storm water pond, a news station turned to the UNC Charlotte College of Science to get expert answers.

Residents reported the Indian Trail neighborhood’s homeowners association was unresponsive over their concerns that the pond could contain a toxic red algae bloom. With a lack of answers, the neighbors turned to WBTV and provided Channel 3 news with a sample from the pond.

“It looks just like blood,” said the concerned resident in the television interview. WBTV brought a sample of the pond water for investigation to Matthew Parrow, Ph.D., professor of Biological Sciences and associate dean for academic administration.

Parrow was able to examine the water sample under microscopy to determine the source of the red color in the pond.

“This isn’t a algal bloom at all, but actually a plant bloom. Growing on the surface of that pond is a high abundance of water meal and duckweed,” said Parrow. He further explained that they likely proliferated from recent rains, when fertilizer might wash into the slow-moving body of water and give the plants extra food to grow. The red color is an adaptation that protects the plants from sunlight.

The best news that WBTV could take back to the concerned residents is that Parrow assures them the plants are natural and non-toxic for the environment and humans.

Watch the full report from WBTV and Matthew Parrow, Ph.D. testing the pond water.

Bernadette Donovan-Merkert has been named as the founding dean of the College of Science after serving in the role for more than a year as interim. Her appointment, approved by the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees, is effective Aug. 15.

“Bernadette has spent her career at Charlotte supporting our students, leading faculty, promoting innovative research and nurturing the growth of our programs in the STEM fields,” said Jennifer Troyer, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “She is strategically developing the College of Science to align our teaching, community outreach and exemplary research, which is building a talent pipeline serving the Charlotte region and beyond.”

Prior to serving as interim dean, Donovan-Merkert led the Department of Chemistry as chair for more than 18 years. As chair she was integral in the design and development of the Nanoscale Science Ph.D. program and also served as the program director. 

“I am thrilled to continue this important work building the College of Science with the collaboration of great leaders and our dynamic faculty,” said Donovan-Merkert.  “Science is at the heart of developing an inquisitive, scientifically literate society. We are well positioned as an incubator of innovative teaching and cutting-edge research to support our students, drive discovery and advance partnerships through our community.”  

Read more about Donovan-Merkert’s new role.

The College of Science hosted the Carolina Raptor Center as they released their 10,000th rehabilitated raptor on Saturday, Aug. 10. The red-tailed hawk spent 58 days in CRC’s hospital facility and was released into the trees at the Hauser Alumni Pavilion in front of a crowd of guests, including families and CRC volunteers. The event was held on campus where the center was “hatched” 49 years ago, in what is now the Department of Biological Sciences.

CRC’s story began at UNC Charlotte in 1975 when an injured broad-winged hawk was brought to ornithologist Richard Brown, Ph.D., which sparked the idea for a raptor rehabilitation center. In 1981, Brown and student Deb Sue Griffin co-founded the center as a nonprofit organization. In 1984, the nonprofit was in need of more space and moved the center from campus to its current location within the Latta Nature Preserve. The raptor hospital has since evolved into a sophisticated facility capable of providing specialized treatment tailored to the unique needs of these birds and CRC has grown into a leading institution dedicated to the rehabilitation, education, and conservation of birds of prey.

Bernadette Donovan-Merket, interim dean of the College of Science, remarked to the attendees that this event allowed campus to start residential move-in a little early. “We are so excited to welcome this red-tailed hawk to the beautiful and ecologically diverse habitat of the UNC Charlotte campus. The trees are a little different from the dorms, but our campus can certainly take another resident,” said Donovan-Merkert. “We have already told the squirrels to be on the lookout for our newest Niner.”

Katherine Hall-Hertell, associate dean of graduate academic and student affairs, serves as a board member of the organization. “I joined the Board of the Carolina Raptor Center because I am inspired by their mission and vision. When I learned that CRC began at UNC Charlotte, I felt an even stronger commitment and I’m honored to be a bridge between the two organizations,” said Hall-Hertell. “I am so glad we could participate in this impressive achievement. It feels like we are closing a circle releasing this raptor patient at Charlotte.”

