New England College Students and Faculty Present Research at the 2026 NH-INBRE Annual Meeting and NH-LIFT Annual Summit

Over the last 16 years, New England College has received about $4.2 million in NH-INBRE and NH-LIFT grants to support faculty and student research in the natural and social sciences.

Five faculty and 15 students from New England College (NEC) presented research in August at the 2026 New Hampshire IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (NH-INBRE) Annual Meeting at the Omni Mount Washington Resort and the NH-LIFT Annual Summit at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester. NH-INBRE is a National Institutes of Health-funded grant, administered through Dartmouth College, that has supported biomedical research at NEC since 2010. NH-LIFT is a National Science Foundation-funded grant, administered through the University of New Hampshire, that has supported non-biomedical scientific research at NEC since 2024. Together, these research programs support NEC’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).

The following NEC students and faculty presented their SURP research with a poster or oral presentation at the NH-INBRE meeting:

• Acute effects of post-meal stretching vs. seated rest on blood glucose in healthy young adults: Tyler Biesinger, Madison O’Donnell, Cheryl Dolson, and Dr. Hannah Nelson
• Self-perceptions of facial expressivity in people with Parkinson’s disease and neurotypical controls: Ariana Costoso, Alexis Hornsby, Caeden Parsons, and Dr. Sarah Gunnery
• Blood glucose, stress, and caffeine in healthy, young adults: Cheryl Dolson, Madison O’Donnell, Tyler Biesinger, and Dr. Hannah Nelson
• From reactions to simulations: Investigating α-amylase activity through enzyme kinetics and molecular dynamics: Enaam Gavua and Dr. Matthew Young
• Gender differences in facial expressivity between people with Parkinson’s disease and neurotypical controls: Alexis Hornsby, Ariana Costoso, Caeden Parsons, and Dr. Sarah Gunnery
• Bioinformatics and biosynthesis: genome-guided elicitor design across two soil-dwelling bacteria reveals a pipeline for inducing gene cluster expression and antimicrobial metabolite production: Mackenzie McDonald and Dr. Lori Koziol
• Molecular dynamic simulations through lactase-lactose system: Jesal Madhvi and Dr. Matthew Young
• Big Earth, tiny discoveries: Alec Morgo and Dr. Lori Koziol
• The relationship between glucos3 and chronotype: Madison O’Donnell, Tyler Biesinger, Cheryl Dolson, and Dr. Hannah Nelson
• From dirt to antibiotic producing microbes: Anastasia Olsen and Dr. Lori Koziol
• Relationship between quality of life, health, and facial masking in people with Parkinson’s disease: Caeden Parsons, Alexis Hornsby, Ariana Costoso, and Dr. Sarah Gunnery
• A tale of two mutants: how two genes disrupt Pseudomonas biofilms and motility: Angelica Valente, Austin Laquerre, Florence Bianchi, and Dr. Lori Koziol

The following students presented posters during the NH-LIFT summit:

• Exploring rock bass diet and PFAS exposure in Lake Sunapee: Natalia Gonzalez; Douglas Kerr, Jr., and Dr. Geoffrey Cook
• Exploring photosynthetic & chemosynthetic chemistry in seagrass microcosms: Douglas Kerr, Jr.; Natalia Gonzalez, Sophia Lapointe, and Dr. Geoffrey Cook
• Site-specific aquatic community structure in Baptist Pond revealed by DNA metabarcoding: Sophia Lapointe; Natalia Gonzalez; Douglas Kerr, Jr.; and Dr. Geoffrey Cook

Students Jesal Madhvi and Alexis Hornsby received second place for their distinguished poster presentations.

“These research opportunities open doors for our students that extend far beyond the classroom,” said Dr. Jim Newcomb, Dean of the Science, Health, and Exercise Division and Professor of Biology, Biochemistry, and Health Science at New England College. “They gain hands-on experience with real-world scientific questions while contributing to discoveries that matter. This kind of work not only strengthens their academic journey but also prepares them for graduate study, careers, and leadership in the sciences.”

NH-INBRE and NH-LIFT are state-wide initiatives that seek to build a strong institutional research culture and provide research training opportunities for both students and faculty at primarily undergraduate colleges.

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