GlyGen Internships/CFDE GlyGen Summer Interns Symposium 2024

We’re thrilled to announce the CFDE-GlyGen Summer Internship Symposium 2024.  

During this event, our summer interns will showcase their skills, innovative projects, and valuable contributions to CFDE and GlyGen.

We invite you to join us on Zoom. Scan the QR code or click on the link below to participate.

Internship Description

The Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) - GlyGen Summer Internship 2024 took place from June 3 to July 26, 2024 in Washington DC at the George Washington University. During this period, five interns had the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the dynamic intersection of bioinformatics and glycobiology through CFDE and GlyGen projects.

The internship kicked off with a comprehensive orientation program, introducing interns to CFDE and GlyGen while providing foundational training in glycobiology, bioinformatics, machine learning, and programming by experts .

These interns then collaborated closely with seasoned professionals, engaging in projects that explored CFDE tools and resources, analyzed glycans, proteins, and biomarkers. Beyond project work, they actively contributed to creating educational materials, and disseminating knowledge about glycobiology and bioinformatics to benefit both the scientific community and the wider public.

Additionally, the interns curated glycomics publications, ensuring that valuable research findings were well-organized and accessible. They added hundreds of glycan structures linked to publications to the GlyGen database.  Their efforts not only advanced the field but also fostered collaboration among researchers.

Moreover, the internship provided professional development opportunities. Interns visited the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), gaining insights into regulatory processes and the intersection of science and policy. They also participated in the annual GlyGen and GlySpace alliance meeting, where networking, knowledge exchange, and exposure to the broader scientific community took place.

In summary, the CFDE - GlyGen Summer Internship was a multifaceted experience that nurtured professional growth, empowered interns, and made meaningful contributions to the exciting world of bioinformatics and glycobiology.

L to R: Mindy Porterfield, Mike Tiemeyer, Matt Marino, Lily Wright, Parisa Teukwi, Anam , Salih Awouda, and Jeet Vora

Symposium Agenda

Time	Project Topic	Presenter
1:00 – 1:10PM	Welcome & Intro to the CFDE-GlyGen Summer Internship 2024	Mike Tiemeyer (10 min)
1:10 – 1:35PM	Creation of machine learning (ML) ready datasets from high-impact publications	Lily Wright, Matthew Marino, Parisa Teukwi (25 min)
1:35 – 1:55PM	Use of the CFDE workflow playbook to define biomedical use cases	Matthew Marino (20 min)
1:55 – 2:10PM	Creation of educational material for GlyGen/CFDE data and tools	Parisa Teukwi, Lily Wright (15 min)
2:10 – 2:25PM	Generation of machine learning (ML) ready datasets from existing datasets I	Salih Awouda (15 min)
2:25 – 2:40PM	Generation of machine learning (ML) ready datasets from existing datasets II	Anam Kidwai (15 min)
2:40 – 2:55PM	Q&A	All (15 min)
2:55 – 3:00PM	Closing remarks	Mike (5 min)

Program Information

When: Thursday July 24

Time: 1 PM to 3 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Where: Meeting on Zoom (Click on the link or scan the QR code)

Link: Registration Link with Zoom Details

QR Code:

Zoom Registration Link

Interns

Parisa Teukwi

Name: Parisa Teukwi

(LinkedIn)

Hometown: Laurel, Maryland

I am a rising senior at George Washington University, majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology.

Future aspirations: I'm from I'm passionate about healthcare and research, and I want to combine my interests in being both a doctor and a scientist to advance medical knowledge and treatment.

What I liked best about being a CFDE-GlyGen intern was learning an entirely new aspect of biology and bioinformatics that I had never been exposed to before. Glycans play such a crucial role in many biological processes and this internship allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and education in this vital field.

Salih Awouda

Name: Salih Awouda

(LinkedIn)

Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand.

I’m majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Computer Science at Vassar College.

Future aspirations: I am interested in pursuing a PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

My favorite part of the internship is learning new bioinformatics techniques and making connections with leaders in the glycobiology field.

Lily Wright

Name: Lily Wright

(LinkedIn)

Hometown: Missoula, MT.

I am entering my fourth year at the University of Virginia this fall, studying biomedical engineering.

Future aspirations: I want to work for a biotech company.

Throughout this internship, I enjoyed connecting with fellow interns and professionals in the field of glycobiology.

Matthew Marino

Name: Matthew Marino

(LinkedIn)

Hometown: Milford Connecticut

First year PhD student (chemistry) at the University of Delaware.

Future aspirations: Principal Investigator, CEO of a company.

My favorite part of the internship was the initial boot camp where we had access to some of the world's best glyco-scientists in a small classroom setting. As well as exploring the playbook workflow builder and using it to create new workflows to answer scientific questions.

Anam Kidwai

Name: Anam Kidwai

(LinkedIn)

Hometown: India

I am currently pursuing my MS program in Bioinformatics at Carnegie Mellon University, with an expected completion date this Fall.

Future aspirations: To work as a Bioinformatician in the Biotech Industry.

Throughout this internship, I have gained valuable insights into glycobiology and established meaningful connections with exceptional mentors and fellow interns, whose impact on my professional journey will be long-lasting.

Acknowledgements

Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) - National Institutes of Health Office of Strategic Coordination - The Common Fund under the grant # 1OT2OD032092.

• GlyGen Team
• Michael Tiemeyer: Principal Investigator at the University of Georgia
• Raja Mazumder: Principal Investigator at The George Washington University
• Rene Ranzinger
• Mindy Porterfield
• Jeet Vora
• Sean Kim
• Vishal Bakshi
• Nichole Webster
• The Mazumder Lab team

Thank you all for your invaluable support and contributions throughout this internship.

Contact info

For questions about registration or general inquiries, please contact:

Jeet Vora: jeetvora@gwu.edu

Mindy Porterfield: mindyp@ccrc.uga.edu

The symposium will be recorded.