WVU Cancer Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Program welcomes 2025 cohort
The West Virginia University Cancer Institute has welcomed six students to campus for the Summer Undergraduate Research Program. The highly competitive program provides funding and opportunities in clinical and basic cancer research for undergraduate students who want to pursue careers in the field.
Students are paired with a Cancer Institute scientist as they complete a 9-week research project in the Institute’s Research Labs and will present their results at a mini-symposium on August 1, from 2-4 p.m., in WVU Health Sciences room 2940A. The goal is to expose them to cancer research, train them how to use state-of-the-art instrumentation and equipment, services, and meet with other students and colleagues for professional networking. Participants also have the opportunity to participate in various training seminars, workshops, and programs to broaden their research experience at WVU.
This year's cohort includes:
- Sohyun Lee, a junior studying Integrated Studies at WVU, will be working with Research Assistant Professor Dominque Bollino.
- Alexander Olivero, a sophomore studying biochemistry at the WVU School of Medicine, will be working with Research Assistant Professor Alexey Ivanov.
- Alexa Bostic, a junior studying biomedical engineering at the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, will be working with Professor Emidio Pistilli.
- Lillian Floyd, a sophomore studying neuroscience in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, will be working with Assistant Professor William Walker.
- Colin Carey, a freshman studying immunology and medical microbiology in the WVU School of Medicine, will be working with Associate Professor Elena Pugacheva
- Sharvi Arora, a junior in neuroscience at Ohio Wesleyan University, will be working with Research Assistant Professor Rachel Abbots
Various projects are available that provide a research experience focused upon molecular, biochemical, and/or cellular approaches toward understanding the mechanism of cancer, the development of anticancer drugs and applications of nanotechnology to cancer research. The participating labs focus on blood and hematological malignancies such as leukemia or lymphoma, as well as breast, lung and head and neck cancers.
Financial support for the fellowship program is provided by the Edwin C. Spurlock Fellowship Fund, Edward L. Reed Cancer Research Endowment, Dr. David B. McClung Cancer Research Endowment Fund and Joe Marconi Cancer Research Fellowship Endowment and the Tonie Renner Gentile Breast Cancer Research Fund Fellowship established by Tonie's Fund nonprofit organization focused on early detection breast cancer and scholarships for students interested in the medical field or first responders.