Theme: Pathobiology, Pharmacology, & Physiology

Mentor: Deeann Wallis, Genetics

Receiving the STAR21 Award was more than just financial support—it truly shaped my PhD journey. It was the deciding factor in choosing this program over others. What touched me even more was that the award was held for me during an unexpected, year-long visa delay. Knowing that my spot in the program and the award were still there waiting, made me feel genuinely supported and valued during a time of uncertainty. This extra funding also gave me a competitive edge during lab rotations and helped me find the right research fit. I am honored to be a STAR21 awardee and excited for the mentorship and connections it will continue to offer as I grow through this journey.

Theme: Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics

Mentor: Haosheng Sun, Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology

I am so grateful and honored to receive the prestigious AMC21 award. Not only was it the deciding factor that encouraged me to choose UAB to pursue my Ph.D., but it also made me a competitive student when choosing a lab. I look forward to utilizing the scientific discretionary funds it provides to network with others in my field at conferences or learn new techniques and skills in other labs. Additionally, the added layer of mentorship for my fellowship applications will be invaluable for advancing my career goals. I am so excited and thankful to be a part of this amazing group of scholars.

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Daniel Tyrrell, Molecular & Cellular Pathology

Being an AMC21 scholar has given me access to a lot of opportunities that I otherwise would not have. It was one of the major deciding factors that led me to attend UAB. Having extra funding for myself and for my mentor helped me a lot in being competitive for potential labs. I am excited to be able to use my scientific discretionary funds to further my career by attending conferences that I may normally not have been able to attend. I am looking forward to seeing how this award will continue to shape and benefit my future here at UAB.

Theme: Microbiology

Mentor: Jessica Scoffield, Microbiology

I am extremely grateful and honored to be a 2024 AMC21 awardee. This award mitigates financial pressures of graduate school while also providing an opportunity to develop essential career skills. Not only does AMC21 make me a competitive candidate for choosing a lab but it also provides me with a bonus layer of mentorship and support that is paramount while on this academic journey. Additionally, this award can help me expand my professional network through opportunities to travel to conferences and collaborate with other scholars. The extended support and resources granted by this program will be a major contributor to my success. I am again honored and sincerely thankful to be an AMC21 scholar.

Theme: Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology

Mentor: Robert Welner: Medicine - Hematology & Oncology

While being an AMC21 awardee at UAB, I feel my ability to network and receive ample intellectual support for my projects will be significantly enhanced. The program facilitates collaboration and exposure to scientists at, and beyond, UAB who will help me grow as a scholar during my time here. As an AMC21 awardee, I will have additional avenues to tap into the academic strength of the UAB scientific community. The flexibility and freedom of the program give me confidence as I begin a challenging path. I am excited and honored to be chosen as a member of thisfantastic group. 

Theme: Microbiology

Mentor: Gino Cingolani, Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics

I am very thankful for this opportunity to be a part of the AMC21 Awards Program. This awards program influenced my decision to attend UAB as it offers exceptional support during my time here. The partial stipend support makes me competitive for choosing a lab and the mentor support provides valuable expertise and feedback. Additionally, the discretionary funds provide me with opportunities to attend conferences and learn new techniques, thus further developing my research and professional skills. I am looking forward to taking advantage of the resources this program has to offer.

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Frances Lund, Microbiology

Theme: Cancer Biology

Mentor: Julienne Carstens, Medicine - Hematology & Oncology

Theme: Pathobiology, Pharmacology, and Physiology

Mentor: Carmen De Miguel, Medicine - Nephrology

Theme: Microbiology

Mentor: Daniel Tyrrell, Molecular & Cellular Pathology

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Juan Calix, Medicine - Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care

Theme: Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics

Mentor: Eason Hildreth, Pathology - Molecular and Cellular Path

Theme: Neuroscience

Mentor: Briana De Miranda, Neurology

I believe that the main advantage of the AMC21 awards is the flexibility it offers in selecting rotations and the selection of a research mentor. Being designated as an exceptional student has not only been a true honor, but it has also opened several doors with potential research mentors. The funds also are a major advantage as they will allow me to purchase equipment and attend conferences earlier on in my career, rocketing me past where I could be otherwise so early on. The support from other awardees as well has been wonderful. I have spoken with several current AMC21 awardees and they have offered loads of advice on the rotation and mentor selection process.

