The transformative program is designed to support scholars at multiple points in their undergraduate years and early career. Renewable for up to two years, the UGSP provides:

• $20,000 per academic year to support undergraduate education expenses
• A 10-week full-time summer internship at the NIH immediately following the year of scholarship support
• One year of full-time employment with the NIH post-graduation

Because Barnes and Sterling have won the award as juniors, they are eligible to receive up to $40,000 in scholarship support, two paid summer internships (one between their junior and senior years, and another following graduation) and two years of employment upon graduation.

Approximately 15 scholars are selected each year from a nationwide pool of hundreds of applicants, and Elon students have been remarkably successful in this competition in recent years. The federally-funded program was on pause last year, but Samantha Hinton 鈥�25 was selected in 2024, and three seniors鈥擥enesis Tolbert 鈥�24, Christopher D鈥橧nzeo 鈥�24 and Samuel Ramirez 鈥�24鈥�were selected in 2023. The addition of Barnes and Sterling to the list means that Elon has been represented in the three most recent cohorts of this highly selective program.

The next application cycle for the NIH UGSP will open in Spring 2027. Interested students should contact the National and International Fellowships Office to learn more.

Sofia Barnes ’28

Sofia Barnes is a chemistry and psychology double major from Port Washington, New York. At Elon, Barnes has worked under the mentorship of Dan Wright, associate professor of chemistry, on an analysis of toxic metal concentration in medicinal herbs and spices in the United States. The research aims to fill the knowledge gap around potential contamination of medicinal herbs and spices by creating a nationwide catalog outlining the metal accumulation in numerous medical herbs and spices. This experience helped foster Barnes鈥� love of research and pushed her to seek out external opportunities like the NIH UGSP.

Thanks to the robust structure of the award, Barnes will be freer to deepen her research impact at Elon and the NIH.

鈥淭his award will not only give me the opportunity to further my career as a researcher and give me the chance to connect with mentors and peers to help push and encourage me,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚t has also provided me with the support to be able to lessen the monetary stress that comes with my undergraduate degree, which allows me to focus more on making the most out of my time in undergrad. It allows me to expand my reach with my post-grad options and where I may go after Elon which before felt more limited.鈥�

In addition to her research, Barnes is active across campus. She is a service ambassador in the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, a member of Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority Incorporated, a chemistry tutor, and has previously served as a SMART mentor and Peer Educator. Her constellation of Elon mentors includes Andrew Moffa, assistant Director for the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Justin Clar, associate professor of chemistry and director of Elon鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program, and Dr. Dan Wright, associate professor of chemistry.

Parker Sterling ’28

Parker Sterling is a double major in biology and history with minors in chemistry, neuroscience, and peace & conflict studies from Randleman, North Carolina. As an Elon College Fellow, Sterling is working under the mentorship of Jonathan Su, associate professor of engineering and chair of the Department of Engineering, to test the feasibility of a dual-drug intravaginal ring for menstrual pain. She鈥檚 supplemented her ECF research experience by assisting with data collection and processing in the Elon Physical Therapy Department鈥檚 Glen Raven Biomechanics Lab.

The NIH UGSP will be a critical step in Sterling鈥檚 development as a research scientist. While she remains committed to STEM research on her journey towards medical school, Sterling is equally committed to earning her master鈥檚 in history while working at the NIH. She seeks to understand not only the science, but also the historical and social contexts that have shaped scientific inquiry and advancement.

Sterling is highly engaged on campus outside of her research and academics. She is the Business Lead (and former President) for the Phoenix Racing Team, a physics TA, a senior resident assistant in the Global Neighborhood and a Leadership Ambassador with the Center for Leadership. As a reflection of her wide breadth of involvement, Sterling鈥檚 Elon mentors span disciplines and departments; the list includes Jonathan Su, associate professor of engineering and chair of the Department of Engineering, Andresa Bresler Bezerra, assistant teaching professor of chemistry, Efrain Rivera-Serrano, assistant professor of biology, Amanda Kleintop, assistant professor of history, and Matthew Banks, engineering lab manager and advisor for the Phoenix Racing Team.

