The Department of Genetics, the Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB), and the Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology (GMB) held a scientific retreat on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at UNC’s Friday Center in Chapel Hill, NC.
More than 200 faculty, postdocs, students and staff attended the annual Scientific Retreat hosted by the UNC Department of Genetics. 16 speakers gave talks across five sessions and more than 90 posters were presented. Congratulations to the award recipients listed below and thank you to all who attended and presented their work!
A big thank you to John Cornett, Dr. Jill Dowen, Dr. Mike Love, Cara Marlow, Dr. Dan McKay, Dr. Sarah Schoenrock, and Dr. Will Valdar for planning, organizing, and managing the retreat!
2025 Retreat Presentations (GMB Presenter Erica Branham TOP; BCB Presenter Teresa McGee BOTTOM)
2025 Poster Sessions (BCB Presenter Will Nenad TOP; GMB Presenter Sean Johnsen BOTTOM)
Awards
Terry Magnuson Dissertation Awards
Jessica McAfee
Hyejung Won Lab
2025 GMB Recipient of the Terry Magnuson Award
Jess Byun
Doug Phanstiel Lab
2025 BCB Recipient of the Terry Magnuson Award
Best Poster Presentation Awards
-BCB Graduate Students
Archishma Kavalipati *Not Pictured
Dan Dominguez Lab
JP Flores
Doug Phanstiel Lab
-GMB Graduate Students
Yibo Si *Not Pictured
Henrik Dohlman Lab
Kit Cummins *Not Pictured
Brian Strahl Lab
-Graduate Student (Other Programs)
Brian Chen – Biostatistics
Yun Li Lab
Sam Zarnick – Neuroscience
Jason Stein Lab
Best Talk Awards
-BCB Graduate Student
Luvna Dhwaka
Natalie Stanley Lab
-GMB Graduate Student
Elizabeth Abrash
Mauro Calabrese Lab