Theme: Neuroscience

Mentor: Alecia K. Gross Gutierrez, Neurobiology

The high level of support in my graduate studies is the main advantage of being an AMC21 awardee at UAB. Support comes in many forms through the AMC21 Awards Program and includes additional mentoring, networking, and funding. I believe these pillars of support will help create a strong foundation and guide me successfully through my graduate studies.     

Theme: Cancer Biology

Mentor: Anna Sorace, Radiology

The main advantage of joining the AMC21 Awards Program is the ability to draw from the experience of theAMC21 scientific mentoring committee. As someone that is interested in revolutionizing cancer treatment, it was really important for me to surround myself with forward thinking individuals and people that are actively seeking to expand what is currently known about cancer therapeutics. Similarly, fellowships and grants tend to have low acceptance rates but having a group of highly successful and respected scientists willing to review my application places me in the most optimal position to succeed.

Theme: Cancer Biology

Mentor: Jason Warram, Otolaryngology

I believe that the main advantage of being an AMC21 awardee in GBS is having your own dedicated funding for research and conference travel. If there is a lab you want to join that might be hesitant to accept you based on stipend support concerns, the support fromAMC21 would solve this issue. It is also greatly advantageous to be able to attend conferences on a predetermined budget, rather than having to apply for separate grants/funding or asking your lab for travel funding.

Theme: Microbiology 

Mentor: Kevin Harrod, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Being offered an AMC21 award heavily influenced my decision to attend UAB because the program is designed to provide the best professional development to its students. I think there are two main advantages of being an AMC21 awardee. The first being the discretionary funds which will broaden my opportunities to improve my scientific communication skills and to build a stronger network of mentors and colleagues. The second being a network of faculty mentors who will provide me with critical guidance throughout my PhD training and career development.

Theme: Neuroscience

Mentor: Nina Kraguljac, Phychiatry

I am very excited to be an AMC21 awardee! I love that this program will allow me more creative freedom in my research and will give me the opportunity to meet with many other like-minded individuals. I really like knowing that I will have all kinds of mentorship through the AMC21 Awards Program. I appreciate the emphasis on student support and cannot wait to take advantage of the new and exciting resources at my disposal during the course of my PhD work!

Theme: CMDB

Mentor: Chad Hunter, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Dept. of Medicine

The main advantage of being a member of the AMC21 Awards Program is the mentorship opportunity. The access to faculty members with different backgrounds and knowledge bases for guidance throughout a rigorous PhD program is invaluable and allows for the establishment of a scientific support network.

Theme: Neuroscience

Mentor: Jeremy Herskowitz, Neurology

I think the main advantage of being an AMC21 awardee are the unique funding opportunities the program offers. As an incoming graduate student looking for a mentor, it is advantageous to have funding to bring to the table when selecting a laboratory for my dissertation work. Most importantly, funding for travel to scientific conferences and professional development will help launch me into career as I pursue my doctoral degree. I also appreciate having a support system of mentors in place willing to review fellowship applications.

Theme: Pathobiology, Pharmacology, and Physiology

Mentor: Frances Lund, Microbiology

As an aspiring academic researcher, the main advantage of being an AMC21 awardee, in my opinion, is that it positions me favorably and supports me with the means to accomplish my short and long-term career goals. First, the two-year award that can go toward my stipend support makes me competitive for top labs. In addition to meeting and connecting with keynote speakers during the Annual AMC21 Awards Program Symposium, the scholarship also provides discretionary funds that can be used to attend scientific conferences. This potentiates the existing opportunity to interact and network with top scientists both at UAB and other institutions. Apart from conferences, I plan to use a part of this fund to purchase a computer and software(s) for my research. Another major benefit is the AMC21 scientific mentoring committee which is dedicated to reviewing fellowship applications for Scholars. This will be key to being successful in obtaining highly competitive fellowships.

