Eugenics is a stain on the founding of the field of genetics, one that modern geneticists must still reckon with. The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 featured a thought-provoking panel discussion on this subject, moderated by past GSA Presidents Denise Montell and Tracy Johnson. Panelists Katrina Claw, Nathaniel Comfort, Steven Farber, Daniel HoSang, and Jazlyn Mooney shared their expertise on the history of eugenics and the ways its ideas persist in both science and society even today. Their keen insights shed light on the interdisciplinary nature of science, highlighting that anthropology, philosophy, and the humanities are all key in the study of science. 

This event marks the start of important conversations for GSA and the larger genetics and genomics community about the field’s history. GSA understands that scientific research takes place in the context of society, and we strive to build an environment in which all researchers from all backgrounds feel welcome and can thrive. For that, we must look critically at the space in which we conduct research, including reflecting on and learning from the past. Even today, bad actors twist the findings of genetics research to support racist ideology, giving this conversation and reflection notable immediacy. 

While acknowledging that this topic can be uncomfortable, GSA will not oversimplify these discussions; our goal is to face this history directly, even as it may require re-contextualizing luminaries in the field. Only through honest reckoning can we move forward toward an anti-racist scientific enterprise.

GSA fully rejects eugenics ideology, and we commit to understanding how it has lived within and outside our institutions and society at large so we can do better as a field and a scientific community. We will continue to address this topic at GSA, creating space for our community to share their thoughts and experiences and to learn together.

Watch the recording of the panel on our YouTube channel.

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the GSA Poster Awards for posters presented at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024! Undergraduate and graduate student members of GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations.

Congratulations to all!

Faith Akoachere, Syracuse University

Functional characterization of systemic RNA interference in C. elegans

Allison Beachum, University of Virginia

Multiple glial subtypes interact and compensate for the loss of nearby glial function

Puja Biswas, University of British Columbia

Female specific increased Insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway promotes increased body fat in Drosophila females than males

Marvin Cortez, Princeton University

Non-ciliary roles for the cilia-motility associated gene Cfap298 (Kurly) in zebrafish and mouse

Tristram Dodge, Stanford University

Ancient gene duplication and recent non-coding structural variation underpin pigmentation diversification in swordtail (Xiphophorus) fishes

Eduardo Gameiro, Institute for Molecular Biology

Genetic analysis of the yeast DNA damage response with a genome-wide inducible degron library

Artemiza Martinez, Lehigh University

Using experimental evolution of hybrid genomes to identify genetic incompatibilities in yeast

Shannon Pfeiffer, University of Delaware

Characterizing the effects of WEE-1.3 depletion on spermatogenesis in C. elegans

Victoria Placentra, Emory University

Homeostatic control of intestinal stem cell renewal by two transcriptional regulators

Rebecca Ray, Lake Forest College

Investigating the bidirectional relationship between traumatic brain injury and sleep homeostasis in D. melanogaster

Wyatt Toure, Columbia University

Genetic and molecular bases of hybrid dysgenesis in deer mice

Catherine Zhang, University of Toronto

Investigating the role of the Drosophila PI 4-kinase four wheel drive during spermatocyte cytokinesis

Honorable mentions:

• Cyril Anyetei-Anum
• Sayan Biswas
• Ryan Clough
• Elli Cryan
• Eloïse Duramé
• Yi Gao
• Lauren Hodkinson
• Dana Jackson
• Nicolas Lee
• Kayla Ly
• Jeffrey Matthew
• Colin Miller
• Xheni Mucelli
• Hannah Munby
• Sherif Negm
• Meri Nehlsen
• Mia Peifer
• Nathan Rather
• Susannah Schloss
• Colby Schweibenz
• Emma Steinson
• Rebeccah Stewart
• Karli Sunnergren
• Jennifer Viveiros
• Shane Warland

To promote excellence in undergraduate research and education, GSA established the Undergraduate Travel Award, which supports travel costs for undergraduate members who are presenting at and attending a GSA conference.

Congratulations to the 2023 awardees!

Trace Ackley
Truman State University
I genetically modify roundworms to help us better understand the sperm maturation process.

Morgan Apolonio
University of California, Berkeley
I research the possible correlation between long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA) and tocochromanol (Vitamin E) abundance in maize using Genome Wide Association Studies and Transcriptome Wide Association Studies.

Nkechinye Baadi
Colby College
My research focuses on studying the role of the gene MMS21 in DNA damage repair and response pathways in S. Cerevisiae.

CeOnna Battle
Christopher Newport University
My research examines the connection between gut health and the aging process of the muscles and the brain using D. melanogaster.

Dimitrios Bikas
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
I interrogate the roles of KMT2C and KMT2D in chondrocyte differentiation and subsequent bone formation.

