The Department of Cellular, Molecular, and Genetic Medicine conducts a weekly seminar series during the spring and fall semesters, wherein we enjoy presentations from national and international experts in their respective fields. The seminar series covers wide-ranging topics including molecular signaling, gene discovery, structural biology, functional genomics, and systems physiology — all grounded in a strong commitment to translational research and practical application.
All seminars are open to interested faculty, postdocs, staff and students, and we welcome your attendance.
Seminars will be held in Sanger Hall, Room 3-016. (Unless otherwise specified)
Fall 2026
Weekly Seminars: Mondays at 11 A.M.
August 24, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: Christopher Heier, PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg PhD
August 31, 2026
Title: Repurposing Natural Products and Synthetic Bile Acids: All Grist to the Mill in Developing Novel Cancer Therapeutic Modalities
Speaker: Paul Dent, PhD, Professor
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg PhD
September 14, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
September 21, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
September 28, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
October 5, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
October 12, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
October 19, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: Alex Feltus, PhD, Professor & Associate Chair
Department of Genetics & Biochemistry
Clemson University
Host: Ashley Cowart
October 26, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: Yana Cen, PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Medical Chemistry
Virginia Commonwealth University
Host: TBD
November 2, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: Vitold Galkin, PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Biomedical & Translational Sciences
Old Dominion University
Host: Montserrat Samso
November 9, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
November 16, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
November 30, 2026
Title: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Host: TBD
Spring 2026 Seminars
January 12, 2026
MHC Class II Antigen Processing and Presentation Modulates Immune System Function and Dysfunction
Speaker: Lisa Denzin, PhD, Professor
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg PhD
February 2, 2026
Illuminating organelle dynamics and interaction networks in differentiation and neurodegeneration
Speaker: Sarah Cohen, PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Cell Biology and Physiology,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Host: Brian Wattenberg PhD
February 9, 2026
Targeting Serine and Lipid Metabolism in Cancer
Speaker: Jonathan L. Coloff, PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Physiology and Biophysics,
University of Illinois Cancer Center
Host: Ashley Cowart PhD
February 16, 2026
Structural and mechanistic insights into the human SLC22 transporter family
Speaker: Chia-Hsueh Lee, PhD, Associate Member, St.Jude Faculty
Department of Structural Biology
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Host: Brian Wattenberg
March 2, 2026
Dissecting the molecular mechanisms that regulate intracellular membrane fusion
Speaker: Mary Munson, PhD, Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology
UMass Chan Medical School
Host: Brian Wattenberg
March 16, 2026
The Magic and Mystery of Enteric Glia
Speaker: Brian D. Gulbransen, PhD
Department of Physiology
Michigan State University
Host: Liya Qiao
March 23, 2026
MASLD - A Journey Through Translational Science
Speaker: Arun Sanyal, M.D. Professor
School of Internal Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University
Host: Brian Wattenberg
March 30, 2026
Toward a Better Understanding of Dystrophin Function Through the Study of Large Recombinant Proteins and New Animal Models
Speaker: James Ervasti PhD, Professor
Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Biophysics
University of Minnesota
Host: Allyson Fiorillo
April 6, 2026
Human-Immune-System DRAGA Mice as surrogate “in vivo human model” for Infectious Diseases Research and Generation of Therapeutic Human Monoclonal Antibodies
Speaker: Sofia Casares PhD, Professor
National Institute of Health
Host: Joseph Landry
April 20, 2026
Sex based differences in the immune response to cancer
Speaker: Elise Alspach PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Host: Joseph Landry
April 27, 2026
Uncovering Molecular Mediators in Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy
Speaker: Alyson Fiorillo PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg
May 4, 2026
Genetic Contributions to Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior
Speaker: Mallory Stevenson PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg
May 11, 2026
The Two Faces of Prostate Cancer: Plasticity and Heterogeneity
Speaker: Ping Mu PhD, Associate Professor
Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
Host: Zheng Fu
May 18, 2026
Linking the Macro-Environment & Micro-Environment: An Interdisciplinary Framework to Study Breast Cancer in High-Risk and Socially Vulnerable Populations
Speaker: Alexandra Harris PhD,
Department of Cellular Molecular and Genetic Medicine
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg
June 15, 2026
Neurotoxicity of Sphingoid bases: When lipids go rogue
Speaker: Stefanka Spassieva PhD, Assistant Professor
Department of Physiology
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Host: Brian Wattenberg