Fifty-two University of Alabama at Birmingham honors students were sponsored to attend and
2026 UAB Honors College NCUR Delegation present original research as the UAB Honors College delegation at the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), April 13-15.
Also known as NCUR26, honors students convened in Richmond, VA to network with other student researchers, as well as faculty and administrators from other institutions of higher learning across the United States. Students learned about groundbreaking research from their peers, along with insight for improved research methods to generate desired outcomes.
“This was the first time I've ever been to NCUR, so I didn't know what to expect,” said Kevin Fontaine, Ph.D., assistant dean of the UAB Honors College. “It was an amazing experience to get to know our students a little better and to witness all of the passion they have for their work. I'm already looking forward to going again next year!”
Every spring, the Honors College sponsors students of all disciplines, including arts, humanities, sciences, and fields of health and business, to attend NCUR who have an interest in pursuing research in fields that complement their major or explores themes based on their interests.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to present my research at NCUR and connect with students, faculty, and researchers from across the country,” said Abhai Anand, a senior in the UAB Honors College and 2026 NCUR honors delegate. “Attending NCUR allowed me to learn about a wide range of research topics and explore programs relevant to my career. Overall, it was a rewarding experience that broadened my perspective on undergraduate research.”
Students were encouraged to submit abstracts for oral or poster presentations, or narratives and storytelling based on one of five themes ranging from mentorships and research excellence to partnerships and solutions to real-world challenges. Honors student topics included community service, health system resilience, stress, epilepsy, autism, insomnia, empathy – amongst others.
Abhai Anand, 2026 NCUR Honors Delegate“Experiential learning opportunities, such as presenting at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, enable honors students to refine their research and leadership skills before they graduate from UAB,” said Shannon L. Blanton, Ph.D., dean of the UAB Honors College. “These experiences can provide a competitive advantage when applying to medical, professional, or graduate schools or preparing for their careers.”
Students who presented research as part of the UAB Honors College Delegation at NCUR include:
Abhai Anand
Modeling CKD-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction Using Human iPSC Derived Cardiac Organoids
Mayowa Ayileka
Predicting Cardiac Arrest in Coronary Artery Disease Patients Using Pre-Arrest Clinical Features
Mayowa Babalola
The Intersection of Identity and Environment: Predictors of Self-Efficacy, Stress, and GPA in Health Professions Undergraduates
Sohail Baig
TTP is a Novel Sex-specific Regulator of NGF
Darrius Bushe
Feasibility And Preliminary Outcomes Of Brief Behavioral Treatment For Insomnia In People Living With HIV And Chronic Pain
Bella Capaldo
Improving Seizure Prediction through Analysis of Interictal and Preictal Intracranial EEG
Gargi Chitre
Exploring the Frequency of Community Service in the School of Health Professions
Sophie Cunningham
ApoE4-R251G Corrects Dynamical and Conformational Features of ApoE4
Annsley DeMent
The Identification of a Safer Alternative to BPA using a Zebrafish Model
Megan Duffy
Alpha Neurofeedback Training to Improve Visual Attention and Processing Speed in Younger Adults
Branden Duyvestyn
The role of HIV proteins in psychostimulant abuse
Gezelin Go
Reacting to Another’s Feelings: The Association of Cognitive and Affective Empathy with Emotional Reactivity
Anmol Guard
Differential role of the ET-1/ETA axis in kidney inflammation during high oxygen supplementation
Noah James Harville
The Use and Effects of TMS Therapies on Restless Leg Syndrome and Chronic Pain
Jakub Hel
Assessing the Role of Intracellular Progranulin in Restraining Inflammation and Supporting Lysosomal Function