Joseph Butler
University of Western Ontario
My research pertains to genomic signature analysis using machine learning tools.

Jacqueline Cho
Brown University
My current research interests revolve around understanding how genetic variations impact sleep mechanisms and contribute to sleep disturbances. To explore this, I am employing the model organism C. elegans to investigate the role of GOA-1—a gene encoding a G-protein alpha(o) subunit involved in G-protein signaling complexes— in sleep.

Arthur (Araceli) Colunga
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
I examine phenotypes arising from epigenetic modifications in the model C. elegans using immunofluorescence assays.

Lydia Cruce
Grand Valley State University
The research I am involved with is determining the in vivo role of the AANATL-7 gene in histamine metabolism and effects on the male reproductive system in Drosophila.

Ismael Curiel
Elmhurst University
We assessed the development of the nerve ring in GFP tagged C. elegans by measuring the expression levels of ADM-4 after incubation at 28 degrees Celsius.

Jayden Cyrus
Duke University
This project explores the role of various proteins, like Draper and Spastin, in neurodegeneration.

Madeline Daniel
Lewis and Clark College
I study the pathways of formation of lysosome-related organelles in the developing C. elegans embryo.

Leah Ding
Austin College
The PGM2 gene in yeast helps manage sugar levels and calcium balance which is crucial for many biological functions. Without PGM2, cells grow slower and struggle with maintaining proper calcium levels. I am currently investigating a relatively unexplored gene, YDL206W, to see how it might be connected to these problems and whether it could teach us more about similar issues in humans.

Julinette Gines-Garcia
Goucher College
We are using zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study the cell cycle dynamics of Müller glial cells in retinal neuron regeneration.

Lexis Grandel
College of the Holy Cross
I am in an undergraduate research lab that uses fruit flies to study how glia, a cell type in the brain, modulate seizure susceptibility.

Rutuja Gupte
University of Wisconsin, Madison
I study the effects of mutations on the fitness of haploid and diploid yeast.

Reiley Heffern
University of Missouri, Columbia
I am currently investigating the genetic basis of learning and memory skills in D. melanogaster.

Tapasya Katta
University of Alabama, Birmingham
I am using yeast as a model organism to identify genes that play a role in the escape of mitochondrial DNA.

Iris Kazzi
West Chester University
I am currently exploring novel Intracellular Pathogen Response Triggers in C. elegans and analyzing the impact of ethanol on intestinal permeability and its implications for innate immunity in humans.

Eleanor Laufer
University of Oregon
My research investigates the evolutionary fitness of interacting genes which contribute to drug resistance in the model system C. elegans. We use novel genetic engineering and ultra large populations to track fitness over several generations.

Nicolas Lee
University of Oregon
I am characterizing mutations that affect the heat tolerance of proteins in C. elegans cells responsible for reproduction.

Siqi (April) Li
New York University
My project aims to generate cell-type-specific genetic tools to study Drosophila neuronal development in the optic lobe.

Cheung Li
Colby College
My research focuses on deciphering the genetic interactions between the C-terminus of MMS21 and RAD5, two genes vital to the DNA damage response and repair system of budding yeast.

Kayla Ly
University of California, Irvine
My research aims to discover novel genes contributing to transposable element-mediated heterochromatin formation in D. melanogaster.

Jennifer Madu
Emmanuel College
I am investigating GEF and GTPase function in the mitotic exit network in S. cerevisiae by further analyzing the impact mutated MEN proteins has on regulation and activation of growth

Sergio Moreira-Antepara
Cornell University
I use genetic approaches to study the regulation of body size and BMP signaling in C. elegans.

Mai Tien Nguyen
Colorado College
My research looks at the inventory of inner kinetochore proteins in budding yeasts, which are important for accurate chromosome segregation. This offers insights into the coevolution of centromeric DNA sequences and associated proteins, providing directions for future experimental work in the lab.

Mara Stout
Morehead State University
I am investigating linear versus circular chromosome structure during cellular division.

Mingyang Tang
Bryn Mawr College
My research strives to understand how changes in DNA chemistry affect gene expression, specifically the mechanisms responsible for establishing and maintaining these chemical modifications.

Erika Tsukamoto
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
I am investigating the mechanism of maternal mRNA clearance during the oocyte-to-embryo transition in C. elegans.

Zoe Upham
San Jose State University
I am investigating how the cells that form the intestinal lining coordinate themselves to create a hollow tube capable of digestion, and I am specifically interested in understanding the roles of two highly conserved proteins, PAR-1/MARK and UBA-2/UBA2, in this process.

Peri Wivell
George Washington University
My research involves studying the role of macrophage populations during development and in diseases of the prostate.

