COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & SCIENCE

Bishop TC, Thayer KM, and Young R.
Book of Abstracts. The 1st Next Generation Conversations: Albany at Ruston 2024 (The 21st Albany Conversation)
Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. 42(S1) 2024 https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2024.2384693

Tuesday, June 11

Wednesday, June 12

Thursday, June 13

Friday, June 14

Saturday, June 15

Additional Information

Wilma K. Olson is the Mary I. Bunting Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, where she has served as Founding Director of the Rutgers University Center for Molecular Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry. A graduate of the University of Delaware, before receiving her doctorate from Stanford University under the mentorship of Paul Flory, Wilma has found success in her theoretical and computational work surrounding nucleic acid conformations, properties, and interactions. With a highly-cited publication library, including seminal works on nucleic acid base-pair geometry, sequence-dependent deformability, and advancements in database and computational modeling methods, Wilma is considered to be a pioneer in computational biopolymer research. Current research endeavors include covalently-closed forms of DNA, new computational models of protein-nucleic acid interactions, and advancing methods in generating and analyzing locally constrained forms of DNA and RNA. Numerous accolades have followed her throughout her successful research career, including holding Alfred P. Sloan and John Simon Guggenheim Fellowships, acting as Vice-President of the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics (2005-08) and President of the Biophysical Society (2002), and being elected as a fellow of the Biophysical Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

• Arevik Asatryan, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia
• Aysha Al Sardar, University Texas at Dallas
• Tom Connor Bishop, Louisiana Tech University
• Manidipa Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
• Gustavo Caetano-Anollés, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Karla Cisneros, University of Memphis
• Michele Di Pierro, Northeastern University
• Nandan Dixit, Gujarat University
• Hope Hutson, Louisiana Tech University
• Haley Johnson, Baylor College of Medicine
• Zhixiang Lei, University Texas at Dallas
• Samuel Landry, Tulane University
• Zilong Li, New York University
• Aditya Mittal, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
• Wilma Olson, Rutgers University
• Ran Padinhateeri, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
• Saumya Patel, Gujarat University
• Stephanie Portillo, New York University
• Monte Pettitt, The University of Texas Medical Branch
• Tamar Schlick, New York University
• Anthony Sylvester, University Texas at Dallas
• Ran Sun, Louisiana Tech University
• Kelly Thayer, Wesleyan University
• Jeff Wereszczynski, Illinois Institute Technology
• Lynn Zechiedrich, Baylor College of Medicine
• Riccardo Ziraldo, University Texas at Dallas

• Wilma Olson, Rutgers University, Keynote Address: The Albany Conversations
• Arevik Asatryan, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, “Correlation Function For Heteropolymers”
• Manidipa Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, “Reconstruction Of A Dynamic Process: Stages In Non-Enveloped Virus Disassembly
• Tom Connor Bishop, Louisiana Tech University, “Recycling The Sequence, Structure, Function Paradigm For Chromatin”
• Gustavo Caetano-Anollés, University of Illinois, “Tracing The Birth And Intrinsic Disorder Of Loops And Domains In Protein Evolution”
• Karla Cisneros, University of Memphis, “Synthesis Of Oxaliplatin Analogs And Their Controlled Release From Hydrogels”
• Michele Di Pierro, Northeastern University, TBA
• Margarita I. Garipova, Bashkiria State University, “Identification Of Iodothyronines In Plant Tissues”
• Kristen Hutson, Louisiana Tech University, “Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomic Analysis Of Glioblastoma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles And Healthy Brain Cells For Biomarkers Identification”
• Samuel J Landry, Tulane University, “Structural Basis For SARS-CoV-2 Spike CD4+ T-Cell Epitope Dominance”
• Zhixiang Lei, University of Texas at Dallas, “Functional Studies Of The Roles Of Topoisomerases In eccDNA Biogenesis And Topology”
• Zhixiang Lei, University of Texas at Dallas, “Unmasking A Hidden DNA-Supercoil Relaxation Activity In A Site-Specific Recombination System”
• Zilong Li, New York University, “Hi-BDiSCO: Folding 3D Mesoscale Genome Structures From Hi-C Data Using Brownian Dynamics”
• Aditya Mittal, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, “Implications Of Stoichiometric Compositions On Order And Disorder In Natural Proteins”
• Ranjith Padinhateeri, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, “Deriving Polymer Properties Of Chromatin From Nucleosome-Resolution Contact Map Data”
• Saumya K. Patel, Gujarat University, “Unveiling The Anti-Oncogenic Effect Of Rosmarinic Acid (RosA) On HepatoCellular Carcinoma: An Integrated Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking And Dynamics Approach”
• Bernard M Pettitt, University of Texas Medical Branch, “Disorder, Function And Phase Separation”
• Stephanie Portillo-Ledesma, New York University, “Implicit Modeling Of Protein Binding To Chromatin Fibers”
• Aysha AI Sardar, University of Texas at Dallas, “Cyclization-Based Measurements Of DNA Bending Flexibility At eccDNA Hotspots”
• Tamar Schlick, New York University, “Transitions Between SARS-CoV-2 RNA Pseudoknots Shed Insight On Viral Mechanism”
• Ran Sun, Louisiana Tech University, “The Nucleosome Reference Frame And Standard Geometries For Octasomes”
• Anthony L Sylvester, University of Texas at Dallas, “Single-Molecule Size And Topological Characterization Of Circular DNA”
• Kelly Thayer, Wesleyan University, “Finding A Few Allosteric Networks: A Tale Of Two Cities”
• Jeff Wereszczynski, Illinois Tech, “Probing The Mechanisms Of Epigenetic Regulation With Molecular Simulations”
• Lynn Zechiedrich, Baylor College of Medicine, “Cracking” The Secondary Codes That Control Access To The Primary Code Of DNA”

