Sanjana Srimath is a senior Biological Sciences (B.S.) major with a minor in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology graduating in December 2025. She is a member of the Honors College and a Merck Fellow. 

Mentors: Dr. Daniel Lobo (PI) and Dr. Andrew Wolff

Title of your research project: Integrating Gene Ontology Enrichment and Expression Profiling to Understand the Genetic Mechanisms of Planarian Fissioning

Describe your project: In my project, I study how planarian worms form fission planes - the locations where they split to reproduce asexually. Although planarians are well known for their incredible regenerative abilities, the genetic mechanisms that guide fissioning are still unclear. To investigate this, I use a systems biology approach that combines RNA-seq data, computational pipelines, and gene ontology enrichment analysis. I built scripts that automatically retrieve GO annotations, filter differentially expressed genes, and identify biological processes and molecular functions that are specifically enriched during fission. I also analyze how these genes behave across the anterior-posterior axis by generating expression profile plots for both fissioning and non-fissioning worms. Together, this helps me identify potential candidate genes and understand how they fit into a larger regulatory network that may control fission behavior. Ultimately, my work contributes to a framework for uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind planarian fissioning.

How did you find this research opportunity? I found this research opportunity by cold emailing Dr. Lobo after my first year at UMBC. At the time, I was doing neurobiology wet lab work at UMSOM but wanted to shift toward computational and systems biology to align with my minor. After meeting with Dr. Lobo, I joined the lab and began working under my mentor, Dr. Andrew Wolff, who has guided me through both wet lab and computational research. The lab has been incredibly supportive, which made my transition into computational work much smoother and helped me grow as both a learner and a researcher.

What was the hardest or most unexpected part about your research? The hardest part of my research was transitioning from the wet lab to the computational aspect, especially learning to write scripts in programming languages like Python and R. I also found presenting my work challenging at first, since effectively communicating data in posters required a different set of skills than lab work. I didn't set high expectations for whether I would lead my own project or assist my mentor, but this experience has taught me how to work independently while benefiting from the incredible support of Dr. Lobo, Dr. Wolff, and other lab members. So far, I've shared my research through multiple poster presentations at both URCAD and ABRCMS, which helped me improve both my scientific communication and presentation skills. I was also honored to receive a poster award at ABRCMS in San Antonio in November 2025, which made it rewarding to see my hard work pay off.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? One of my favorite quotes is, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall" (Nelson Mandela). My advice to other students is to stay persistent and don't be afraid to reach out to PIs, even if it feels intimidating at first. Research is full of challenges and mistakes, but each setback is a learning opportunity. Work towards small, achievable goals and take time to appreciate the progress you make along the way. I also encourage exploring different areas - like wet lab, computational, clinical, etc. - so you can discover what facet truly excites you!

What are your career goals? I aspire to become a physician. After graduating from UMBC, I plan to apply to and attend medical school, where I hope to combine my passion for science, research, and patient care to make a meaningful impact in healthcare.

Dear UMBC faculty:

This is a friendly reminder about the call for applications for the UMBC Global Learning Lab, a joint initiative of the Office of the Provost and the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) that aims to develop a faculty learning community dedicated to increasing student access to global learning opportunities. The Global Learning Lab is a cohort-style, semester-long program that provides a framework for faculty to exchange best practices and innovative models for expanding access to global learning opportunities over a series of four workshops. This program is made possible with funding from the Office of the Provost. 

All full-time faculty—tenured/tenure-track, non-tenure-track—and adjuncts (minimum of six semesters at UMBC) are invited to apply for the Spring 2026 cohort. Faculty accepted into the Lab must commit to attending each of the workshops below and producing one project to present at the conclusion of the lab. Faculty will receive a $1,500 professional development stipend to support their intended project. The funds will be transferred to the fellow's home department upon successful completion of the Spring 2026 Global Learning Lab. Applicants must discuss their intended project with their department chairs prior to applying. 

Workshop #1: Friday, February 6, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Internationalization of the Curriculum Through Curricular Mapping will focus on identifying the ideal term(s), course(s), location(s)/partner(s) for students to participate in a global learning experience.

Workshop #2: Friday, February 27, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Developing a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program will focus on building a study abroad program using best practices to support student learning and the development of skills, attitudes, and experiences that promote global and cultural competency.  

