On the fourth floor of UMBC’s Meyerhoff Chemistry Building, where students are hard at work exploring the intricacies of RNA molecules that may hold the key to combating viral diseases, a unique family tradition has taken root. Three sisters—Huda, Reem, and Rowah Abdelghani—have each stepped into the same research space and found the thrill of discovery, the warmth of community, and a mentor who welcomes eager learners at all levels.

It began with Huda, the trailblazing eldest of the three sisters. As a high school junior in Howard County’s Applications and Research Laboratory (ARL) biotechnology program, she dove into the program’s intensive training—mastering lab basics like micropipetting, PCR, and gel electrophoresis alongside students from across the county. ARL encourages seniors to pursue off-site internships, so Huda cold-emailed labs at nearby universities. “It was tough,” she recalls. “Some of my friends emailed over 30 people before finding a spot. I got lucky with Dr. Koirala.”

Skills that apply everywhere

Deepak Koirala, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, leads a UMBC research group that studies the structures of RNA in enteroviruses—a family of pathogens behind illnesses like hand-foot-and-mouth disease, polio, and myocarditis. Huda joined in the summer of 2022 and stayed through spring 2023. Mentored by a Ph.D. student in the lab, Hasan Al Banna, she quickly learned that scientific research frequently involves failure—but that’s no reason to give up. 

“You can do everything right and still not get results,” she says. “It’s not personal—that’s just science.” This lesson in perseverance stuck with her, as did Koirala’s individualized attention. When her graduate student mentor was away, he spent hours helping her set up trays of crystallization plates for her experiments. 

Huda is now a junior mechanical engineering major at MIT, spending this semester on co-op with Apple’s Mac product design team in Austin, Texas—but the lab’s influence lingers. It sparked her interest in tools that help accelerate biochemistry research, like imaging platforms. “The technical and soft skills I gained at UMBC can apply anywhere,” she reflects. Even her first MIT lab connection came from a conversation overheard down the hall from her bench in Koirala’s lab. “It showed me the interconnectedness of academia,” she says.

Shattering preconceptions

Huda’s enthusiasm inspired Reem, the middle sister, to reach out to Koirala for her own ARL biotech internship. She started in Koirala’s lab in the summer of 2024, before her senior year of high school. “I saw how happy Huda was—and it looked like something I’d enjoy, too,” Reem says. 

Mentored by Ph.D. student Naba Krishna Das, who isnow a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, Reem immersed herself in the lab’s operations, from presenting at lab meetings to executing tasks like sterilizing equipment and generating crystal structures of RNA and protein complexes. The lab’s collaborative vibe shattered her preconceptions. “I was worried grad school could be isolating, but it’s so interactive, with people at every stage of their scientific careers,” she explains.

Reem conducted experiments for a project on viral replication, earning co-authorship on a 2025 Nature Communications paper as a high schooler. “I never expected to be so involved—I feel privileged,” she says. The process taught her the value of replication and troubleshooting. “Sometimes it’s trial and error as you’re exploring something new,” she says. 

Now a first-year student at UMBC majoring in biochemistry, Reem plans to return to the Koirala lab as soon as space becomes available. “I didn’t consider grad school before, but now it’s definitely on the table,” she says—a perspective born of early research experiences that revealed what the scientific process is really like.

A real community 

Rowah, a high school senior, joined the lab last fall. Her expectations of a “scary, strict PI” melted away. “Dr. Koirala is one of the kindest people I’ve met,” Rowah says. The lab’s supportive dynamic impressed her, too. Members shared resources, brainstormed next steps, and lifted each other up. “They push each other to do better—it’s a real community.”

Building on her ARL skills, Rowah felt like a valued member of the team. Her mentor in the lab, Ph.D. student Bethel G. Beyene, provided scientific papers for context, ensuring she grasped the concepts behind the team’s research, not just individual lab techniques. She, too, came face to face with failure and learned from it.

“When things go wrong, we sit down and figure it out. It’s not that failure means you’re wrong; overcoming it is how you succeed.” That creative problem-solving carried over into her high school robotics competitions. “I applied lab thinking by evaluating all the possible sources of error to debug our robot—it felt great,” Rowah says. With her interests across biology and engineering, Rowah is considering a biomedical engineering major in the future. “The Koirala lab showed me that I don’t have to choose between my interests,” she says.

Making science better

The sisters’ bond fueled their experiences. “We talk openly—about lab life, plans, even arguments,” Reem laughs. Rowah says her admiration for Huda encouraged her to pursue working in Koirala’s lab. Though they never overlapped in the lab, Huda’s path reassured the others. “If I hadn’t had that chance, I couldn’t have shared it with my family,” Huda says.

Koirala credits the ARL program for bringing talented high schoolers like the Abdelghanis into his group. “They’re not just mentioned in the acknowledgments for completing experiments, but contributing intellectually at the level of authorship,” he says, noting the paper Reem co-authored. 