The Albany @ Tech: Next Gen Conversations will be held in the Integrated Engineering and Science Building (IESB) on Louisiana Tech’s Ruston campus. The IESB is a 130,000-square-foot facility that houses the University’s first- and second-year Engineering and Science courses, research labs, space and equipment for hands-on education, a large indoor atrium, and an outdoor amphitheater for outreach activities and celebrations. The three-story facility is located on the large lot east of Tech Pointe. It spans along Homer Street from Dan Reneau Drive to Texas Avenue.

Where Can I Park?

Can You Help Me Find Directions to the Conference?

Where Am I Staying?

I Plan to Arrive Early or Late. What Do I Need to Do?

Where Do I Register and Gather My Stuff at the Beginning of the Conference?

How Do I Register for Special Needs Accommodations?

How Should I Submit My Abstract?

Where Can I Print My Poster?

Tell Me About Ruston.

Where Can I Park?

If you drive to campus, we will provide you with a temporary parking pass when you check in. This temporary parking pass will allow you to park in the lot next to the IESB and at the Legacy Park Apartments. The Legacy Park Apartments are within walking distance of the IESB, most of Louisiana Tech’s Ruston campus, and shops and eateries in Downtown Ruston.

Can You Help Me Find Directions to the Conference?

Conference Coordinates

Regional Airports (drive time):  MLU (45min), SHV (60mins)

International Airports (drive time):  DFW (5hrs), MSY (5hrs), LIT (3hrs), JAN (3hrs)

Shuttles to MLU and SHV will be provided during the conference.

Where Am I Staying?

We’ve opened up Louisiana Tech’s Legacy Park apartments for you. Legacy Park apartments consist of multiple two-bedroom, one-bath apartments and are located on the east side of campus along California Avenue. The complex is also composed of 10 townhome apartments, which are four-bedroom, two-bath apartments that house a total of eight residents.  These townhomes have a spiral staircase and beautiful large windows at the ends of the buildings.  Some of our townhomes are reserved for our LLCs, including the Bridge to Bulldogs program and our Office of Multicultural Affairs.  All apartments in Legacy Park are fully furnished with twin XL size lofted beds, a couch, chair, desk, dresser, and wardrobe. Legacy Park is made up of Harper and Pearce Commons.

The Legacy Park Apartments are within walking distance of the IESB, most of Louisiana Tech’s Ruston campus, and shops and eateries in Downtown Ruston.

Amenities

• Wifi and wired internet
• Washer and dryer included
• Central AC/Heat (controlled in unit)
• Outdoor patio
• Kitchen with full-size refrigerator and stove/oven combo
• One bathroom with two sinks
• Dresser
• Desk w/ chair
• Wardrobe
• Chair
• Couch or Loveseat
• Coffee/End Table
• 80″ L mattress (Twin XL)

While you’re staying in the Legacy Park Apartments, you’ll be subject to Louisiana Tech’s on-campus living regulations.

If you require housing accommodations based on a disability, you must register with the Office of Disability Services.  Documentation will then be sent to the Assistant Director of Residential Life so that appropriate accommodations can be made for you based on recommendations from the Office of Disability Services.  Completion of paperwork does not guarantee specific accommodations.  Please contact the Office of Disability Services at 318.257.4221 or visit Wyly Tower 318.

I Plan to Arrive Early or Late. What Do I Need to Do?

If you plan to arrive early or late, please contact the conference organizers at albany@latech.edu so that they can coordinate pick up and drop off.

Where Do I Register and Gather My Stuff at the Beginning of the Conference?

You’ll check in to the conference at the Kingtools Atrium of the College of Engineering and Science’s Integrated Engineering and Science Building.

How Do I Register for Special Needs Accommodations?

The Integrated Engineering and Science Building (IESB), Legacy Dorms, and many of the shops and restaurants in downtown Ruston are within walking distance from one another. Parking will be available outside of the Legacy Dorms and the Integrated Engineering and Science Building. If you need drop-off service or other accommodations, please contact the conference organizers (albany@latech.edu).

How Should I Submit My Abstract?

Taylor and Francis will collect and publish abstracts in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. You should have received an abstract template after you register. If you did not receive the template, contact albany@latech.edu.

Where Can I Print My Poster?

You can print your posters at Office Depot in Ruston.

Tell Me About Ruston.

Ruston is a small city with a college-town atmosphere, and its downtown shops are within walking distance of the University and the IESB. Several other eateries are located along California Avenue, also within walking distance of both the IESB and the Legacy Park Apartments.

Learn more about Louisiana Tech University on the University’s website.

Learn more about dining and shopping in Ruston at our Ruston-Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau website, Experience Ruston. You can also download a PDF guide to events, attractions, and more at the website.