IMPACT

After decades of researching membrane protein folding as a physician scientist, William (Bill) Skach joined an industry-leading foundation to help hundreds of labs and companies worldwide develop treatments for rare mutations of cystic fibrosis.

Every summer, Oregon State’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) in the College of Science empowers students to turn curiosity into discovery, and in many cases, personal experiences into purpose. For Ashley Tran, it was finding a sense of belonging in a lab led by women of color.

The findings open the door to designing novel compounds for killing disease-causing organisms that have become resistant to antibiotics.

For Jordan Indrawan, SURE meant channeling his own battle with cancer into studying the proteins linked to the disease.

This round of funding supports biologist Mark Novak and biochemist Adrian Gombart, whose work addresses urgent global questions from climate-driven shifts in marine food webs to the genetic underpinnings of immune system function.

A College of Science alumna and a Ph.D. student have been awarded 2025–26 Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to conduct research abroad. They join 17 College of Science students and alumni who have earned Fulbright honors over the past decade.

Audrey Bivens combined lab work, language immersion, and cultural exploration in Spain, gaining hands-on experience in crystallography while building confidence and career skills.

Wine science changed Emily Kaneshiro’s life. From riding bikes in the Netherlands to landing a summer internship at a small, family-owned winery in France’s Loire Valley, she fell in love with fermentation science

A research team in the College of Science has revealed how cells move lipids — essential fats — between membranes, a process fundamental to brain health, metabolism and immunity.

The College of Science will host its inaugural Graduate Research Showcase from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16, 2025 in the Memorial Union Horizon Room.

Founded in 2018, SciRIS funds interdisciplinary research projects that aim to create meaningful societal impact. This year, biologist David Lytle’s project focuses on understanding the complex interactions between multiple biotic components, including food base, disease landscape and microbiome in the lower Colorado River, including the Grand Canyon.