BMI Weekly News - April 6, 2026
BMI Weekly Newsletter
April 6, 2026
News
- Inaugural School of Medicine Thematic Research Symposium: Monday, April 13, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Margherio Family Conference Center in Scott Hall.
The symposium is part of the SOM Thematic Research Program, which seeks to enhance collaborations and promote joint grant applications, provide seed funding for innovative and collaborative projects, host quarterly research mini-symposia and an annual symposium to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue, and provide an informal platform to learn about our colleagues’ research. This program brings together investigators from diverse disciplines to address shared scientific challenges.
All WSU faculty, students, postdocs and trainees are welcome to attend. This is a free event, but registration is required for lunch. Click on following link for registration and the full program agenda: https://today.wayne.edu/medicine/news/2026/03/15/inaugural-school-of-medicine-thematic-research-symposium-set-for-april-13-68546
- 13th Annual Lipids@Wayne (L@W) Symposium: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 2:00 PM – 6:30 PM and Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Wayne State University Student Center Ballroom, 5221 Gullen Mall, Detroit, MI 48202
Keynote Speakers:
Meng Wang, Ph.D.
Professor & Janelia Senior Group Leader
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, VA
“Lipid Metabolism, Longevity: From Parallel Processes to Interactions”
And
Yusuf A. Hannun, M.D.
Professor of Medicine & Cancer Research
Stony Brook University, NY
“Neutral Sphingomyelinase and Ceramide Signaling at the Plasma Membrane; Back to the Future”
Free Admission: Registration required before April 20th.
Participation and poster presentation are open to researchers and trainees inside & outside of WSU.
Monetary prizes will be awarded for the best poster & oral presentations.
Visit their website for the full program, registration and details:
2026 Lipids@Wayne Research Symposium - Lipids@Wayne - Wayne State University
See flyer attached.
This Week’s Events
- No Seminar scheduled for this week.
- Last BMI Winter 2026 Journal Club: Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 11:30am, 3125 Scott Hall
Presented by: First Year Ph.D. Student, Nina Aitas
Title: “Structure-Guided and Machine Learning Approaches to the Design of Novel SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors”
Upcoming Events
- BMI Winter 2026 Seminar: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 11:30am, 2268 Scott Hall, 540 E Canfield
Speaker Neena Grover, Ph.D., Professor, RNA Biochemist, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Colorado College
Title: “Small RNA Motifs: A+•C base pairs and Mg2+ Binding in 1x2 Internal Loops of U6 snRNA and SL1 of SARS CoV-2”
Hosted by: Thamarahansi Mugunamalwaththa Hansi@wayne.edu and BMB Students
A student/speaker lunch will follow in room 7370.
-
Next BMI Winter 2026 Seminar: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 11:30am, 2268 Scott Hall, 540 E Canfield
Speaker: Andrea Marzi, Ph.D., Senior Investigator, Immunology and Molecular Virology Section, NIH, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Hamilton Montana https://irp.nih.gov/pi/andrea-marzi
Title: “Filoviruses ~ Pathogenesis & Medical Countermeasure Development”
Hosted by: IMM PhD Student, Zachary Pomicter Zachary.Pomicter@wayne.edu and the BMI Students
- Thesis Defense Presentation, Master of Science in Immunology and Microbiology: Thursday, April 23, 2026, 1:00pm, 3125 Scott Hall, 540 E Canfield
Presented by: IMM M.S. Student, Savannah Schick
“Regulation of Placental Inflammasome by A20 During Pregnancy”
Advisor: Dr. Jiahui Ding
- Last BMI Winter 2026 Seminar: Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 11:30am, 2268 Scott Hall, 540 E Canfield
Speaker: Ricardo Carrion Jr., Ph.D., Director, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Title: “Advanced Preclinical Development of Vaccines and Therapies to Viral Hemorrhagic Diseases”
Hosted by” IMM Ph.D. Student, Zachary Pomicter Zachary.Pomicter@wayne.edu and the BMI Students
Campus News
- Campus Health Center: Be well, Warriors: Tips for a safe and healthy spring break
- Office of President: 2025-26 Campus health and safety resources