鈥淭he magic of Elon College lies in the people who teach our students,鈥� said Hilton Kelly, Dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. 鈥淥ur new faculty members embody a commitment to the liberal arts. They are curious, inspiring and interdisciplinary thinkers. We are delighted to welcome them to our community.鈥�

New Professors for 2026-27 in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

• Jackson Cooper, assistant professor of arts administration, earned an MFA from Seattle University. He will teach Arts Administration and Community, Legal Aspects of Art and Entertainment and COR 1100: The Global Experience.
• Joseph Frey, assistant teaching professor of human service studies, earned a PhD from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He will teach Social Policy and Inequality and The Art and Science of Human Service Studies.
• Rachel Johnson, assistant professor of biochemistry, earned a PhD from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She will teach General Chemistry and Biochemistry.聽She will join in the Winter Term to teach General Chemistry and Biochemistry.
• Ariana Montoya-Lozano, assistant professor of political science and public policy and environmental studies, earned a PhD from Purdue University. She will teach Introduction to Environmental Science 1150 and Environmental Policy 3230.
• Aditi Vyas, assistant professor of biology, earned a PhD from Ohio University. She will teach Cell Biology and Genetics.
• Danny Frye, interim director of bands, earned a DMA from University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

福利亚洲国产精品 Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences provides the foundation for the study of the liberal arts and sciences at 福利亚洲国产精品. The college is comprised of 19 departments across three branches: the arts and humanities; natural, mathematical and computational sciences; and social and behavioral sciences. It hosts Elon鈥檚 chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation鈥檚 oldest honor society celebrating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.

Committed to the growth of students鈥� intellectual curiosity, intercultural competence and critical thinking, the college champions disciplinary knowledge and interdisciplinary applications to reflect upon, respond to and offer solutions to complex problems in an interconnected and changing world.

With more than 45 majors and 65 minors, the college is 福利亚洲国产精品鈥檚 largest academic division. Two-thirds of the nearly 1,600 students who graduate from Elon annually do so with at least one major or minor in the college. Within a year, over 90% of college graduates report employment in their chosen field or enrollment in top post-graduate programs.

College faculty are prolific and preeminent scholars and creators in their fields, recognized for expertise at national and international levels. Each year, its more than 300 full-time faculty publish hundreds of articles, chapters, and books, and they present at scores of conferences and events. Their scholarship results in grants and fellowships from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Institutes of Health and other prominent centers of research.

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• Elon鈥檚 Class of 2030 arrives Aug. 21
• What to know for Elon Move-In Day 2026
• Opening Day 2026: Elon celebrates progress and success while mapping the path ahead

As the Class of 2030 arrives on campus and begins their four years at Elon, current Elon students offer their advice to the incoming class.

福利亚洲国产精品 will welcome more than 1,600 new students for the 2026-27 academic year, with the Class of 2030 moving to campus on Friday, Aug. 21.

Parker Sterling 鈥�28

Major(s): Biology and History
惭颈苍辞谤蝉:听Chemistry, Neuroscience, and Peace and Conflict Studies
Hometown: Randleman, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:聽Phoenix Racing Team (Business Lead), Residence Life (Senior RA), Center for Leadership (Leadership Ambassador), Glen Raven Biomechanics Lab (Lab Assistant)

Why did you choose Elon?

“I chose Elon because I knew after the first tour that I couldn鈥檛 imagine myself anywhere else. I loved being able to have majors across disciplines, the campus, the dorms and all of the people I met.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I knew how common it is to gain and lose friends in the first year. Everyone is discovering who they are and who they want to be, so it may take a while to find friends that you can rely on.”

What advice do you have for the incoming Elon Class of 2030?

“Take every opportunity that presents itself; you never know who you will meet or what doors it will open.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was most surprised by the bonds I鈥檝e built with faculty and staff. I didn鈥檛 have a high school teacher I felt was truly a mentor, but Elon has given me so many people that I feel confident going to for advice.”

