This research has been supported by Elon’s Undergraduate Research Program (URP), including Grants-in-Aid support and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) funds that supported the work of Charlotte Dagli ’25, Ryder Hutchinson ’28 and Alice Efremov ’26, all of whom are co-authors on the research publication. Travel assistance for the conference was also provided by Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Biology Department Gift Fund.

Lab attendees included Ryder Hutchinson ’28, Alice Efremov ’26, Alex Roberts ’27, Kalialani Choate ’28 and Zach Stein ’29. In addition to attending conference sessions and supporting the lab’s presentation, the trip served as the group’s first laboratory retreat, giving students an opportunity to strengthen connections as a research team through shared meals, informal mentoring and a visit to the Georgia Aquarium before returning to North Carolina.

Dagli presented the product of two years of research on the use of viruses to target and kill specific cancer cells. Her poster, titled “Oncolytic virotherapy and chemotherapeutic approaches against malignant fibrosarcoma,” explores the use of Reovirus as a therapeutic agent against a rare, soft tissue cancer that affects connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Her work demonstrates that certain variants of this virus,currently in clinical trials for common cancers such as breast and colorectal malignancies, are able to infect and kill human fibrosarcoma cells grown in vitro. In addition, she explored the potential of combining reovirus with common chemotherapeutic agents to maximize efficacy at minimal doses.

Rivera-Serrano also presented a poster, entitled “Development of Laboratory Modules in Virology Suitable for the Undergraduate Classroom.” His work is inspired by the American Society for Virology, which recently provided guidelines for lecture- and laboratory-based content for courses in virology. Despite the increasing rates of vaccine hesitancy, rampant misinformation related to infectious diseases and overall distrust in biomedical research, stand-alone courses that focus on the biology of viruses at the undergraduate level are uncommon across the globe. The research presented by Rivera-Serrano aims to develop laboratory activities for students at predominantly undergraduate institutions to better understand the unique biology of viruses and how these infectious agents interact with the host at the cellular level.

Dagli is the recipient of a 2024 Undergraduate Research Award from North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) and participated in Elon’s 2024 SURE program. Upon graduation, Charlotte will join the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD as part of their Postbaccalaureate Program (PBP). Their research was sponsored by an Elon’s Hultquist Faculty Research & Development Award and the Undergraduate Research Program. Both Dagli and Rivera-Serrano received Undergraduate Faculty Travel Grants, sponsored by AAI, to support travel costs.