Welcome, BMB!
The Annual BMB Retreat has a long tradition in the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department. This 2-day getaway to the Rocky Mountains gives departmental members the chance to come together, learn, celebrate, and relax. Join us for seminar updates from each lab, posters on exciting research, and an afternoon to enjoy the beauty of the mountains! It’s a great chance to get to know that person you pass at the ice machine every day, form a new collaboration with a colleague, meet the first-year BMB graduate class, or just nerd out on the latest insights into chromatin!
Use the buttons below to navigate information on this page and in other resources. Look in your e-mail for detailed information about cabin assignments. And please contact Erin Nishimura or Kayla Stewart about any questions, concerns, or inquiries you may have. We’re here to help!
When & Where
CSU Mountain Campus
Thursday August 10th – Friday August 11th, 2023
Registration
Registration for this event is now closed.
Logistics
Schedule
Posters
>Getting There & Map
Direct your Map App to: CSU Mountain Campus; 16321 Pingree Park Rd, Bellvue, CO 80512
Parking: Park in the main parking after the Maintenance Shop (indicated below in red). All our presentations will be in the Hodgkiss Lodge. Housing will be in the Lodgepole, Kinnikinick, Cinquefoil, and Aspen Lodges.
For more information: CSU Mountain Campus Directions & Map
Advice for transport:
- Please give yourself plenty of time to drive to the CSU Mountain Campus. It takes about 2 hrs
- The road is a doozy. Four Wheel Drive or All Wheel Drive vehicles are best as the second hour of the journey is along an unpaved, steep, un-guard-railed mountain road
- Try to carpool amongst your friends/lab. Please contact Kayla or Erin if you are seeking a carpool to join.
- First-year graduate students have transportation arranged via a CSU van
Lodging
We will be lodging in the Lodgepole, Kinnikinik, Cinquefoil, Aspen, and Blue Spruce cabins. Rooms accommodate 1, 2, 3 or 4 people with bunks and single beds. Please see e-mail announcements for cabin assignments. Until August 10th, we are not at liberty to make any changes in cabin assignments, but please let Kayla Stewart or Erin Nishimura know about any logistical concerns you have and we may be able to address them on August 10th (within limits).
Recreation
The afternoon of Thursday, August 10th is largely unscheduled to give you time to recreate at the CSU Mountain campus. Consider going on a hike (different lengths are options), joining a volleyball game, relaxing over a puzzle, playing a board game, dabbling in some music (pianos), or just taking a nap.
Alcoholic beverages will not be provided by the department. If you are over 21, you are free to bring your own alcoholic beverages and consume them in the cabins & lodges. However, being loud, drunk, disorderly, or consuming alcohol in outdoor areas is prohibited.
Here is some recreation information from the CSU Mountain campus.
Here is some hiker info:
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Open in new tab Welcome New Graduate Students
Hi! My name is Riyasa Shrestha. I am from Pearland, Texas.
In the lab: I recently graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Chemistry.
Out of the lab: In addition to my schoolwork and extracurriculars, I enjoy reading books, building book nooks and miniature houses.
My name is Omar Al-Hanbali, I'm from Amman, Jordan.
In the lab: I earned a B.Sc. of Pharmacy at Hashemite University and I'm about to earn a Master's in Clinical Pharmacy at Jordan University.
Out of the lab: I have a multitude of hobbies, such as going out, watching movies, series, and anime, reading books, reading about history and geography, and playing video games.
Looking forward to: I would like to take up hiking when I finally get to Fort Collins.
Hi, I'm Prakash! Born in Tamil Nadu (India), I graduated from The American College, Madurai Kamaraj University (India) as a Biochemistry major. I completed my Master of Science in Biochemistry from Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, and my Master of Technology in Biotechnology from Anna University Chennai.
In the lab: I work as a Research Scientist at VVD and Sons Private Limited in India. I am eager to explore epigenetic modifications, protein dynamics, and genome organization on genetic instability, metabolism, and disease from structural and molecular biochemistry focal points.
Out of the lab: I take delight in music, playing shuttle badminton, and immersing myself in nature through biking, hiking, and camping - which is one of the reasons I'm thrilled about the Mountain Campus retreat.
What I'm looking forward to: I am keen on exploring the vibrant arts and culture scene of Fort Collins and engaging in outdoor activities such as biking and hiking. I also want to learn photography, and I'm hoping to dabble in it with my loving wife and kid as Colorado landscapes seem to offer endless inspiration.
Hi, I'm Larissa (she/her). I’m originally from Laramie, Wyoming.
