This summer, our lab was fortunate to host Adam Muhammed, Rhyan Hurns, and Solomon Amir Mubashir, three talented and dedicated interns from North Carolina Central University. From June 9th to August 9th, 2025, their self-possession, perseverance, and good humor filled the lab as they tackled complex projects and achieved remarkable results. We are proud of their accomplishments and the work they did to advance their skills and knowledge.
Adam presented a poster titled “Structural Characterization of Microcompartment Clusters through Simulation and Custom Analysis Tools“. This summer, he learned Python and used it to create 3D models and computational simulations to generate heat maps. He gained in-depth knowledge of genome organization and computational biophysics. His research experience and mentorship in the lab are shaping his future plans for graduate studies and beyond.
During her time in the Mirny Lab, Rhyan investigated how the distance of CTCF sites influences microcompartment lengths, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the physical principles that shape genome organization. Her poster, titled “CTCF Distance Shapes Microcompartment Contact Strength“, is linked here. She was most proud of gaining hands-on research experience that connected molecular biology with biophysics while also building meaningful connections with her mentors and peers in the lab. Rhyan aspires to pursue a career in genetic counseling, where she hopes to combine her research background with her passion for supporting patients and families as they navigate genetic health information. This internship provided her with valuable insights into the complexities of genomic structure, which she plans to carry forward into her future studies and professional endeavors.
Solomon presented his poster, “Duration of Microcompartment Contacts“. He learned Python, PANDAS, and Numpy to write an analysis code to determine the duration of microcompartment contacts, all the while learning more in depth about genomic structure. He was most proud of the bonds that he created inside the lab and the final duration results he was able to retrieve. He hopes to apply this biological knowledge to his physical therapy practice to better understand and treat his patients.
Thank you to Leonid Mirny, Emily Navarette, Tingran Wang, Max Imakaev and especially Ed Banigan for their mentoring.