CNRC Postdoc Seminar

2025

Sept. 9 - Didactic

• “Welcome to the CNRC Postdoc Seminar Series and Tips for Giving a Great Talk,” by Nancy E. Moran, Ph.D., USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, BCM

Sept. 16 - Journal Club

• “NSD2 inhibitors rewire chromatin to treat lung and pancreatic cancers”, Jeong, J., Hausmann, S., Dong, H. et al. by Xiaomin Chen, PhD (Shen) (20 min)
• "The GIP receptor activates futile calcium cycling in white adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure and drive weight loss in mice”, Yu, X. et al. by Xi Chen, M.D., Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 min)

Sept. 23 - Seminar

• “The Effects of Pregnancy on Carotenoid Status” by Megumi Hashida Seese, Ph.D. (Moran) (40 min)

Sept. 30 - Seminar

• “Investigating the role of Hispanic fathers in the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids intervention” by Ana West, Ph.D. (O’Connor) (20 min)
• “Cell Surface Proteomics and snRNA-seq Identify Brain Endothelial Targets for Drug Delivery” by Jieyi Meng, M.D. (Zhu) (20 min)

Oct. 7 - Didactic

• “In the Committee Room: The Review Process for Fellowship and Career Awards” by Geoffrey Preidis, M.D., Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Pediatrics-Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition & CNRC

Oct. 14 – Journal Club

• “A potent epigenetic editor targeting human PCSK9 for durable reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels”, Tremblay, F., Xiong, Q., Shah, S.S. et al. by Julia Salamat, Ph.D. (Shen) (20 min)
• “Antioxidant management to protect male offspring from the progression of MASLD programmed by maternal obesity in mice”, Zhang, J., Wang, J. et al. by Katelyn Senkus, Ph.D. (Moran) (20 min)

Oct. 28 – Seminar

• “Elevated Hyaluronan by Mouse Has2 Exacerbates Skin Inflammation in Atopic Dermatitis” by Hong Zhou, Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
• “Neural mechanisms underlying weight-loss plateaus in chronic incretin therapy” by Weisheng Lu, Ph.D. (Fukuda) (20 min)

Nov. 11 – Journal Club

• “Amygdala–liver signalling orchestrates glycaemic responses to stress”, Carty, J.R.E., Devarakonda, K., O’Connor, R.M. et al. by Yuhan Shi, Ph.D. (Wang) (20 min)
• “Initial pig developmental stage influences intestinal organoid growth but not cellular composition”, Duchesne, C., Randuineau, G. et al. by Sarah Elefson, Ph.D. (Burrin) (20 min)

Nov. 18 – Seminar

• “Regulation of food intake by Connexin43 via adipocyte-sensory neuron electrical synapses” by Xi Chen, M.D., Ph.D. (Zhu) (40 min)

Dec. 9 – Journal Club

• “Parallel control of cold-triggered adipocyte thermogenesis by UCP1 and CKB”, Rahbani, J.F., Bunk, J., Lagarde, D. et al. by Jieyi Meng, M.D. (Zhu) (20 min)
• “Parent-focused behavioural interventions for the prevention of early childhood obesity (TOPCHILD): a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis”, Hunter, K.E., Nguyen, D., Libesman, S. et al. by Ana West, Ph.D. (O’Connor) (20 min)

Dec. 16 – Seminar

• “Enteral agonism of FXR-FGF19 mitigates cholestasis in TPN-fed neonatal pigs” by Sarah Elefson, Ph.D. (Burrin) (40 min)

2026

Jan. 6 - Seminar

• “Adapting Your IDP for Your Evolving Training Needs” by Evelin Young, Ph.D., Lead, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Jan. 13 – Journal Club

• “Impact of free summer day camp on physical activity behaviors and screentime of elementary-age children from low-income households: a randomized clinical trial”, Beets, M.W., Burkart, S., Pfledderer, C.D. et al. by John Alexander Jimenez-Garcia, PhD (O’Connor) (20 min)
• “GIPR-Ab/GLP-1 peptide–antibody conjugate requires brain GIPR and GLP-1R for additive weight loss in obese mice”, Liu, C.M., Killion, E.A., Hammoud, R. et al. by Weisheng Lu, PhD (Fukuda) (20 min)

Jan. 20 - Seminar

• Yuhan Shi, Ph.D. (Wang) (40 minutes) 

Jan. 27 - Seminar

• Mounika Kandukuri, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
• “Making Precision Nutrition a Reality: Identifying Digital Phenotypes Associated with Child Fruit and Vegetable Consumption” by Titus Sombuor, PhD (Thompson and Musaad) (20 min)

Feb. 3 - Didactic

• “Preparing for Job Interviews and Job Talks” by Lindsey Cauthen, PhD, Career Services Principal, BCM Career Development Center

Feb. 10 - Journal Club

• Nana Jiao, Ph.D. (Moreno) (20 minutes)
• Hong Zhou, Ph.D. (Zhu) (20 minutes) 

Feb. 17 - Seminar

• John Alexander Jimenez-Garcia, Ph.D. (O’Connor) (40 minutes)

Feb. 24 - Seminar

• Olivia Charlotte Robertson, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
• Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes) 

March 3 - Didactic

March 10 - No Seminar

• Spring Break Week

March 17 - Journal Club

• Titus Sombuor, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
• Mounika Kandukuri, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes) 

March 24 - Seminar

• Julia Salamat, Ph.D. (Shen) (40 minutes)

March 31 - Seminar

• Nana Jiao, Ph.D. (Moreno) (20 minutes)
• Rita Wang, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)

April 7 - Required

• Attend and Present at the 2026 Pediatric Research Symposium, Legacy Tower Taussig Auditorium (16th Floor) 

April 14 - Journal Club

• Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
• Olivia Charlotte Robertson, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes) 

April 21 - Seminar

• “Carotenoids and Cardiometabolic Health in Pregnancy and Infancy” by Katelyn Senkus, Ph.D. (Moran) (40 minutes)

April 28 - Seminar

• Sara Vivatson, DO (Bacha) (20 min)
• One slot for incoming postdocs
   

May 5 - Didactic

• Budgeting for Success: How to Build a Budget for Your Ideas by Nancy E. Moran, PhD, Assoc. Professor, Pediatrics Nutrition

May 12 - Journal Club

• Rita Wang, Ph.D. (Allison) (20 minutes)
• Sara Vivatson, DO (Bacha) (20 min)

May 19 - Seminar

• Two slots reserved for incoming postdocs

May 26 - Seminar

• Two slots reserved for incoming postdocs

Summer Break (June – August)