Take a break and start your morning with OGSL at our Grad Retriever Breakfast!

Stop by to connect with fellow grad students, enjoy a warm meal, and recharge before the rest of your day.

To-go containers will be available for anyone observing Ramadan or anyone who prefers to take their food to-go.

Thursday, February 19
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Commons 308

Come through, grab what you need, and don't miss it.

Take a break and start your morning with OGSL at our Grad Retriever Breakfast!

Stop by to connect with fellow grad students, enjoy a warm meal, and recharge before the rest of your day.

To-go containers will be available for anyone observing Ramadan or anyone who prefers to take their food to-go.

Thursday, February 19
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Commons 308

Come through, grab what you need, and don't miss it.

Have an idea for a new venture that you want to pitch and submit to the Entrepreneurship Spring Business Plan competition--the CBIC?

Join us at Idea Pitch Day Today in Commons 329 to get ready for our spring Business Plan competition, the Cangialosi Business Innovation Competition (CBIC)! 

The CBIC is a business plan competition where students have an opportunity to submit their business plan and present it to a panel of judges.  The potential rewards are winning funds to help start your business, mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, and pitch practice!

Do you have a concept for a new venture or want input on an existing business? Come to Idea Pitch Day, present your idea, and get feedback!  The feedback can help you prepare your idea for submission to the CBIC!

This is a relaxed, low-pressure session designed to help you:

- Refine your concept before submission

- Receive valuable feedback

- Find teammates interested in joining your team

Not ready to pitch? That's okay! Come offer your perspective and perhaps join a team. We hope to see you there!

What?  Idea Pitch Day!

Where?  Commons 329

When?  Today!  Thursday, February 19th from 11:30 am-1 pm

Laila is a Biological Sciences major. Most recently, she completed a summer research fellowship at Duke University School of Medicine through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).

Mentors: Dr. Chantell Evans in the Department of Cell Biology at Duke SOM.

Title of your research project: Mitochondrial Stress Remodels TFAM Organization in Primary H

What research experiences have you had? (focus on most recent)

I began my research journey as a freshman in 2022 at the University of Maryland

Baltimore, School of Medicine in the Kelly Lab, where I was introduced to neurobiology

and neurodegenerative research. Since then, I have continued working in translational

neuroscience across multiple labs, including the Parker Lab at UMSOM and currently the

Wolff Lab at UMSOM.

Most recently, I completed a summer research fellowship at Duke University School of

Medicine through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Summer Undergraduate

Research Program (SURP). In the Evans Lab (Department of Cell Biology), I studied

mitochondrial DNA integrity in primary neurons, specifically investigating how cellular

stress remodels endogenous TFAM puncta using confocal microscopy and 3D image

analysis.

Across these labs, I have gained experience in rodent colony management, transcardial

perfusions, embryonic microinjections, vibratome and cryosectioning, primary

hippocampal neuron culture, immunocytochemistry, and confocal microscopy. I have

applied machine-learning–based behavioral analysis (SLEAP), curated large behavioral

datasets, and implemented Python/Conda workflows for scalable analysis. These

cumulative experiences have strengthened my interest in translational neuroscience and

mechanistic disease research.

How did you find the research opportunity?

I discovered the HHMI SURP opportunity through UMBC’s pre-med/pre-dental online

community in April. I applied shortly after and was thrilled to be accepted in May.

Who is your mentor for your research, scholarship, or artistic project? (give full

name and department) How did you arrange to work with this person?

My principal investigator was Dr. Chantell Evans in the Department of Cell Biology at

Duke SOM. I also worked closely with graduate student mentor Olivia Conway.

After being accepted into the HHMI SURP program, I was matched with Dr. Evans’s lab

based on my research interests. From the beginning, Dr. Evans and her lab created an

incredibly supportive and intellectually stimulating environment.

Do you get course credit for this work? Paid? How much time do you put into it?

This summer fellowship was fully funded by HHMI, and I was fortunate enough to have

received $12k over the course of three months. I worked full-time in the lab throughout

the summer, dedicating approximately 40 hours per week to experiments, lab meetings,

and weekly virtual HHMI programming.

What academic background did you have before you started?

At the time, I was a junior/rising senior majoring in Biology.

How did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this project?

HHMI SURP provided weekly seminars covering both scientific topics and professional

development, including how to present research effectively. Within the lab, I learned

hands-on through mentorship, troubleshooting experiments, reading primary literature,

and asking questions constantly. The lab culture emphasized curiosity and persistence.

My mentors modeled what it looks like to approach research not with fear of failure, but

with excitement about discovery.

What was the hardest part about your research?

The hardest part was not mastering technical skills.. it was developing grit.

Experiments don’t always work the first time. Cells don’t always stain correctly. Imaging

parameters sometimes need to be completely re-optimized. Early on, that unpredictability

felt frustrating.

One of the staff scientists, Dr. Lola Kalejaiye, often reminded me that it’s called

“research” for a reason — you must keep re-searching. She genuinely found joy in

troubleshooting and refining experiments. Over time, I began to understand that

persistence and patience are the true foundations of scientific growth. Learning to

embrace that process was the most challenging, and most valuable lesson.

What was the most unexpected thing?

How much I loved it.

This experience solidified my desire to pursue an MD-PhD rather than solely an MD. I

found deep fulfillment not only in conducting experiments, but in asking mechanistic

questions about disease and working toward translational impact.

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes?

As a Biology major, my research directly connects to concepts I’ve learned in cell

biology, genetics, and molecular biology courses. Seeing mitochondrial dynamics,

transcriptional regulation, and cellular stress pathways play out in real experiments

reinforced and deepened my classroom learning.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?

Believe in yourself before anything else.

You must believe you belong in scientific spaces.. even before you feel “ready.”

Opportunities often come from putting yourself forward and being willing to learn. Every

researcher starts somewhere. Confidence, curiosity, and resilience matter just as much as

prior experience. Send the email. Apply to the program. Ask the question. Growth

follows initiative.

What are your career goals?

I plan to pursue an MD-PhD with hopes to specialize in transplant medicine, particularly

end stage kidney disease in diabetic patients. As someone deeply invested in both clinical

medicine and biomedical research, I hope to bridge mechanistic discovery with patient-

centered innovation.

What else are you involved in on campus?

I am involved in the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and the Egyptian Student

Association at UMBC. I have also previously volunteered with Hearts for the Homeless.