What is your favorite part about Elon?

“My favorite part about Elon is the people. I am forever grateful to the amazing friends who have supported me and cared about me to no end. I don鈥檛 want to imagine what college would be like without them.”

Ari Verinder 鈥�28

Major(s): Biology (Concentration: Biotechnology/Molecular Biotechnology)
惭颈苍辞谤蝉:听Chemistry and Food Studies
Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:聽Residence Life, Club Climbing and The Writing Center

Why did you choose Elon?

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I had known to get more involved in my specific interests on campus sooner. There really is something for everybody at Elon; you just have to find it, get involved, and, best of all, enjoy it!”

What advice do you have for the incoming Elon Class of 2030?

What surprised you most about college?

What is your favorite part about Elon?

“Don’t be afraid to meet new people. Elon is small enough that it’s easy to just stick with who and what you already know, so push yourself outside of your comfort zone.”

-Ari Verinder 鈥�28

Ella Stewart 鈥�27

Major(s): Dance Performance & Choreography, English (Concentration in Creative Writing)
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Campus Involvement:聽Student Union Board (Brand Engagement Chair), New Student Orientation (Student Coordinator), Kappa Delta member and The Writing Center.

Why did you choose Elon?

“I chose Elon because I knew I wanted to make close connections with my professors and classmates, which made the small class sizes very appealing, and Elon has a strong Performing Arts department, which aligns with my future career goals of being a professional dancer. I also knew I wanted to study abroad and Elon offers so many opportunities to study around the world. Additionally, I was drawn to the College Fellows program, which is a scholarship program where I conduct a research project within my major throughout my time at Elon.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I had known that not every moment of college is going to be absolutely perfect. It’s easy to have high expectations that everything will go smoothly all the time, and while there will be plenty of great experiences and memories, there will also be challenges. It’s completely normal to struggle sometimes, and you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.”

What advice do you have for the incoming Elon Class of 2030?

“My biggest piece of advice is to put yourself out there! I made my closest friends at Elon by just inviting myself to hang out with them. It can feel awkward and scary at first to ask people to hang out with you, but it really makes a difference. If there is someone in your class who you think you’d get along with, ask them to lunch or coffee! You can also meet people by getting involved in clubs and organizations, so sign up for what interests you. Getting involved helped me find my place on campus, so be open to trying everything, because that is how you can find your community.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was most surprised by the amount of independence and freedom I suddenly had. It can be hard to adjust to being away from your family and the comfort of home, but you also start learning how to manage your own time and responsibilities. My schedule looked a lot different than it did in high school, and I became the one in charge of how to spend my time. This shift surprised me at first, but overall it helped me grow into my independence and become more confident doing things on my own.”

What is your favorite part about Elon?

“My favorite part about Elon is the people I’ve met through my majors and leadership experiences, especially the mentors who have supported me along the way. The staff and faculty here are so kind and encouraging to each individual student, and their guidance has helped me grow in my academics and in my leadership. Elon has given me a tight-knit community of peers and mentors I can rely on, and I have met so many people who have shaped me into who I am today.”

---

Lealand Oakes 鈥�27

Major(s): Psychology
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Campus Involvement:聽New Student Programs,聽Women’s Club Rugby
Sigma Kappa,聽Elon 1010 Peer Educator,聽Psi Chi and Psychology Honor Society

Why did you choose Elon?

“I chose Elon because they genuinely care about every student, even if they haven’t fully invested in Elon yet. They put so much care into just the admissions process and first-year experience to ensure people feel cared about and seen. Of course, it doesn’t stop there; professors are always there to help and support their students, get to know them beyond the surface level, and truly want to see them succeed.”

What did you wish you knew as a first-year student?

“I wish I knew that sometimes the hard parts of transitioning to college don’t hit you immediately. They look different for everyone and can range anywhere from after the first month has passed to the start of the second semester and beyond. Everyone has their own experiences, so it is important to know your resources on campus and have people you can go to when those bumps in the road happen.”

