Beyond the Lab: Scholars Abroad

Posted on October 17, 2026 by

David Forbes, Bailey Baxter, Mary Helene Marmande and Masakazu Nambo stand left to right. data-lightbox='featured'

David Forbes, Bailey Baxter, Mary Helene Marmande and Masakazu Nambo (left to right) at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University, Japan, during summer 2026. Photograph supplied by David Forbes.

During summer 2026, University of South Alabama undergraduates and Goldwater Scholars Mary Helene Marmande and Bailey Baxter completed an eight-week research trip to Japan. Joining their research mentor, David Forbes, during his sabbatical at Nagoya University's Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), they worked alongside the Crudden laboratory to advance their senior honors theses.

The students gained hands-on experience with advanced analytical techniques like single-crystal X-ray diffraction and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Their research on a norcantharidin analogue led to co-authorship of a paper published in Acta Crystallographica Section E in September 2026, with a second manuscript submitted to Molbank.

Navigating a new laboratory environment, everyday customs, and cultural norms helped both students gain confidence in their abilities and broaden their perspective on international and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The above is a summary of an article published by the International Union of Crystallography Newsletter, click here.

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