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone at UNC Charlotte, where our journey began,” said Erin Katzner, President and CEO of the Carolina Raptor Center. “Releasing our 10,000th rehabilitated raptor, a hawk, at the place of our inception is a profound moment for all of us. It represents the dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers, and supporters over the years.”

Dhairya Desai, a rising senior and chemistry honors student, has been named a 2024-25 Newman Civic Fellow.

The fellowship is awarded by Campus Compact, a national non-profit and the oldest association in higher education dedicated to civic and community engagement.

Desai is a Levine Scholar working towards a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a concentration in biochemistry. As part of the Levine Scholars program, Desai has engaged in community service with Habitat for Humanity and has served as an impact intern with Atrium Health. Desai is planning for a career in medicine.

Read more about Desai’s fellowship.

Jordan Poler, professor of chemistry, has been awarded a grant through a pilot program from NCInnovation.  He is one of two UNC Charlotte faculty selected for the funding and among eight researchers chosen from the UNC System.

The grant will allow Poler to expand on his team’s recent innovations in water purification that have led to the creation of patented materials capable of removing harmful compounds more effectively than current market solutions. 

At UNC Charlotte, Poler leads a research group that includes students from various disciplines focused on the development of advanced materials. 

Poler founded startup naneXPure LLC and will work with Goulston Technologies, based in Monroe, to scale up the drinking water purification materials from bench to industry scale. Poler’s research on water purification materials, which includes the synthesis of polyelectrolytes, novel coordination complexes and nanostructured materials, shows the potential of nanoscale science to create impactful, real-world solutions to improve public health, he said. 

Poler, a Fulbright scholar, has previously received grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense for his research on water purification. 

Read more about the grants awarded to UNC Charlotte researchers.

The UNC Charlotte Faculty Awards Ceremony was held on Monday, May 13 and two College of Science professors were recognized with some of the University’s most prestigious awards.

Adam Reitzel, professor of biological sciences, was awarded the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal, which recognizes research excellence. 

Reitzel serves as the graduate program director for the Department of Biological Sciences and co-director of the Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks, CIPHER.

“Adam Reitzel offers a model for leadership and research, involving students at every level of his work. He marks the ninth winner of the First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal from the College of Science since the award’s inception, which is an outstanding accomplishment. I am so proud of the leadership our faculty provide, not just within our College, but across UNC Charlotte,” said Bernadette Donovan-Merkert, interim dean of the College of Science.

Juan Vivero-Escoto, professor of chemistry, was awarded the Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award, which recognizes mentorship of graduate-level students.

Vivero-Escoto serves as director of the UNC Charlotte Center for Innovation, Translational Research and Applications of Nanostructured Systems, CITRANS.

“Juan Vivero-Escoto offers ceaseless support and mentorship of our students, setting high but individualized expectations for research and professionalism while supporting them every step of the way. Juan really cares about students’ growth and he builds personal connections to put our students first. He teaches important skills, developing the whole student to build their knowledge and craft experiences into a pipeline to launch them into a successful career,” said Donovan-Merkert.

Read more about the award winners.

Growing up in the small West Texas border town of Tornillo, Yelixza Avila viewed military service as her only way to experience life beyond her hometown.

But the first-generation college student persevered in pursuit of higher education, enrolling at nearby Sul Ross State, where she studied biology and chemistry.

“Ten weeks in the summer in West Texas collecting bugs was the best of times and the worst times,” Avila recalled about her research experience in entomology.

She was selected to attend a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates at the University of North Texas where she discovered her passion, nano-chemistry.

“Nanotechnology is taking small chemical compounds and combining them to build a particle. Nanoparticles are smaller than the width of your hair. Imagine an ant inside of a football stadium — that’s the scale at which we’re working,” said Avila.