What advice do you have for the incoming Elon Class of 2030?

“Get out of your room, do new things, be involved. This can look different for everyone, but it’s so helpful for finding your people in this new chapter. I would also say that taking care of yourself is so important. Holistic wellness goes a long way in college. If you are taking care of one aspect of wellness that can bleed into another area. Do things that make you happy, take care of your body and use your resources.”

What surprised you most about college?

“I was surprised that I was still able to get the same support in class and out of class that I had the opportunity to receive in high school. I was worried that as soon as I got to college, everything would be on me. I can say with full confidence that I have not needed to shoulder everything all on my own. Elon has so many resources that cover a wide range of aspects of college life.”

What is your favorite part about Elon?

“My favorite part about Elon is that there are so many people from so many different places. Coming to Elon, I didn’t really know many people, and I am so happy that was the case. It was nerve-racking for sure, but it meant that I have learned so much and met so many people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”

The article, 鈥�,鈥� explores a central challenge in the field: the same immune defenses that protect cells from viral infection can also influence whether a cancer-targeting virus succeeds as a therapy. Strong antiviral responses may stop a virus before it can spread through and destroy a tumor, while those same responses can help recruit immune cells, improve recognition of cancer cells and promote longer-lasting antitumor immunity.

Rather than simply maximizing viral replication or suppressing antiviral immunity, Roberts and Rivera-Serrano propose that effective therapies may depend on identifying a 鈥減roductive immune window鈥� in which enough viral replication occurs to kill tumor cells while preserving the immune activation needed to generate a broader anticancer response. The commentary highlights mammalian reovirus as an example of how viral genetics, tumor cell type and antiviral signaling may work together to determine therapeutic outcomes.

The topic directly complements Roberts鈥� ongoing undergraduate research in the Rivera-Serrano Lab. His project investigates whether targeting antiviral pathways, including type I interferon signaling and the antiviral protein PKR, can enhance the ability of reovirus to infect and kill human fibrosarcoma cells.

Roberts has received external funding for his research, recently completed Elon鈥檚 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, and presented his research at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society for Virology in Minneapolis. He will continue the project during his senior year as the Rivera-Serrano Lab works to better understand how the interactions between viruses, cancer cells and the immune system can inform the development of more effective oncolytic virus therapies.

The 2026鈥�2029 CompBioPMN brings together more than 20 faculty members from primarily undergraduate institutions across the United States. The program seeks to strengthen participants’ connections to the computational biology community, reduce the professional isolation that faculty can experience at smaller institutions, and provide strategies and resources to support career advancement.

Ryu and Perreault participated in the network’s first in-person workshop Aug. 3鈥�4 at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. The workshop introduced participants to the network, provided opportunities to build relationships with peers, and highlighted resources for teaching and undergraduate research.

A central component of CompBioPMN is the development of sustained peer-mentoring relationships. During the 2026鈥�27 and 2027鈥�28 academic years, participants will meet regularly in small “Alliance” groups of approximately four to six faculty members. These groups are designed to provide ongoing mentorship, accountability and community while helping participants establish and make progress toward individual professional goals.

The program also provides opportunities for participants to exchange educational resources and approaches for teaching and mentoring undergraduate research at the intersection of biology, computer science and mathematics.

Participation in CompBioPMN complements Elon’s commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship and undergraduate research. Through the network, Ryu and Perreault will have opportunities to develop new collaborations with faculty at other undergraduate-focused institutions, exchange ideas for integrating computational approaches into computational biology education and research, and bring new resources and perspectives back to the Elon community.

The CompBioPMN Program is organized by Anna Ritz, Margaret Oakley Dayhoff associate professor of bioinformatics at Reed College, and is supported by the National Science Foundation through the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Award #2527521 to Ritz).

Viral myocarditis is a potentially serious condition in which a viral infection triggers excessive inflammation that damages the heart. When the body detects the virus, it activates an immediate defense system called the innate immune response. That response is necessary for controlling the infection, but if it is too strong, lasts too long or occurs at the wrong time; the resulting inflammation can also damage heart tissue. Their project seeks to understand why the immune response sometimes protects the heart and, at other times, contributes to injury.

