COBRE Faculty Mentor Student Posters
2026 UMaine Student Symposium
This spring, students mentored by COBRE-affiliated faculty presented research at the University of Maine Student Symposium. The posters represented a wide range of disciplines, including biomedical sciences, engineering, infectious disease research, zebrafish models, mitochondrial biology, and tissue engineering. The symposium highlighted the collaborative research environment at UMaine and the important role faculty mentorship plays in student research success.
Click here for the 2026 Book of Abstracts
Featured Student Posters and Faculty Mentors
The list below highlights student poster presentations associated with COBRE faculty mentors during the symposium, including student researchers, project titles, and participating laboratories across campus.
Dr. Suzanne Angeli Laboratory
Determining the Role of ROS Within the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore and the Maladaptive Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response
Student Researcher(s): Alyssa Castle
Reducing the Detrimental Effect of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore (mPTP) in Caenorhabditis elegans
Student Researcher(s): Kirin Guay
Examining Sex-Specific Differences in Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response Activation Using C. elegans
Student Researcher(s): Nathaniel Jordan
Tissue-Specific Role of atp-3 in Lifespan Regulation
Student Researcher(s): Holden Zuras
Mitochondrial Stress & Lifespan Extension in C. elegans Through RNAi-Mediated Gene Knockdown
Student Researcher(s): Melisa Matonsi, Kirin Guay, Seth Ashby, Timber Mattson
Characterization of Differentially Expressed Genes Between the Developmental and Post-Developmental Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (UPRMT) in Caenorhabditis elegans
Student Researcher(s): Riley Jerome, Justin Solomon, Franklin Libby, Seth Ashby
Dr. Clarissa Henry Laboratory
Removal of Dpm3 in Zebrafish Leads to Impaired Neuromuscular Development and Failure to Thrive
Student Researcher(s): Amanda Ignacz, Lillian Warwick, Veronica Doyle, Clare MacDonald, Clarissa Henry
Dr. Joshua Kelley Laboratory
Pointing Shmoo North: Mapping the Polarized Proteome
Student Researcher(s): Remi Geohegan, Ahmed Almaghasilah, Sudati Shrestha, Nick Leclerc, Toby Dunne, Joshua Kelley
Septin, Exocyst and Polarisome Coordination in the Yeast Mating Pathway
Student Researcher(s): Catherine Beazley, Sudati Shrestha, Joshua Kelley
Dr. Benjamin King Laboratory
Increasing Rural Lung Cancer Patient Access to Precision Medicine Improves Overall Survival
Student Researcher(s): Michael Babcock
Genetic Causes of Differential Survival in DBA/2J Mice vs. C57BL/6J Mice Infected with Influenza A Virus
Student Researcher(s): Zacharie Claude, Abigail Bergmark, Ada Sinclair-Steele, Aubrey Dionne, Benjamin Curtis
Genetic Causes of Differential Survival in DBA/2J Mice vs. C57BL/6J Mice Infected with Influenza A Virus
Student Researcher(s): Sydney DeSimone, Ada Sinclair-Steele, Abigail Bergmark, Zac Claude
An Easily Imageable Localized Influenza Infection in Zebrafish Larvae
Student Researcher(s): Ben Curtis, Benjamin King
Investigating the Roles of Myeloperoxidase in Regulating the Inflammatory Response to Influenza A Virus Infection
Student Researcher(s): Lillian Campbell, Ben Curtis, Adeline Shanahan, Fiona Johnson
Determining How pak1 Reduces Hyperinflammation Caused by Influenza Infection
Student Researcher(s): Fiona Johnson, Brooke Jacomine, Ben Curtis
Topology to Targeting: Percolation to Identify Biologically Relevant Genes from Transcriptomic Data
Student Researcher(s): Eric Jestel
Dr. Melissa Maginnis Laboratory
Defining Cellular Mechanisms of JC Polyomavirus Entry and Infection in Primary Cell Models
Student Researcher(s): Gabriella Giftos, Sophie Craig
Characterizing Src in JC Polyomavirus Infection via Bosutinib Inhibition