Excited about nanoscale science, Avila googled the topic, finding UNC Charlotte’s NanoSURE program. She read about chemistry professor Kirill Afonin’s work with nucleic acids and nanoparticles. UNC Charlotte’s summer research program deadline had just closed, but Avila emailed Professor Tom Schmedeke, then chair of the program, and explained her desire to contribute to the science. He invited her to apply, and she was accepted and spent summer 2018 at UNC Charlotte before returning to Sul Ross State to complete her undergraduate studies.

At the conclusion of the summer program, Juan Vivero-Escoto, Charlotte professor of chemistry, encouraged Avila to consider graduate school.

Moving away from her family for more than just a summer would be difficult, but she said, “I realized incredible work was taking place at Charlotte, and I wanted to be a part of it. I flew back home to Texas, and I had to ask myself ‘Did that really happen? Was I really a scientist?’ It felt like a dream — the best kind of dream — it was so fun.” 

Pursuing a Ph.D.

Avila marveled not only at the notion of being the first in her family to attend college, but of becoming a doctor.

When she learned she had been accepted to Charlotte’s Ph.D. program, Avila knew she would have to sit down with her family to explain why she was making the move. Avila’s family understood her unbridled excitement and offered their loving support.

Expecting to begin doctoral studies in fall 2019, Avila thought she would have months to relocate. Charlotte’s Afonin had other ideas; he invited her to join his lab for the summer, spending time learning from other Ph.D. candidates.

She accepted the offer and absorbed all she could to acclimate herself to this new world. In fall, she started her Ph.D. coursework and taught General Chemistry I and II classes, which Avila credits with strengthening her communication skills.

 “In Dr. Afonin’s lab, I worked with DNA and RNA to make nucleic acid nanoparticles, or NANPs. My main research goal was how do we get these NANPs into cells and observe what happens,” said Avila.

Her research became her dissertation proposal, and she was awarded a National Institute of Health predoctoral fellowship in spring 2022. It came at an opportune time, as Avila had another two years of the Ph.D. program and was juggling becoming a first-time mother.

“Getting a Ph.D. is hard, as is being away from family and having a baby during Covid. The only thing that kept me here was this funding. I know external validations shouldn’t count for everything, but a panel of scientists decided to fund me over the next two years,” said Avila. 

Avila thrived in Afonin’s lab and is grateful for the opportunity to teach and mentor the next generation of scientists. 

Obtaining a postdoctoral fellowship

In March 2024, Avila was selected as an iCURE scholar for a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Cancer Institute. iCURE is an extension of the NCI Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities highly competitive and successful extramural Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences training program. CURE supports the career progression of scholars working toward research independence and fosters the biomedical research pipeline.

It also offers three-year awards for postdoctoral fellows and provides opportunities to work closely with world-class researchers at the National Cancer Institute. Awardees receive support from NCI program staff, access to resources on intramural and extramural funding opportunities, opportunities for professional and career development activities, and connections to an extensive mentoring network. Avila also will receive a stipend as a first-year iCURE postdoc scholar.

Afonin said, “This is a fantastic achievement for Yelixza and a testament to her dedication and capabilities.”

Graduation and the future

Avila’s grandfather died before she defended her Ph.D. dissertation. Her close-knit family was rocked by this event, and Avila went home to grieve and support her family. Avila’s mother made T-shirts in his honor with an image of his truck on the front.

“It’s a ’41 Chevy that he loved to drive us around town. I wanted to bring him along for the ride and honor him in one of the only ways I knew how. So, even though he won’t be in the graduation photos with me and the rest of my family, he’ll still be a part of the memories from this time,” said Avila. 

On Saturday May 11, Avila will be hooded in recognition of completing a Ph.D. in nanoscale science; her family will be in attendance.

She is interviewing with research labs that she will join for her postdoc fellowship, but she will carry her family in her heart as she moves to Bethesda, Maryland, with her partner, their son, and three dogs.  

“I want to make everything worth it. Every moment away is for them, for my family now,” said Avila. “I’ve been so fortunate, I look into the past, and I was surrounded by amazing mentors who believed in me, until I started to believe in myself.”