GSA is pleased to announce the recipients of the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics for Fall 2023! Given twice a year to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, DeLill Nasser Awards support attendance at meetings and laboratory courses.

The award is named in honor of DeLill Nasser, a long-time GSA supporter and National Science Foundation Program Director in Eukaryotic Genetics. Nasser was regarded by some as the “patron saint of real genetics,” shaping the field through more than two decades of leadership. She was especially supportive of young scientists, people who were beginning their careers, and those trying to open new areas of genetic inquiry. For more about Nasser, please see the tribute from Scott Hawley, published in the August 2001 issue of GENETICS.

Mariana Harris
University of California, Los Angeles
My research focuses on quantifying the tempo and mode of adaptation in natural populations, highlighting the distinction in selection signatures (selective sweeps) between the X chromosome and autosomes, driven by the unique effect of selection on the hemizygous X chromosome in males.

Jennifer Alexander
University of Pennsylvania
My research seeks to understand the link between the aging process and cancer progression in high risk populations.

Renee Geck
University of Washington
I use yeast as a tool to understand how differences in genetic sequence can affect how people respond to pharmaceutical drugs.

Landen Gozashti
Harvard University
I use a combination of computational and statistical methods to interrogate the origins of genome architecture and the mechanisms driving genome structure evolution.

Bogdan Sieriebriennikov
New York University
I study how the nervous system evolves by comparing different insects.

Sarah Colon Plaza
University of Colorado
I study the non-apoptotic role of apoptotic caspases after Ionizing Radiation (IR) exposure.

Travis Tu’ifua
University of Utah
I study genetic interactions in a fruit fly model of a rare human disease called NGLY1 deficiency to understand the genes and pathways that modify disease symptoms.

Rachel Meade
Duke University
I study the interactions between Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, and genetically diverse mice to understand the genetic factors that control susceptibility to tuberculosis in a diverse human population.

Malek Elsayyid
University of Delaware
I use a C. elegans model and genetic techniques to study extracellular vesicles as a form of intercellular signaling in both homeostasis and disease.

Julio Molina Pineda
University of Arkansas
I leverage natural variation in yeast to understand why certain individuals are more susceptible to stress and disease.

The Victoria Finnerty Travel Award supports conference-attendance costs for undergraduate GSA members who presented research at the Annual Drosophila Research Conference. #Dros24 will be held in conjunction with other model organism meetings at TAGC 2024 in the Washington, DC, metro area and online from March 6–10, 2024.

Victoria Finnerty, who died in February 2011, was a long-time member of the Genetics Society of America and served the Drosophila community and the genetics community at large in many capacities. A wonderful geneticist, Vickie’s ground-breaking work as a graduate student used high-resolution recombination analysis to dissect gene structure. This set the stage for a 35-year career in which she excelled as a gifted teacher as well as research scientist. Vickie was also a wise and compassionate mentor and teacher for whom interactions with her students was a constant joy. She constantly sought new ways to engage undergraduates in their genetics courses and in research; this travel fellowship fund continues Vickie’s stellar example.

An Bui, University of Houston
My research is to determine if brat brain tumor genes in Drosophila melanogaster flies play a role in controlling transposable elements, which can cause sterility if left uncontrolled.

Miraz Sadi, University of Rochester
I am interested in centromere evolution in Drosophila.

Makayla Gomperts, University of Evansville
I am interested in studying cell fate during egg development in Drosophila melanogaster.

Maria Jose Orozco Fuentes, Lake Forest College
I study the role of a subunit of the ER-membrane protein complex (EMC) in glial cells during development and adulthood.

Ahad Shabazz-Henry, Kean University
I am investigating the molecular mechanisms that regulate animal development and fertility in Drosophila.

Kayla Ly, University of California, Irvine
My research aims to discover novel genes contributing to transposable element-mediated heterochromatin formation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Kinfe Bankole, University of Florida
I am exploring the secrets hidden within sex and species specific alternative splicing of transcripts.

Lucy Grossman, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
I study how the proteins that package DNA are recruited to and deposited at their target locations.

Lindsay Swain, East Carolina University
My research uses fruit flies as a model organism to study how a steroid hormone influences cell-to-cell communication in the ovary.

William Outlaw, East Carolina University
My research uses fruit flies as a model organism to study how nucleocytoplasmic trafficking facilitates the maintenance of ovarian germline stem cells.

Sarah Clark, University of Richmond
I study the effects of the acetyltransferase Tip60 protein on disease pathology in a Drosophila model of Machado-Joseph disease/Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Sofia Karter Lopez, University of Toronto
In my project I study the mechanisms by which cells in the Drosophila embryo move together to close wounds and how protein recycling contributes to the cytoskeletal rearrangements that are required during wound healing.