A mathematical model allows Ryu and Rivera-Serrano to create a simplified, virtual representation of what is happening inside the infected heart in ways that are currently impossible to achieve using biology and experiments alone. They will use equations to describe how the amount of virus changes over time, how different heart and immune cells respond, how those cells communicate through signaling molecules, and how those interactions influence inflammation and tissue damage.

鈥淥ur goal is to develop a mathematical model that integrates several biological processes occurring during viral myocarditis, including viral replication, infection and death of heart muscle cells, activation of antiviral defenses, recruitment of immune cells, inflammatory signaling and longer-term tissue damage,鈥� said Ryu, associate professor of mathematics.

This will be a highly interdisciplinary project. Ryu, as a principal investigator, will lead the development, simulation and mathematical analysis of the model, while Rivera-Serrano, as a co-principal investigator, will provide expertise in virology, cell biology and innate immunity and will lead the experimental component.

鈥淭he mathematical and laboratory work will inform one another鈥攅xperimental findings will help us make the model more biologically realistic, while predictions from the model will help us decide which biological interactions and hypotheses should be tested in the laboratory with undergraduate researchers here at Elon,鈥� Ryu said.

The project combines computational research, led by Ryu, with hands-on laboratory experiments, led by Rivera-Serrano.

鈥淚n the laboratory, we will grow heart and immune cells to examine how viral infection changes the behavior and biochemical signals produced and received by these distinct cell types,鈥� Rivera-Serrano said. 鈥淲e will measure outcomes such as viral infection and replication, cell survival or death, and the production of antiviral and inflammatory signaling molecules鈥�.

These experiments will provide currently unavailable data that can be incorporated into the mathematical model and used to evaluate whether the model accurately reflects biological behavior. The process will also work in the other direction: if the model predicts that a particular cell type, signaling molecule or time point has an especially strong effect on inflammation, they can design experiments to test that prediction. Rather than treating the laboratory and mathematical components as separate projects, Ryu and Rivera-Serrano see them as a continuous feedback loop.

This research is important because the body needs a strong enough response to control the virus, but excessive or prolonged inflammation can weaken the heart, interfere with its electrical activity, and contribute to heart failure or other serious complications. Although many aspects of viral myocarditis have been studied, it remains difficult to understand how the different cardiac and immune cells communicate and how their interactions collectively shape disease progression over time.

鈥淏y combining mathematical modeling with laboratory experiments, we can gain insights into the immune response that neither approach could achieve independently,鈥� Ryu said. 鈥淭his allows us to integrate existing knowledge, identify the most influential biological mechanisms, and determine which questions are the most important to investigate experimentally. Ultimately, our goal is to provide researchers with a better roadmap for understanding when inflammation is protective and when it begins to damage the heart. That knowledge could guide future studies aimed at developing safer and more effective treatments for viral myocarditis.鈥�

By the end of the project, Ryu and Rivera-Serrano hope to have developed and experimentally evaluated a mathematical framework that explains how viral replication, antiviral immunity, inflammatory signaling, and communication among heart and immune cells shape the progression of viral myocarditis.

Undergraduate research will be a central component to this project. Students from biology, mathematics, engineering and related STEM disciplines will be able to contribute according to their interests and expertise while also learning how researchers communicate and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries.

Students may help review scientific literature, design the model, estimate biological parameters, write and analyze computer simulations, conduct cell biology and biochemical experiments, analyze experimental data and compare laboratory findings with model predictions. They will also gain experience communicating their work through research presentations, national conferences and scientific publications.

鈥淎 particularly valuable aspect of the project is that students will not be limited to one narrow role,鈥� Rivera-Serrano said. 鈥淎 biology student may learn how experimental observations are converted into equations, while a mathematics or engineering student may learn how assumptions in a model correspond to actual cellular processes. Learning to communicate across disciplines is one of the most valuable skills students can develop for today鈥檚 biomedical research, where many important problems require expertise from multiple fields.鈥�

福利亚洲国产精品 Professor of BIology Dave Gammon recently attended the of the in Cincinnati, Ohio. He presented research he began while working in the summer of 2025 with a SURE student, Virginia Campbell 鈥�26.

