GSBMS Celebrates a Long Standing Tradition of Excellence in Scientific Discovery

Inspiring Careers, Building Connections, and Showcasing the Future of Biomedical Science

April 10, 2026

Students in business formal attire in front of step and repeat with award folders in hand.

Celebrating innovation and discovery, the 37th Annual Graduate Student Research Forum brought GSBMS students together on March 27 to share their latest research through dynamic presentations and posters.

The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS) continued its long‑standing tradition of celebrating student scholarship with the 37th Annual Graduate Student Research Forum (GSRF), an event that highlighted the innovation and dedication of its graduate researchers. On March 27, the Forum—organized by the Graduate Student Association—offered master’s and Ph.D. candidates the opportunity to present their latest research discoveries. This year’s event featured four flash talks, four oral presentations, and 12 poster presentations.

Serving as a hub for academic exchange, the Forum invited students to share their work through both oral presentations and an interactive poster session, sparking thoughtful conversation among peers, mentors, and faculty. The program was guided by Cheyenne McKnight, a first year Ph.D. student, who served as moderator and master of ceremonies and helped create an engaging, energetic atmosphere throughout the day.

A major highlight of the Forum was a keynote address delivered by alumnus Martin Bednar, M.D., Ph.D. ’86, FAANS, president and CEO of Bednar NeuroRestore LLC. His talk, “The 5 Assets You Must Graduate With: A Field Manual for Career Acceleration – Inside or Outside Academia,” offered students actionable insights and career strategies drawn from his experience in academia, clinical practice, and industry.

The event featured an impressive range of student research projects, reflecting the diverse scientific strengths of GSBMS—from pulmonary arterial hypertension to cutting‑edge explorations in metabolic syndrome. Throughout the day, students also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Elsevier Journals, Communications Biology, the New York Academy of Sciences, and Westchester Medical Center, who provided valuable perspectives on publication, networking, and career pathways.

37th Annual Graduate Student Research Forum Results

FLASH TALKS

First Place
Pearl Mensah
“Targeting Smurf1-mediated Signaling Pathways in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary”
Faculty Advisor: Malik Bisserier, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell and molecular physiology

Second Place
Pooja S. Swami
“Histone H3 Modifications: Identification of Potential Biomarker of Disease Progression in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension”
Faculty Advisor: Malik Bisserier, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell and molecular physiology

Third Place
Georgette Cosentino
“Role of Sympathoexcitation in Preserving Cardiac Function with Metabolic Syndrome”
Faculty Advisor: Marcello Rota, Ph.D., vice chair and associate professor of cell and molecular physiology

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

First Place
Rahim Hirani
“Targeting IL-1 Signaling Improves Wound Healing, Pain Outcomes, and Matrix Remodeling in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa”
Faculty Advisor: Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics, medicine, pathology, microbiology and immunology, and cell biology and anatomy, and vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics

Second Place
Harry Yu
“Enhancing Natural Killer Cell Anti-Tumor Efficacy Through Precision Base Editing”
Faculty Advisor: Mitchell S. Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics, medicine, pathology, microbiology and immunology, and cell biology and anatomy, and vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics

Third Place
MD Al Azim
Faculty Advisor: Julie Di Martino, Ph.D., assistant professor of cell and molecular physiology

Platform Award
Kayla Vieira
“Chronic, but not Acute, Administration of EQU-001 Suppresses Spasms in a Rat Model of IESS”
Faculty Advisor: Libor Velisek, M.D., Ph.D., professor of cell and molecular physiology

JUNIOR POSTER PRESENTATIONS

First Place
Karen E. Jackson
“Formulation and Characterization of Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-loaded Endogenous Phospholipid-based Nanoliposomal Vaccines Against COVID-19”
Faculty Advisor: Chandra Shekhar Bakshi, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology

Second Place
Michael Y. Sun
“A novel algorithm for analysis of heart rate variability reveals alterations of the brain-heart axis with metabolic syndrome”
Faculty Advisor: Marcello Rota, Ph.D., vice chair and associate professor of cell and molecular physiology

Third Place
Mary V. Johnson
“Identifying inhibitors of Epstein Barr virus deubiquitinating enzyme bplf-1 through small molecule screening”
Faculty Advisor: Christopher Whitehurst, M.S., Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology and cell and molecular physiology

SENIOR POSTER PRESENTATIONS

First Place
Janice Fung
“Defining Immune Correlates of Protection for an intranasal Subunit Vaccine Against Yersinia Pestis”
Faculty Advisor: Paul Arnaboldi, Ph.D., M.S., associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology

Second Place
Danielle Diegisser
“Peripheral gpr75 blockade induces metabolic reprogramming and synergizes with glp-1agonism to attenuate diet-induced obesity”
Faculty Advisor: Victor Garcia, Ph.D. ’15, associate professor of pharmacology

Third Place
Dorina Krasniqi
“Adipocyte-specific Deletion of gpr75 Protects Against Diet-induced Obesity: Changes in Inflammatory Response and Adipocyte”
Faculty Advisor: Michal Schwartzman, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology