UofL Department of Biology

Today’s featured summer undergraduate researcher is Molly Mantle!

“Hello Everyone! My name is Molly Mantle and I am a Senior Biology undergraduate on the Ecology track. I’m very proud to be the Secretary of UofL’s Mortar Board National College Honors Society; where we recognize superior scholastic ability, outstanding leadership, and dedicated service to the community. I am also an active member of the TriBeta Biological Honors Society; where I got the opportunity to volunteer with the Kentucky Humane Society, SOS International, Louisville Zoo, and more! I’m also pleased with my new membership at UofL’s Wildlife Conservation Club, where we worked with Olmsted Parks!

Last year, I studied abroad and experienced the beautiful culture of Belize and reignited my passion for fieldwork. Belize featured lots of tropical forest ecology with aquatic turtles, macroinvertebrates, fish, birds, and bats. I am also very involved in the biology labs on campus. Over the past two summers, I have worked with Dr. Abolins-Abols & Keegan Abeson to complete an ecotoxicology report using birds as bioindicators. I’ve also worked in Dr. Kolmann’s lab to assist Devya Hemraj-Naraine with morphology in obligate air breathing fishes to study key innovations in microevolution.

As I’m sure you can tell, I’m all about wildlife biology! I have a special interest in biodiversity, animal behavior, and human impact/ sustainability. As I graduate, I plan to travel and continue my passion in research ecology. Bittersweet to see my UofL journey end, but I can’t wait to see what the future holds!”

Today’s featured biology summer researcher is Navya Goli!

“Hi!! My name is Navya Goli, and I’m a rising junior biomedical sciences major with a minor in humanities. This summer, I’m working in Dr. Haberzettl’s lab, researching the relationship between oxidative stress and prolonged exposure to concentrated ambient particles and its impact on the development of insulin resistance under the SROP. I am very grateful to be gaining hands-on lab skills and experience every day in the lab through the SROP! On campus, I am involved in raiseRED, The Cardinal Edge Review Team, Remote Area Medical, and ISA. In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends, traveling, nature photography, playing tennis on a USTA league, reading Emily Henry novels, watching Indian movies, and listening to music!”

Today’s featured Biology Summer Undergraduate Reaearcher is Shazia Azzam!

“Hello everyone! My name is Shazia Azaam, and I am a junior Biology major in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-dental track.

This summer, I am conducting plant biology research through the Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP) under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Running. My research compares wild-type (WT) and MINDY1 knockout (M1KO) plants to better understand how they respond to environmental stresses such as drought and salinity.

On campus, I am involved in several organizations, including the Pre-Dental Society, Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), and the University of Louisville Research Club. Through these experiences, I have had the opportunity to connect with students who share similar goals, develop my leadership skills, and grow both academically and professionally.

I am also the founder of the A.S. Healing Smiles Project, a community service initiative dedicated to promoting oral health education and increasing access to dental hygiene resources. Through this project, I hope to make a positive impact by encouraging healthy smiles and raising awareness about the importance of oral health in underserved communities.
Outside of school, I work as a dental assistant and laboratory assistant, enjoy volunteering, exploring opportunities in research and dentistry, spending time with family and friends, and finding ways to give back to my community.

I am grateful for the opportunities UofL has provided me through research, student organizations, and service experiences, and I look forward to continuing to grow as a student, researcher, and future dental professional. Go Cards!”

Volunteer opportunity! Visit conversationstoremember.org for more info!

Check out UK’s Masters program in Forensic Toxicology & Analytical Genetics!

The UK Master’s in Forensic Toxicology & Analytical Genetics program is a professional degree program, which educates and prepares students to directly enter the workforce as advanced working professionals. There is no GRE requirement.

This program has 2 areas of concentration: Forensic Toxicology/Chemistry and Forensic/Analytical Genetics.

The program curriculum contains two required internships, which provide students with hand-on experiences to be strongly competitive in the job market.
Graduates are competitive for workforce deployment in a number of areas, including Drug Testing and Analysis, DNA/ Genetic Testing & Analysis, Forensic Governmental Divisions, Hospital Clinical Labs, Cancer Genetics, Genealogy, Crime Laboratories, and Research and Developmental Laboratories. Tuition for this program is assessed at a special tuition rate for all students (in- and out-of-state), which represents a significant savings for out-of-state students.

Link in bio for more info!

Fall 2026 Application Deadline: July 24, 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, meaning, once you submit your application they will review it within a few weeks and let you know a decision shortly after.

Attention Premed students! Check out the upcoming free Official Virtual Medical School Fair from AAMC! Registration link in Linktree in bio.

Biology and other majors: earn real-world experience for college credit! The Global Career Accelerator is a UofL-sponsored program that provides UofL students real-world experience as part of their next semester. Earn industry certifications while earning credit this Fall term. More details and registration link in Linktree in bio!

First day of the 2026 KEEP Program! The NIH-funded Kentucky Environmental Education Pipeline (KEEP) program pays undergraduates to do environmental health sciences research for 10 weeks each summer. This cohort has been assigned to mentors in the Biology Department, the Envirome Institute, and the School of Medicine’s Division of GI, Hepatology & Nutrition. KEEP is co-directed by UofL Biology faculty members Drs. Rachel Neal, Mikus Abolins-Abols and Cynthia Corbitt. Congratulations to the participants!

More photos from Kusum that were mistakenly cropped in the original post!