NERLSCD 2025 Abstracts

Thursday, October 9

Breakout: Genomics in Transition: Present Realities and Future Potential

Bony De Kumar (Yale University), Anoja Perera (Stowers Institute), Sara Goodwin (CSHL), Sridar V. Chittur (SUNY, Albany), Silas Maniatis (New York Genome Center)
Genomic sequencing technologies are advancing at an unprecedented pace, reshaping both research and clinical landscapes. This panel discussion will explore recent breakthroughs in sequencing technologies, including short-read, long-read, and next-generation platforms, and evaluate their transformative impact on scientific discovery and patient care. New sequencing-based applications, enabling the analysis of the genome, epigenome, and transcriptome at the single-cell level with spatial information, will also be discussed by the panelists. These advancements are expected to fuel breakthroughs and innovations in biology and medicine. Panelists will highlight innovations in flow cell design, multi-omics integration, and spatial assays that are enabling researchers to extract more data from a single sequencing run. The conversation will also examine the evolving role of proteogenomics, the future of long-read sequencing in translational medicine, single-cell and spatial technologies, and the emerging opportunities for innovation beyond 2025. Beyond technological advances, the panel will address practical considerations, including funding priorities, cost-effectiveness, and adoption strategies for new genomic platforms and genomics-based technologies. Special emphasis will be placed on bridging the gap between research and clinical applications through thoughtful study design and robust data interpretation frameworks. By engaging experts across disciplines, this session aims to provide a forward-looking perspective on the priorities, challenges, and opportunities that will define the future of genomic sequencing.

Breakout: Multiomics 101

Jeremy Balsbaugh (Chair, UConn), Christopher Castaldi (Yale), Stephen Siebel (Yale), Noah Reid (Uconn) Do you have questions about advanced “omics” analysis but are too afraid to ask?  Plan to attend the “Multiomics 101” session for introductions to leading “omics” technologies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics plus downstream bioinformatic processing) and a chance to get your questions answered!  We will also cover important items to consider as investigators embark on cross-discipline, “multiomic” analyses in model or non-model organisms.

Breakout: Marketing in Core Facilities

Elizabeth Pritchett, PhD (University of Rochester) and Megan Crawford, MBA (University of Rochester)

Marketing can play a critical role in how core facilities reach users, build partnerships, and demonstrate value. This session will explore what marketing means in the context of science and specifically within a core facility, distinguishing it from operational adjustments that affect day-to-day workflows. We will share how we initiated our marketing efforts at the University of Rochester’s Center for Advanced Research Technologies, beginning with grassroots strategies such as email signatures, website updates, and special events, and how these approaches helped us connect with our research community. We will also discuss how bringing in a professional marketing strategist elevated our impact through improved visibility in Google searches, social media, targeted newsletters, targeted campaigns, and even branded materials and swag. By sharing both the perspective of a scientist approaching marketing for the first time and the added expertise of a strategist, this session will provide practical examples and lessons learned that core leaders can adapt to their own institutions. Participants will leave with an understanding of how intentional marketing can enhance visibility, engagement, and ultimately the success of core facilities. We also hope to engage in thoughtful discussion to learn from other marketing initiatives that have been implemented at other facilities.

Breakout: Emerging Technologies in Flow Cytometry

Lesley Devine (Chair, Yale), Michael Kissner (Columbia), Luca Musante (UPenn)

Flow cytometry continues to evolve beyond its traditional applications, driven by innovations that expand both the depth and breadth of cellular analysis. This session will highlight two cutting-edge approaches shaping the future of the field: imaging flow cytometry and small particle analysis. Dr. Michael Kissner (Columbia University) will share his experience with the BD FACSDiscove S8 Cell Sorter, a next-generation platform that integrates spectral flow cytometry with real-time imaging and morphological analysis. This technology enables both high-throughput quantitative analysis and detailed cellular imaging, opening new avenues for investigating morphology and spatial biology at the single-cell level. Dr. Luca Muscante (University of Pennsylvania) will discuss advances in small particle flow cytometry, highlighting emerging methods that allow sensitive detection and characterization of extracellular vesicles, viruses, and other nanoscale particles. Together, these talks will provide a forward-looking perspective on how emerging platforms are redefining the capabilities of flow cytometry and expanding its impact in both research and clinical applications.

