UAEM Innovation Fund

The UAEM Innovation fund is a project that will transform biomedical research and development as we know it -- maybe my story can help you see why. 

Long before I became UAEM's executive director, I was an undergraduate student at Central Michigan University. I studied biomedical sciences and neuroscience and found my way into a research lab. In that lab, I learned western blott analysis, how to use a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and how to run genetic crosses with fruit flies. I also learned how to keep a lab notebook, the importance of duplicating results, and so much more. 

It was a great experience, learning from brilliant older student scientists and my primary investigator. But, even while I was doing that research (and still feel thankful for the opportunity, despite not staying in the research space professionally, my interests shifted to neglected diseases and diseases of poverty. I wanted to study tuberculosis treatments, chagas disease, or hookworm. I wanted to devote time to infections that ravage communities that are already deprived of the resources they need to thrive. 

But I went to a regional university, one with very few research resources and almost all of those in biology were dedicated to basic science that primarily applied to neurodegenerative diseases. All of this research is critical and valuable, but I had limited options to branch out into the world of neglected disease research without funding my own summer internship, travelling to a new city, and critically, building my own relationships.

All of this would have been possible, but as a first generation undergraduate student, who did not come from a highly connected or wealthy family, I never had the opportunity to do the research I wanted to do - and I wouldn't have known where to look to begin with. 

UAEM has a chance to change this. Our networks include some of the top researchers in the fields of neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging infections, not to mention our public health connections. We also connect with students where they are - at a recent training, we were able to sponsor the training of 30% of the registrants, providng food and housing in New Haven, CT, with the generous support of the UAEM network of sponsors, donors, and alumni. 

Our innovation fund will make it possible for budding scientists, particularly those who face barriers (financial, racial, geographically) entering the field, to be matched with and connected to top-tier researchers across North America. We'll also build out a fellowship program with educational opportunities, networking, and assistance with graduate school applications and admissions. We want to make sure our fellows learn about alternatives to research and development that don't make the access to medicines crisis worse. For a preview about some of those projects, take a look at our Alt Re:Route report I've included in the links below. 

With your support, we're starting this journey and by summer of 2024, we aim to have our first 2 UAEM Innovation fellows ready to roll out for the summer. 

Thank you for being a part of our work to transform biomedical research, making the field more diverse and improving opportunities for students of all backgrounds. 

Links:

• Alt Re:Route Report