News and Events
Yiran “Taylor” Han at the 9th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators
These awardees were recognized at the 9th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators meeting that took place on March 11, 2025 at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in NYC. Our very own Yiran “Tayor” Han (MBBC/ECON) was one of two pre-doctoral students who were recognized for delivering the best oral presentation at the mini symposium. Taylor was awarded the first-place pre-doctoral award which included a $200.00 cash prize!
Taylor is also coauthor on a published manuscript that came out this week in the Journal of Bacteriology (also attached). First author is Middlebury recent graduate Myrto Ziogas (MBBC), and other Middlebury coauthors include Igor Todorovic (MBBC) Katie Kraczkowsky (NSCI), and Taylor Han (MBBC/ECON double).
Ziogas ’22 Presents at 8th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators
Myrto Ziogas (MBBC’22) delivered an oral presentation at the 8th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators in New Orleans, LA. Myrto’s talk, titled “Characterizing a Novel SloR Recognition Element in the S. mutans mntH Promoter” won first place in the “Best Student Presentation” category.
Myrto graduated from Middlebury College in 2022 with a major in MBBC. Since graduation she has been working as a laboratory technician in the Boston area. Currently, she is deciding where she wants to go to graduate school since she has been accepted to the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology graduate program at Duke University, and to similar programs at UC-Davis and University of Southern California.
American Society for Microbiology in Washington, DC
In June 2022, research students India Drummond (MBBC ’21.5), Emily Bulczynski (MBBC ’22) and Jenny Pushner (MBBC ‘21.5) traveled with Professor Grace Spatafora to the American Society for Microbiology meetings in Washington, D.C., to present the results of their senior work.
Also in attendance was Spatafora researcher Ali DePaolo (MBBC ‘23). Their posters received many visitors including Middlebury College alumni Emily Putnam (MBBC ‘10), Julia Schwartzman (MBBC ‘09), and Daniel Tetrault (MBBC ‘2020). While not attending the meetings a good time was had by all at the National Mall.
Upcoming Events
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Biology Seminar Series: From Single Cells to Satellites: Genomics-informed virus-microbe ecology across scales
From Single Cells to Satellites: Genomics-informed virus-microbe ecology across scales
Julia Brown, Senior Research Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
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Biology Seminar Series - On the (im)possibility of elephants
Biology Seminar, Saul Lecture - Dr. Vincent Lynch, University of Buffalo
Cancer, aging, Peto’s paradox
Evolutionary theory predicts that large animals, because they have more cells than smaller ones should have higher cancer prevalence than the small ones; similarly long-lived animals, which have a long time to acquire cancer causing mutations should have higher cancer prevalence than short lived ones but do not. In fact the cancer prevalence in mammals averages 50-10%. What mechanisms underlie this apparent disconnect between theory and observation?
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
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Biology Seminar Series - The quest for, and impossibility of, immortality
Biology Seminar, Saul Lecture: Dr. Vincent Lynch, University of Buffalo
Why do we get sick, old, and die?
Theoretically there is no reason organisms cannot live forever. However, except for maybe one animal, every thing that has ever lived, and will live, will get old, sick, and die. But if immortality is possible, why hasn’t it evolved?
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
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Biology Graduate School Panel
Join the Biology SAC to hear professors speak about their educational and career experiences. Feel free to come with your questions!
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 317
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“Where the tree ends and your head begins” – Listening to Gloria Anzaldúa’s Multi-Species Meditations
This practice-based activity is open to anyone on campus, but especially those interested in thinking about ecology beyond traditional Western disciplinary lenses. We will use drawings and sound to consider the boundaries between more-than-human nature and embodied experience that Gloria Anzaldúa set out in her mediations, which proposed a feminist approach to the spaces and places at the U.S-Mexico border.
Axinn Center 229
Open to the Public
Free
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Biology Seminar Series - Dr. Desmond Ramirez 'SKIN SIGHT' AND VISUAL PROCESSING IN CEPHALOPOD MOLLUSKS
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
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Biology Seminar Series - Summer Research Students
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
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Biology, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry - Commencement 2025 Remarks and Awards
Remarks and awards for Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry department seniors and their families.
Remarks and awards from 2:45-3:15 pm.
Location: McCardell-Bicentennial Hall, Great Hall
Middlebury College
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Nature Fest: A Lens On The Knoll
Celebrate the great outdoors with us at Nature Fest! Enjoy a day of guided nature walks, interactive booths, gardening activities, nature crafts, food, and other family activities. Connect with local ecology and discover new way to view the world around us!
The Knoll