Student Researcher(s): Joshua Hicks, James Feduccia
Genotype-Specific Binding Properties of BK Polyomavirus
Student Researcher(s): Luise Reinwald, Lara Kirkby, Sophie Craig, Kristina Kelly
A Novel Kidney Organoid Model for Polyomavirus Infection
Student Researcher(s): Sophie Craig, Orianna Goldberg, James Feduccia, Jasper Makowski
Investigating the Effect of Serotonin on JC Polyomavirus Infection
Student Researcher(s): Owen Axelson, Lucas Bennett
Defining the Role of Src and the MAPK Pathway During JCPyV Infection
Student Researcher(s): Abigail McNally, James Feduccia, Joshua Hicks, Melissa Maginnis
Determining the Pathway of BK Polyomavirus Entry into Human Kidney Cells Using Endocytosis Inhibitors
Student Researcher(s): Emma Nicholson, Gabriella Giftos, Sophie Craig
Investigating Histamine Receptor-Mediated Pathways to Inhibit JC Polyomavirus Infection
Student Researcher(s): Sydney Frazier
Inhibition of Src Kinase Reduces JC Polyomavirus Infection in Immortalized and Primary Astrocytes
Student Researcher(s): James Feduccia, Sophie E. Craig, Abigail McNally, Joshua Hicks
Hijacking a Common Regulatory Receptor: How JCPyV Utilizes Serotonin Type II Receptors for Its Own Gain
Student Researcher(s): Lucas Bennett, Kristina Kelly, Orianna Goldberg, Amanda Sandberg, Owen Axelson, Samuel Hess, Melissa Maginnis
Effects of Calcium and GPCR Inhibitor Drugs on BK Polyomavirus Infection in Kidney-Derived Cells
Student Researcher(s): Cintia Bukaka, Gary Au-Yeung, Abby Bouchard, Takashi Fasulo, Portia Gagnon, Addison Gambol, Grace Johnson, Meagan Libby, Lily Poulin, Marcus Russano, Liz Saavedra Perez, Morgan White, Gabriella Giftos, Sophie Craig
Defining the Role of Calcium Signaling in BK Polyomavirus Infection
Student Researcher(s): Jasper Makowski, Sophie Craig
Opening the Door: Histamine Receptor H1 Identified as a Potential Novel Entry Receptor for JC Polyomavirus
Student Researcher(s): Kristina Kelly, Lucas Bennett, Melissa Maginnis
Dr. Jared Talbot Laboratory
Independently Verifying Behavioral Compensation in Danio rerio Model of Muscle Disease
Student Researcher(s): Jesse Persons, Troy E. Hupper, Teresa E. Easterbrooks, Jared C. Talbot
Retinoic Acid Signaling Controls Muscle-Forming Cell Migration in Zebrafish
Student Researcher(s): Alexandra Myles, Jared Talbot, Teresa Easterbrooks
Dr. Karissa Tilbury Laboratory
Effect of Fibrinogen-Thrombin Hydrogel Stiffness and Osteogenic Media on Osteogenic Maturation of MC3T3-E1 Cells
Student Researcher(s): Autumn Greene, Jonathan Sawyer, Tyler Russell, Victoria Dungey, Savannah Connor-Schade
Effects of Media, Matrix Stiffness, and Dimensionality on Osteogenesis
Student Researcher(s): Lydia Bates, Jasmine Connor-Schade, Noah Cote, Madison Striegel
Collagen Hydrogel Contraction Caused by M1, M2 and M4 Breast Tissue Cell Lines
Student Researcher(s): Tyler Judd
Dr. Robert Wheeler Laboratory
Standardizing NanoLuc Luciferase Bioluminescence Assay for Candida albicans Growth
Student Researcher(s): Abby Bouchard, Gursimran Dhillon, Robert Wheeler, Lindsey Stover
Mechanisms of Bacterial-Drug Synergy Against Candida
Student Researcher(s): Allie Conner, Siham Hattab, Lindsey Stover, Robert Wheeler
Do Cross-Kingdom Interactions Affect Antibiotic Susceptibility in Cystic Fibrosis?
Student Researcher(s): Cameron Bains, Allie Conner, Robert Wheeler
Using Intravital Imaging in Zebrafish to Understand the Role CXCR1/2 Receptor-Signaling Plays in Phagocyte Activity During the Innate Immune Response to C. albicans Infection
Student Researcher(s): Nnamdi Baker
Investigating the Role of NMD5 in Cell Wall Structure and Host Immune Recognition in Candida albicans
Student Researcher(s): Noah Colby
This collection of student presentations reflects the continued impact of faculty mentorship and collaborative research opportunities supported through COBRE-affiliated laboratories at the University of Maine.