NEWS
June 2025
On June 5th, Mary and Amna attended the MSCRF 2025 Felicitation Ceremony. Amna presented an engaging poster on iPSCs and neurodevelopmental disease models, while Mary won the Knowledge Trivia, wrapping up the evening with celebration and networking
On June 4rth, Tehmeena and Amna participated in the 15th Annual Cancer Biology Research Retreat at the University of Maryland, where they showcased their lab’s research
May 2025
Dr. Ahmed (PI): New Grant; MSCRF 2025 Launch Award
Molecular modulators of Autophagy
April 2025
We are proud to share that three of our graduate students showcased their research at the 47th Annual Graduate Research Conference at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). Mary presented a research poster, while Amna and Tehmeena delivered oral presentations, highlighting the impactful work being conducted in our program. Congratulations to all three for excellent representation!
Congratulations to Karen for presenting her exciting research on rare disease risk and kinship patterns in Pakistani populations at UMB’s Molecular Medicine Student Seminar!
On April 15–16, Mary represented her work at the Translational Science 2025 meeting in Washington, DC, hosted by Association for Clinical and Translational Science. She earned a Blue first-place Award for her poster!
Mary participated in the Capitol Hill Advocacy Visits, meeting with the offices of Maryland’s senators and representatives to highlight the importance of continued NIH funding for biomedical research!
March 2025
We are overjoyed to welcome back our esteemed graduate, Rafaqat Ishaq, to our lab as a postdoctoral fellow! It’s a pleasure to have you with us again, and we look forward to your insights and contributions!
February 2025
We are excited to announce that Valerie Dells and Saiqa Khushal have joined our lab. We warmly welcome them to our team and look forward to their contributions and collaboration. Let’s achieve great things together!
January 2025
Mary, Tehmeena, and Amna presented atthe 12th Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat. Tehmeena received the Best Oral Presentation Award for her outstanding research presentation.
November 2024
Tehmeena Akhter and Amna Aurang Zaib presented research abstracts at the Greater Baltimore Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 2024
October 2024
Dr. Ahmed (PI): New Grant; UM-BILD
Delivery of the CIB2 Gene to the Retina as a Therapy for Dry AMD
June 2024
Tehmeena Akhter: Received Graduate Research Excellence Award in the Annual Blanchard Kleiman Graduation Ceremony
Firoz Kabir: Received Post Doctoral Research Excellence Award in the Annual Blanchard Kleiman Graduation Ceremony
May 2024
Mary Hackbarth: Received T32 research grant
Sehar Riaz attended and gave a podium presentation at the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) conference in Baltimore, MD, USA, and received the Meritorious Travel Award.
Mary Hackbarth attended The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting in Seatle and presented a poster on Exploring the potential role of CIB2 in age-related macular degeneration.
Sehar Riaz received the best poster presenter award in the graduate student category at the first Stem Cell Symposium and Workshop in Maryland, MD, USA.
March 2024
Tehmeena Akhter: Attended and gave a podium presentation at the Baltimore Area Repair Symposium (BARS) 2024
Amna Aurang Zaib: Presented abstract and received Best Poster Award at the Baltimore Area Repair Symposium (BARS) 2024
November 2023
Tehmeena Akhter presented abstracts at SFN-2023
Amna Aurang Zaib presented and received a Trainee Professional Development Award for SFN-2023
Mary Hackbarth presented an abstract at ASHG-2023.