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Because of Brooklyn College’s commitment to research, our MARC students have had substantial and diverse opportunities to conduct research. Students have access to first-class faculty as well as fully equipped research labs with core facilities featuring complex machines such as a transmission electron microscope and a BD FACS Canto Flow cytometer; AREAC, our marine biology center; and the Diana Rogovin Davidow Speech Language Hearing Center.
Besides being in a research-active environment, our students participate in seminars, conferences, and summer internships where they are able to be part of a wider scientific community. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, from neuroscience and psychology to speech communication and health and nutrition sciences. In addition to the work they do in their classes and in their labs, these MARC students are very active in their school and in their communities, from volunteering to poetry reading to student government.
There are two cohorts of MARC students that are running currently. Cohort 17 are seniors and Cohort 18 are juniors.
Biology, In-training In program 2018–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Nicolas Biais
Biology, In-training In program 2018–present Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Theodore Muth
Health and Nutrition Sciences, In-Training In program 2018–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Xinyin Jiang
Biology, In-training In program 2018–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Mariana Torrente
Psychology, In-training In program 2019–present Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Daniel Kurylo
Biology and Chemistry, In-training In program 2019–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Guillermo Gerona-Navarro
Chemistry, In-training In program 2019–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Mariana Torrente
Biology, In-training In program 2019–present Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Guillermo Gerona-Navarro
Biology, In-training In program 2019–present Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Mara Schvarzstein
Psychology, B.S. In program 2012–14 Faculty mentor: Professor Laura Rabin Since graduating: University of Rochester (Clinical Psychology), Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2009–11 Faculty mentor: Professor Juergen Polle Since graduating: University of California Los Angeles, Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2016–18 Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Guillermo Esber Since graduating: University of Chicago (Neuroscience), Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.A. In program 2008–09 Faculty mentor: Professor Peter Lipke Since graduating: CUNY Graduate Center, Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2000–02 Faculty mentor: Professor Lesley Davenport Since graduating: Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Ph.D. candidate (ABD)
Biology, B.S. In program 2011–13 Faculty mentor: Professor Kathleen Axen Since graduating: Ichan School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2015–17 Faculty mentor: Professor Juan Marcos Alarcon Since graduating: University of Minnesota (Neuroscience), Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2013–15 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Matthew Crump Since graduating: University of California Irvine Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S., and Physics, B.S. In program 2011–13 Faculty mentor: Professor Lesley Davenport Since graduating: University of Cincinnati Systems Biology and Physiology, Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.A., and Speech Language Pathology, B.S. In program 2016–18 Faculty mentor: Professor Brett Martin Since graduating: University of Maryland Speech and Hearing Sciences, Ph.D. candidate
Anthropology, B.A. In program 2012–14 Faculty mentor: Professor Sophia Perdikaris Since graduating: CUNY Graduate Center (Anthropology), Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2016–18 Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Mara Schvarstein Since graduating: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Ph.D. candidate
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2010–12 Faculty mentor: Professor Richard Magliozzo Since graduating: Harvard University (Biological and Medical Sciences), Ph.D. candidate
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2012–13 Faculty mentor: Professor Lesley Davenport Since graduating: University of Miami (Cancer Biology, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology), Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2009–11 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Anjana Saxena Since graduating: University at Albany-SUNY, M.P.H., and New York University (Epidemiology), Ph.D. candidate
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2010–12 Faculty mentor: Professor Roberto Sanchez-Delgado Since graduating: University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2011–13 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Paul Forlano Since graduating: Stony Brook University-SUNY, Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2005–6 Faculty mentors: Professor Curtis Hardin, Professor Harriet Tenenbaum, and Professor Kay Deaux Since graduating: CUNY Graduate Center, Ph.D. candidate (ABD) Currently on family leave
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2008–10 Faculty mentor: Professor Maria Contel Since graduating: University of Florida, Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 1999–2001 Faculty Mentor: Professor Martin Schreibman Since graduating: Ichan School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai (Neuroscience), Ph.D. candidate (ABD) Currently an organic farmer
Mathematics, B.S. In program 2011–13 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Andrezej Jarzecki Since graduating: Emory University, M.P.H., and Florida State University, Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2014–16 Faculty mentor: Professor Louise Hainline Since graduating; Florida Atlantic University (Complex Systems and Brain Sciences), Ph.D. candidate
Chemistry, B.A. In program 2009–10 Faculty mentor: Professor Roberto Delgado Sanchez Since graduating: University of Virginia (Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology), Ph.D. candidate
Psychology, B.S. In program 2016–18 Faculty mentor: Assistant Profesor Guillermo Esber Since graduating: Duke University (Neuroscience), Ph.D. candidate
Biology, B.S. In program 2015–17 Faculty mentor: Assistant Professor Guillermo Gerona-Navarro Since graduating: University of Pennsylvania (Pharmacology), Ph.D. candidate
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2005–07 Faculty mentor: Professor Malgorzata Ciszkowaska Since graduating: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Ph.D. Currently doing a postdoctorate at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hematology