Friday, October 10

Keynote: Nanoscale molecular cartography of the cellular membranes

Kallol Gupta, Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT Macromolecular organization between proteins and lipids at the cellular membrane is fundamental to any membrane-associated cellular signaling events. Capturing these associations demands molecular resolution that can unambiguously determine both the identity of large protein complexes, as well as small bound lipids and ligands. Simultaneously, we need nanoscale spatial resolution to capture these assemblies directly from their endogenous membrane of action. Addressing these analytical challenges, we will present our ongoing work in the lab that combines native mass spectrometry with chemical biology, molecular imaging, and other orthogonal tools to render a quantitative molecular view of the protein-lipid organization in the membrane and how that drives downstream cellular siganling.

Breakout: Opening the Electron Microscope: Institutional Models, Access, and Impact

Brandon Mercado (Chair, Yale), Jianfeng Lin (Yale), Judith Yang (BNL), Jason de la Cruz (Memorial Sloan Kettering), Ben Myers (Yale), Shize Yang (Yale) Electron microscopy (EM) is a cornerstone of discovery across the biological, chemical, and materials sciences. Yet, sustaining user access, optimizing workflows, and maximizing research impact all depend on thoughtful operational models and user support strategies. In this session, speakers will showcase different approaches to EM facility operation, from centralized core facilities at universities to national centers that serve broader communities. We’ll explore how access models are structured, what the user experience looks like at these sites, and highlight research success stories that illustrate the power of well-supported EM resources. This session aims to provide practical insights and inspiration for core facility directors, managers, and staff interested in strengthening their own institutional models, expanding access, and enabling cutting-edge research in their communities.

Breakout: Towards the standardized description and persistent identification of individual instruments at core facilities

Caterina Strambio de Castillia (Chair, UMass), Nate Herzog (UVM), Claudius Mundoma (Stanford)

The rapid expansion of core‑facility instrumentation demands robust mechanisms for uniquely describing and tracking individual assets to ensure reproducible, FAIR‑compliant research. This session will explore emerging standards and practical implementations for the standardized description and persistent identification of scientific instruments. Caterina Strambio-De-Castillia (UMass Chan Medical School) will provide a concise overview of why persistent identifiers (PIDs) and interoperable metadata registries are essential for reproducibility and data reuse. She will frame the discussion around the challenges of assigning stable, machine‑readable descriptors to complex scientific hardware. Claudius Mundoma (Stanford University) will then present the NSF FAIROS FAIR (Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable) Facilities and Instruments Research Coordination Network’s recommendations for promoting PID adoption across instruments and facilities, highlighting policy levers and community-driven incentives. Nate Herzog (University of Vermont) will describe the CoreMarketplace initiative, which leverages the Research Resource Identifier (RRID) system to assign durable IDs to core-facility instruments and their models, showcasing early successes and integration pathways. Finally, Dr. Strambio-De-Castillia will outline the NSF-funded Imaging-Persistent Hardware Descriptor (PHD) project, a collaborative effort—including both Nate Herzog and the RRID project director, Anita Bandrowsky—to develop community-defined microscopy metadata hardware descriptors. The project envisions a future where each instrument receives a unique PID linked to a standardized, extensible metadata record, enabling seamless discovery, citation, and long-term stewardship of core facility resources. Together, these talks will chart a roadmap toward universally accepted, persistent instrument identifiers that empower reproducible science across the biomedical imaging ecosystem and will be followed by ample time for interaction with attendees to address their questions and incorporate their suggestions.