Annual Symposium

The BioInspired Institute Annual Symposium hosts students, postdocs, and faculty from Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry as well as other partners from the community and the region. Research topics presented include but are not limited to cancer, developmental disorders, aging, medical device-related infection, drug delivery and toxicity screening, and many aspects of the most fundamental processes involved in how the material world around us works.

The BioInspired Institute’s Annual Symposium on Friday, November 14, 2025. Please see poster session assignments here.

8-9:15AM Poster session 1 set-up
9:15-9:30AM Opening remarks
9:30-10:30AM Poster session 1: Development & Disease and Sensing, Actuation, Intelligence, & BioInspired Systems
10:30-11AM Designer Biology Speakers in LSB 001
Dr. Michael Blatchley
Dr. Ivan Gitsov
Dr. Jennifer Schwarz
11-11:30AM Adaptive Materials Speakers in LSB 001
Dr. Lihong Lao
Dr. Quinn Qiao
Dr. Changming Shi
Dr. Weiwei Zheng
11:30AM-12PM Mechanics of Disease and Development Speakers in LSB 001
Yiling Lan, SU Biology,  “Developmental Stage-Specific Centrosome Remodeling by Cenexin–Pericentrin interaction in Vertebrate Embryogenesis”
Dr. Arun Podel, SU BMCE, “Artificial Capillaries-on-a-Chip With Modular Control Over Lumen Size, Architecture, and Co-culture Conditions.”
Dr. Ileana Marquez, SU Physics, “From Oocyte to Early Embryo: A Journey of Self-Organization”
12-12:30PM Function without Form Speakers in LSB 001
Dr. Carlos Castenada
Dr. Lin-En Jao
Dr. Shahar Sukenik
12:30-1:30PM Lunch in breakout rooms
1:30-2:30PM NRT EmIRGE-Bio overview in CST 1-132
2-2:30PM Poster session 2 set-up
2:30-3:30PM Poster session 2: Designer Biology; Adaptive Energy; Function without Form
3:30-4PM Judging
4PM Poster winners announced