The primary goal of this project is to investigate the link between EBV and MS using a virtual clinical trial framework by testing three hypotheses: EBV resurgency, impaired B cell regulation, and molecular similarity between EBV antigens and myelin in genetically predisposed individuals.

The team has developed a within-host mathematical model of EBV infection, building on existing frameworks that incorporate epithelial and B cell dynamics, to examine which mechanisms are most likely to drive disease onset, with a current focus on immune cross-reactivity. The model will be further extended to include autoreactive immune responses and myelin damage, providing a more comprehensive representation of MS-related pathology.

During her visit, Ryu also delivered a colloquium talk titled “Immune Dysregulation in COVID-19: What Can Mathematical Modeling Tell Us?” based on her recently published work supported by the National Science Foundation. In the talk, she addressed why some individuals experience mild COVID-19 while others develop severe disease, presenting a mathematical framework that captures interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the immune system. Through computational simulations and sensitivity analysis, she demonstrated how variations in immune responses can lead to divergent disease trajectories and highlighted key mechanisms that influence disease progression.

Following her time in Sydney, Ryu will travel to the University of Melbourne in late April to help organize a two-week workshop, “Collaborative Workshop for Under-Represented Genders Advancing Mathematical Biology,” co-organized with Jenner. This will be held at for the mathematical sciences in Australia near the campus of the University of Melbourne.

These visits provide valuable opportunities to advance interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthen international research connections in mathematical biology.

This article investigates how the human immune system responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a particular focus on natural killer cells and cytokine regulation and their roles in determining disease severity. Using a mathematical, within-host model that combines viral dynamics with immune interactions, the study explores how different immune responses can lead to either viral clearance or severe inflammation. The findings provide insight into key immune mechanisms and offer guidance for identifying potential targets for future COVID-19 treatments. This work is a result of a National Science Foundation-funded project���Dz���COVID-19 mathematical modeling.

is an interdisciplinary journal promoting cutting-edge research, technology transfer and knowledge translation about complex data and information processing at the interface of mathematics, biology, medicine and engineering.

Participants were organized into advocacy teams based on geographic location. Ryu and her team (of North Carolina 4th Congressional District) met with the offices of U.S. Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis through their legislative assistants and held an in-person meeting with U.S. Representative Valerie Foushee of North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District. In each meeting, Ryu participated in the discussions focused on STEM education and continued federal funding, through the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DoE), and National Institutes of Health (NIH), to sustain and strengthen the U.S. STEM workforce.

The conversations emphasized that mathematics is foundational to nearly every STEM field, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, cybersecurity, climate modeling and advanced manufacturing. While often operating behind the scenes, mathematical sciences provide the analytical framework that enables innovation across STEM fields. Federal support, such as NSF, ensures that students receive high-quality training in quantitative reasoning, data analysis, and interdisciplinary problem-solving—skills that are increasingly critical in a rapidly evolving economy.

As a faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution, Ryu highlighted how her NSF-supported research directly benefits students from various STEM majors at ������Ƶ. NSF funding allows faculty to engage undergraduates in authentic research experiences that integrate teaching and scholarship. Through these projects, students gain hands-on experience working with real data, computational models, and collaborative research teams. Many of her former and current students have gone on to graduate programs in STEM, federally funded research positions, or STEM careers in industry and healthcare, contributing directly to the national workforce pipeline.

The meetings also underscored the important role that primarily undergraduate institutions play in educating a diverse STEM workforce, including first-generation students and those from rural or underserved communities. Investments in NSF programs that support undergraduate research help expand access to STEM pathways and ensure that talent from a wide range of backgrounds is represented in the nation’s scientific workforce.

By participating in #MathSciOnTheHill, Ryu helped amplify a collective message from the mathematical sciences community: continued federal investment in mathematics education and research is a strategic investment in the strength, adaptability, and competitiveness of the U.S. STEM workforce.

The Capitol Hill visit highlighted how faculty advocacy can connect classroom and research experiences at ������Ƶ to national conversations about innovation, economic growth, and workforce development. Her Capitol Hill visit was supported by the American Mathematical Society.

At this conference, three ������Ƶ students and two faculty attended and presented.