The research project Gammon presented at ABS centers on the evolution of vocal mimicry in the taxonomic family that includes the , , and the . He specifically compared the mimicry of these three species and found that mockingbirds mimic five times as much as the other two species. Counterintuitively, he also found that the diversity of mimicry is similar between the three species.

One of his most intriguing findings is that each mimic species puts its own ‘vocal stamp’ on the sounds of the species they imitate. For example, even though normally repeat their syllable phrases four or five times, catbirds don’t repeat wren phrases at all, thrashers repeat them just twice, and mockingbirds repeat them three or more times. These numerical differences match acoustic differences already found in the nonmimetic sounds of these three mimic species, suggesting that copying models perfectly is less important than following species-specific rules for how to sing.

Rivera-Serrano, Hutchinson and Roberts represented 福利亚洲国产精品 at the 45th annual meeting of the , held July 27鈥�30 at the University of Minnesota鈥揟win Cities.

Rivera-Serrano received a Teacher of Undergraduates Travel Award, while Hutchinson and Roberts each received Undergraduate Travel Awards. The awards supported their participation in the national meeting, where all three presented posters highlighting research conducted in the Rivera-Serrano Lab.

Rivera-Serrano presented 鈥淒evelopment of Laboratory Modules in Virology Suitable for the Undergraduate Classroom.鈥� The project focuses on developing accessible laboratory activities that allow undergraduate students to investigate fundamental concepts in virology, including viral infection, replication and interactions with host cells. The modules are designed particularly for institutions where opportunities to incorporate experimental virology into the undergraduate curriculum may be limited.

Hutchinson presented 鈥淩eovirus Reassortants Reveal Context-Dependent Oncolytic Phenotypes Across Epithelial Cancer Cell Lines.鈥� His poster highlighted findings from a recently published study examining how genetically diverse reoviruses infect and kill different epithelial cancer cell models. The work demonstrated that the anticancer properties of individual reovirus strains can vary depending on the type of cancer cell being studied, emphasizing the importance of both viral genetics and cellular context when identifying potential cancer-targeting viruses.

Roberts presented 鈥淭argeting Immune Pathways to Enhance the Oncolytic Potential of Reovirus Against Fibrosarcoma Cells.鈥� His research explores whether disrupting antiviral immune pathways within fibrosarcoma cells can improve the ability of reovirus to infect and kill the cancer cells. Roberts recently completed Elon鈥檚 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience under Rivera-Serrano鈥檚 mentorship and will continue his research during his senior year. Roberts鈥� project has received support from the North Carolina Academy of Sciences, North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) and Elon鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Program. His recent聽NCICU Undergraduate Research Award application received the highest rating among the 2026 award recipients in recognition of the project鈥檚 scientific merit, feasibility and broader significance.

Participation in the ASV meeting provided Hutchinson and Roberts with opportunities to communicate their research to virologists from across the United States and abroad, receive feedback from experts in the field and learn about current advances in virology. The experience also reflects the Rivera-Serrano Lab鈥檚 commitment to involving undergraduate students in collaborative biomedical research and supporting their development as independent scientists.

For his first undergraduate research project at Elon, Thomas Gress 鈥�27 is looking to make an impact on people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, including his own brother.

鈥淏efore I started this, he鈥檇 been suffering for four years, and there seemed to be no end in sight,鈥� said Gress, a biology major from Savannah, Georgia. 鈥淪o, this was something small that I could do to be of use.鈥�

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious and often long-lasting illness that keeps people from doing their usual activities. It makes physical and mental exertion difficult, and symptoms include trouble thinking, severe tiredness and other symptoms.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a bit of an elusive chronic disease,鈥� Gress said. 鈥淭here are no pharmacotherapies available and there are no biomarkers for confirmed disease, so all we can do is experiment with lifestyle, and a big part of that is exercise.鈥�

Exercise is the focus of Gress鈥� research, working with Professor of Exercise Science Eric Hall to design a four-week study to compare two different approaches to exercise. Before the study begins, each participant undergoes a walking test to determine their comfortable walking distance. Most participants are expected to walk between 10 and 20 minutes, although no one is expected to walk for more than 45 minutes.

