UNH undergraduate student Leandra Bryant ’25 has received the prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP) from the National Science Foundation. Awarded to students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support, with an annual stipend and tuition allowance.
Bryant’s research investigates how Syndiniales—microscopic marine parasites— live mysteriously in open water even without hosts to infect. These parasites typically infect phytoplankton, which can contribute to harmful algal blooms. Understanding their survival strategies, Bryant suggests, could offer new insights into bloom dynamics and uncover overlooked factors influencing marine food web stability. She is working with Elizabeth Harvey, associate professor in the department of biological sciences.
A dual major in biomedical sciences: medical microbiology and world languages and a 2024 McNair Scholar, Bryant says that the fellowship will allow her to fully dedicate herself to research and training while opening new possibilities in parasitology and global health.
“My goal is to study parasitology in depth, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms parasites use to infect and survive within their hosts,” she says. “I hope to apply this knowledge to advance global health in developing countries where parasitic infections disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.”
This fall, Bryant will begin her doctorate in molecular and cellular biology at Boston College, where she’ll be studying parasite biology, with a focus on Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread parasite that infects both humans and animals.
NSF awarded 1300 fewer GRFP awards than expected this year, reported Leigh Pratt, director of UNH’s Office of National Fellowships, making this an exceedingly competitive year — even beyond last year when NSF awarded 500 fewer fellowships than planned.
Several current students and alumni from UNH received honorable mentions:
Undergraduate students
- Michele Adams ’25 (Advisor: Laura Kloepper, COLSA)
- Sadie Chaffin ’25 (Advisors: Ellen Cohn/Brett Gibson, COLA)
- Maggie Krein ’25, Undergraduate student (Advisor: Jessica Ernakovich, COLSA)
Graduate students
- Javier Arambula Rascon (Advisor: Lou Tisa, COLSA)
- Thomas DiPhilippo (Advisor: Brittany White-Mathieu, CEPS)
- Jade Hodges (Advisor: Teri Oehmke, CEPS)
- Gabrielle MacNeil (Advisor: Qiayan Yu, CEPS)
- Bren Myers (Advisor: Serita Frey, NRESS, COLSA)
Alumni
- Joe Brosseau ’23
- Mariah Desroches ’21 (Cornell University)
- Keegan Eveland ’23 (Johns Hopkins University)
- Jake Gehrung ’20
- Isabelle Lopez ’23 (University of California – Santa Barbara)
- Olivia Smith ’24 (Arizona State University)
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Written By:
Sarah Schaier | College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
