The University of Alabama at Birmingham Research Ambassadors are a select group of accomplished students who have participated in academic research for a minimum of six months at UAB. They serve to guide and mentor undergraduates interested in pursuing research, help them find labs, and contact principal investigators. Students interested in receiving mentorship or guidance in pursuing research activities should fill out the peer mentor request form below to request a mentor.
Sriya Chandrupatla
Year: Freshman
Major: Medical Sociology and Cancer Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health
Sumanth Chandrupatla
Social and Communications Director
Year: Senior
Major: Bioinformatics
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Data Science
Hannah Enskat
Year: Senior
Major: Genetics and Genomics Sciences
Minor: Chem, Biology
Research Interests: Cystic Fibrosis, Cancer
Sarah Fu
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Biology
Research Interests: Metabolic Dysfunction, Ferroptosis, Alzheimer's Disease
Mikayla Jackson
Year: Senior
Major: Chemistry and Philosophy
Minor: Biomedical Sciences
Research Interests: Neurobiology, Biophysics, Oncology, Gene therapy, Rett Syndrome gene mutation
Kaavya Jaichandar
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Healthcare Management and Chemistry
Research Interests: Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Cardiology, Environmental Health
Ayush Jain
Year: Senior
Major: Neuroscience with MPH
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Neuroimmunology, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Glial Cells, Cytokines
Richard Laube
Year: Junior
Major: Cancer Biology and ABM-MBS: Cancer Biology theme
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Current: Pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment (immunological, stromal, EMT composition). Future: molecular cancer biology concerning special needs predispositions
Molly McNulty
Year: Senior
Major: Neuroscience, Immunology, Biology, ABM Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences with neuro concentration
Minor: Chemistry, Undergraduate Certificate in Mental Health
Research Interests: Generally: Neuroendocrinology, Psychiatry, Behavioral Neurobiology, Biotechnology, Hematology/Oncology. Specifically: Sex differences in PD and ADRDs, Neural circuit mapping, methanotrophic bacteria
Nikhita Mudium
Co-Director
Year: Senior
Major: Neuroscience with MPH
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Parkinson's Disease, Neuroimmunology, Movement Disorders, Bioinformatics
Avanti Murukan
Year: Junior
Major: Cancer Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Cancer, Pediatric Cancer
Tamanna Patel
Year: Sophomore
Major: Psychology (and MBA)
Research Interests: MI subset, ASD, Neuroengineering, Natural Medicine
Vidhi Patel
Year: Junior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Geethika Polepalli
Year: Sophomore
Major: Immunology
Minor: Chemistry and Biology
Research Interests: Host-pathogen interactions and cancer immunology
Sheetal Rumalla
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Nephrology, Heart Diseases
Rishab Samant
Year: Sophomore
Major: Cancer Biology and Public Health
Minor: Spanish
Research Interests: Preventable cancers (cervical and oral), genetic influences on cancer development, and improving treatment methods
Zoey Swalley
Year: Junior
Major: Immunology
Minor: Spanish and Chemistry
Research Interests: Cancer and Immunotherapy
Dhrithi Tummala
Year: Junior
Major: Neuroscience
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Diabetes Mellitus, Chronic Illnesses, Autoimmune Disorders
Krishin Yerabolu
Co-Director
Year: Junior
Major: Neuroscience with MBA
Minor: Chemistry
Research Interests: Cardiovascular Genomics, Heart Failure, Hypertension, Cardiometabolic health