Theme: Microbiology

Mentor: Susan Birket, Pulmonary, Allergy and Care Medicine, Dept. of Medicine

In my opinion, the biggest advantage of being an AMC21 awardee is having access to a team of knowledgeable individuals that can help guide and inform fellowship applications. This provides a competitive edge by offering expertise and unique insights outside of my own committee.

I am a first-year graduate student, and as such have just begun my research journey with this program, but I have recently joined my dissertation laboratory and am excited to begin applying to conferences very soon. I have not yet accessed my discretionary funds, but I plan to spend a portion on a research computer with a large processor – my work involves a fair amount of imaging techniques, so this will hopefully allow me to handle large files and data sets faster and more efficiently. 

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Ashley Harms, Neurology

The AMC21 Awards Program was one of the main factors in my decision to come to UAB, not just for the stipend support and extra discretionary funds, but also for the extra support from a committee of outstanding research faculty. While I have not used my discretionary fund yet, I am already excited at the opportunities a fund like this has opened up for me. I plan to utilize the funds to expand my training and networking opportunities throughout my graduate career here at UAB by attending additional conferences and taking the AAI Advanced Course in Immunology.

Theme: Genetics

Mentor: Brittany Lasseigna & Elizabeth Worthey, Pediatrics

I am a first-year student in Dr. Lasseigne Lab, applying machine learning approaches to uncover biomarkers for drug repurposing, liquid biopsies, and chromosomal instability.

I am already seeing the benefit of being a part of the AMC21 Awards program. Faculty recognize AMC21 awardees as creative, motivated students, and I was able to rotate in the top and most interesting labs on campus. Additionally, AMC21 stipend support benefits my current lab. Within the program, a network of outstanding faculty and students provide advice, feedback on fellowship applications, and answers to science-related questions.  In the future, I plan to use my discretionary funds for conferences and a short course at another institution. 

Theme: Cancer Biology

Mentor: Benjamin Larimer, Radiology

The main advantage of the AMC21 Awards Program is the network of faculty, staff, and scholars that students are able to form early in their graduate studies. Being a AMC21 awardee also provides the opportunity to improve your public speaking, interpersonal communication skills, and receive guidance from those who are excelling in both research and academia.

As a new member of the AMC21 program, I am planning to use my discretionary funds for travel purposes to present my research at both national and international conferences, as well as purchase any supplies/technology that I may need to conduct data analysis for my research project efficiently. Since joining the program, I have been accepted into the NSF-Funded Bridge to Doctorate program at UAB, a fellowship program designed to address the shortage of researchers nationwide from historically disadvantaged groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Ryan Miller, Pathology

In my opinion, the primary advantage of being an AMC21 awardee is having access to amazing faculty with different perspectives and areas of expertise for help with networking and career development.

As a first year student, I have not yet had the opportunity to explore the use of my discretionary funds, but I plan to use them to potentially purchase a computer for my bioinformatics-based project, and to attend conferences which will contribute to my training plan and networking opportunities.

Theme: Genetics
Mentor: Jeremy Day, Neurobiology

The main advantage of being an AMC21 awardee is the community of faculty members and graduate students who have served as a support group throughout my graduate career. I have been able to reach out to faculty members involved in the AMC21 Awardes Program for advice regarding choosing a lab, project ideas, and life post graduate school.

The discretionary funds is another major advantage of being a AMC21 awardee. First, I have been able to use my discretionary funds to present at both national and international conferences. This has allowed me to begin networking and build connections early on in my graduate school career.

Achievements:

• Poster presentation at GRC-Catecholamines (Summer 2019) 
• Poster presentation at Society for Neuroscience (Fall 2019) 
• Poster presentation at Dopamine 2020
• Oral presentation at Dopamine 2020

Theme: BSSB
Mentor: Anupam Agarwal, Nephrology

My long-term goal is to pursue a career in academic research with the focus on renal physiology and pathophysiology. I currently am pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Sciences with a goal of becoming an independent researcher and obtaining my own funding to develop a translational research laboratory. When I was choosing between grad schools, UAB has offered me an AMC21 award which swayed my decision to join UAB. The ability to purchase the necessary equipment and attend the conferences, as well as workshops, without any concerns regarding funding is a fantastic attribute of this scholarship.

