22nd Robert P. Hebbel Research Day Ceremonies

Founded in 1998 by Robert P. Hebbel and Leslie Kennedy, Robert P. Hebbel Research Day serves as a platform to acknowledge and exhibit investigators' research at all levels of training. This event fosters an environment for learners and faculty to exchange ideas and knowledge and stimulates discussions on potential collaborative prospects, paving the way for future opportunities.

This year’s symposium took place on Wednesday, April 2, and featured a compelling keynote address by Michael Gale, Jr., PhD, Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. His talk, “The First Responders to Epidemic and Pandemic Viruses,” offered deep insights into viral threats and the science behind managing emerging infectious diseases.

Throughout the afternoon, 88 poster presentations were on display, highlighting innovative medical research from across the University and beyond. The day wrapped up with an awards ceremony led by Dr. Christine Wendt, Vice Chair of Research, recognizing this year’s standout abstracts and presentations.

A big thank-you to everyone who helped make the 22nd Robert P. Hebbel Research Day a success! View the full 2025 abstract book here.

Robert P Hebbel 2025 Research Day Awardees 

Post-Doc/Basic Science

• Kyle Fulghum
• Andres Ortega
• Patrick Ernst

Fellow/Clinical Science

• Rahul Karna
• Sharon Li

Graduate Student/Basic Science

• Chinasa Ufondu
• Natasha Roman Ortiz
• Eric Queathem
• Joel Pardo
• Eli Levin

Resident/Clinical Science

• Kayla Hamann
• Pornlada Likasitwatanakul
• Dzhalal Agakishiev
• Elizabeth Schwartz

Undergraduate Student: Medical Student/ Basic and Clinical Science

• Connor Slette
• Jordan Sauve

Staff/Basic and Clinical Science

• Ali Hammad
• Ahmed Almahdy Mohamed