Nearly 50 members of the Cleveland BioScience Alliance (BSA) met on January 7, 2026, for the annual BSA symposium. This year’s event was hosted by Cleveland Metroparks Zoo at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Auditorium. The symposium provided a valuable opportunity for faculty, staff, and students of the BSA partner organizations (Case Western Reserve University Department of Biology, Holden Forests & Gardens, and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo) to showcase on-going research, student training opportunities, and collaborations. The symposium began with an official welcome from the Executive Director of Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Dr. Chris Kuhar. Dr. Kristen Lukas then shared a brief overview of the history and goals of the BSA. Dr. Pam Dennis presented updates on the zoo’s key research and student training programs before proposing some ideas for future collaborative work among the BSA organizations. Drs. Katie Stuble and Juliana Medeiros presented on the research and monitoring programs of Holden Forests & Gardens while highlighting the contributions and professional development of BSA students and interns. Dr. Jean Burns of CWRU shared aspects of her rhododendron research while emphasizing the collaborations with Holden Forests & Gardens staff and BSA graduate students.
A collection of recent PhD graduates and current BSA graduate students, Dr. Kaylin Tennant, Maura Plocek, and Brady Parlato, shared aspects of their research on the role of insulin on regurgitation and reingestion behavior of gorillas, the impact of diet on colobine monkey gastrointestinal health and fecal microbiome, and the effects of amphibians and greenhouses on forest floor communities, respectively. The second half of the event included a small poster session and the opportunity for attendees to network and converse while enjoying food and beverages.
Feedback on the event from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive, and many attendees reported ideas to help build on the successes of this year’s symposium. Preparations are already underway for the next BSA symposium to be hosted by Holden Forests & Gardens. Now in its eighth year, the Cleveland BioScience Alliance continues to demonstrate the strength and impact of cross-institutional collaboration, with this year’s successful symposium reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing research, training, and partnership well into the future.
You can learn more about the BioScience Alliance HERE.
