14 students awarded CURE Fellowships

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 21, 2024) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is honored to announce that 14 students have been selected for the 2024 Commonwealth Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Fellowship program.

Sponsored by OUR and the Office of the Vice President for Research, the CURE Fellowship program empowers undergraduates to become leaders for their respective communities by providing opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills through research within eight of UK’s Research Priority Areas: cancer, cardiovascular health, diabetes and obesity, energy, equity (UNITE), materials science, neuroscience and substance use disorder.

“The CURE Fellowship grants me the opportunity of devoting my complete time to research, without having the constant financial worry hovering above my head,” said Nolan Marcum, a senior agriculture and medical biotechnology major. “With increased focus and availability, I am able to offer my assistance to others in my lab while continuing my personal research project.” Nolan is working with mentor Luksana Chaiswing, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology.

Students selected as CURE Fellows received a $5,000 stipend to support their research endeavors during the Summer 2024 term. Fellows will engage in a research project under the guidance of a mentor associated with one of the participating RPAs. Students will interact with the other fellows in their cohort during the summer research period and present their research at the Summer Research Symposium on Aug. 27, 2024.

UK's 2024 recipients of the CURE Fellowship are:

Cancer Research Priority Area

• Jameson Allen-Mosby, biochemistry and Lewis Honors College junior; Mentor: Young-Sam Lee, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry
• Nolan Marcum, agriculture and medical biotechnology and Lewis Honors junior; Mentor: Luksana Chaiswing, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Cardiovascular Research Priority Area

• Hannah Laney, biology and mathematics and Lewis Honors College freshman; Mentor: Kenneth Campbell, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine
• Preet Patel, biology and neuroscience and Lewis Honors junior; Mentor: Hisashi Sawada, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Department of Physiology

Diabetes & Obesity Research Priority Area

• James Hao, neuroscience and Lewis Honors College junior; Mentor: Ming Gong, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Department of Physiology

Energy Research Priority Area

• Mariana Escobedo de la Peña, sociology and gender and women’s studies junior; Mentor: Loka Ashwood, Ph.D., in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Sociology

Equity (UNITE) Research Priority Area

• Eduarda Frizzo Pereira, international business freshman; Mentor: Anthony Bardo, Ph.D., in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Sociology
• Gabriel Portugal, product design and psychology and Lewis Honors College junior; Mentor: Aanya Chugh, Ph.D., in the College of Design’s School of Interiors

Materials Science Research Priority Area

• Carter Pryor, chemistry and Lewis Honors College junior; Mentor: Kenneth Graham, Ph.D., in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Chemistry

Neuroscience Research Priority Area

• Aidan Berry, neuroscience and Lewis Honors College junior; Mentor: Clare Rittschoff, Ph.D., in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Department of Entomology
• Murphy Byrd, kinesiology junior; Mentor: Ann Stowe, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Department of Neuroscience
• McKenna Green, psychology and public health and Lewis Honors sophomore; Mentor: Linda Van Eldik, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging

Substance Use Research Priority Area (SUPRA)

• Cole Flaherty, neuroscience senior; Mentor: Cassandra Gipson-Reichard, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
• Geoffrey Smith, biology sophomore; Mentor: Ilhem Messaoudi Powers, Ph.D., in the College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular Genetics

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.