Incoming biomedical science graduate students got a sneak peek at the wide variety of research being pursued on campus during the School of Medicine’s 43rd Annual Biomedical Science Graduate Student Research Day, held on Aug. 26.
The Graduate School Office at UConn Health hosted the event in conjunction with the Graduate Student Organization as part of the Fall 2026 Orientation. Students across all seven areas of concentration within the Farmington campus’ Biomedical Science Ph.D. program participate in the full-day event that includes student poster and oral presentations, as well as a scientific talk by the previous year’s Lepow Award winner, Rachel Godek, and a keynote address.
“Graduate Student Research Day, an annual tradition at UConn Health, celebrates biomedical science research and its students,” says incoming Graduate Student Organization President Moumita Bhattacharya, a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience in the School of Medicine. “It provides a platform for students to showcase their research to faculty, postdocs, staff, and fellow students, and honors their research accomplishments at different stages of their Ph.D. journey.”
This year’s keynote speaker was UConn Health’s Dr. Margaret K. Callahan ’07 MD, ’07 Ph.D., professor of immunology and medicine, chief of the division of hematology/oncology, and medical director of the clinical trials office. In addition to her talk on immunotherapy, Callahan shared her path to her current position, which included sitting in the very chairs her audience sat in when she was a student herself.
“Coming back to UConn as the alumni keynote speaker for the Graduate Student Research Day feels like a full-circle moment. My formative years as an aspiring researcher were here at UConn Health; it’s exciting to see how the program continues to support new students,” she said.
Along with a variety of awards presented to students in recognition of their work throughout the year, students also give an award of their own: the Dr. Mary J. Osborn Award for Excellence in Biomedical Science Graduate Teaching. This student-nominated and student-voted award is presented each year to a program faculty member for their excellence in teaching and mentoring biomedical science graduate students. This year’s awardee was Penghua Wang of the Department of Immunology.
The nomination read, in part, that “…Wang is truly passionate about teaching and mentoring. He dedicates much of his time to sharing his knowledge and technical expertise with graduate students, undergraduate interns, and high school students to help them succeed. His door is always open for discussion…” The students noted how Wang’s encouragement and guidance help them persevere in seeking answers not only to their research questions, but also to how they can become better scientists and better people.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Osborn award,” Wang said. “Teaching and mentoring are not simply about transferring knowledge — it is about igniting curiosity, building confidence, and inspiring the next generation of thinkers and innovators. This award deepens my commitment to that mission.”
“Graduate Student Research Day is a vital opportunity for emerging researchers to showcase their discoveries, sharpen their scientific communication skills, interact with faculty of diverse disciplines and contribute to the vibrant research community that defines UConn Health,” he continued. “I was blown away by the students’ enthusiasm, curiosity, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of discovery on display.”
See the full list of 2026 award recipients below:
Edward G. Henderson Memorial Prize for Outstanding Ph.D. Thesis in Biomedical Science: Vincent Graziano, ’25 Ph.D. Immunology, PI: Dr. Vijay Rathinam
Lepow Award for Outstanding Biomedical Science PhD Student Entering the 4th Year of Study: Lucille Papile, Neuroscience, PIs: Stephen Crocker and Timothy Spellman
Lawrence G. Raisz Award for Excellent in Musculoskeletal Research: Geordie Emberling, Cell Biology, PI: Madison Doolittle
Biomedical Science Service Award in Leadership: Moumita Bhattacharya, Neuroscience, PI: Riqiang Yan
Biomedical Science Service Award in Mentorship: Bethlehem Abebe, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, PI: Steven Chou
GSRD Oral Presentation Award: Jacob Brady, Neuroscience, PI: Feliks Ephraim Trakhtenberg
Poster Presentation Awards:
1st Place: Moumita Bhattacharya, Neuroscience, PI: Riqiang Yan
2nd Place: Juan Manuel Martinez Villalobos, Genetics and Developmental Biology, PI: Jeffrey Chuang
3rd Place: Shreya Savla, Neuroscience, PI: Rajkumar Verma
Osborn Award for Excellence in Biomedical Science Graduate Training: Penghua Wang, Immunology, Department of Immunology