In the lab: I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Out of the lab: In my free time, I enjoy spoiling my cats, talking through movies, gracefully losing at board games, and exploring obscure topics on Wikipedia.
What I'm looking forward to: Hiking in Fort Collins!
Hello! My name is Alex Vickers (he/they), and I am so excited to join the BMB Graduate Program at CSU! My family and I are originally from Newfoundland, Canada, but I am coming to Colorado from Washington State.
In the lab: I did my undergraduate biochemistry degree and mathematics minor at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. My research experience has encompassed mathematical metabolite modeling, human arylsulfatase b expression, and the kinetics of omega amidase.
What I'm looking forward to: I am eager to hike and ski in Colorado, and very excited to explore Fort Collins and the rest of this beautiful state! Overall, I am so excited to be here at CSU and to get to know everyone in the program!
Hi! My name is Jacob (He/Him/His), I am 33 years old, and I could not be more excited to embark on this new journey.
In the lab: I recently graduated with my bachelor’s in Biochemistry from Colorado State, and it was a fantastic experience. My undergraduate thesis work investigated synthetic lethality suppressors of Spn1 and the histone variant, H2A.Z. Since graduating, I have continued to study Spn1 and histones using microscale thermophoresis.
Out of the lab: I love to read, play video games and DND, play outside games like Spikeball and Kamjam, and workout!
What I'm looking forward to: Progressing forward, I would like to focus on protein design, structure and function, genetics, and biophysics, with an overarching theme of exploring molecular interactions.
Welcome New Department Members
Important Visitor Information
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Instructions for Oral Presenters
- Timing: Please prepare a talk that is 15 minutes long with 3 minutes for questions. We will strictly adhere to the schedule.
- Format: We want as few laptop switches as possible. If you are the first person in a block of speakers, please bring your laptop (we are still working on the final schedule). Or, if you feel strongly about presenting from your own computer, that’s fine – bring your laptop. Everyone else, please bring your presentation on a jump drive and load your presentation onto the designated laptop prior to the start of your session. Powerpoint, Keynote, and pdf formats are encouraged. If you have a keynote presentation, you can bring a laptop just in case. We will have internet, but the speed/quality is not reliable so please don’t rely on streaming any content.
- Image Quality: Please note that the image quality of the projector is not ideal for detailed microscopy images. Please turn up the brightness and adjust the contrast. Alternatively, I can post a selection of images on the website if it is critical.
- Rotation availability: During the retreat, many first-year students are trying to decide which lab they will rotate through. If you are seeking a rotation student, this is a great opportunity to advertise! Consider including a few slides explaining a potential rotation project.
- Content: You have the freedom to present what you like. Consider your audience and goal – what would you like to get out of the presentation? For graduate students and post-docs, this will likely be sharing your research accomplishments. For PIs, this may be illustrating potential areas of collaboration or soliciting feedback. And for those seeking rotation students, it may involve a basic overview of your lab’s research program.
- Word of caution: Overall, I’d recommend against cramming too much content into your talk. It’s a very short window of time and there are many talks each day. The more streamlined, focused, and paced your message, the better chance you’ll have of being memorable.
Instructions for Poster Presenters
Poster Printing: You should print your poster at the standard 36 in x48 in.
There are several options around town for printing. FedEx, Staples, and UPS all cost around $50-$75 and can usually do same-day printing. If you use one of these options, submit your receipt to the main office for reimbursement ASAP.
If you’re able to wait slightly longer for your poster to print (ironically) you can use FastPrint. They are located at the University Center for Arts at the corner of Remington and Lake Street. You’ll need to fill out their online order form by Friday August 4th. Please see the e-mail from Kayla detailing how to charge the BMB department account directly.
Day of Presentation: Plan to arrive a few minutes early to set up and stay with your poster throughout the session. If your lab is recruiting new grad students or undergrads, consider talking with your PI about mentioning that to your audience. If you are in the first poster session, it would be very cool if you wanted to arrive a few extra minutes early to help set up stands. Conversely, if you’re in the last poster session it would be very cool if you wanted to stay a few extra minutes to help take stands down at the end.
Be ready for lots of questions from a wide variety of angles, but don’t feel pressured to know everything you’re asked. This is a very casual setting where the idea is to practice presenting, learn what your peers are up to, and get ideas and input from the department. So just relax and have fun, everyone is excited to see what you’ve been working on!
Thank you
The BMB Retreat is made possible by funding from the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department. Thank you to the organizational team: Dr. Laurie Stargell, Kristen Cantowine, Kayla Stewart, Erin Nishimura, and Adam Timmerman.