Student Accomplishments:

• Kelly Donovan ’26, a double major in applied mathematics and statistics, a Lumen Scholar and College Fellow, presented her Lumen project titled “Novel Deep-Sea Coral Imputation Technique: Filling in Missing Data to Further Coral Conservation” in a poster session. Her research is mentored by Assistant Professor of Statistics Nic Bussberg.

• Lisa Kranec ’28, a double major in engineering and applied mathematics, presented her recent project in a poster session titled, “ Mathematical Modeling of Cardiac Macrophages in COVID-19.” Her research team is mentored by Associate Professor Hwayeon Ryu and their work has been supported by the  (under Ryu).

• Pagnapech Ngoun ’26, an engineering major, presented her collaborative research in an oral session titled, “ Mathematical Modeling of COVID-19 Reveals Immune Cell Dysfunction.” Her research represents recent findings based on a new mathematical model that accounts for the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the human immune system. Her research team is mentored by Associate Professor Hwayeon Ryu and their work has been supported by the  (under Ryu).

Faculty Accomplishments:

• Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Keta Henderson gave an invited talk on her collaborative work titled “Analysis of trade-off between dispersal and patch intrinsic growth for a landscape ecological model” in a session “Women in Mathematical Biology”. Henderson also served as a moderator and co-organizer for the Association of Women in Mathematics Panel: “Shattering the Myths—Hiring Women in Mathematics.” In addition, she participated in a professional development session focused on teaching multivariable calculus using CalcPlot3D and 3D printing. She plans to incorporate these strategies into her MTH 2520 Multivariable Calculus and Analytic Geometry in Spring 2026.

• Associate Professor of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu co-organized a special session titled “Women in Mathematical Biology,” in which a total of 16 invited speakers presented a variety of life science questions through the lens of mathematical modeling to understand complex system dynamics. The goal was to highlight the new developments or advancements along with the diverse group of researchers who drive innovation. In this session, Ryu presented her recently published paper, “,” partially supported by ������Ƶ Faculty Research & Development Full-Year, Full-Pay Sabbatical Award with Financial Assistance.

“I had a very fulfilling time while at JMM. Althe l presentations I was able to attend, all conversations I had with professors from different programs, and all pieces of feedback I received on my poster were very enriching. I’m very grateful I was able to attend the conference and I’m excited to hopefully attend in the future,” said Donovan ’26.

This work was from international collaboration with three other mathematical biologists including Susanna Röblitz at the University of Bergen in Norway, partially funded by  through its Structured Quartet Research Ensembles program and ������Ƶ Faculty Research & Development Full-Year, Full-Pay Sabbatical Award with Financial Assistance. In this collaboration, Ryu (serving as the first as well as corresponding author) and co-authors develop and analyze a mathematical model to describe the temporal evolution of the tumor volume alongside different phenotypes of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which extends their previous work on a single-cell model in the absence of tumors. Our new population-level modeling approach allows for investigating the impact of TAMs on tumor growth and tumors’ control of TAM phenotypes. To that end, model results are linked to treatment strategies that manipulate the bistable system to transition from high to low tumor volume.

, established in 1967, is one of highly cited, top-tier journals in the field of mathematical biology. It is a monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering work that provides new concepts or new understanding of biological systems using mathematical models, or methodological articles likely to find application to multiple biological systems.

Pagnapech Ngoun ’26, an engineering major, presented her collaborative research in a poster titled, “ Mathematical Modeling of COVID-19 Reveals Immune Cell Dysfunction.” Their research represents recent findings based on a new mathematical model that accounts for the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the human immune system. Her research team is mentored by Associate Professor Hwayeon Ryu, who also contributed as a judge in the undergraduate poster session. Their work has been supported by the  (under PI Ryu).

In the invited paper session “Trends in Mathematical and Computational Biology” organized by SIGMAA on Mathematical and Computational Biology, Ryu also delivered her oral presentation on her NSF-funded project.

At the conference, Ryu co-organized a special session entitled “Mathematical Modeling and Its Applications in Life Science and Public Health,” in which a total of four invited speakers presented a variety of life science questions through the lens of mathematical modeling to understand complex system dynamics. The goal was to foster innovation in the application of mathematical, statistical and computational methods to life sciences and public health while encouraging collaboration in mathematical biology research.