Workshop #3: Friday, March 27, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Global Learning for All: Virtual Exchange will focus on how to foster opportunities to develop cultural and global competencies in an existing course through virtual exchanges known as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

Workshop #4: Friday, May 1, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Global Learning Lab Project Presentations will provide an opportunity for faculty in the lab to present their global learning project (i.e. curricular mapping for their department, faculty-led study abroad program proposal, or COIL course).

Important

The ideal faculty cohort will represent the diversity of UMBC programs and a diversity of intended projects. As such, if more than one faculty member from a specific department is applying, they are encouraged to speak with their colleagues to ensure their intended projects are complementary (i.e. one faculty member may propose to work on a virtual exchange/COIL and another will work on proposing a faculty-led study abroad program).

The deadline to apply for the Spring 2026 cohort is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, 2025. Faculty will be notified about the status of their application by Friday, January 16, 2026. Please note that in-person attendance at each workshop is required. All applicants should save these workshop dates now. 

Questions? Contact Katie Heird at kheird1@umbc.edu at the Center for Global Engagement. 

Sincerely,

Ana Oskoz, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

David Di Maria, Vice Provost for Global Engagement

Dear UMBC faculty:

We are thrilled to announce the call for applications for the UMBC Global Learning Lab, a joint initiative of the Office of the Provost and the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) that aims to develop a faculty learning community dedicated to increasing student access to global learning opportunities. The Global Learning Lab is a cohort-style, semester-long program that provides a framework for faculty to exchange best practices and innovative models for expanding access to global learning opportunities over a series of four workshops. This program is made possible with funding from the Office of the Provost. 

All full-time faculty—tenured/tenure-track, non-tenure-track—and adjuncts (minimum of six semesters at UMBC) are invited to apply for the Spring 2026 cohort. Faculty accepted into the Lab must commit to attending each of the workshops below and producing one project to present at the conclusion of the lab. Faculty will receive a $1,500 professional development stipend to support their intended project. The funds will be transferred to the fellow's home department upon successful completion of the Spring 2026 Global Learning Lab. Applicants must discuss their intended project with their department chairs prior to applying. 

Workshop #1: Friday, February 6, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Internationalization of the Curriculum Through Curricular Mapping will focus on identifying the ideal term(s), course(s), location(s)/partner(s) for students to participate in a global learning experience.

Workshop #2: Friday, February 27, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Developing a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program will focus on building a study abroad program using best practices to support student learning and the development of skills, attitudes, and experiences that promote global and cultural competency.  

Workshop #3: Friday, March 27, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Global Learning for All: Virtual Exchange will focus on how to foster opportunities to develop cultural and global competencies in an existing course through virtual exchanges known as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

Workshop #4: Friday, May 1, from 9 AM - 12 PM

Global Learning Lab Project Presentations will provide an opportunity for faculty in the lab to present their global learning project (i.e. curricular mapping for their department, faculty-led study abroad program proposal, or COIL course).

Important

The ideal faculty cohort will represent the diversity of UMBC programs and a diversity of intended projects. As such, if more than one faculty member from a specific department is applying, they are encouraged to speak with their colleagues to ensure their intended projects are complementary (i.e. one faculty member may propose to work on a virtual exchange/COIL and another will work on proposing a faculty-led study abroad program).

The deadline to apply for the Spring 2026 cohort is 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 18, 2025. Faculty will be notified about the status of their application by Friday, January 16, 2026. Please note that in-person attendance at each workshop is required. All applicants should save these workshop dates now. 

Questions? Contact Katie Heird at kheird1@umbc.edu at the Center for Global Engagement. 

Sincerely,

Ana Oskoz, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

David Di Maria, Vice Provost for Global Engagement

It's that time of the semester, you're finishing finals, wrapping things up, and getting ready for break – BUT WAIT! Before you go, you should clean up your cloud storage space so you will be set for when you come back. 

During the semester, you probably created and used a bunch of documents for your classes that probably won't see the light of day again. Now is a good time to assess whether those documents are worth keeping or trashing to make room for the documents you'll use next semester. 

Check your Google Storage

To see how much storage you're using, click here:

Check my Google Storage Usage

Here are some FAQs and Resources to help free up your cloud storage

Tips and Best Practices for Managing your Cloud Storage

Take Control of Your Google Drive: A Guide to Freeing Up Space

Declutter Your Inbox: A Guide to Cleaning Up Your Email

Cloud Storage Quotas & Changes - UMBC FAQs