IBBR Postdoc Takes 3rd Place in Flash Talk Competition at UMD’s Postdoctoral Research Symposium

Dr. Patrick Keating, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Jaekyun Jeon’s laboratory, earned 3rd place in the Flash Talk Competition at the University of Maryland’s 2025 Postdoctoral Research Symposium!

The symposium’s second annual event showcased the breadth of postdoctoral research across the University System of Maryland, providing a dynamic platform for postdocs to present their work and connect with peers, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Keating’s three-minute presentation, “Quantifying Aluminum Adjuvant Adsorption Capacity through Lipid Adsorption with Solid-State NMR,” impressed judges with its clear and engaging communication of complex vaccine research to a broad scientific audience. He summarized key aspects of vaccine components, the importance of adjuvants and adsorption capacity, his team’s lipid-based hypothesis, initial adsorption results, and their goal to use solid-state NMR to elucidate the antigen–adjuvant mechanism.

By advancing solid-state NMR tools to quantify adsorption capacity and examine how environmental stress influences adjuvant performance, Dr. Keating’s work aims to enhance vaccine formulation, quality control, and design.

In recognition of his achievement, the UMD Graduate School will award him with a stipend to support conference travel or research materials. Congratulations to Dr. Keating on this well-deserved honor! His research is supported through the IBBR Postdoctoral Program, which provides early-career scientists with professional development opportunities and interdisciplinary mentorship. To learn more, visit: https://www.ibbr.umd.edu/ipp