Graduate Research Annual Forum
2026 Graduate Research Annual Forum (GRAF)

ÒùÆÞÉç’s Council of Biomedical Graduate Students held its annual Graduate Research Annual Forum on Health Science Campus Thursday, March 19 & Friday, March 20.Ìý
This celebration of our biomedical graduate scholars and their scientific discoveries featured poster presentations, oral talks, and a keynote address. This two-day event provided engaging scientific discussions and valuable opportunities for collaboration, networking, and shared learning across our graduate community.
Keynote Speaker: , Johnston-West Distinguished Professor of Pathology at Duke University School of Medicine.
Schedule
Thursday, March 19, 2026
- Breakfast:
8:30-8:45 a.m. - Data Blitz:Ìý
8:45-9:30 a.m. COB 1220 - Poster Presentations:Ìý
9:40 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. COB 2409 - Lunch:
1-1:50 p.m. - Oral Presentations:
2-5 p.m. COB 1230
Friday, March 20, 2026
- Final Presentations:
Final Poster, 9-10 a.m. COB 1230
Final Oral, 10:15-11:30 a.m. COB 1230 - Lunch with Keynote Speaker:
Students Alone, 12-1 p.m. COB 2409 - Keynote Reception:
2:45-3:15 p.m. COB 1050 - Keynote Address with Dr. Jiaoti Huang:
3:15-4:15 p.m. COB 1050 - Awards Ceremony:
4:15-4:35 p.m. COB 1050
2026 Winners

Poster Presentations:
- First Place: Rejina Shrestha
- Second Place: Aliu Olalekan Olatunji
- Third Place: Sanjana Kumariya
Oral Presentations:
- First Place: Prisca Njoku
- Second Place: Joanna Glaser
- Second Place: Ahmad Hegazi
Data Blitz:
- First Place: Sanjana Kumariya
- Second Place: Tania Akter Jhuma
- Third Place: Prisca Njoku
Previous Years
2025
ÒùÆÞÉç’s Council of Biomedical Graduate Students held its annual Graduate Research Annual Forum on Health Science Campus Wednesday, March 19th & Thursday, March 20th.Ìý
And this year, the event added Data Blitz, a fast-paced session highlighting innovative research in quick, engaging talks.
Keynote Speaker: , Associate Professor University of California, Davis. On Thursday, she gave her keynote address, titled "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Integrating Virology and Engineering to Drive Discovery."
2025 Winners

Poster Presentations:
- 1st Place: Kesha Dalal, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology – "TRPV4-mediated mitochondrial dynamics: a novel mechanism regulating endothelial function and angiogenesis"
- 2nd Place: Emma Elizabeth Sabu Kattuman, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology – "Repurposing of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists in melanoma therapy"
- 3rd Place: Upasana Shrestha, Department of Medicine and Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology – "Synergistic effects of microcystin and microplastics on cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects on human airway epithelial cells"
Oral Presentations:
- First Place: Rejina Shrestha, Department of Cell and Cancer Biology – "HSF1 mitigates copper-induced DLAT protein aggregation"
- Second Place: Bivek Timalsina, Department of Medicine and Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology – "Inflammatory impact of aerosolized microcystin on healthy and asthmatic human airway epithelial cells"
- Third Place: Sanjana Kumariya, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology – "A novel link between YAP1 and
AMPK/mTORC1 signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells"
Data Blitz Top 3 winners:
- Ishan Manandhar
- Emma Elizabeth Sabu Kattuman
- Ahmad Hegazi
Previous Years
2024
Founder and CEO of the YouTube channel "StatQuest with Josh Starmer," served as the keynote speaker.Ìý
He was also be one of the final judges for student oral and poster presentations, which was the central focus of the annual event.
GRAF 2024 Abstract Booklet (PDF)
‘Clearly Explained’ video competition

Our Graduate Research Annual Forum keynote speaker,ÌýDr. Josh Starmer, decided this spring to use his honorarium for a fun competition for our graduate
students. Titled "Clearly Explained," the competition asked students to create a video (10 minutes or less) explaining
their research in clear terms for a general audience and non-science people. Dr. Starmer
judged the videos and the results are in. Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd
and 3rd place.
"Overall, I was impressed with all four videos and could not be more pleased with
how this turned out," he shared. Ìý
First Place
""
By Emily Kinney
Dr. Starmer commented: "I loved this video for a lot of reasons. First, I thought
the visuals told the story very well and I loved the moments that were very easily
relatable. For example, when Klebsiella pneumoniae says, 'Look, I'm just a sugar…'
And, the song! Bonus points for that for sure!"
Second Place
""
by Ben French
Dr. Starmer commented: "Great visuals! Very easy to follow."
Tied for 3rd place
""
by Sachin AryalÌý
Ìý
""
byÌýHemaa Sree Kumar
2024 Winners