In this session, Ryu presented her NSF-funded project, “Mathematical Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Reveals Immune Cell Dysfunction.” She discussed a mathematical model for immune dynamics of COVID-19 to investigate the underlying mechanisms for disease severity and shared the main results around the impact of dysfunction of selected immune components on the disease progression.

Her COVID-19 research and conference trip were supported by (PI: Ryu).

Integrating Research in Science (IRIS), an innovative student-led conference, aims to celebrate interdisciplinary interactions by bringing together the realms of STEM and STEM-related fields. This one-day conference for undergraduates is designed to allow students to promote their research, network among professors and peers, and prepare for their academic and professional careers by attending expert panels.

By participating in IRIS, students engage in a collaborative environment that harbors values in creating a strong sense of community. Moreover, by bringing many departments and students with different interests together, students will explore new ideas within a diverse range of fields and be able to delve into the rich progress that cross-disciplinary interactions have to offer.

“Our students did such a wonderful job that they have collaboratively and effectively worked using each individual’s expertise and interest,” said Associate Professor of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu, who is the lead faculty member for the IRIS conference. “Without their dedication and hard work, this conference would not have been successful. As a result, the enthusiasm and participation at the conference was excellent, and all of the presentations were very well attended with great audience engagement.”

The IRIS was initially developed in 2017 and has been run at Wake Forest University annually until spring 2023, when ������Ƶ hosted the event for the first time. This year is the second time ������Ƶ is hosting the event. The Student Organizing Committee consists of Kelly Donovan ’26 (co-leader; applied mathematics and statistics), Mia Webdell ’26 (co-leader; biochemistry), Clayton McLamb ’25 (computer science and data analytics), Bailey Reutinger ’25 (statistics and biology), Rony Dahdal ’26 (computer science, mathematics and philosophy), and Murilo Ferreira Lopes ’27 (computer science) under the supervision of ������Ƶ faculty members Hwayeon Ryu and Nancy Scherich.

“IRIS was able to bring a lot of students from different backgrounds together. I did not realize the amount of time and planning it took to run a conference. I am grateful for my other committee members for helping put together IRIS 2025,” said Kelly Donovan, the co-leader of the student organizing team.

Almost 20 oral or poster presentations were given at this year’s IRIS event.

“Presenting my research at IRIS was a rewarding experience that deepened my appreciation for interdisciplinary collaboration and the creativity driving scientific discovery. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to make meaningful connections within the scientific community,” said Grady Cooke ’25, a physics major at ������Ƶ.

“I found IRIS as a way of opening ������Ƶ’s campus to student researchers from different universities, and was a unique way to engage, learn about, and bridge the gap between ������Ƶ and other academic communities,” said Rony Dahdal ’26.

IRIS is attended by students and faculty from regional colleges and universities. This year’s keynote talk, “Sifting Through Junk: Can AI/Machine Learning Help us Determine What Matters?” was given by Keriayn Smith, associate professor at the School of Data Science and Society, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Genetics in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. The keynote talk is followed by oral and poster presentations, and concludes with a panel session for both academia and industry.

“I was really impressed by the quality of the presentations and the confidence students demonstrated when presenting their lectures and posters,” said Associate Professor of Exercise Science Matt Wittstein. “The diversity of topics also made the conference more fun, because there were plenty of opportunities to learn something new that the presenters were passionate to teach us about.”

“The IRIS conference allowed students to increase their networking skills while teaching them how to present their work to a wider audience. Developing the skills associated with presenting highly technical research to audiences from diverse backgrounds and interests is a challenge for even the most experienced researchers, and experiences like participating in IRIS provides undergraduates with this opportunity,” said Assistant Professor of Biology Efraín Rivera-Serrano.

Ryu won the section’s 2024 Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College Mathematics Faculty Member at the organization’s Annual Section Meeting in March 2024. The annual award recognizes early career teachers whose success and effectiveness in teaching undergraduate mathematics exceeds the bounds of classroom teaching.

