Daniel Muñoz ’26: From Pre-Med Club to Published Research

“Purchase was the most supportive environment I had ever been in.”

Born with a curious mind, Daniel Muñoz ’26 was always fascinated with the material world. He recalls asking his father on a childhood road trip where traffic signs came from, which led to a conversation about metals and where they came from.

“If there was something I noticed in life that I didn’t know, I would always ask about it,” says Muñoz.

That curiosity paid off this year when Muñoz helped conduct comprehensive research and co-authored a scientific study on its findings, “Host-associated mitochondrial structure and broad geographic connectivity in Drepanocephalus associated with migratory cormorants” recently published in the Dec. 2026 International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife.

Through funding from the National Science Foundation and the biology program’s CURE (Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience), Muñoz was hired as a research technician. Along with Associate Professors of Biology, Erika Ebbs and Stephen Harris, the team studied the genetic makeup of flatworms that infect cormorants, a type of waterbird, examining samples from the birds’ stomachs and intestines. Their research shed light on the origins of these parasites and how they relate to similar parasites found in waterbirds across the country.

“It was exciting to report on how diverse the species is,” says Muñoz.

“Parasite pathology is so complex. We examined every worm to see if those we found here in New York State are the same species found in the South.” 

The study was part of Muñoz’s senior project and used cutting-edge scientific methods including genomic sequencing, analysis, and interpretation—all taught in-house and on-site at Purchase.

“We’re trying to understand why certain species harbor a specific parasite or a specific virus,” explains Prof. Ebbs.

“Can we learn anything from the host or its habitat? Are there certain types of habitats that support disease transmission more or less than others?”

Pre-Med Advising, Shadowing, and Mentorship

Right out of the gate as a freshman, Muñoz focused on a pre-med track, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. He enrolled in Bio Freshman Seminar, General Bio, and Genetics Lab with Ebbs. A self-starter, he “tagged on to senior projects” of other classmates, she says.

Purchase’s comprehensive pre-medical school advising and the student-run Pre-Med Club (PMC) provided a welcoming and informal platform where like-minded undergraduates could meet and exchange information. Through the PMC, he shadowed health care professionals at White Plains Hospital Center for Advanced Medicine. 

“The very special thing about SUNY Purchase is that we prioritize experiential learning, and we scale that across our entire curriculum,” says Ebbs. 

Through the Purchase Broadview Mentorship program, Muñoz met one-on-one with Dr. Steven Shelov, founder of the Long Island School of Medicine (now a division of NYU Langone Health).

“It was something that, at that time, was unfathomable to me,” says Muñoz.

He also shadowed Dr. Melissa Glassman, a professor of pediatrics at Columbia University’s medical school, during well-baby visits at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Presenting Undergraduate Research Like a Professional

Back at Purchase, Muñoz showcased his senior project at the James Utter Natural and Social Sciences Research Symposium, a venue modeled on professional science conferences and an opportunity for seniors to present to a wide audience of peers, alumni, family, faculty, and members of the community.    

More rigorous for Muñoz was the SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, a multidisciplinary spring semester event held this year at Syracuse University that, says Ebbs, “gives all of our students an amazing edge in their communications, in their professional development and their postgraduate applications.”

Purchase in Practice

Muñoz’s path, from a freshman pre-med track to a peer-reviewed publication, reflects how SUNY Purchase approaches undergraduate science. Without graduate programs in the sciences, undergraduates often step into hands-on lab roles typically held by graduate students at larger universities, and faculty-led research supported by the National Science Foundation is woven into the biology curriculum.

What’s Next

Muñoz is currently a part-time project assistant in the Department of Orthopedics at NYU School of Medicine’s Kirsch Laboratory, where he isolates RNA and DNA in osteoarthritis research to identify possible connections to knee injuries in younger patients.

He is also a nurse technician at White Plains Hospital, assisting with patient care and hygiene, helping people walk, moving beds, and talking with patients.

“It’s very hands-on, and it’s the most in the epicenter of someone’s experience being sick that I’ve ever been.”  

Asked whether his plans involve working in research or patient healthcare, he said,

“I’m more in favor of patient care. It’s a lot more fulfilling, because no matter what I feel or what happened, at least I did something to improve people’s lives that day.”

Muñoz scored well on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and looks forward to applying to medical school this spring.