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HomeEducationConferences48th Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium (MBMSS)

48th Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium (MBMSS)

Location: Online

The annual Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium (MBMSS) is a state-wide gathering of scientists and students—an opportunity to share research results, exchange ideas, promote collaboration, and network with Maine scientists in a variety of disciplines.

2021 Keynote Speaker: Scott V. Edwards, Ph.D., Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Curator of Ornithology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Director of Graduate Studies, Harvard University

Scott V. Edwards

Scott V. Edwards

Wings, feathers, flight: the PhyloG2P approach to understanding bird biology

The genotype-to-phenotype (G2P) map is of ongoing interest in evolutionary biology. Whereas for a few model organisms, traditional methods such as genetic mapping have allowed great advances, the vast majority of biodiversity can’t embrace this paradigm. However, comparative genomics is now allowing us to map genes for traits using phylogenetic approaches (PhyloG2P; Smith et al. 2020 TREE). By taking advantages of phenotypically unique lineages or convergent evolution, PhyloG2P can provide surprisingly precise identification of coding and noncoding loci underlying evolutionarily labile traits. I illustrate this approach with two examples, the first of which focuses on whether the origin of feathers was driven primarily by gene sequence evolution or gene regulation, and the second of which asks a similar question for the convergent loss of flight in paleognathous birds, which include the ostrich, emu, kiwis and relatives. In both cases, regulatory evolution seems to have played an important role in the gain and loss of fundamental avian traits. Additional ‘omics approaches, such as ATAC-seq, help refine hypothesis of causal loci based on comparative analysis. Overall our results suggest a strong role for non-coding regulatory evolution in the origin of key adaptations of birds.

Building upon the success of the first online MBMSS in April 2020, the 2021 event will include online poster and speaker sessions and a career panel for students. This year’s online program will be further expanded to include a keynote presentation and panel on COVID-related research throughout the state.

Abstract Submission Deadline: April 12, 2021

This year, an MTI Innovation Award will be given to authors of one outstanding poster whose research includes uniquely designed methods or protocols or development of a product with clinical or commercial applications and whether the innovation is in the pre-patent or patent application phase or if patent has already been awarded. The submitting author must indicate at registration that the poster will contain one or more of these elements and describe the innovation in order to be considered for the award.

If the concept is pre-patent application, be sure to disclose internally to your technology commercialization professionals to determine how to protect your idea in order to be able to patent it in the future

 

Fees

There is no registration fee.

Partners

UMaine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) logoMaine Technology Institute (MTI) logo

Please join us in congratulating this year’s Poster Award Winners from the MBMSS 2021 poster presentations!

 

Undergraduate Awards: 1st and 2nd Year

1st Place: Stephen Grierson, University of Maine at Presque Isle

Microbiology | Identifying missing subunits and regulators that cause the decreased function in antibiotic resistant and susceptible bacteria

2nd Place: Aiden Pike, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Characterization of inflammation and immune response associated with dual specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) in normal human astrocytes (NHAs)

3rd Place: Lauren Cusson, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Meta-analysis of COVID-19 RT-PCR test results from Vault Health saliva test

Honorable Mention: Laura Drepanos, Colby College, Waterville

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | The effect of klf9 on transcriptional regulation of immune response pathway genes in Danio rerio

Honorable Mention: Allison Weymouth, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Characterization of prophiG122-2 from clinical Mycobacterium abscessus strain G122: a novel cluster MabA1 prophage

Undergraduate Awards: 3rd, 4th, and 5th Year

1st Place: Bailey West, University of Maine, Orono

Immunology | Effects of oral-care antimicrobial cetylpyridinium chloride on tyrosine phosphorylation: a potential mechanism for mast cell inhibition assessed via In-Cell Western

2nd Place: William Sampson, University of Maine at Farmington

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Comparative genomics as a tool for understanding the SREB family of G protein-coupled receptors across vertebrate evolution

3rd Place: Christian Potts, University of Maine, Orono

Immunology | Antimicrobial agent cetylpyridinium chloride inhibits immune mast cell function

Honorable Mention: Colin Welch, University of Maine, Orono

Microbiology | Characterizing the diversity of cluster R prophage in Mycobacterium abscessus

Honorable Mention: Victoria Mayers, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection interacts with NF-κB activation through integrin signaling

