Students are spending the summer researching cures
A UC Blue Ash student and recent alum secure highly competitive research fellowships
Siobain Knox gained valuable undergraduate research experience at UC Blue Ash by working with biology professor Yoshi Odaka, PhD.
Siobain Knox and Eric Kniffen are biology students who plan to work in the medical field to help improve and possibly save lives. They are both getting hands-on experience this summer through two separate, highly competitive research fellowships with area hospitals.
Knox recently finished her sophomore year at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College. She carries a 4.0 grade-point-average and was recognized as a top student in the biology and chemistry programs for the 2024-25 academic year.
Knox secured a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center where she is working with a leading cardiovascular surgeon in studying congenital heart disease. She was encouraged to apply for the fellowship by UC Blue Ash Biology Professor Yoshi Odaka, PhD, after collaborating with him on an undergraduate biomedical research project this spring.
“It means so much to me,” Knox said of the fellowship. “I want to be a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon, so be able to study under someone who is currently living my dream is incredible. I get to look into the world I’m going to be in the rest of my life. I’m so grateful for Dr. Odaka and UC Blue Ash.”
Knox is believed to be the first UC Blue Ash student in at least a decade to secure this highly competitive research fellowship at Children’s.
The experience Eric Kniffen gained in his internship last summer helped with securing his research fellowship.
Professor Odaka said that he has had exceptional students apply for the SURF program at Cincinnati Children’s in the past, but they were not selected.
“Siobain has engaged in a number of academic and professional development opportunities at UC Blue Ash. She has been in our Honors program, conducted undergraduate research as part of her Honors experience, and she participated in our biotechnology bootcamp where she gained broad experience, including cell culture,” said Odaka. “I’m sure these skills and experiences contributed to her selection.”
Kniffen was the 2024 UC Blue Ash College Honor Student of the Year and is currently studying biological sciences at UC’s College of Arts & Sciences. While in the Honors program at UC Blue Ash, he led a research project in the Biology Department and won multiple awards, including the Allan A. Ichida Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence by the Ohio Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. He also gained valuable research experience as an intern last summer with Expression Manufacturing, a local biotechnology company that specializes in cell and viral vector production for cell and gene therapies.
Kniffen was selected for a very competitive undergraduate research fellowship this summer through UC’s Cancer Research Scholars Program. He says the focus is on pediatric brain cancer modeling and the interactions between tumors and other tissues. He is working under the guidance of Timothy Phoenix, PhD, an associate professor in the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UC’s College of Pharmacy.
“The chance to participate in cutting-edge cancer research is extremely exciting,” said Kniffen, who is interested in a career in medical research or direct patient treatment. “The program also stood out because of the rigorous mentor pairing process, the requirement to attend lectures on related subjects, and the chance to engage in and present research at the end of the summer.”
Kniffen adds that he has several goals he hopes to accomplish this summer. They include gaining a better understanding of the research process, building new laboratory skills, taking another step toward determining his career path, and learning from everyone he meets so he can continue to grow as a scientist.
“I am so grateful to have been selected and am grateful to everyone whose support has allowed me to reach this milestone.”
Featured photo: Siobain Knox working in the UC Blue Ash Biology Lab.
About UC Blue Ash College
UC Blue Ash College is a regional college within the University of Cincinnati. It offers one of the best values in higher education with access to a nationally recognized UC education in more than 50 degree and certificate programs, as well as tuition that is about half of most colleges and universities. The college is located on a scenic 135-acre wooded campus in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio. To learn more, call 513-558-9495, visit us online, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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