March 17, 2025
Meghan O'Toole
Eukaryon to inaugurate 21st issue of award-winning journal
The print and web-based student publication Eukaryon, which highlights scholarship in the life sciences, will be inaugurated on March 27 at 4:30 p.m. in the Tarble Room in Brown Hall.
Eukaryon is an award-winning undergraduate research journal that publishes the very best of life science scholarship conducted at Lake Forest College within its research-rich classrooms and faculty labs. The journal is governed, peer-reviewed, and published by an undergraduate editorial board.
Neuroscience and biochemistry and molecular biology major Lira Zajmi '25 from Peje, Kosovo is the current editor of the publication. Neuroscience and biology major Jeremy Levin '26 from Deerfield, IL is the editor-elect.
“ Eukaryon is not just a journal; it is a community—a space where young scholars find their voices and contribute to a legacy that extends far beyond themselves,” Zajmi said. “This inauguration is not just about celebrating a publication—it’s about celebrating the collective efforts of bright, determined minds who refuse to settle for anything less than excellence. I hope that when people read this issue, they see the passion behind every page and feel encouraged to ask bigger questions, seek deeper truths, and continue pushing the boundaries of what we know.”
“Working on Eukaryon has given me the opportunity to collaborate with peers, engage with scientific writing, and better understand the publication process,” Levin said. “I’ve gained valuable editorial and leadership skills while helping make student research more accessible.”
Disque D. and Carol Gram Deane Professor of Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Neuroscience Shubhik DebBurman serves as the editorial board faculty advisor.
“As the faculty creator of this amazing endeavor in 2003, which I proposed as an outcome for a National Science Foundation grant that I received, I never once imagined that this unique journal would grow and flourish into its third decade the way it has,” DebBurman shared. “The journal's longevity and success truly speaks to its continuing relevance within our life sciences science curriculum. In the strongest of liberal arts traditions, our faculty focus on developing science students as research-focused scholars that graduate with strong communications skills and this journal provides an exceptional platform to highlight our classroom and professional success.”
This year, Professor of Biology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Karen Kirk will be speaking at the event, highlighting this year’s theme,“Decoding Life’s Blueprint." Kirk’s research explores how telomeres, the protective ends of chromosomes, are maintained and their role in cellular aging. Her work investigates telomerase RNA, which regulates telomere length, a crucial process for genetic stability and longevity.
The inauguration, which is open to the public, highlights the College's scholarly innovation as well as student experiential learning. The journal gives students on the editorial board the opportunity to develop professional skills in peer-review, copyediting, and web and print publication formatting while enabling them to polish leadership skills in maintaining and creating the journal's policies and managing content.
“For our over 250 student authors since 2004, being published in Eukaryon is such a valued outcome, as their outstanding writing is recognized and the wider world gets to have direct access to their academic work,” DebBurman said. “In my mind, Eukaryon remains one of the best examples of how our students model real world practices through a student organization at the College.”
About Eukaryon
Eukaryon is an award-winning undergraduate research journal at Lake Forest College that publishes the very best of life science scholarship conducted by Lake Forest students. The journal’s goal is to celebrate and highlight the academic accomplishments of students achieved within the research-rich classrooms and student-centered research labs of Lake Forest College faculty. The word “eukaryon” reflects the diversity of organisms with which the life sciences faculty are involved through their scholarship.
The students and faculty in the life sciences at Lake Forest College founded this peer-reviewed annual online journal in 2004. To date, over 250 Lake Forest College students have become published authors in Eukaryon. In 2024, the journal celebrated 20 years as an independent publication, and in 2025, its board is celebrating 20 years as a Lake Forest College student organization.
Eukaryon is published by students at Lake Forest College, who are solely responsible for its content. The views expressed in Eukaryon do not necessarily reflect those of the College. Articles published within Eukaryon should not be cited in bibliographies. Material contained herein should be treated as personal communication and should be cited as such only with the consent of the author.
About Inauguration speaker Karen Kirk
The 2025 inauguration speaker is Dr. Karen Kirk, Professor of Biology and Professor and co-Chair of Biochemistry an Molecular Biology at Lake Forest College. She specializes in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, with a focus on infectious diseases, genetics, genomics, and cancer. Kirk’s research explores how telomeres, the protective ends of chromosomes, are maintained and their role in cellular aging. Her work investigates telomerase RNA, which regulates telomere length, a crucial process for genetic stability and longevity. She conducts her research using model organisms such as Aspergillus nidulans, which reproduce quickly and serve as valuable tools for undergraduate research. Kirk earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Delaware, followed by a PhD in Molecular Genetics from Rutgers University. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.
She will present her talk, "Decoding Life’s Blueprint," in alignment with this year’s theme. Her lecture will delve into the molecular mechanisms that shape our genetic code and how these discoveries impact medicine, aging, and biotechnology. As an accomplished scientist, Kirk has published numerous articles with Lake Forest College students as co-authors, contributed significantly to her field with NSF-funded research, and mentored generations of students in cutting-edge research on genome stability and aging who have gone on to become established scientists, physicians, and health professionals.