At this year’s meeting, Ryu delivered a keynote talk entitled “How to Not Only Survive but also Thrive as an Outlier,” as a recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award last year. In her talk, Ryu shared the challenges she has faced, as well as insights from her unique journey, reflecting on the strategies that helped her not only persist but thrive in environments where she did not always fit the mold. Drawing from experiences in teaching, research and mentoring, Ryu discussed the power of authenticity, resilience and community-building in shaping her identity as a mathematician.

“I nominated Ryu for this award and was very eager to hear her acceptance speech,” said Aaron Trocki, associate professor of mathematics.”She captivated the audience in sharing her professional background in learning and teaching mathematics. She used honesty and humor to tackle the serious topic of how to treat failure in productive ways. Undergraduates, through seasoned mathematics professors, have much to gain from the insights she shared.”

After her keynote talk, Ryu received several follow-up emails from undergraduate students who attended the conference from regional colleges or universities.

“I really wanted to give you my appreciation, because I know it must have been hard to both accept that failure is inevitable and tell a room full of mathematicians about your failure,” wrote a student from Belmont University.

Another student from the University of North Georgia wrote: “I really enjoyed hearing about your story and what you have learned along the way. It was very well organized and delivered.”

The Southeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America includes educators and mathematicians in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

At this conference, over 20 members of the mathematics and statistics department (13 ������Ƶ students and 10 faculty) attended, and 18 members (11 students and seven faculty) presented.

Student Accomplishments:

• Lila Snodgrass ’26, a Lumen Scholar, and Sol Addison ’25, an Honors Fellow, co-presented their collaboration work titled “The Danceability Index” in an oral session. Their research is mentored by Assistant Professor of Mathematics Nancy Scherich.

  

• Lauren Beuerle ‘25, a Lumen Scholar and an Honors Fellow, gave an oral presentation titled, “Mathematical Modeling of COVID-19 With a Focus on Asymptomatic Transmission.” Her research is mentored by Karen Yokley, professor of mathematics.
• Jillian Thomas ‘25, an Honors Fellow, gave an oral presentation titled, “Numerical Simulation of Jellyfish Swimming,” under Yokley’s supervision.  Jillian’s work was funded by the National Science foundation.
• Liwei Chen ’25, shared her research work in a poster titled “A Recursive Approach to a Multi-State Cylindrical Lights Out Game” mentored by Kristen Mazur, associate professor of mathematics and statistics.

• Nicolas Alvarez ’27 and Murilo Lopes ‘27, gave a poster presentation on their project “Mathematical Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Reveals Immune Cell Dysfunction.” Their work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, under Associate Professor of Math Hwayeon Ryu’s supervision.

• Clayton McLamb ’25, Nat Song ‘26, Lily Helm ‘25,and William Corky ‘26 gave a poster presentation on their project “Area under a rolling ellipse (without actually rolling it)”. This project is co-mentored by Professor of Mathematics Todd Lee and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Nancy Scherich.

  

Faculty Accomplishments:

• Associate Professors of Mathematics Hwayeon Ryu and Aaron Trocki led the workshop on “Strategies for Targeting and Assessing Conceptual Understanding in Undergraduate Mathematics” based on their recent SoTL project for the Calculus I course, supported by ������Ƶ’s Inclusive Excellence in STEM Grant.

• Associate Professor of Mathematics Kristen Mazur and Senior Lecturer Ryne VanKrevelen gave a contributed talk on “Creating an Undergraduate Learning Assistants Program for Calculus 1 and Introductory Statistics Courses,” supported by an ������Ƶ Innovation Grant and ������Ƶ’s Inclusive Excellence in STEM Grant.

• Lecturer Brittany Riggs gave a contributed talk on “Developing an Interdisciplinary Course on the History of Women in Mathematics.”  This talk focused on her work developing “COR 3002: Rebel Women of Mathematics” at ������Ƶ.

• Professor of Mathematics Crista Arangala gave a contributed talk on “A Data Competency Quality Enhancement Plan.” This talk focused on ������Ƶ’s 2020-2030 Strategic Plan and commitment to a Data Competency Quality Enhancement Plan that harnesses the data-centric interdisciplinary work done across campus.