Arnav Kaushik, Antonson Lab, "Gestational Influenza A Infection Alters Offspring Behavior in a Mouse Model of Maternal Immune Activation"

Michelle Chang, Hernandez Lab, "Age-related cortical theta synchronization and postural instability during balance control"

Jiaqi Liu, Han Lab, "Developing processes transcriptome in the brain"

Erin Taylor, Dan Llano Lab, "Exploring the Mouse Brain Inferior Colliculus with Single-Cell Spatial Transcriptomics"

Suyang Zhang, Yurii Vlasov Lab, "Psychometric characteristics of decision-making during natural whisker-guided navigation in a tactile virtual reality"

Jake Chernicky, Caterina Gratton Lab, "Towards precision functional brain network mapping in Parkinson’s disease "

Resources for Researchers - Office Hours January 2026 Session

Date: Tuesday February 10, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: ZOOM: https://go.illinois.edu/R4R-Office-Hours-ZOOM" 

Join the next Resources for Researchers Office Hours where we will where we'll dive into "Data Storage for Research." Discover the latest solutions and support available through the Illinois Computes program, Technology Services, and other campus partners, designed to help you securely store, manage, and back up your research data. 

Whether you're handling sensitive information or seeking scalable storage options, this session offers guidance, tools, and real-world insights tailored for researchers at all levels. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, ask questions, and explore valuable campus resources!

The Resources for Researchers - Monthly Office Hours series is intended to foster a collaborative and supportive space for Illinois researchers. Connect with the tools, expertise, and guidance needed to elevate your work—from research computing and compliance to data and beyond. Each month we'll highlight a different resource on campus that can be used to support and enhance your work as a researcher.

NCSA will host the Machine Learning and Big Data workshop presented by the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center on February 11 and 13. This workshop will focus on topics including big data analytics and machine learning with Spark, and deep learning using TensorFlow. 

This is an IN-PERSON event in NCSA Room 3000.  Register by Monday, February 9, at 10:00 AM Central time. Registration information is available on PSC's Event webpage.

Research Topics
Cancer, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Immunology and Inflammation, Microbiome and Microbial communities, Pharmacology and small molecule discovery.
Research Description
Endocrine and Metabolic Control of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Pathophysiology
Patients with metastatic breast and ovarian cancer continue to have a very poor prognosis. The magnitude of this problem provides a strong impetus for studies that may lead to new chemopreventative strategies and/or lifestyle changes that reduce morbidity from these cancers. Therefore, the goal of our research is elucidate the effects of the endocrine ystem and metabolism on breast and ovarian cancer initiation and progression. We integrate our expertise in physiology, endocrinology, immunology and in vivo models to pursue translational breast and ovarian cancer research. 

Abstract:  Cells are dynamic systems that sense, encode, and process complex biological, chemical, and mechanical signals to make context-dependent decisions. These processes, i.e., sensing, integration, and response, are shaped not only by intracellular signaling networks, but also by physical transport, spatial organization, and microenvironmental constraints that are difficult to isolate in vivo. Microphysiological systems (MPS) provide a powerful framework for studying cellular information flow under controlled, physiologically relevant conditions.

In this talk, I will present my group’s MPS platforms as in vitro models for studying cellular information flow across two distinct contexts: neuroinflammation at the brain-blood-interface (BBI) and directed cell migration in cancer. We first introduce a BBI MPS that recapitulates key structural and transport features of the neurovascular unit, enabling precise control of inflammatory inputs and quantitative measurement of barrier function and molecular transmission. This platform allows us to examine how neuroinflammatory perturbations alter signal propagation across the interface. 

I will then discuss the development of biophysical models of cell migration using microfluidic models of directed cancer cell migration, where migratory cells operate as distributed sensing systems that decode spatial and temporal gradients. Framed through a systems lens, we further modeled cancer cells as logic gates capable of signal detection, integration, and feedback under noisy and dynamically evolving conditions. The talk will be concluded to discuss how MPS can bridge molecular signaling, transport physics, and systems-level behavior.

