On Saturday, January 24, SD INBRE students and faculty gathered at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD, for the annual winter meeting. This year the meeting focused on student and faculty research. Throughout the day, students had the opportunity to attend oral presentations given by six SD INBRE students (list below) and listen to faculty present 3-minute elevator talks about their own research. The day ended with a poster session highlighting both faculty and student research.

SD INBRE Student Oral Presentations

• Austin Sands (South Dakota Mines): Developing a Microphysiological System For Studying Colorectal Cancer

• Devin Messer (Black Hills State University): Melatonin Exerts Protective Effects on Retinal Cells via Metabolic Changes

• Drake Van Steenwyk (South Dakota Mines): MPS Microenvironment Characterization For Further Study of Ovarian Cancer

• Owen Douglas (Northern State University): Topical Appication of Curcumin Regulates FGF-Mediated Tissue Regeneration Mechanisms in Adult Zebrafish

• Sage Robinson (Black Hills State University): Soils, Community, Phylogenetics & Complex Leaf Phenotypes: Plant Biology of the Black Hills Region

• Trinity Merrill (Augustana University): Microclimate matters: On the relationship between environment, behavior, and gene expression

The 2026 student poster session at the capitol was held on Monday, February 23 in Pierre, SD. The event is held annually to showcase the impact of research at South Dakota universities. This year, Jace Cofer from the University of Sioux Falls represented SD INBRE at the poster session with his poster, "Synthesis & Analysis of Tiazolium Based Ionic Liquids". Jace participated in the SD INBRE Student Research Program in 2024 and 2025.

The SD INBRE Seminar Series began in Spring 2026 on Friday, January 23 at 2PM with the inaugural seminar presented by Dr. Victor C. Huber, "SD INBRE - Past, Present, and Future". The series will continue throughout 2026 on the 4th Friday of every month from 2:00 - 3:00pm (Central Time).

• Friday, January 23, 2026 - Dr. Victor C. Huber (University of South Dakota)

• Friday, February 27, 2026 - Dr. Eduardo Callegari (University o South Dakota)

• Friday, March 27, 2026 - Dr. Paula Mazzer (Dakota Wesleyan University)

• Friday, April 24, 2026 - Dr. Etienne Gnimpieba (University of South Dakota)

• Friday, June 26, 2026 - TBD (Northern State University)

• Friday, July 31 - SD INBRE Student Research Program

The Western South Dakota Genetics & Genomics Core Facility (WestCore) at Black Hills State University can provide faculty and students with opportunities to access a wide range of genetic, epigenetic and gene expression applications for organisms from viruses and microorganisms to plants, animals, and humans. WestCore offers services and training in the use of various genetic/genomic techniques and instruments, like Illumina NextSeq 2000, Lab Chip GX, Quantstudio dPCR system, ABI 3500 Genetic Analyzer, Quantstudio RT-PCR systems, assorted PCR Systems and other instruments. WestCore can assist with experiment planning, cost estimation, NextGen sequencing, library preparation and sequencing and even data analysis. Faculty and students are welcome to receive hands on training and experience with new techniques. WestCore is happy to meet in person or via Zoom. If you would like to learn more about WestCore, please contact:

WestCore
1200 University St.
Spearfish, SD  57799
605-642-6854
Cynthia.Anderson@BHSU.edu
Oxana.Gorbatenko@BHSU.edu

SD INBRE will be hosting the 2026 Convocation for the Student Research Program on Friday, July 31, 2026. The meeting will be held in Vermillion, SD, at the Muenster University Center (MUC) on the campus of the University of South Dakota.

Dr. Matthew Pawlus, Associate Professor of Biology at Black Hills State University, has received funding for his NIH NIGMS R15 grant, "Aptamers as Novel Inhibitors of the Neurotoxin Beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA)," in the amount of $484,122. Per NIH reporter, the role of the biotoxin BMAA in promoting human disease will be investigated by establishing its functional effects in several human cell lines using a combination of gene expression and functional assays. Novel aptamers targeting BMAA will be generated and tested in cell culture models for their potential inhibiting BMAA functions.