Biology Major Sydney Hanson recognized at Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS)

Sydney Hanson wins ABRCMS award

Congratulations to Sydney Hanson, a B.S. in Biology major with a minor in Sociology, for being named the top Oral Presenter in the scientific discipline of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS). This year’s ABRCMS was held from November 13-16, 2024, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 

For more than two decades, ABRCMS has been a leading conference dedicated to supporting students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM, including those from community colleges, undergraduate programs, and postbaccalaureate studies. Each year, the conference attracts more than 6,000 participants and typically features over 300 oral and poster abstract submissions in the field of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. With a mission to advance the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), ABRCMS highlights the vital role of diversity in fostering innovation and progress. Founded in 2001 by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the conference was created to support minority, first-generation, veteran, and disabled students in their pursuit of higher education and careers in STEM.

 

Since enrolling as a Biology major at UAlbany, Sydney has excelled both academically and in her research endeavors. Sydney began her undergraduate research as a freshman with Professor Gabriele (Gaby) Fuchs, a member of the Biology Department and RNA Institute, in January 2022 and continued her project the following summer through UAlbany’s Summer Research Program (UASRP), supported by CSTEP. Under the mentorship of the Fuchs lab, Sydney has been investigating whether the SARS-CoV-2 5′ untranslated region can initiate translation through a noncanonical, cap-independent, or IRES-mediated pathway. Gaining insight into these translation initiation mechanisms is vital for the development of effective antivirals targeting viral protein synthesis. She has since expanded her research experience by participating in the 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the 2024 Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program (SHURP) at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. 

 

During her tenure at UAlbany, Sydney has been honored with several awards in recognition of her outstanding research on SARS-CoV-2, including:

 

  • 2024 The RNA Institute Travel Award, University at Albany
  • 2024 Honors College Funding Award, University at Albany
  • 2024 Department of Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium Excellence in Research Award for Oral Presentation, University at Albany
  • 2024 Northeast Regional Honors Conference Honors College Proposal Acceptance, University at Albany
  • 2024 Presidential Award for Undergraduate Research, University at Albany
  • 2024 Sorrell Chesin Award for Undergraduate Research, University at Albany
  • 2023 Endowed Undergraduate Research Funding Award, University at Albany
  • 2022 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists Travel Award

 

After graduation, Sydney plans to pursue a career in academia, changing her research to developmental biology and regenerative medicine. She intends to gain hands-on experience as a research associate or lab technician in these fields. Her long-term goal is to attend graduate school to study regenerative medicine, with the aim of bridging basic research and clinical applications.

 

Again, congratulations to Sydney and the Fuchs lab on this outstanding accomplishment!