Marymount Manhattan College Biology Students to Present Research Posters at Prestigious Conference

In recognition of their excellence, seven biology students and alumni will be traveling to Boston this April to present their respective research posters during the prestigious annual Experimental Biology Conference. 

Ashley Pirovano, a senior biology major, has won a 2013 Undergraduate Student Competitive Travel Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Ashley was selected based on the abstract she submitted to the Experimental Biology Conference. The $400 prize will help defray the costs of Ashley’s attendance at the meeting.

Appropriately overlapping Earth Day, the academic event will run from April 20th to 24th and will be host to scientists and researchers in the fields of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, nutrition and pharmacology who will discuss the strides and contributions made to the field of science.

Students mentored by Prof. Ann Aguanno:
•Emerson Khost* ’13: Cyclin dependent kinase 5’s role in the development of both insulin-positive and neuronal phenotypes
•Alice Trye ’15: The role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 5 in insulin exocytosis’
•Devin Columbus ’09

Students mentored by Prof. Benedetta A. Sampoli Benitez:
•Anna Patruno* ’14: Green Ice in My Freezer! Is Our Drinking Water Safe? A Qualitative and Quantitative Study of Copper Contaminants in NYC Public Water Supply
•Zachary Barbati ’10: Models of conformational selection of DNA polymerase X in the presence of oxoG lesions help interpret kinetics data
•Alexandra Tarasenko ’13: Can BPA leaching from baby bottles and take-out containers contribute to the obesity epidemic?

Students mentored by Prof. Alessandra Leri:
•Ashley Pirovano ’13: The Biogeochemical Chlorine Cycle in Forest Ecosystems

*Anna and Emerson are recipients of travel awards for their participation in the Undergraduate Affiliate Network of the ASBMB.

Congratulations and best of luck to the MMC Biology delegation at the 2013 Experimental Biology Conference!

Published: February 28, 2013