Short Time, Lasting Impact: 3MT, Postdoc Spotlight Winners Share Their Stories

The Three Minute Thesis(3MT) and Postdoc Spotlight competitions at Stony Brook University ask graduate students and postdoctoral research associates to explain their research clearly in just a few minutes. For Sai Abasolo and Ankita Singh, winning led to continued achievement in their respective fields.

Abasolo, the 2025 3MT winner and a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, successfully defended her thesis in February while continuing her work in the Zhu Lab in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She went on to compete at the Council of Graduate Schools national 3MT competition in December 2025 and earned third place at the BRIDGES poster session.

Her research centers on developing and optimizing a bone organoid platform to model bone regeneration for translational applications. Abasolo manages in vivo studies in immunocompromised and wild type mice, including critical size bone defect surgeries and organoid implantation. She uses analytical assays such as ELISA, western blot and immunohistochemistry along with advanced imaging techniques including confocal microscopy and micro CT to characterize organoid and tissue samples.

She also mentors undergraduate researchers and presents her findings to both scientific and general audiences. Abasolo said the competition helped strengthen her ability to communicate the impact of her work.

"Through this experience, I learned how to become a more effective science communicator which is an essential skill for any researcher, as we are ultimately responsible for communicating the importance/impact of our work to audiences both within and beyond our fields."

She said those skills will continue to guide her as she prepares for the next stage of her career.

"I look forward to continuing to hone these skills and bringing them into my next career as I begin transitioning from my PhD."

Singh, the 2023 Postdoc Spotlight winner, was at the time a postdoctoral research associate in microbiology and immunology. After completing her postdoctoral research associate position in 2024, Singh became a research scientist in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Stony Brook.

Her work focuses on immune signaling pathways that shape gut biology. Singh is leading research on IL 17RA signaling in PDGFRA positive stromal cells and Paneth progenitors, examining their role in epithelial differentiation, regeneration and immune interactions. She is also investigating IL 22RA1 signaling in adipocytes and intestinal epithelial cells during gut injury and metabolic stress.

Singh said the competition "was a transformative experience" and had a lasting impact on how she shares her research. "It helped me refine how I communicate complex scientific ideas clearly and concisely to a broad audience, which has been invaluable for presentations, grant writing, and interdisciplinary collaborations."

The recognition also made her more confident in her work. "Winning the competition also boosted my confidence and reinforced the importance of impactful science communication in advancing my research career."

Singh is actively pursuing grant proposals to secure funding for innovative gut biology research.

This year's Three Minute Thesis competitionwill take place Friday, March 13 from 10 am to 3 pm in the Student Activities Center.