Rigor, Reproducibility, and Real-World Impact at Translational Science 2026

At the end of April, MICHR scholars, staff, community partners, and faculty traveled to the Translational Science 2026 Conference, which centered on the theme “Building Trustworthy Translation: Rigor, Reproducibility, and Real-World Impact.” The conference provided a platform to exchange ideas, address pressing challenges, and showcase solutions that drive meaningful progress in translational science, with the goal of delivering more health solutions to all people more quickly. MICHR representatives were actively engaged in the conference, presenting 27 posters and participating in 12 panels.

Thalia Newman, PhD student in Immunology, was recognized with a Top 50 poster award for “Investigating CD14 as a Novel Therapeutic Target in Antiphospholipid Syndrome.” Three members of the MICHR community participated in the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The participants were: Yen Chen, Research Assistant Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, with “Clearing Brain Fog: Optimizing an Online Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention for People With Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease,” Stephanie Hall, Research Fellow in Psychiatry, with “Policy as Prevention: How Paid Leave Protects Maternal Mental Health,” and Sam Schwartz, PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, with “Reducing the Severity of Spinal Cord Injury with Tiny Particles.” Schwartz was named a finalist, and Hall was named the winner of the competition.

L to R: Sam Schwartz, Vicki Ellingrod, PharmD, FCCP, FACNP, Stephanie Hall

Michael Holinstat, PhD, Principal Investigator of the MICHR Predoctoral T32 and Program Director, Pharmacology, Professor of Pharmacology, Internal Medicine, and Surgery, was recognized as a 2026 Fellow of ACTS. The Fellows of ACTS (FACTS) program is a premier membership program for individuals who have made substantial contributions to and service within the clinical and translational science field. FACTS recognizes those who are essential to the clinical and translational community. This inaugural application process was rigorous and competitive, with 36 individuals selected from ACTS’s almost 6,000-person membership.

Many of the posters presented by MICHR scholars, staff, and faculty at the conference are available on MICHR’s Translational Science Hub on Cureus.