How did she do it? Udoh said she started early and was not shy about accepting help.

“I learned that you need to utilize faculty and mentors,” said Udoh. “I started the as a freshman—that’s how I met Dr. Hein.”

Meeting was fortuitous for Udoh. He is one of the nation’s top researchers examining how a person’s susceptibility to cancer is influenced by exposure to environmental and occupational chemicals. Udoh, who will start medical school in 2019, wanted to learn more about this area of research.

Through Hein, Udoh met Dr. , an associate director of molecular genetics for Democritus University of Thrace in Alexandroupolis, Greece. Boukouvala’s work is similar to Hein’s and they have been collaborators for many years.

Working with Boukouvala, Udoh outlined a research plan as part of her Fulbright application. The research focuses on how gut bacteria enzymes respond to , such as carcinogens and drugs. The goal is see if the enzymes can unlock innovative treatments for infections.

But research isn’t the only thing Udoh will do in Greece—she will also help Syrian refugees.

“Greece has a lot of refugees and I thought I could help by not only welcoming them, but also by helping them succeed in their new life,” said Udoh, who has experience assisting Louisville-area refugees. “I will work with local Greek NGOs, like to learn from activists.”

Udoh is grateful for all of the help she has received from her many mentors. In her she thanks 11 people, including her parents.

For Boukouvala, who recently traveled to UofL to meet with Udoh and Hein, mentoring students is a gratifying part of her work.

“It’s a privilege,” Boukouvala said. “The opportunity to work with students like Karen is the most rewarding part of being an academic.”

A new class of more than 40 undergraduate and medical students representing 13 institutions, including Stanford University and MIT, begins the 10-week program this month.

Sarah Mudra completed the program in 2014. Inspired by her experience in Louisville, she’ll start medical school at UofL this summer.

Mudra, who plans to pursue the School of Medicine’s Distinction in Research Track, will conduct research in collaboration with Beth Riley, MD, FACP, associate professor of medicine and deputy director of clinical affairs at the .

Riley was Mudra’s primary mentor in the Cancer łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Program.

“I witnessed the multi-faceted nature of medicine as Dr. Riley balanced relational care with scientific inquiry and ethical decision-making – I became fascinated with the field of oncology,” Mudra said. “Dr. Riley became a steadfast encourager and mentor, prompting me to ask complex research questions and examine new bodies of literature.”

Throughout the 10 weeks, Mudra worked with Riley to analyze data from individuals who were diagnosed with breast cancer through testing on the cancer center’s mammography van. They engaged in conversations about patient care and population-based research, including the utility of mobile mammography for reducing health disparities.

Mudra said it was her participation in the Cancer łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Program that laid the foundation for continued scientific exploration as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. During the two-year fellowship, she worked to refine her research techniques and develop a novel protocol for human microbiome analysis.

“It is remarkable how the Cancer łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Program molded my professional and scientific development, serving as my foundation,” Mudra said. “I would advise all students interested in scientific growth to pursue a dedicated period of research in a field of interest. Be inquisitive and curious. Exercise a willingness to learn any aspect of a project, and uphold a tireless work ethic. Above all, demonstrate gratitude for the opportunity to be shaped through a mentor’s guidance.”

The directors of the program, David Hein, PhD, Peter K. Knoefel Endowed Chair of Pharmacology and chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, and La Creis Kidd, PhD, Our Highest Potential Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, outlined the success of UofL’s program in an article published in the .

Since 2011, 188 students have completed UofL’s program.