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2026 Meeting

May 11–12, 2026 · Frost Institute, University of Miami

Dates
May 11–12, 2026
Where
University of Miami, Frost Institute for Chemistry & Molecular Science
Rooms / address
1201 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL
Program

Program & abstracts

The full schedule, every talk and poster, and all abstracts are in the program book.

Program & Abstracts PDF, 12 MB Meeting flyer PDF, 1 MB
15talks, including the keynote
44posters
Keynote speaker
Kirill Martemyanov, PhD

Kirill Martemyanov, PhD

Professor and Chair, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami

“Terra incognita of neuronal GPCR signaling”

Monday, May 11, 9:30–10:30 AM · Frost Institute

Student awards

2026 award winners

Cash and prizes were awarded for the best talks and posters.

Oral presentation awards

1st
Kaylee Marrero Mackenzie Why mosquitoes bite me more than you: odors, bacteria, and contact cues that attract different mosquito species
2nd
Marina H. Aboelsaad F-BAR proteins control AMsh glial architecture and glia-dependent neuronal function in C. elegans
3rd
Perony da Silva Nogueira Neural crest derived cells contribute to elastogenesis in murine aortic valve

Poster presentation awards

1st
Shubham Sinha Motility dynamics in a simple marine animal (poster 12)
2nd
Matthew Dias Discovering novel DNA gyrase poisons using a unique fluorescent-based high-throughput screening assay (poster 27)
3rd
Marina H. Aboelsaad

Undergraduate poster awards

Award
Anna Jane Harris Bacterial diets alter glial physiology and stress resistance in C. elegans (poster 31)
Award
Ashley Jade Bush Antibiotic drug discovery via fluorescent high throughput screening and subsequent supercoiling assay analysis (poster 34)
Award
Steven Lu Vo Novel CRISPR/dCas9-mediated frataxin gene-targeted histone demethylation systems modulate GAA repeat instability in Friedreich's ataxia (poster 5)
Schedule

Two days at a glance

Day 1 · Monday, May 11Frost Institute, University of Miami

  • 9:00–9:15 AMRegistration & refreshments
  • 9:15–9:30 AMMatthew DeGennaro & Kevin Collins Welcome and introduction to Dr. Martemyanov
  • 9:30–10:30 AMKeynote: Kirill Martemyanov, PhD Terra incognita of neuronal GPCR signaling
  • 10:30–10:45 AMBreak, light refreshments
  • 10:45–11:00 AMKaylee Marrero Why mosquitoes bite me more than you: odors, bacteria, and contact cues that attract different mosquito species
  • 11:00–11:15 AMMelissa Ifidzhen Mating-dependent modulation of the C. elegans egg-laying behavior circuit
  • 11:15–11:30 AMPerony da Silva Nogueira Neural crest derived cells contribute to elastogenesis in murine aortic valve
  • 11:30–11:45 AMZhe Wang Probing the dynamic pore formation of antimicrobial peptide in nanoscale lipid membranes
  • 11:45 AM–12:00 PMMarina Aboelsaad F-BAR proteins control AMsh glial architecture and glia-dependent neuronal function in C. elegans
  • 12:00–1:00 PMLunch at Hurricane Food Court
  • 1:00–1:15 PMTheo Andriot Schwann cell spheroids for spinal cord injury: a potential optimized transplantation strategy with enhanced repair potential
  • 1:15–1:30 PMEman Taher Comparative effects of PbTx-2, brevenal, and curcumin on thioredoxin reductases: insights from hTrxR-1 and KbTrxR
  • 1:30–1:45 PMMD Tanzim Ul Alam Determining the molecular and transcriptional landscape that ensures water detection in Aedes aegypti
  • 1:45–2:00 PMShahil H. Patel Recombinant irisin therapy attenuates post-stroke neuroinflammation and ischemic injury in middle-aged female rats

Day 2 · Tuesday, May 12Frost Institute, University of Miami

  • 9:00–9:30 AMPoster setup
  • 9:30 AM–1:00 PMPoster session, light refreshments
  • 1:00–2:00 PMLunch at Hurricane Food Court
  • 2:00–2:30 PMKevin Collins Heterotrimeric G protein regulation of a model serotonin motor circuit
  • 2:30–3:00 PMSandra Rieger Host-microbial interactions during mouse digit tip regeneration
  • 3:00–3:30 PMJavier Rodriguez-Casariego Epigenetic modulation of behavioral and neurophysiological resistance to hypoxia in the sea hare Aplysia californica
  • 3:30–3:45 PMBreak, light refreshments
  • 3:45–4:15 PMMason Klein Nicotine-driven hyperactivation in Drosophila larvae
  • 4:15–4:45 PMTakeshi Morita Mosquito human-seeking behavior and the itch they leave behind
  • 4:45–5:00 PMStudent awards
Photos

Scenes from 2026

Keynote lecture on neuronal GPCR signaling A student talk on mosquito attraction The poster hall at the Frost Institute Poster session in the atrium Discussing a poster Discussing a poster Discussing a poster Presenter with her poster Presenter with her poster Presenter with his poster Presenter at the poster session Presenter with his poster Discussing a poster Discussing a poster Attendees at the meeting Attendees at the meeting
FIU Biomolecular Sciences Institute

Questions? Email bsi@fiu.edu
11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33199