June 10, 2022

Retreats for Investigators and Mentors 

Two retreats are held each year that bring together RI-INBRE’s current investigators and mentors from across our network of higher education institutions in Rhode Island.

The 2023 Summer Retreat was held on Friday, July 28th in Avedisian Hall at the University of Rhode Island. Attendees joined the discussion on the changes to the RI-INBRE program proposed in the recently submitted grant renewal (2024-2029). ). This discussion wasled by Dr. Bongsup Cho, Program Director, and Dr. Brett Pellock, Program Coordinator and highlighted new award mechanisms to support faculty development, the new Workforce Development and Training program, new mechanisms to support student research training, and initiatives to support the data science needs of RI investigators.

The 2023 Winter Retreat took place on Friday, January 13th at URI’s Alumni Center. Samantha Meenach, RI-INBRE Training Core director, led a mini-workshop, “Equity and Inclusion in Research Mentoring,” focused on recruiting and training a diverse pool of research students. Program updates and a discussion of our progress preparing the RI-INBRE grant renewal application were led by RI-INBRE Program Director Bongsup Cho.

The 2022 Summer Retreat was held on Friday, July 29th, following the RI Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, and held in Avedisian Hall at the University of Rhode Island. In the town hall-style meeting, current and past investigators and mentors shared their ideas on RI-INBRE’s grant renewal (2024-2029).

The 2022 Winter Retreat took place on January 13th as a virtual event hosted by Bryant University and President Ross Gittell provided the opening remarks. The retreat featured two Faculty Lightning Talk sessions where our investigators presented their research, followed by questions and answers (Q and A) that stimulated a vibrant exchange of information and ideas. The Lightning Talks and Q and A sessions were moderated by Dr. Brett Pellock, RI-INBRE Program Coordinator.

Lightning Talk Presentations

  • Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis, Salve Regina University. Assessing the Impacts of Harmful Macroalgal Blooms on Higher Trophic Levels and Coastal Environmental Health. 
  • Koty H. Sharp, Roger Williams University. “Astrangia Things” Studying the Northern Star Coral at Roger Williams University. 
  • Steve Weicksel, Bryant University. Chromosome Organization and Dynamics: Mechanisms of Cancer
  • Victoria Heimer-McGinn, Roger Williams University. Cognitive Impairments in a Mouse Model of Bipolar Disorder
  • Anabela Maia, Rhode Island College. Compromised Sensation and Motor Control in the Bluegill Fin Model
  • Tyler Stack, Providence College. Discovering Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes in the Human Gut Microbiome
  • Jamie B. Towle-Weicksel, Rhode Island College. DNA Pol Theta: Guardian of the Genome or Instigator of Instability?
  • Christopher R. Burtner, Roger Williams University. Evidence for the Conservation of Longevity Pathways
  • Khadine Higgins, Salve Regina University. Exploring Metal Binding to Wild-Type and Mutant KmtR
  • William M. Holmes, Rhode Island College. Impacts of N-terminal Acetylation on Tau Structure and Function
  • Kristin Scaplen, Bryant University. Neural Circuitry Mechanisms Underlying Alcohol Addiction: Contributions from Drosophila
  • Victoria L. Templer, Providence College. Neurocognitive Aging and the Role of the Posterior Parietal Cortex in Memory in Rats
  • Kristen Baker, Providence College. Synthesis and Physicochemical Studies of β-Carboline Atropisomers
  • Susan Meschwitz, Salve Regina University. Targeting Quiescent E. coli for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections