Department of Biological Sciences

Seniors Hanna Pawela and Mackenzie Leszczynski, both biology majors and standout lacrosse players, are not only competitors on the field but also leaders in the classroom and community. They’ve taken full advantage of Duquesne’s robust academic and research opportunities.

Hanna Pawela, a two-year captain of the lacrosse team, is currently researching cellular and viral proteins involved in HSV-1 replication in Dr. Jill Dembowski’s lab. Her early exposure to research as a freshman allowed Hanna to secure a summer research internship at Columbia University for the past two years, expanding her academic horizons and preparing her for medical school. She highlights immense support from her student success coach and the Pre-Medical and Health Professionals Program as key factors of her success.

Mackenzie Leszczynski received the Merle E. Gilliand Outstanding Commitment Award for her research accomplishments. She landed a summer internship through a leadership event hosted by Duquesne Athletics, where she broadened her skills and interests in biomedical research and transitioned to a school-year research position to pursue her interests in cancer research. Through these experiences, Mackenzie discovered her passion for biomedical research, a field she now plans to pursue full-time.

Both students credit their Duquesne professors and mentors for their success, and highlight the Capstone program as a key course that helped them achieve their goals. 

Read More About Hanna & Mackenzie's Paths to Success

• Dr. Jessica Packard, a former Biological Sciences PhD candidate from the Dembowski lab, studied how viral DNA interacts with host cell proteins during infections. Her research focused on how viruses hijack the host's cellular machinery to replicate and sustain their lifecycle. By identifying and validating these interactions using experimental methods, she examined their effects on critical processes such as DNA repair, replication, and transcription. These findings advance the understanding of virus-host dynamics and offer essential knowledge for future research on viral infections.

• Former PhD candidate Kyle Emerson and Associate Professor Sarah Woodley collaborated to investigate the impact of the gut microbiome on how an animal perceives and responds to its environment. Emerson and Woodley found that tadpoles raised in autoclaved pond water had a dramatically altered gut microbiome and decreased behavioural responses to sensory stimuli. They were also larger in body mass, with heavier brains compared to tadpole raised in regular pond water. This indicates that the gut microbiome plays an important role in shaping animal behavior and brain development.

• Former PhD candidate Dr. Brooke Deal and undergraduate students Laura Reynolds and Charles Patterson from Dr. John Pollock’s lab studied male and female rats' responses to neuropathic pain, focusing on neuroinflammation by macrophages. They found that while both sexes experienced similar pain levels, a nanotherapeutic delivering celecoxib provided full relief in males but only partial relief in females, likely due to fewer macrophages at the injury site in females. The study suggests gender differences in neuroinflammation, which could influence pain treatment approaches.