Oral Presentations:
- 1st Place:
- Mrunmayee Kandalgaonker, MOME; Kumar Lab “Hypertensive mice are more susceptible to experimental malariaâ€
- 2nd Place:
- Hemaa Sree Kumar, NND, Zubcevic Lab “Discovery of a new gut bacterial biomarker of developing hypertension with anti-hypertensive propertiesâ€
- Deepti Gurung, CAB, Liu Lab “Probing protein dynamics and conformational transitions of 14-3-3 sigma for the treatment of pancreatic cancerâ€
Poster Presentations:
- 1st Place:
- Brooke Ring, MMI; Mike Lab “Amino acid-mediated control of mucoid phenotype in Klebsiella peneumoniaeâ€Ìý
- Nilanjana Saferin, NND, Burkett Lab “Effect of developmental pyrethroid exposure in prairie voles as a model of Neurodevelopmental disorders.â€
- 2nd Place:
- Emily Crossley, BIPG; Fedorova Lab “Profound non-randomness in dinucleotide arrangements within ultra-conserved non-coding elements and the human genomeâ€
2023
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch, Professor at Massachusetts Institute of technology (MIT) and founding member of the Whitehead Institute for biomedical researchÌý
2023 Winners

Oral Presentations:
- 1st Place (tie): Ryan Harris
(Ph.D. Candidate, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, ÌýPI: Dr. Taylor) “High antioxidant environment in Peromyscus leads to tick-borne flavivirus attenuation†- 1st Place (tie): Sukanya Chakravarty
(Ph.D. Candidate, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, PI: Dr. Chattopadhyay)
“IRF3 inhibits viral inflammation to protect against respiratory virus infection A new anti-inflammatory function of IRF3 in antiviral host defense†- 2nd Place: Iluja Gautam
(Ph.D. Candidate, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, PI: Dr. Worth) “Activated platelets mediate monocyte killing of Klebsiella pneumoniaeâ€
Poster Presentations:
- 1st Place: Kesha Dalal
(Ph.D. Candidate, Molecular Medicine, PI: Dr. Thodeti)
“Regulation of Mitochondrial Phenotype by Mechanosensitive Ion Channel TRPV4 in Endothelial Cells†- 2nd Place: Hemaa Sree Kumar
(Ph.D. Candidate, Neuroscience, PI: Dr. Zubcevic)
“Effect of bacterial short chain fatty acid butyrate on cardiovascular parameters in the zebrafish larvae†- 3rd Place: Matthew Hathaway
(Ph.D. Candidate, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, PI: Dr. Taylor)
“Exploring the role of TRAF6 ubiquitination of NS3 viral protease during tick-borne flavivirus infectionâ€
Poster finalists:
- Upasana Shrestha (Ph.D. Candidate, MMI)
- Giselle Amanda Borges E. Soares (Ph.D. Candidate, Pharmacy)
2022

GRF 2022 Poster Session Finalists and Winners
- Kelly Morgan (First Place)
- Farzaneh Naghavi
- Nicole Bell
- Ryan Harris (Third Place)
- Joshua Breidenbach (Second Place)
GRF 2022 Oral Session Finalists and Winners
- Shumin Fan (Third Place)
- Veani Roshale Fernando (First Place)
- Sayani Bhattacharjee (Second Place)
2022 Abstract Book
2021

GRF 2021 Poster Session Finalists and Winners
- FathimaÌýDhilhani Mohammed Faleel
- Sukanya Chakravarty
- Smrithi Sugumaran Menon (Second Place)
- Sara Moore (Third Place)
- Mitchell Harberson
- Rachel Golonka (First Place)
GRF 2021 Oral Session Finalists and Winners
- Joshua Breidenbach (First Place Tie)
- Jonnelle Edwards (Second Place)
- Kathryn Becker (First Place Tie)
2021 Abstract Book
2020
Poster
- 1st place:ÌýKathryn BeckerÌý
- 2nd place:ÌýJin Chen
- 3rd place:ÌýRachel Golonka
Oral
- 1st place:ÌýGayatri SubramanianÌý
- 2nd place:ÌýSarah Galla
- 3rd place:ÌýNeha NandedkarÌý
Students will be allowed to register for both poster and oral presentations at the link provided below.Ìý
- Lunch will only be provided to students that registered beforehand.
- First-year students should REGISTER but select "No presentation" in the options.
- Abstracts do not have to be submitted at the time of registration
***Please reviewÌýthis documentÌýfor general guidelines regarding oral and poster presentations.
Please contactÌýCouncilGraduateStudents@utoledo.eduÌýor your track representative with any questions.