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  • May
    22

    EES Seminar- How Coral DNA is Packed in 3D and Why It May Matter for Stress Relief- Shanna Davidson

    McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

    2:00 PM A230, Technological Institute

    EVENT DETAILS

    Abstract: The ability of eukaryotic cells to fit nearly 2 meters of DNA into a single micron-scale nucleus, as well as selectively access the right genes at the right time, is a physical challenge that remains a key biological question. How DNA is folded in 3D can influence which genes are easy to turn on or off, particularly during stress. Emerging research in mammalian cells has shown that chromatin, the DNA and its associated histone proteins, are not arranged as a fixed, rigid hierarchy. Instead, chromatin has been found to form, dynamic, heterogenous “neighborhoods”: nanoscale “packing domains” characterized by dense interior cores and more open outer regions, held in place by different factors, such as post-translational modifications of the histone proteins. These local 3D environments help shape gene activity and could contribute to cellular
    “memory” of past conditions. This paradigm shift in chromatin 3D organization may be critically important for our understanding in the resilience of ecologically important species, as environments change due to anthropogenic activities. Here, we ask whether similar 3D packing principles occur in reef-building corals, sessile organisms which must respond quickly to environmental change, such as marine heat stress. Although the field of coral epigenetics is rapidly growing, the potential role of 3D genome organization in regulating gene expression remains largely unexplored. We adapt ChromSTEM, a high-resolution electron microscopy approach, to visualize and quantify DNA packing in coral cells at nanometer resolution and compare these patterns to those reported in human cells. This work is a first step toward connecting 3D genome structure with gene regulation and stress responses in a non-model, ecologically important organism.

    Bio: Shanna Davidson is a postdoctoral scholar in the Marcelino lab in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University. Prior to joining Northwestern, she earned her PhD in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. Her current research bridges physical genomics and environmental science by investigating how the three-dimensional organization of chromatin regulates cellular responses to environmental change. Utilizing a suite of nanoscale imaging techniques and molecular approaches, she studies genome architecture in corals to understand how these ecologically critical organisms respond to ocean warming.

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    TIME Friday, May 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

    LOCATION A230, Technological Institute    map it

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    CONTACT Andrew Liguori    andrew.liguori@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

  • Jun
    11

    Undergraduate Cocktail Reception

    McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

    6:30 PM 1026 Davis St Upstairs

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

    LOCATION 1026 Davis St Upstairs   

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    CONTACT Andrew Liguori    andrew.liguori@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

  • Jun
    12

    CEE Graduation and Recognition Ceremony

    McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

    2:00 PM 1702 Chicago Ave

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Friday, June 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

    LOCATION 1702 Chicago Ave   

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    CONTACT Andrew Liguori    andrew.liguori@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

  • Jun
    14

    Spring 2026 Commencement

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Sunday, June 14, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Jun
    15

    Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony

    McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

    9:00 AM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Monday, June 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

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    CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Jun
    15

    Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

    McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

    2:00 PM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Monday, June 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

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    CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • Jun
    19

    Juneteenth - University Closed

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Friday, June 19, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Jul
    3

    Independence Day (observed) - University Closed

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Friday, July 3, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

  • Sep
    16

    CEE Faculty Retreat

    McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

    10:00 AM 1702 Chicago Ave

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

    LOCATION 1702 Chicago Ave   

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    CONTACT Andrew Liguori    andrew.liguori@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

  • Sep
    16

    CEE Department BBQ

    McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

    4:00 PM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

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    CONTACT Andrew Liguori    andrew.liguori@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR McCormick - Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

  • Sep
    23

    Fall 2026 Classes Begin

    University Academic Calendar

    All Day

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, September 23, 2026

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    CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR University Academic Calendar