Christian Hicks
Purkinje Cell Mecp2 Loss Selectively Impairs Cerebellar Learning in a Female Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome
Ella Howell
Affect Valuation and Beliefs about Emotion as Mechanisms Underlying Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
Sarah Jasser
Sp7 is Required for Apoptosis of Hypertrophic Chondrocyte and Cartilage Turnover
Kahlea Johnson
Investigating Hypoxia-Induced Mitochondrial Gene Changes in Cultured Myotubes
Aanya Kadakia
Macrophage Reprogramming in the CML Bone Marrow Niche Determined by Lactate Assay
Gayatri Kavumkal
Analysis of Human Plasma Cytokine/Chemokine Levels During EBV Infection
Parth Kommidi
Reproducing Glioblastoma Architecture: A Miniaturized Organotypic Slice Model for Studying Tumor Microenvironment Interactions
Mahan Liaqat
A Network Analysis of Pedagogy in 177 International Conference of the Learning Sciences Papers 1996–2025
Aditi Mehta
What Families Wish They Had Known: Research on Immediate End-of-Life Care Needs in Cancer Patients
Pooja Mudigonda
Decoding Semantic Information from the Brain
Kapil Nathan
Structural Comparison of Dendrites and Spines in Adult-Born and Mature Granule Cells
Prachi Patel
Elucidating Chromatin Remodeling Mechanisms in Learning and Memory Across Development
Pranjali Patel
Identifying Target Pathways and Drug Repurposing Candidates for Syndromic Microphthalmia-12 (MCOPS12)
Tamanna Patel
Pathways to second chances: A multidisciplinary integrative review of 25 years of research on the employment of formerly incarcerated individuals
Tanushree Patel
How Iron Uptake Pathways Influence Aspergillus fumingatus Growth Across Different Iron Sources
Meghna Penumudi
Sex Differences in Estrogen Receptor Alpha Expression in Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (Glp-1) Releasing Neurons
Susan Baskar Raj
Intervention-Related Neuroanatomical Changes in Autistic Children
Pranav Ramesh
Racial Differences in Actigraphically-Measured Sleep
Soorya Ramesh
Stigma as a barrier to opioid use disorder treatment in Alabama
Varsha Reddy
A Preliminary Investigation of E-cigarette Usage among Pregnant Patients in Alabama
Eric Rohwer
Investigating Cardiomyocyte Mitophagy Dynamics in the Left Ventricle of the Mouse Heart Following Transverse Aortic Constriction
Emma Rosenkoetter
The absence of ETA on dendritic cells reduces immune activation and protects against obesity-induced kidney injury
Victoria Rutland
Quantitative Analysis of ZnT3 Expression in Postmortem Schizophrenia Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Layer 3 Pyramidal Neurons
Dina Samson
Using Student Experience to Drive Course Co-design
Kaitlyn M. Savoie
Histopathologic Impact of a Periodontal pathogen on Colorectal Cancer
Yumnaa Shaheen
Relationships Between Sleep, Pain, and Physical Activity in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy
Muhammed Shalan
Chemogenetic Modulation of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Producing Neurons in the Brainstem Influences Cocaine Reward Processing
Nicholas Stefanov
Investigating the Effects of Inflammatory Stress on Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Culture
Theresa Stephens
Effects of Metabolic Heating Versus Environmental Heating on Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination in the Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Fatema Suleiman
JNK Knockdown Alters Cytokine Expression in CAR-T Cells
Shreya Sunil
Bile Acid Salt Metabolites Inhibit Pro-Inflammatory Th1 and Th17 Cell Polarization
Srushti Talluri
Health Worker Resilience as a Driver of Health System Resilience in Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Study
Sarah Terapane
How Antigen Delivery Route Shapes the Development of Cross-Reactive Mucosal Immunity to Influenza
Yashodhara Velayudam
Evaluation of Chronodisruption in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Patients and Mice
Liz Wang
Structural Optimization of Saponin Adjuvant to Boost Immune Response
Miranda Weaver
The Evaluation of the role of the transcription factor PU.1 in breast cancer cancer-associated fibroblasts
Winifred Wesley
Exploring the Relationship Between Resilience, Grit, and Stress Levels in Undergraduate Pre-Health Students
