MMC Biology

We are recruiting participants for a research study looking at bacteria on carpeted surfaces in New York City residences. If you live in NYC and are interested in participating, please click to fill out the interest form. Participation would involve a short visit to your home to collect samples from carpeted areas. You’d also be asked to fill out a brief survey about footwear practices. All data will be anonymized.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8cDlMxa8cyOnM-mKL6CFow_HuDPrgDCKnUbRmlQz7qZHfmg/viewform

junior Juliet Hernandez and sophomore Brianna Fay presented their innovative ecological research in the Bronx River and NYC green spaces at the 2024 William Paterson Undergraduate Research Symposium last weekend. Great job!

Congratulations to scholar Surya Dutta and Professor Brian Reed on publishing their their recent review: “The Kappa Opioid Receptor: Candidate Pharmacotherapeutic Target for Multiple Sclerosis”

Whodunit? Students in Intro to Forensic Science investigated a mock crime scene on the 6th floor, with our anatomy and physiology skull playing the starring role!

Urban Ecology Lab field work underway in the Bronx River this fall.

Alumni spotlight! Abe Libman, who recently finished up his post-bac at has started his medical school journey at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Congratulations Abe!!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Natural Sciences professors Matt Lundquist and Ann Aguanno’s paper, “Here and there: A novel hybrid remote/in-person college-level science lab model at a primarily undergraduate institution” for work done in labs during Covid-19 was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of College Science Teaching!!!

Environmental Science professor Peter LeTourneau’s book, “Taprock Landscapes of New England” was ranked top 20 best selling Land Use Books of All Time by Bookauthority. Congratulations Dr. LeTourneau!!! 🎉

Biology Alumni Spotlight! Ashley Pavia ’21 is graduating from the University of Delaware this summer with a Master’s in Marine Studies with a concentration in Oceanography.

Ashley graduated from MMC in 2021 with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Urban & Environmental Sustainability, as well as minors in Applied Mathematics and Chemistry. After graduation, she began graduate studies at the University of Delaware, for which she was awarded the Marian R. Okie Fellowship by the School of Marine Science & Policy.

The title of Ashley’s Master’s thesis is “Investigating the role of coastal wetland on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) transport.” In the photos, she can be seen collecting surface water, groundwater, and sediment from St. Jones Reserve, a tidal marsh positioned between a military base and Delaware Bay. Her study aims to improve our understanding of PFAS mobility in the environment and the factors that affect their fate and transport as they migrate to the ocean. She recently presented her work at the SETAC North America 43rd annual meeting in Pittsburgh.

Congratulations, Ashley, on your Master’s degree!

Summer research has begun as installs microcosms on campus to track microbial colonization over time . With thanks to and .

Alumna Elizabeth Scott (‘22) and professor Matt Lundquist just published a paper on insect biodiversity in the in . Congratulations to Elizabeth!!!!