Saints Win Poster Prizes at ABRCMS Biomedical Conference

Two Emmanuel students were recently recognized for outstanding poster presentations at a national biomedical conference. 

School of Science and Health students Astrid Noriega ’26 and Kiana Rodriguez ‘27 received the awards in November at the annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) in San Antonio, Texas. Organized by the American Society for Microbiology, the conference is dedicated to empowering future leaders in the scientific workforce. 

The conference has drawn more than 4,000 students in recent years. Dean of Science & Health/ Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Pádraig Deighan congratulated Noriega and Rodriguez for standing out in a deep field. 

“Recognition by such a highly selective program reflects the strength of Emmanuel’s scientific community, and the exceptional caliber of our student scientists,” said Deighan. “This is more evidence on how Emmanuel is a leader in preparing future innovators in science and health.”

Both Noriega and Rodriguez are Beckman Scholars, a prestigious honor that provides unique and academically stimulating research opportunities. Students in the 15-month program conduct intensive and hands-on research alongside a faculty mentor, along with receiving a stipend and research supplies. The program also covered all conference-related expenses for the Beckman Scholars. 

All told, Emmanuel sent a five-person contingent to the conference: This included Beckman scholar/ undergraduate research assistant Aaliyah Martinez-Ulloa ’26, post-baccalaureate research assistant Arthur Langford ’25, and Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Anupama Seshan.

Each of the students presented their work in different fields of Biology: Microbiology, Cancer Biology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Their posters were evaluated by faculty judges from institutions around the country. Dr. Seshan said it was a great experience for them. 

“As a faculty judge myself, I left the conference bursting with pride about the Biology program at Emmanuel and the incredible student scientists that we have. Our students stood out even when benchmarked with peers at top-tier research institutions! Their success reflects Emmanuel’s commitment to fostering research excellence and preparing students for impactful careers in science and health.”

Both Langford and Martinez-Ulloa conduct research with Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Janel Cabrera, whose National Science Foundation grant also funded conference travel.

Astrid Esperanza Noriega 

It was Noriega’s second trip to ABRCMS, and her first award. It was an amazing experience, made sweeter by the Emmanuel contingent winning two awards in a field that included large schools such as MIT and UCLA. 

“We may be a small liberal arts school, but we’re making a name for Emmanuel,” said Noriega.

Noriega’s poster spotlighted research into whether bacterial proteins can form amyloids—abnormalities that cause neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Syndrome. By learning more about how amyloids form in bacteria, the hope is to gain more insight into how they operate in humans. It’s important work, and Noriega appreciates how the Emmanuel faculty helped prepare her for it.

“Our professors have great pride in teaching their students to understand things, and not to just memorize,” said Noriega. “That is one of the foundational things that I'm grateful for.”

The Beckman scholarship was another key piece. In addition to researching alongside Dr. Deighan, that connection opened the door for Noriega being selected as a speaker at the Beckman Foundation Symposium in California last summer. Presenting at a large conference was something new, but it was a great experience. 

“It was amazing,” said Noriega. “It was so nerve wracking, but it also gave me a boost of confidence.”

More recently Noriega presented her research at Harvard’s Hochschild Lab as part of a weekly lab-meeting series she’s attended since April. Dr. Deighan is a longtime microbiology instructor at Harvard, and that’s helped facilitate such ongoing collaborations. 

It’s been an interesting journey, and Noriega credited the peers and faculty at Emmanuel for helping to keep it all manageable. 

“They’re very supportive,” said Noriega. “I thank everyone along the way who has supported me and taught me the things I need to do.” 

Kiana Rodriguez ’27 

It was the first ABRCMS conference for Kiana Rodriguez, and she termed the poster recognition a pleasant surprise.

“It was really incredible, empowering, and motivating for me,” she said. 

Rodriguez’s poster highlighted research into GEF Function in the Mitotic Exit Network of S. Cerevisiae. In layman’s terms, the research explored if cells in budding yeast were aligning correctly, which is important because abnormalities in that sort of process can lead to cancer in humans. Being part of that research has been deeply meaningful for Rodriguez. 

“Sometimes I’m like ‘wow, am I really doing this?” she said. “It’s very rewarding and I love my research a lot.” 

Rodriguez came to Emmanuel knowing she wanted to major in science, but she also was somewhat intimidated by the idea of research. In practice, she found the science community at Emmanuel very welcoming, especially a first-year class with senior lecturer Dr. Derek Lau. 

“We really formed a bond,” said Rodriguez. “He’s been a mentor to me and has encouraged me apply for opportunities.” 

A key example was a research position with Dr. Seshan. Rodriguez was hesitant to apply, but Dr. Lau encouraged her. That position put Rodriguez on track for the Beckman scholarship, and led to Dr. Seshan becoming her academic advisor and another mentor. Rodriguez said their ongoing support and involvement has been greatly appreciated. 

“I lean on both of them, for different things,” said Rodriguez. “They work hand-in-hand in my life, and I’m very thankful for them.” 

Welcoming and supporting scientists from all backgrounds is a focus for the ABRCMS Conference. As a first-generation student and a Latina woman in science, Rodriguez said they did a great job of that. 

“The conference was amazing,” said Rodriguez. “It was really nice to see people in science who look like me.”