Georgetown University Department of Biology

☀️ Summer updates from Biology at Georgetown! ☀️

We’ve been a bit quiet on social media over the summer, but our faculty and graduate students have been hard at work making big moves!

Here is what we’ve been up to:
🔍 Faculty Feature: Biology professor and entomologist Martha Weiss was featured in Georgetown University's "Ask a Professor" series this month, discussing the spotted lanternfly invasion spreading across the DC area. Weiss explains the insect's life cycle, why it's likely here to stay, and what people can actually do about it, including her advice to look for and remove egg masses in early spring.

🎓 Graduate Success: Dr. Sam Sturiale successfully defended and passed her dissertation!

🏆 Grant Award: Katie Boone received the prestigious AART Training Program Grant, securing two years of stipend support and research funding!

Congratulations to Sam, Katie, and Dr. Weiss! We couldn't be prouder of our department family. 👏🎉

🎓 Huge congratulations to Ph.D. candidate Sam Sturiale on receiving the Artrice Valentine Bader Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the Georgetown University Department of Biology!

Named after Dr. Artrice Valentine Bader—the very first student to earn a Ph.D. in biology at Georgetown, this distinguished award recognizes exceptional academic achievement, research, and service.

Sam’s impactful contributions to ecological and evolutionary research, multiple publications, and competitive grant tracking are an incredible testament to her hard work alongside her advisor, Dr. Peter Armbruster.

Join us in celebrating Sam’s incredible dedication and success! 👏🧬

Read more about her achievements: https://biology.georgetown.edu/news-story/department-of-biology-honors-sam-sturiale-with-artrice-valentine-bader-outstanding-graduate-student-award/

Department of Biology Honors Sam Sturiale with Artrice Valentine Bader Outstanding Graduate Student Award - Department of Biology Named in honor of Dr. Artrice Valentine Bader, the pioneering scientist who made history as the very first student to earn a Ph.D. in biology at Georgetown University, this distinguished annual award recognizes a graduate student who exemplifies exceptional academic achievement. Sam, a dedicated...

🔬 Major Research Milestone! 🔬

Huge congratulations to three of our brilliant undergraduate Neurobiology majors: Chloe Lok ('23), Rachel Nokku ('26), and Grace Chu ('28) on their contribution to a major new paper published in Advanced Science! 👏📖

Working with Drosophila, the team helped uncover how the gene Chd1 (linked to human autism risk gene CHD2) acts as a "master regulator" of brain stability. 🧠✨

Why this matters:
Glia Power: The study reveals that glial cells play an essential role in keeping neural circuits stable.
Disease Insights: This provides a new framework for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, epilepsy, and intellectual disability.

We are so proud of our students for conducting high-impact research that pushes the boundaries of neuroscience!

🧠 Seminar Alert! 🧠

Happening TODAY in the Department of Biology: We’re hosting Dr. Yingxi Lin from UT Southwestern for a deep dive into how our brains encode distinct memories through neuronal ensembles. 🧬

Bonus: Light refreshments served! 🍪

Tag a fellow biology student who needs to be there! 👇

Big News from the Department of Biology! 🧬

Huge congratulations to Professor Jeffrey Huang for receiving a $150,691 grant from J-Pharma Co., Ltd.! This funding will support his vital research investigating how JPH034 impacts neuroinflammation associated with tauopathy.

We are so proud of the groundbreaking work happening in our labs! 👏✨