Participants are then divided into two groups: graded exercise therapy and pacing therapy. The study focuses on the concept of an 鈥渆nergy envelope,鈥� a term used to describe the amount of physical activity a person鈥檚 body can comfortably perform. One approach suggests that people may benefit from gradually pushing beyond their usual limits, while the other suggests that people should stay within their comfort zone and adjust activity levels based on how they feel.

During the study, participants use their baseline walking time to set weekly goals. In the first week, they are asked to walk for 80% of their baseline time. This increases to 90% in the second week, 100% in the third week and 110% in the fourth week. However, there is an important difference between the two groups. Participants in the graded exercise therapy group are required to follow this schedule exactly. Participants in the pacing therapy group are encouraged to follow the schedule but have the flexibility to adjust their activity based on their energy levels and personal needs.

Gress will present his research at the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) presentations on July 23 in the Snow Family Grand Atrium. Students apply to the annual research symposium, which usually takes place during the summer before the junior or senior year. It is one of several opportunities for students to showcase undergraduate research, a cornerstone of the Elon education and one of the five聽Elon Experiences. Students are also able to present scholarly work at the聽Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

Gress hopes this research will reveal which approach is more effective at helping participants stay committed to the program and whether either method leads to lower levels of fatigue, hopefully helping people with CFS.

鈥淔or all of these patients, there’s no other option,鈥� Gress said. 鈥淭here are no drugs available, only a few supplements with very little efficacy. So, it seems the best option is experimenting with lifestyle. And if not this, then there is nothing.鈥�

The article, 鈥�,鈥� continues the Rivera-Serrano Lab鈥檚 work exploring the potential of reoviruses as cancer-targeting agents. The study examined a panel of genetically distinct reoviruses across three epithelial cancer cell models. The work found that different reovirus strains showed cell line-dependent patterns of infectivity and cancer cell killing, with some reassortant viruses showing enhanced activity compared with parental strains. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of reovirus-based cancer-targeting approaches may depend not only on viral genetics, but also on the specific cancer cell context.

Reoviruses are being studied as potential oncolytic agents, or viruses that preferentially infect and kill cancer cells. While much of the field has focused on one prototype strain, the Elon study highlights the importance of exploring broader reovirus genetic diversity. Because reoviruses contain segmented genomes, different strains can exchange genome segments through a process known as reassortment, generating viruses with new combinations of traits that may influence infection, replication and cytotoxicity.

The article reinforces the value of comparative screens in cancer virotherapy research. The study found that viral infectivity and cancer cell killing did not always fully overlap, suggesting that efficient infection alone does not necessarily predict how strongly a virus will reduce cancer cell viability. Instead, the findings point to a more complex relationship among viral entry, replication, antiviral responses and cell death pathways.

The project builds on ongoing research in Rivera-Serrano鈥檚 laboratory, where undergraduate students use cell biology, virology and immunology approaches to understand how viral genetics influence cancer cell susceptibility. Hutchinson, the article鈥檚 first author and Nursing major, contributed to experimental work and data analysis as part of his mentored research experience in the lab for three semesters and participation in Elon鈥檚 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

Carter, who performed research as a visiting high school student in the summer of 2025, contributed to data analysis, highlighting the lab鈥檚 broader commitment to expanding access to biomedical research experiences beyond the undergraduate level. Dagli, who recently co-authored a related study in Virus Genes on reovirus reassortants with enhanced activity against fibrosarcoma cells, also contributed to the current work as part of the lab鈥檚 continuing effort to evaluate how viral genetic diversity shapes oncolytic potential.