The College of New Jersey |  April 25–26, 2026

Written by: Janeen Braynen, PhD. and Lydia Tressel, PhD. 

Edited by: Audra Olson

The Northeast Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists (NE ASPB) convened its annual meeting on April 25–26, 2026 at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The meeting was organized by Leeann Thornton, PhD., former ASPB President and current Professor at TCNJ, alongside the Northeast Section Executive Board and Shoshana Kronfeld.

This year’s conference brought together over 90 plant scientists from across the northeastern United States. With a strong presence of undergraduate and graduate students, the meeting emphasized the future of plant biology while showcasing cutting-edge research. The program featured 49 abstracts, including 36 poster presentations, along with oral presentations and networking opportunities that fostered collaboration across career stages.

Keynote Highlights

Two distinguished keynote speakers anchored the scientific program:

• Hong Ma, PhD., Professor at Pennsylvania State University and former ASPB President, delivered a talk titled,
  “Novel Factors and Mechanisms Controlling RNA Splicing and Genome-wide Conservation of Exon-Intron Structure Across Angiosperms.”
  His presentation highlighted the discovery of GRP20, a novel RNA-binding protein critical for micro-exon retention in floral genes, and provided new insights into conserved exon architecture across plant lineages.

• Guillermo Jimenez-Aleman, PhD., Assistant Professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology, presented,
  “Weaponizing Nutrition: Essential Fatty Acids and a Dual Defense Mechanism in Plants.”
  His work revealed an elegant dual-defense strategy in plants, where omega-3 fatty acids simultaneously serve as precursors for jasmonate signaling and as limiting nutrients for herbivores, reshaping our understanding of plant–insect interactions.

Research Presentations
There were a wide range of talks and posters across career stages, all of which were high-impact and contributed to the success of the conference. 

Student Research Highlights
A defining feature of the ASPB NE meeting is its commitment to student research. This year’s presentations demonstrated exceptional breadth, innovation, and strong mentorship from a variety of institutions. Selected examples of student talks/Posters include:

• Josephine Maguire (Graduate Student at Cornell University / USDA-ARS), working with Miguel Piñeros, PhD, presented research on ALMT6 and ALMT9 transport properties using droplet interface bilayers and cell-free protein synthesis, advancing single-molecule understanding of membrane transport.

• Moonia Ammari (Graduate Student at Rutgers University), working with Mark Zander, PhD, presented work on stress-induced epigenome reprogramming, highlighting how jasmonic acid signaling reshapes chromatin landscapes.

• Frank Schaeffer (Undergraduate Student at Millersville University), working with Maja Kłosinska, PhD, presented research on sex-dependent microbiome assembly in spinach, demonstrating how plant sex and development influence rhizosphere communities.

• Ben Winograd (Undergraduate student, Haverford College) explained the genetic basis for sugar variation in floral nectar underlying an early intraspecific pollinator shift 

• Jacob Wu and Rudra Pachori (Hopkinton High School, MA) presented a study on early, noninvasive detection of plant stress using electrophysiological signals. 

• Aaron Saran (Undergraduate Student at Hofstra University) presented research on the epigenetic silencing of the Ac transposon in Zea mays. 

• Debbie Akangbe, (Undergraduate student The College of New Jersey), The Role of Maize CYP72A353 in Plant Acclimation to Environmental Stresses.

• Lucia Galassi, (Graduate student at The New Jersey Institute of Technology)  Evolution of Green Leaf Volatile Biosynthesis in Marchantia polymorpha

• Marwa Iqbal and Rosanna Prainito, (Undergraduate student at SUNY Old Westbury College) Genome-wide Analysis of Nuclear Organelle DNA Insertions in Mimulus guttatus

Awards
Talk awardees included Janeen Braynen, PhD (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Lydia Tressel, PhD (USDA-ARS), Josephine Maguire (graduate student, Cornell University), and Frank Schaeffer (undergraduate, Millersville University). Poster awardees included Fenny Kayastha (undergraduate, New Jersey Institute of Technology), Amna Ishaq(undergraduate, Lehman College), Patricia Leyva (graduate student, Cornell University), and Aimee Torres (graduate student, Cornell University).

These presentations highlighted impactful research spanning stress physiology, transport biology, and metabolism, emphasizing the importance of supporting the next generation of plant scientists addressing global challenges

Conclusion

The 2026 ASPB Northeast Section meeting was a resounding success, marked by high-quality science, meaningful networking, and outstanding student engagement. As the field continues to evolve, gatherings like this remain essential for connecting researchers, sharing discoveries, and inspiring future leaders in plant biology.

Learn more and become a member today: https://aspb.org/membership

Interested in becoming a part of the Northeastern Section?: https://northeast.aspb.org/

Visit the ASPB homepage: https://aspb.org 

ASPB Representation at the Northern Section Meeting: Shoshana Kronfield and Sarah Black (left to right). Photo credit: Janeen Braynen, PhD

Undergraduate Research Spotlight: Debbie Akangbe (Thornton Lab, TCNJ) presents to Dafang Wang (Hofstra University). Photo credit: Leeann Thornton, PhD.

ASPB NE 2026 Award Recipients: (Top, L to R) Aimee Torres and Patricia Leyva (Graduate Posters); Josephine Maguire (Graduate Talk); Lydia Tressel, PhD (Postdoctoral Award). (Bottom, L to R) Janeen Braynen, PhD (Postdoctoral Award); “Botany Babes” Prize Giveaway winners Janeen Braynen, Sonal Sachdev, Shoshana Kronfield, and Lydia Tressel. Photo credits: Ek Han Tan, PhD and Leeann Thornton, PhD.

ASPB Information Session: Hong Ma delivering an information talk. Photo Credit: Janeen Braynen, PhD.

Research Presentation: Janeen Braynen, PhD presenting on Sorghum stress responses. Photo credit: Lydia Tressel, PhD.

Research Presentation: Lydia Tressel, PhD presenting on Barley seed dormancy. Photo credit: Janeen Braynen, PhD.

Northeast Section Meeting Wrap-Up: Attendees and organizers celebrating a successful meeting. Photo credit: Christos Noutsos, PhD.