Bio:  Bumsoo Han is Professor and Phil & Ann Sharp Scholar in Cancer Research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is also Biohub Investigator at Biohub Chicago. Before joining the University of Illinois, he was Professor at Purdue University and Program Leader of the Drug Delivery and Molecular Sensing Program of the NCI-designated Purdue Institute for Cancer Research. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and his MS and BS from Seoul National University in Korea. His broad research interests are in transport processes in living matters. He received US DOD Postdoctoral Award for Breast Cancer Research, NSF CAREER Award, US AFOSR Faculty Fellowship (Predictive Toxicology), and Richard Skalak Best Paper Award from the ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.

Create the "write" habit! Our writing group provides graduate students with dedicated time to make progress on writing in a supportive atmosphere. The writing group provides structured writing, break, and discussion time, with each meeting consisting of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. You will be working on your own current writing (e.g., thesis, dissertation, manuscript). These groups do not offer feedback--if you're looking to learn more and improve your writing, check out our events or make an appointment to get individualized feedback. These groups are ideal for graduate students who are seeking to create or return to a writing routine, make progress and meet deadlines on long-term projects, or jump-start a new writing project. Find more information and our Writing Group FAQs here, and learn more about our consultations and policies.

Our writing groups are held every Tuesday from 9:00am-12:00pm, and we encourage you to attend regularly. We will not meet on campus holidays.

This event will be held in a hybrid format: Join us in-person in the Main Library Orange Room. Or, join us online. The Zoom link will be in your registration confirmation email and in the weekly reminder emails.

The Writers Workshop will email you a weekly reminder. You only need to register once for the recurring writing group. Please register using your University of Illinois email.

The purpose of this workshop is to demystify the dissertation proposal by reviewing common elements of the proposal genre. We will provide strategies for writing the problem statement, research questions, review of literature, methodology, and proposed timeline. This presentation will also offer tips for staying motivated and getting through this sometimes-daunting process. Writers from any discipline are welcome.

This presentation will be held via Zoom and is open to all current U of I affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). You will need to be logged into your Illinois Zoom account to join. 

Please register with your Illinois email by February 16 to receive the Zoom details on the morning of the event. If you register on the day of, please email wow@illinois.edu immediately to request the Zoom details - we will do our best to get them to you prior to the event but cannot guarantee it.

All registrants will receive access to the presentation materials via email the following business day.

Many international graduate students and postdocs will secure full-time employment in the United States. Find out what you need to know about U.S. immigration policies to make a smooth transition. This presentation will discuss the H-1B petition process for full-time hires and options for permanent residence in the U.S. The speaker will be Thomas Arkell, an attorney practicing immigration and employment law.

No registration required. This presentation will be held in Graduate College Room 202 (507 E. Green St) and simulcast online at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

See the full listing of Graduate College workshops at https://go.grad.illinois.edu/workshops

*If you require any disability-related accommodations to participate in this workshop more fully, please email gradsuccess@illinois.edu

Create the "write" habit! Our writing group provides graduate students with dedicated time to make progress on writing in a supportive atmosphere. The writing group provides structured writing, break, and discussion time, with each meeting consisting of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. You will be working on your own current writing (e.g., thesis, dissertation, manuscript). These groups do not offer feedback--if you're looking to learn more and improve your writing, check out our events or make an appointment to get individualized feedback. These groups are ideal for graduate students who are seeking to create or return to a writing routine, make progress and meet deadlines on long-term projects, or jump-start a new writing project. Find more information and our Writing Group FAQs here, and learn more about our consultations and policies.

Our writing groups are held every Friday from 9:00am-12:00pm, and we encourage you to attend regularly. We will not meet on campus holidays.

This event will be held in a hybrid format: Join us in-person in the Main Library Orange Room. Or, join us online. The Zoom link will be in your registration confirmation email and in the weekly reminder emails.

The Writers Workshop will email you a weekly reminder. You only need to register once for the recurring writing group. Please register using your University of Illinois email.

Many funding agencies require a personal statement in addition to an applicant’s research proposal. Why?! What on earth are you supposed to talk about? If these questions have induced writer’s block, this workshop is for you. We will assess the range of personal statement prompts you may encounter and distill their shared essence. Participants will learn the qualities of a compelling statement and a writing process they can follow to arrive at a complete first draft. 

Register in advance for the link to join this online workshop.

See more Graduate College Workshops.

Join us at noon on Wednesdays this fall for yoga with a view! All sessions are free and will be held in Beckman's fifth-floor tower room. All are welcome to bring their own mat!