Kerry Ryan (top) presents her poster and Hannah Kumar (bottom) gives her "flash talk" during the Fellow Research Symposium.
The Wadsworth Center Fellowship Program Committee hosted the Winter Fellow Research Symposium on January 22, 2026, at the David Axelrod Institute (DAI) and the Life Sciences Innovation Building (LSIB) Collaboratory. Eight fellows representing three Divisions—the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Division of Infectious Diseases, and Division of Genetics—participated in the event.
Each fellow delivered a three-minute “flash talk” designed to engage attendees and encourage further discussion during the poster session held in the LSIB Collaboratory. Presentation topics reflected the breadth of research across the Center and included screening for radionuclides in complex matrices; development of diagnostic assays for emerging tickborne diseases and tularemia; investigation of genetic pathways with potential drug targets for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Mycobacterium species; wastewater surveillance for sexually transmitted diseases and pathogens; and exploration of plasmid-dependent bacteriophages.
The Fellow Research Symposium is held twice annually and provides fellows with valuable opportunities to develop oral and poster presentation skills, showcase their research, receive constructive feedback in a supportive environment, and network with colleagues across the Wadsworth Center. The Wadsworth Center currently hosts 44 fellows through the Association of Public Health Laboratories and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (APHL/CDC) fellowship programs. In addition, colleagues from the Bureau of Water Supply Protection and their two APHL fellows are fully integrated into our Fellowship Program community.
The Fellowship Program Committee coordinates a range of professional development activities designed to provide fellows with a well-rounded public health education. These activities include monthly fellow meetings with guest speakers covering diverse public health topics, guided tours of the Wadsworth Center, responsible conduct of research training, fellow career lunches, graduate school panels, and biannual symposia.