Summer Fun in the Lab: Biomedical Research Initiative 2026

While some Bowie State students hit the pool, beach or water park to decompress this summer, seven undergraduate students from the Department of Natural Sciences spent the summer season getting hands-on experience in the lab.

These scholars took part in the fourth annual Biomedical Research Initiative (BRI), a summer intensive program focused on bolstering biomedical research. They worked under the guidance of principal investigators (PIs) from the Department of Natural Science: Dr. Stephanie Battle, Dr. Devyn Gillette, Dr. Supriyo Ray and Dr. Faezeh Fatemi. Together, they tackled medical issues affecting people locally, nationally and internationally, and their work culminated in a research showcase held in the Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Nursing on July 23, 2026.

BRI is a Title III summer intensive program spearheaded by Dr. Devyn Gillette and Dr. Jacqueline Smith in 2023. BRI's mission is to close a gap in students' technical and soft skills, which affects matriculation after they have earned an undergraduate degree.

This summer, most of the BRI scholars also completed BioLaunch, a separate NIST-funded training program offered in partnership with Bowie State University at the BioHub Maryland Training and Education Center in Montgomery County. BioHub Maryland is powered by the Maryland Tech Council and is a workforce training hub for the state's biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industry. BioLaunch program, built on a curriculum from the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), gave students hands-on exposure to biopharmaceutical manufacturing, upstream and downstream processing, filtration, single-use technologies and quality control.

Ray, who is an associate professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and program coordinator for the Applied Biotech and Molecular Biology master's program, recounted his summer experiences.

"The students received a holistic, week-long training in the biotech and biopharma sector. That training helped them gain perspective on the importance and relevance of the mentored research training in the biomedical sciences they receive through BRI."

Battle, an assistant professor in the Department of Natural Sciences and current BRI program coordinator, highlighted the need for scientific communication - both written and oral - which equips participants to be competitive with peers from R1 research institutions.

"Maryland is one of the top biotech hubs in the country, and we have a lot of really great, talented students here at Bowie State. We want them to be better prepared so that they can attain careers in science, whether that is industry, academia or government."

The showcase provided the scholars with an opportunity to share their discoveries, answer questions on their methods and provide recommendations for further research. Each of the seven skillfully presented their topics with minimal support from their PIs, which displayed their hyperfocus and interest in the issue. Issiah Robinson, a Bioinformatics senior, recalled the fast-paced learning environment and the chance to combine his passion for computer science with biology.

"There was so much information to learn within a short span. I went over coding, gained an understanding of mitochondrial DNA and learned other bioinformatics terms. This program gave me the opportunity to see bioinformatics in action, and now I'm loving my major even more."

Woven through the day were talks by three Bowie State alumni who returned to share their BSU experiences and life after graduation. Topics included navigating life, speaking up in professional settings, and pivoting from plans. Ayreanna Pettijohn '23, a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Environmental Health & Engineering shared her nuggets of wisdom.

"BSU faculty gave me sound advice, research opportunities and lab experience, which shaped me into who I am. Today, I'm confident in any institutional space. The mentorship and coaching I received was invaluable."

Sponsored by BSU Title III and the National Science Foundation, BRI stands as an example of the university's commitment to academic excellence, innovation and student success as Bowie State continues to expand its research footprint. Through faculty mentorship and scholarly exploration, the program equips students with the knowledge, confidence and experience needed to become future researchers, leaders and changemakers.