News and Events

Students who presented at the 9th Mini-Symposium for young investigators.

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).  

Myrto Ziogas delivers a speech at a podium.

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.

Professor Spatafora and students in Washington D.C.

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.

Professor Spatafora and students in Washington D.C.

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

  • Limno-STOICH Poster Session

    All are welcome to attend poster presentations as the culmination of the 2026 Limno-STOICH Database Conference supported by midd.data and the National Science Foundation. Aquatic ecologists from a range of institutions and Middlebury College students enrolled in BIOL 304 Aquatic Ecology will present on database-driven research they have done related to the field of ecological stoichiometry in aquatic ecosystems. Light refreshments will be provided.

    More information here.

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall Tormondsen Great Hall

    Open to the Public

  • Two people in lab coats and simple face masks covering mouth and nose.

    George B Saul II lecture in Biology - Dr. Angelique Corthalis-John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)

    Public Lecture: The Fats of Life - The Metabolic Origins of Neurodegeneration 

    Bio: Dr Corthalis is an associated professor and multidisciplinary researcher with a broad and extensive background in biomedical science and biological/forensic anthropology. This expertise is unique and encompasses a wide range of research areas, with a specific focus on the critical connection between neurodegeneration, cell stressors, and the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. 

    Corthalis feels privileged to contribute to improving healthcare in underserved regions and communities by serving as a consultant in diagnostic technology and biologics delivery for Doctors Without Borders and also has an unwavering dedication to advocating for equitable access to healthcare for all individuals and am passionate about fostering public engagement in science and amplifying the representation of the LGBTQIA community in STEM fields.

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall 216

    Open to the Public

  • McCardell Bicentennial Hall Commencement 2026 Departmental Reception

    Please join the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Climate Sciences, Geography, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Physics, and Psychology for a reception celebrating graduates in these disciplines. 

    The following departments invite grads and their guests to join them in the locations listed below.

    Biology | Great Hall | 2:00-3:15 pm
    Chemistry | Great Hall | 2:00-3:15 pm
    Molecular Biology and Biochemistry | Great Hall | 2:00-3:15 pm

    Earth and Climate Sciences | MBH 417 | 2:30-3:15 pm

    Geography | Great Hall | 3:45-5:00 pm
    Neuroscience | Great Hall | 3:45-5:00 pm
    Physics | Great Hall | 3:45-5:00 pm
    Psychology | Great Hall | 3:45-5:00 pm

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall

  • Two woman, one with dark wavy hair, blue shirt. One with long straight red hair and glasses. One man short dark hair, wearing a dark suit.

    Biology/MBBC Senior Thesis Presentations

    Elly Tuffey
    “An Assessment of Mercury Accumulation in Different Forest Types”

    Sarah Case
    “Determining the regulatory role of Tre6P in nectar production in Arabidopsis thaliana.”

    Jordan Gardener
    “The Effects of Testosterone on Place & Response Learning and BDNF Signaling”

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

    Open to the Public

  • Three individual images, all taken outside, two of woman with long hair, smiling. One of a man with short hair, smiling.

    MBBC Senior Thesis Presentations

    Mishal Lalani
    “Saving Smiles One Protein at a Time: Targeting SloR in S. mutans”

    Anabell Cloney
    “Proteins have a Social Life: What is SloR’s relationship with the Streptococcus mutans Clp proteasome?”

    Ryan Mauney
    “Development of Electroporation and Fluorescent Live-Cell Imaging in the Chytrid Fungus Allomyces macrogynus”

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

    Open to the Public

  • 4 individual images. All women, all will long hair, different settings.

    Biology Senior Thesis Presentations

    Anna Cerveny
    “Distribution and Morphology of Chemosensory Hairs in a Model Butterfly”

    Isabel Pentony
    “Molecular Mechanisms of Plant-Pollinator Interactions in Cucurbita pepo.”

    Ariel Zhang
    “Testing the island rule using an introduced population of muskrats in the Gulf of Maine”

    Claire Ellerbrook
    “Using stable isotope analysis to assess carnivore diet in the northeast”

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

    Open to the Public

  • Two people. Individual images. One is dark jacket, one it white top.

    Biology Senior Thesis Presentations

    Asha Kannan
    “Optimizing Bryophytes and Biocrusts in a Dryland Carbon Cycling Model”

    Lauren Marsala
    “Impacts of cyanobacteria symbiosis on desiccation and ecophysiological stress tolerance of Syntrichia caninervis.”

    McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220

    Open to the Public

Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

McCardell Bicentennial Hall
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT 05753

Michelle Matot, Academic Coordinator

McCardell Bicentennial Hall 456

(802) 443-5451

mmatot@middlebury.edu

Amanda Crocker, Program Director

McCardell Bicentennial Hall 353

(802) 443-3638

acrocker@middlebury.edu