Biology, B.S. In program 2008–09 Faculty mentor: Professor Dan Eshel Since graduating: University of Arizona (Cellular and Molecular Medicine), Ph.D. Currently a scientist at SanBio California
Biology, B.S. In program 2000–02 Faculty mentor: Professor Kathleen Axen Since graduating: University of Pittsburg, Ph.D., and Columbia University, postdoctorate Currently a senior scientific associate at Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide
Chemistry, B.A., and Biology B.S. In program 2006–08 Faculty mentor: Professor Roberto Sanchez-Delgado Since graduating: Downstate School of Medicine-SUNY and Polytechnic Institute-SUNY, M.D./Ph.D. Currently a resident at University of Rochester in the School of Medicine and Dentistry
Psychology, B.S. In program 2002–04 Faculty mentor: Professor Dan Eshel Since graduating: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Ph.D. Currently a researcher at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Chemistry, B.A. In program 2004–06 Faculty mentor: Professor Alexander Greer Since graduating: University of Michigan (Biomedical Sciences), transferred to University of California Irvine, Ph.D., and University of Michigan, postdoctorate
Biology, B.S. In program 2000–02 Faculty mentor: Professor Ray Gavin Since graduating: Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, M.D./Ph.D. Currently doing a residency at University of California San Francisco in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Biology, B.S. In program 2001–03 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Qi He Since graduating: Yale University (Nursing), M.S., and Yale University (Microbiology), Ph.D. Currently working as a nurse practitioner at Yale New Haven Hospital
Biology, B.A. In program 2001–03 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Theodore Muth Since graduating: Stony Brook University-SUNY, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Ph.D. Currently director of Middle School at St. Ann’s School
Biology, B.S. In program 2006–08 Faculty mentor: Professor Peter Lipke Since graduating: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, M.D./Ph.D. Currently a physician and researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Biology, B.S. In program 2001–03 Faculty mentor: Professor Richard Magliozzo Since graduating: NYU School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, M.D./Ph.D. Currently working at NYU Langone as a hematologist and also does research on the biology of leukemia
Biology, B.S. In program 2008–10 Faculty mentor: Associate Professor Theodore Muth Since graduating: New York University, Department of Pathology (Experimental Pathology), M.S., and New York University Department of Pathology (Experimental Pathology), Ph.D. Currently doing a postdoctoral at New York University
Chemistry, B.S. In program 2010–12 Faculty mentor: Professor Roberto Sanchez-Delgado Since graduating: University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D. Awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Currently a research scientist at Alcalta Coating Systems
Psychology, B.S. In program 2008–10 Faculty mentor: Professor Andrew Delamater Since graduating: Stony Brook University-SUNY, Ph.D. Currently an American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow
Chemistry, B.A. In program 2005–07 Faculty mentor: Professor Richard Magliozzo Since graduating: University of Arizona (Nutrition Sciences), M.S., and University of Arizona (Environmental Health Sciences), Ph.D. Currently an environmental health officer/epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a lieutenant commander with the U.S. Public Health Service
We have had exceptional students come through our program, and they have continued to do great work post-MARC. We would like to highlight one of our former MARC Fellows, Aneesa Valentine.
My introduction to biomedical research came by chance when I took a work study job as a microbiology lab tech at my alma mater, Brooklyn College, in my freshman year. I had just moved permanently from my childhood home in Dominica and needed a source of income to cover my bills.
Over time, what started out solely as a means of establishing and maintaining my financial stability, began to captivate me. I enjoyed going to work—preparing agar plates and bacterial cultures. I sought out opportunities to do tasks beyond my job requirements. Soon enough, my supervisor—who was a former researcher himself and noticing my enthusiasm—recommended I try my hand at being a research assistant. During my search, I applied and was accepted to the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) program at Brooklyn College, which served as a pipeline to my first real research experience: studying cryptococcal meningitis at Rutgers University in summer 2017. I attended and presented this work at my first national conference, the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), later that year. At that point, there was no turning back. The zeal I obtained from conducting and communicating biomedical research was insurmountable. Bolstered by my fascination with STEM research, I applied to another summer internship and, the following summer, conducted inflammatory bowel disease research at the Weill Cornell Medical Center. I presented this work as an oral presentation at ABRCMS later that year. Following this experience, RISE encouraged me apply to their nationally recognized NIH-funded sister program, the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program. Once I became a MARC Fellow and was equipped with the basic professional skills necessary to excel in a laboratory environment, I desired a more long-term research experience. Thus, I joined a biophysics lab at Brooklyn College where I conducted Type IV pili research in Vibrio cholera for almost two years, until I graduated in September 2019. My work ethic during this experience was motivated by none other than the promise of scientific discovery fueled by scientific inquiry. My naïve curiosity obliged me to always go the extra mile. As a result, I managed to get a paper published from the work I conducted there.
Immediately after graduating, I began a Post-Baccalaureate Research Program (PREP) at Tufts University School of Medicine, investigating invasive candidiasis. Though the appointment was two years, even before beginning the program, I was determined to complete it in one. A year later, it has been the longest independent research project I’ve worked on, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome. I can definitively say that the PREP program has provided me with an authentic research experience and put me ahead of the curve as an incoming graduate student. By that token, I am excited to announce that I will be pursuing my Ph.D. in biomedical sciences (with a concentration in microbiology and immunology) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. It’s been a long, perhaps winding road, but I owe all my successes to my many support systems over the years: RISE, MARC, and several PIs and mentors as well as family and friends for keeping me sane.
Cheers to a new academic challenge!