Additionally, it provided me with the opportunities to have one-on-one meetings with the faculty who are invested in my success. I have also been offered to have my grants reviewed prior to submission which is another great resource that AMC21 is providing. As an international student ineligible for F31, I have applied to the highly competitive American Heart Association as well as American Society of Nephrology pre-doctoral fellowships. To my delight I have been placed first in both study sessions and have been offered both fellowships and ended up accepting American Heart Association one. Anything I needed to succeed – this award provided it for me.

• Fellowships:
  • American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship – offered and accepted
  • ASN KidneyCure Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program – offered and declined
• Conferences attended:
  • ASN Kidney Week 2019
  • SSWKC meeting 2019

Theme: Neuroscience
Mentor: Aurellio Galli, Surgery

I am a third year graduate student in the neuroscience theme of the GBS program. I have chosen to do my thesis work in the lab of Dr. Aurelio Galli, where I utilize Drosophila melanogaster as an animal model to elucidate how amphetamine operates mechanistically at the dopamine transporter.

The funding from the AMC21 program allowed me flexibility in picking my lab which allowed me to find a perfect fit of scientific interest while also setting me up to achieve my career goals. Furthermore, the discretionary funds have already been very impactful, both for my research and for my growth as a scientist through allowing me to travel to international conferences. I have used the money to purchase a new computer for my lab that is powerful enough to allow me to analyze complex fly behavior videos, a key component of my research. Furthermore, I have attended both the Society for Neuroscience and the Brain in Flux conferences in 2019, where I was able to present my research in the form of a poster at both conferences.

Theme: Microbiology

Mentor: Olaf Kutsch, ID Division DOM

Theme: Pathobiology, Pharmacology, & Physiology

Mentor: 

Being a STAR21 scholar provides me with unique opportunities for mentorship and development as a scientist, as well as a network of peers outside of my theme and year. I am grateful to have received this honor and look forward to growing as a scientist and scholar. 

Theme: Immunology

Mentor: Casey Weaver and Isidoro Cobo

I am deeply honored to be a STAR21 recipient. As I begin my PhD journey, I'm particularly excited about the mentorship that STAR21 will provide me. The opportunity to build a network of advisors and peers who will help shape my development as a scientist is invaluable. This recognition motivates me to maximize every opportunity and contribute meaningfully to the scientific community. Above all, the STAR21 program reflects UAB's commitment to fostering the next generation of scientists—a mission I'm proud to be part of! 

Theme: Biochemistry & Structural Biology

Mentor: 

Receiving the STAR21 award is an absolute honor and a reflection of UAB's commitment to fostering the next generation of scientists. This award not only gives me the security of financial support, but the invaluable benefit of guidance within a scientific mentoring committee. The primary benefit of this award is that it gives me the unique opportunity to connect with faculty and fellow students across disciplines, thus broadening my scientific network and giving me access to different perspectives that will help shape my development as a scientist. Being a STAR21 awardee reaffirms that I have made the right choice in joining UAB's scientific community, a community that is unique in its celebration of student potential and development. I look forward to my future at UAB as a STAR21 awardee!

Theme: Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology

Mentor: 

To me, being a part of the STAR21 program means that UAB has a priority in investing in me as a scientist and as a future leader. The commitment of extra time, resources, and effort to support STAR21 scholars inspires me to test my limits and assures me UAB is the right fit for my graduate education. I look forward to utilizing the discretionary funds to supplement my research and engage with the STAR21 mentoring committee to harness the expertise of others. I am honored and thankful to have been recognized for my efforts deemed worthy of the STAR21 award to attract me to UAB.

Theme: Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology

Mentor: Kelly Hyndman