Computational and Integrative Biology Students Share Findings at Research Showcase

Just as students were returning to Camden for a new academic year, the Rutgers–Camden Center for Computational & Integrative Biology (CCIB) celebrated the dynamic and cutting-edge work done by students over the summer.

Nearly 60 projects were on display at the Joint Health Sciences Center for invited guests, including business leaders and community partners from throughout the region.

Graduate and undergraduate student researchers presented their findings, highlighting the investigations they had conducted over the past several months. Awards were presented in a range of categories, with prize money totaling nearly $2,700.

“Being a scientist isn’t just about being in the lab; it’s about communicating your results in a way that is compelling and understandable to other scientists,” said Grace Brannigan, director of the CCIB and a professor of physics at Rutgers–Camden.

"Poster sessions are a standard part of science, but presenting your research clearly in that format takes real skill,” said Brannigan. “Students need to practice talking about their research just as any speaker or performer would.”

Established in 2007 and opened in 2010, the CCIB is an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to advancing the study of complex biological systems through the application of high-tech tools and methods from mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, and other fields. It is also home to the only doctoral program in STEM on the Rutgers–Camden campus.

Through its research, as well as the center’s undergraduate and graduate programs, the CCIB aims to foster a collaborative environment that advances scientific understanding in a wide variety of areas, including computational biophysics, machine learning, evolutionary genomics, and ecology. Its uniquely supportive training model for graduate STEM students was one of the reasons it was awarded $2 million through the NSF Research Traineeship program in 2022.

The Summer Research Showcase is one of several opportunities made available throughout the year by CCIB for students to share research. It also serves as a welcome to newly admitted students, allowing them to meet the faculty and fellow students while observing the depth and breadth of work done in the CCIB, which helps them choose the labs in which they would like to do their own research. 

“These events are a great way for scientific trainees to learn about the research that their friends and classmates are conducting,” Brannigan said. “Scientists might have coffee with our Rutgers colleagues frequently, but we don’t often get to engage in a genuine discussion with them about their research in front of a polished poster with publication-quality results.”

Catheryn Maienzia is a post-qualifying Ph.D. candidate at Rutgers-Camden, researching the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythms, and won first place in the Intermediate Ph.D. category. For her, the chance to spend the summer working in a lab and the opportunity to share her findings are equally important.

“Summer research is so valuable to all researchers, no matter their education level, because it provides the dedicated time needed to truly focus on a project,” Maienzia said. “But collecting data and developing hypotheses are only part of the skill set it takes to be a researcher. Participating in events like the CCIB Summer Research Showcase allows students to not only share their progress but also gain invaluable practice communicating ideas in a supportive environment with peers and mentors.”

The complete list of CCIB Summer Research Showcase prize winners is below:

Senior Ph.D.:

1st: Helen Stott

2nd: Jesse Sandberg

3rd: Josh Chamberlain

Intermediate Ph.D.:

1st: Cathryn Maienza

2nd: Caden Comsa

3rd: Sayed Mehedi Azim

Junior Ph.D.:

1st: Tamin Ortiz

2nd: Sebastian Zmijewski

3rd: Rahmah Imthiyas

M.S. Students:

1st: Rupobrata Panja

3-way tie for 3rd place:

Bryan Ramirez Aguilar

Anupam Dalmia

Sohail Shaik

Undergraduates:

1st: Aye Thinzar Htin Aung

2nd: Linda Nguyen

3rd: Tasmiah Nazmee