Meet the inaugural cohort of BDCI Trainee Seed Grant recipients!
The inaugural BDCI Trainee Symposium was held on Friday, March 31st at Convocation Hall. With more than 50 attendees across the day’s sessions, it was an exciting forum to learn about fellow BDCI trainees’ research, connect with new people, and come up with exciting, new research projects! Leading off the day’s events was a keynote address by Maddie Sofia, founding host of the NPR daily science podcast, Short Wave. Maddie shared an inspiring talk focused on strategic and inclusive science communication, in which she shared the importance of centering diverse voices in science communication as well as practical tips on how to engage in this work in our respective scientific endeavors. Learn more about Maddie and her work here.
The capstone event of the day was a brainstorming session in which trainees could network, match up, and then come up with new, innovative research projects. Following the Symposium, teams had the opportunity to draft a proposal and submit their projects for seed funding. Following a rigorous review process in which each proposal received scoring and feedback from a diverse panel of faculty members, we are excited to announce that 3 projects were selected for funding!
Read more about these exciting projects below and save the date for next year’s BDCI Trainee Symposium: Friday, January 26th! Email us at bdci@emory.edu if you would like to be involved in planning.
Team 1: John Talbott + Andrew LeBlanc
Mentors: Monika Raj + Bill Wuest
Project Title: Total Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Auyuittuqamides E-H
John and Andrew have teamed up to complete the first synthesis of cyclic peptides, Auyuittuqamides E-H, and confirm their reported antimicrobial activity. Auyuittuqamides E-H were found to have activity against vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, which is classified as a serious threat by the CDC. Additionally, they plan to investigate the mechanism of action for Auyuittuqamides E-H as a potential membrane disrupter. Lastly, they will undergo a hypothesis-driven derivatization campaign in hopes of increasing the potency of these cyclic peptide natural products. Overall, this project will shed light onto the mechanism of action and biological properties of the Auyuittuqamides, hopefully unveiling a new avenue for combating antibiotic resistant bacteria!
This project leverages the Raj lab’s strength in synthesizing and characterizing cyclic peptides and the Wuest lab’s strength in antimicrobial assays. By developing their own interdisciplinary project, Andrew and John have improved not only their grant development and writing skills, but also their teamwork and communication skills in managing the various aspects of this proposal. We can’t wait to learn more!
Learn more about Andrew and John below:
John Talbott:
- Rising 2nd year, Chemistry
- From: Hereford, Maryland
- Undergrad at Elizabethtown College
- Fun fact: I enjoy running marathons!
Andrew LeBlanc:
- Rising 2nd year, Chemistry
- From: South Portland, Maine
- Undergrad at Xavier University
- Fun fact: I enjoy going on hikes and spending time outdoors!
- Follow Andrew on Twitter: @sopoandy
Team 2: Jack Chi + Mario Rivera
Mentors: Yong Wan + Mingji Dai
Project Title: Optimization of potential glycosyltransferase inhibitor with chemical modifications, followed by validation with diverse in vitro systems
Jack and Mario have joined efforts to optimize the characteristics of a potential glycosyltransferase inhibitor discovered by virtual and in vitro high-throughput screening. Their primary objective is to carry out chemical modifications to optimize the solubility, binding affinity, and stability of the most promising compound, then subject the resulting analogs to rigorous evaluation using diverse in vitro validation systems. The broader implications for this work are to design a novel glycosyltransferase inhibitor as a unique strategy to sensitize breast cancer patients to immunotherapy!
This project draws on the strengths of both groups. The Wan lab possesses remarkable expertise in cancer biology, exploring intricate biological mechanisms, and carrying out high-throughput drug screens. Conversely, the Dai lab excels in the realm of chemical modification and synthetic chemistry. This dynamic collaboration creates an optimal environment for Jack and Mario to gain comprehensive knowledge of the entire drug development process, thereby establishing a solid and enduring foundation for their future careers.
Learn more about Jack and Mario below:
Julong (Jack) Chi:
- Rising 4th year, Molecular and Systems Pharmacology (MSP)
- From: China
- Undergrad at Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Fun fact: I am a Table Tennis Player (NCTTA rating: 2154)!
Mario Rivera:
- Rising 4th year, Chemistry
- From: El Salvador
- Undergrad at St. John’s University, NY
- Fun fact: I collect Real Madrid Football Club soccer jerseys from different seasons!
- Follow Mario on Twitter: @7RiveraMario
Team 3: Vageesha Herath + Elise Bezold
Mentors: Khalid Salaita + Bill Wuest
Project Title: Microbial Force Sensing: Advancing Medical Applications through Probe Design
Vageesha and Elise have spearheaded an exciting project aimed at producing DNA tension probes capable of measuring forces produced by bacterial cells during the swimming/swarming process. Understanding the forces produced by pathogenic microbes can give insight into what type of surfaces to use for coating/designing medical devices – an important step in the fight against bacterial infections and the growing threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
This project draws nicely on the complementary skills of the Salaita and Wuest labs. Together, Elise’s expertise in microbiological techniques and Vageesha’s advanced microscopy skillset provide a wonderful opportunity to explore this exciting new territory in antibacterial research!
Learn more about Vageesha and Elise below:
Vageesha Herath:
- Rising 2nd year, Chemistry
- From: Sri Lanka
- Undergrad at University of Cincinnati
- Fun fact: I love playing video games in my free time!
Elise Bezold:
- Rising 2nd year, Chemistry
- From: Moscow, Ohio
- Undergrad at Northern Kentucky University
- Fun fact: I grew up on a farm and raised market pigs, chickens, and showed horses!
- Follow Elise on Twitter: @el_bez3