UND Department of Medical Laboratory Science

Big news from MLS – after 80 years of combined service, Department of MLS faculty members MARY COLEMAN and LINDA RAY will be retiring at the end of June! It is difficult to imagine things without them, but we wish them the best after their amazing careers and dedication to UND and the MLS profession!

If you are in the Grand Forks area, feel free to join us at the School of Medicine & Health Sciences (West Atrium) for a joint retirement open house celebration on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 from 3-4pm.

Do you have a favorite memory of your time with Mary and Linda? Or well-wishes you would like to pass along? Please share them here: https://und.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0UPzppLuazBCOj4

2026 LEND Case Studies are available now! The registration fee is $60 for ten hours of CE. With the ever-growing availability of online CE, we are incredibly thankful that you chose LEND.

⭐️Register for LEND here: https://lend2026certificate.vfairs.com/en/registration-form

Did you know that LEND proceeds fund various MLS student initiatives at UND? As a LEND participant, you are contributing to the future of the clinical laboratory workforce. THANK YOU!

Graduation season is upon us!

Last month, we had the privilege of honoring recent UND MLS Mayo Clinic Cohort graduates during a recognition luncheon. These graduates balanced coursework with many other obligations while successfully completing the program. We have no doubt they will continue their dedication to the profession and patients they serve, and we are proud to call them alumni and colleagues!

We also want to recognize MLS faculty members - Bob Porter and Chris Triske – for their continuous dedication in coordination of the MLS Cohort route, as well as teaching and advising of program students.

Congratulations to all!

Five Medical Laboratory Science students presented at the UND College of Arts & Sciences UNDergraduate Showcase today!

Charlee Schenfisch presented her Honors Program Senior Research Project: A Comprehensive Analysis into the Effectiveness of the Standard of Care for Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis (Faculty: Shannon Jongeward and Merie Kirby).

Randi Herndon presented her Honors Program Senior Research Project: Skin-to-Skin: Its Impact on Breastfeeding Duration (Faculty: Shannon Jongeward).

Tori Wetterlind was second author for her research project: Characterization of T47D Breast Cancer Spheroid Development and Viability. This project was also authored by Paige Bonnet (Molecular and Integrative Biology) and Aerica Nagornyuk (Biomedical Sciences) (Faculty: Motoki Takaku).

Draven Franks presneted his Biology Senior Capstone Project: Ethics in Healthcare: Diabetes (Faculty: Keenan Stears - BIOL480).

Draven also presented his project for BIOL425: Spineback Walleye (Sander Venenacathus). For this project, students were challenged to create a fictional fish based on what they had learned in class (Faculty: Mark Kaemingk).

Not pictured: Hailey Deltener presented her project for COMM380HON: Between Life and the List: The Human Cost of Transplant Policies (Faculty: Jessica Schanilec-Gowan).

Last week the UND MLS Department, MLS Club, and Undergraduate Medical Association sponsored a DakMinn Blood Drive in celebration of Lab Week. A big shout out to MLS faculty member, Mary Coleman, for organizing the event which was hugely successful as 39 generous donors helped us collect a total of 33 whole blood units! These contributions will make a life-saving impact on the Grand Forks region, as all donations to DakMinn are used within our local healthcare facilities.

Do you want to make a difference too? Stop by DakMinn Blood Bank to make a life-saving donation today – walk-ins are welcome! https://www.dakminnbloodbank.org/

MLS senior, Emma Schweigert, was honored during the Indians into Medicine (INMED) Graduate Recognition Ceremony at the Time Out Wacipi Powwow on April 18th. Each graduate was presented with a uniquely designed star quilt representing the UND colors. A Native American Blanket ceremony is a significant cultural tradition where Indigenous students are draped in a specially designed star quilt to honor their academic achievements, resilience, and community support. This marks the transition into a new journey and recognition of perseverance along the way. A celebration of this nature is often accompanied by traditional singing and drums.

Congratulations Emma!

In celebration of , the UND Medical Laboratory Science Club hosted a National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP – formerly known as Be the Match) registration drive and a Lab Week table at two locations on UND campus. The club and MLS faculty played “Myth or Fact: Medical Lab Science Edition” with over 140 students and helped over 135 new donors join the NMDP registry! What an incredible way to celebrate the laboratory profession!

If you or someone you know is between the ages of 18-35, please consider joining the NMDP registry. To join under the UND MLS Club’s event, use the following link: https://my.nmdp.org/s/join?language=en_US&joinCode=undmls

If you are over 35, there are still lots of ways to be involved or simply help us spread the word about NMDP! Visit nmdp.org for more information!

📣The priority deadline for our open faculty position is one week from today - TUESDAY, APRIL 7!!

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions that you may have regarding the position. We look forward to growing our team!! 🎉

Assistant or Associate Professor, Medical Laboratory Science - Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States Salary/Position Classification $75,000+ annual, Exempt 40 hours per week This position will work onsite the Grand Forks, ND campus. Purpose of Position The Department of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) is searchin...

Attention Medical Laboratory Professionals!

We are seeking faculty candidates to join our team!

Individuals should be student-centered, passionate, and focused on delivering quality education to help build our future laboratory workforce.

⏱️Full-time (40 hours per week), 12-month appointment
📍Grand Forks, North Dakota Campus

Additional information pertaining to the position, including how to apply, can be found by visiting the link below or by contacting our Department Chair, Dr. Brooke Solberg ([email protected]).

PRIORITY DEADLINE: TUESDAY, APRIL 7

Assistant or Associate Professor, Medical Laboratory Science - Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States Salary/Position Classification $75,000+ annual, Exempt 40 hours per week This position will work onsite the Grand Forks, ND campus. Purpose of Position The Department of Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) is searchin...

The 2026 UND Graduate Research Achievement Day (GRAD) took place last week and our very own ✨Abigail Chrisman✨ took home second place within the Professional, Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities category!!

Abigail presented her Independent Study research titled "Refining Relapse Prediction in Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Flow Cytometry-Based MRD Assessment".

A few fun facts about Abigail and her GRAD experience:
✳️Abigail is in her fourth semester of the UND MS in MLS program
✳️As the MS MLS program is 100% online, Abigail is the FIRST MS MLS student to participate in GRAD in person AND the FIRST MS MLS student to ever win an award (online and in-person)!!

With over 200 participants on campus, this is a momentous achievement!! Congratulations Abigail and we are so proud of you!! 🎉💚👩‍🔬


UND School of Graduate Studies UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences