2026 Stupka Symposium

Jennifer Bridwell-Rabb triple majored in Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics at Central Michigan University and then earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Texas A&M University in the laboratory of David Barondeau. She was an HHMI-NIH postdoctoral fellow in Catherine Drennan’s laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan…

Liam Holt completed his Ph. D. at UCSF in 2009, was a Bowes Fellow at UC Berkeley, and is currently Associate Professor of Biochemistry at New York University. His lab studies how mechanical compression affects cells, and how the physical properties of the cell interior affect biochemistry in both normal biology and disease. He is passionate about…

Samuel H. Sternberg, PhD, runs a research laboratory in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University, where he is an Associate Professor and Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He received his B.A. in Biochemistry from Columbia University in 2007, graduating summa cum laude, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014, where he worked with Nobel Laureate Dr. Jennifer Doudna…

Her passion for research began during her undergraduate studies in Dipali Sashital’s laboratory, where she investigated the DNA cleavage specificity of Cas12 proteins. During her final two years in the lab, she initiated an independent project focused on the recently discovered Cas12f (also known as Cas14) proteins. This experience, along with the department’s strong support…

Liz is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Biochemistry. She has been involved as a 2025-2026 Co-Chair of the Stupka Committee, a peer mentor of the BBMB learning community, and an undergraduate researcher. Her research is under the guidance of Dr. Dipali Sashital, where she works to understand the mechanisms…

Abby is a senior majoring in Biochemistry. She is a peer mentor for the biochemistry learning community and has been an active member of Stupka since freshman year. She is an undergraduate researcher in Eric Underbakke’s Lab, where she investigates the activation mechanisms of two paralogous signaling kinases. Outside of BBMB…

Tristan is a senior double-majoring in Biochemistry and Genetics. He has been involved in multiple roles within the Stupka committee, including operations chair, alumni chair, operations team lead, communications team lead, and 2025-2026 Co-Chair. He is the Senior Teaching Assistant of the President’s Leadership Class…

Griffin Humphreys is a senior majoring in biochemistry. He has been a member of the Stupka Undergraduate Research Symposium committee since the 2024 Symposium, serving as Food Co-Chair in 2025 and currently as Operations Co-Chair. Griffin has worked in Dr. Reuben Peters’ lab as an undergraduate researcher…

Liz is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Biochemistry. She has been involved as a 2025-2026 Co-Chair of the Stupka Committee, a peer mentor of the BBMB learning community, and an undergraduate researcher. Her research is under the guidance of Dr. Dipali Sashital, where she works to understand the mechanisms of CRISPR-Cascade, a bacterial defense system that provides adaptive immunity against bacteriophages. After graduating from Iowa State, Liz plans to attend graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

Max is a senior majoring in biochemistry and genetics. Max has worked in Dr. Gustavo MacIntosh’s lab as an undergraduate research assistant for 3 years, investigating soybean defense and assisting with other projects. Max is currently applying and interviewing for Ph.D. Plant Biology programs. Outside of his education, Max enjoys exercising, playing games, and spending time with his friends.

Reyna is a senior majoring in Biochemistry. She is the speaker Co-Chair for the Stupka
Committee, an undergraduate researcher, and has acted as a program assistant for BSRP (BBMB Summer Undergraduate Research Program). Her research is in the lab of Dr. Olga Zabotina, where she works to understand the glycosyltransferases that synthesize components of the plant cell wall. After graduating from Iowa State, Reyna plans on attending graduate school and obtaining a Ph.D. in biochemistry.

Tristan is a senior double-majoring in Biochemistry and Genetics. He has been involved in multiple roles within the Stupka committee, including operations chair, alumni chair, operations team lead, communications team lead, and 2025-2026 Co-Chair. He is the Senior Teaching Assistant of the President’s Leadership Class…