Honorable Mention: Grace Hambelton, Bowdoin College, Brunswick

Neuroscience & Physiology | Aortic pressure and heart rate in the lobster Homarus americanus are modulated by mechanical feedback and neuropeptides

Graduate Awards

1st Place: Liz Saavedra, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Low dose arsenic exposure alters the expression of microRNAs in the innate immune response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection

2nd Place: Katherine Jarvis, University of Maine, Orono

Immunology | Temporal dynamics of viral load and false negative rate influence the levels of testing necessary to combat COVID-19 spread

3rd Place: Kodey Silknitter, University of Maine, Orono

Cell Biology & Development | Investigation of the extracellular matrix in DMD zebrafish under inactive and endurance exercise treatments

Honorable Mention: Caitlin Wiafe-Kwakye, University of Maine, Orono

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Comparative genomic analysis of prophages in clinical isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae

Honorable Mention: Lindsey Fitzsimons, University of Maine, Orono 

Cell Biology & Development | Primary cilia of mammalian ventricular myocardium: A new avenue to pursue?

MTI Innovation Award

Innovation Prize: Katharina Roese, University of New England, Biddeford

Microbiology | Pyrogallol impairs bacterial biofilm formation by inducing microbial oxidative stress

Honorable Mention: Joshua Quigley, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor

Genetics, Bioinformatics, & Software Tools | Human-mouse variant mapper

 

 

 

More details about the schedule will be added in the coming weeks. The outline of the schedule follows:

Wednesday, April 28:

  • 5-6pm:
    • Welcome to MBMSS by Hermann Haller, President and Professor, MDI Biological Laboratory
    • Keynote welcome by Jim Coffman, Associate Professor, MDI Biological Laboratory
    • Keynote address by Scott V. Edwards

Thursday, April 29:

  • 12-1pm: A panel on Covid-19 research in Maine:
    • 12:00 – 12:15pm: Meghan May – University of New England
    • 12:15 – 12:30pm: Cat Lutz – Jackson Laboratory
    • 12:30 – 12:45pm: Susan Santangelo – Maine Medical Center Research Institute
    • 12:45 – 1:00pm: Open forum for questions and discussion
  • 4-5:30pm: Session 1 talks
    • 4:00 – 4:15pm: Erik Bloss – Assistant Professor, The Jackson Laboratory
    • 4:15 – 4:30pm: Romain Madelaine – Assistant Professor, MDI Biological Laboratory
    • 4:30 – 4:45pm: Anna Schumann – Undergraduate student, University of Maine
    • 4:45 – 5:00pm: Pauline Kamath – Assistant Professor, University of Maine
    • 5:00 – 5:15pm: Gabriel Jensen – Graduate student, University of Maine
    • 5:15 – 5:30pm: Carrie Diaz Eaton – Associate Professor, Bates College
  • 6-8pm: Poster session A

Friday, April 30:

  • 12-1pm: Career Expo and Panel Discussion with:
    • Clarissa Henry – GSBSE, Associate Professor, School of Biology and Ecology; Program Director, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering
    • Zhen Zhang – GSBSE, Administrative Coordinator
    • Meredith Theeman – JAX, Director of Pre and Post-Doctoral Programs
    • Maya Caines – JAX, Student Affairs Program Administrator
    • Zach Bodach – Maine Brewers Guild, Board member
    • Michael Pollastro – Roux Institute, Senior Vice Provost
    • Laura Becker – Roux Institute, Director of Enrollment
    • Liz Bergst – MMCRI, Program Manager-MMCRI Staff Services
    • Emily Hebert – IDEXX, Scientific Recruiter
    • Iain Drummond – MDI Biological Laboratory, Scientific Director
  • 1:30-3:30pm: Poster session B
  • 4-5:30pm: Session 2 talks
    • 4:00 – 4:15pm: Michelle Greene – Assistant Professor, Bates College
    • 4:15 – 4:30pm: Allison Gardner – Assistant Professor, University of Maine
    • 4:30 – 4:45pm: Mark Young – Undergraduate student, Colby College
    • 4:45 – 5:00pm: Jennifer Honeycutt – Assistant Professor, Bowdoin College
    • 5:00 – 5:15pm: Brandy-Lee Soos – Graduate student, University of Maine
    • 5:15 – 5:30pm: Prayag Murawala – Assistant Professor, MDI Biological Laboratory

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