DiFeo Lab Undergraduate, Harini Ram, named 2025 Astronaut Scholar
By Lynn McCain | June 10
In the Department of Pathology, we have scholars at all levels working in our laboratories. One of these, undergraduate Harini Ram, was recently recognized as the recipient of the 2025 Astronaut Scholarship, the only one to receive this scholarship from the University of Michigan this year, and only the 18th in the history of this award. According to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, this award is presented to students in their junior or senior year of college who are pursuing a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) with the intention of conducting research or advancing their field upon completion of their final degree. These scholars represent the “best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their chosen field,” reports the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Harini will be entering her junior year in the fall, majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. She plans to obtain her medical degree and PhD in a Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) after graduation. Her goal is to become a physician-scientist focused on understanding mechanisms of cancer progression and engineering novel therapies to overcome treatment resistance. She is currently working in the ovarian cancer research laboratory of Dr. Analisa DiFeo, where she is studying miR-181a and MYC-mediated metabolic reprogramming in the tumor microenvironments of high-grade serous carcinomas.
Dr. DiFeo commented, “She is a remarkable undergraduate who, through her lab experience, has been inspired to pursue an MD/PhD. Her story is a powerful reminder of why we must make scientific research accessible and welcoming to individuals from all backgrounds.” As an award recipient, Harini is ushered into a community of scholars who will be with her the rest of her career, along with some very well-known mentors. “Harini also won an award from the National Science Foundation and just received a Cancer Research Summer Internship Program (CaRSIP) Scholarship,” added DiFeo.
Harini is grateful for the strong support she has received from Dr. DiFeo as well as from other members of the laboratory and those who provided recommendation letters for the award. “I’m honored to be named a 2025 Astronaut Scholar! I’m looking forward to meeting the other scholars this August in Houston and learning about the fascinating work everyone is doing. This opportunity motivates me to keep pursuing important questions and building collaborations that can change the future of biomedical research.”
Please join us in congratulating Harini Ram for her outstanding achievements!
******
Portions of this story were sourced from the LSA News and Events site of the University of Michigan.
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