His inclusive approach welcomes students with diverse backgrounds, training the next generation of scientists. “High schoolers, undergrads, women and men from varied backgrounds—they’re all making science better,” Koirala says. Clearly, including less experienced scientists isn’t hurting the lab’s output. Koirala has received multiple major grants and published high-profile papers since he arrived at UMBC in 2020. 

In Koirala’s welcoming space, beginners become contributors, failures forge innovators, and family ties amplify ambition. As Rowah troubleshoots gels, Reem eyes graduate school, and Huda designs bioimaging tech at MIT, their paths affirm that science thrives on curiosity, community, and the courage to explore.

RENTALS COORDINATOR

Part-Time, Non-Exempt

Pay: $25 per hour

OUR MISSION: Motor House is a creative crossroads rooted in the culture of Baltimore. We are a non profit arts hub, gallery, and performance space that encourages new visions, bold experiments, and emerging voices to celebrate the artistry of our city.

OUR VISION: Motor House envisions a world where creatives are empowered and thriving in their careers.

UMBC has received a gold rating from The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's (AASHE) STARS program (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System). With more than 1,200 institutions participating globally, AASHE STARS is the benchmark for sustainability in higher education. Earning a Gold rating through AASHE STARS is a significant milestone for UMBC and a strong external validation of the work staff and faculty do every day. STARS is the most widely recognized sustainability framework in higher education, and this rating places UMBC among leading institutions in sustainability.

The Gold certification reflects a truly collective effort across campus, including the work of the Division of Student Affairs in areas such as student sustainability organizations, sustainability-focused student-enterprises, civic engagement, food recovery, and support for students from underrepresented groups.

"We are so grateful for all of our campus partners, including Student Affairs, who helped us to achieve Gold on our 2025 AASHE STARS report," said Nicole Wolf, coordinator in the Office of Sustainability. "We are excited to showcase UMBC's commitment to sustainability through all of the collaborative work and support. Thank you for your support in fostering a culture of sustainability on our campus."

STARS is the Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Rating System used by most higher ed institutions across the US and even in some other countries. Assistant Director Taylor Smith and Wolf complete this comprehensive assessment every three years to assess the university's progress in campus sustainability efforts. 

For questions about sustainability, reach out to Smith or Wolf, visit the Office of Sustainability  website, or subscribe to their monthly newsletter. 

In collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, the Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is offering an opportunity for student entrepreneurs called the UMBC EntrepreneurShop.

This spring they will be providing an opportunity for students to showcase and/or sell their goods or services in the Commons for FREE!

This is a great opportunity to gain some entrepreneurial experience and to use the space to survey students about your ideas and get feedback.  First Friday Fairs will be held in the Commons. Dates for Spring 2026 are: 

• Friday, Feb 6th
• Friday, Mar 6th

Additionally, they will be having a UMBC Bookstore booth that student entrepreneurs can request space in on a monthly basis.

Click here to submit an application for a table at our next Spring EntrepreneurShop! And learn more about EntrepreneurShop here.

If you have any questions about the EntrepreneurShop and other resources that can support your creative endeavors, contact Suzanne Sniffen (sniffe1@umbc.edu).

AND for those of you who don't want to try selling/vending, be sure to stop by to support other student entrepreneurs this Friday, Feb 6th in the Commons!

CARAT, the CAHSS Creative Achievement & Research Administration Team, invites CAHSS faculty to participate in an individual Mini Consultation on Wednesday, February 18 or Thursday, February 19. CARAT's Research Development team will be available to discuss your research/creative achievement project ideas (at all stages). 

Reserve a mini consultation session by February 13: https://forms.gle/SJ83nfWvqyumUfL7A. We will confirm with a time and Webex link (if online). Consultations will be scheduled in the order in which they are received, and a waitlist will be available.

You can make a consultation appointment (15 minutes, one person per slot) on either February 18, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. (virtual or in person in Public Policy, room 451), or on February 19, from 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (virtual only). Arts faculty should request February 18 only. Humanities and Social Science faculty may request either day.

• February 18: 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences) Meeting slots: (1) 11:30-11:45; (2) 11:50-12:05; (3) 12:10-12:25; (4) 12:30-12:45). Indicate a first and second time preference, and whether you would like to meet in person or on Webex.

• February 19: 1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (Humanities, Social Sciences) Meeting slots: (1) 1:15-1:30; (2) 1:35-1:50; (3) 1:55-2:10; (4) 2:15-2:30). Indicate a first and second time preference. All sessions will be on Webex.

Questions? Contact Rachel Brubaker, Associate Director for Research Development, rbruba1@umbc.edu.

Not available for a mini session? Contact Sara Qureshi, Sr. Specialist for Grants and Research Development, saraq1@umbc.edu or visit our Pre-Award Services page to complete a consultation request form.  

Note: If you have already identified a funding opportunity and would like to begin an application, please complete a proposal development form on the Pre-Award Services page to request pre-award support. We look forward to working with you at all stages of your research and creative achievement process.