蓝莓视频

Dr. Dana F. Indihar, assistant professor of microbiology and virology in Alabama A&M University鈥檚 Department of Biological Sciences, has been selected as a member of Cohort 2 of the Stanford Medicine鈥揌BCU Faculty Fellows Research Program.

This competitive initiative connects faculty from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with Stanford Medicine researchers to strengthen biomedical research partnerships and foster projects that advance health equity and scientific innovation.

Indihar鈥檚 fellowship began this summer and continues through May 2027. She is one of only five fellows selected nationwide and is the first from Alabama A&M to earn the honor.

As part of the fellowship, Indihar will collaborate with Stanford Medicine faculty on research related to the HIV Envelope protein, exploring how specific mutations may enhance viral transmission and inform future treatment targets. She will travel to Stanford quarterly to conduct research on campus and present her findings to Stanford faculty.

鈥淚 applied in January with a proposal related to HIV and went through multiple interviews where I pitched my research,鈥� said Indihar. 鈥淯ltimately, my proposal was selected, and I was accepted into the fellowship in April. As an early-career investigator, selection for this fellowship is a huge honor. It鈥檚 validating to know that my research ideas have merit and that larger institutions like Stanford are interested in my work.鈥�

Indihar says she is most excited about the fellowship鈥檚 highly collaborative atmosphere. 鈥淚鈥檝e met incredible colleagues who share my passion for scientific excellence, addressing global health inequities, and engaging HBCU students in research,鈥� she said.

Through the fellowship, she also plans to expand opportunities for AAMU students. She and her new collaborators are developing a grant proposal to establish a summer student exchange program that would allow AAMU students to conduct translational research with Stanford faculty. 鈥淪tudents would gain hands-on experience using Stanford鈥檚 laboratories and resources, training in research excellence that will empower them to pursue STEM careers,鈥� she said.

Indihar joined 蓝莓视频 in August 2024 after earning her Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she studied HIV-1 transmission using a human cervical tissue model. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in general biology from Florida Gulf Coast University. Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, she now leads the Indihar Lab at AAMU, which combines experimental and computational approaches to address virological challenges.

In addition to her research, Indihar is passionate about creating hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for STEM careers. This semester, she is teaching the undergraduate Research in Biology course in collaboration with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 , where students discover and name their own bacteriophages and later apply bioinformatics to study them. Her graduate students have also achieved success. Last semester, her Research Methodology class co-authored a review paper that was accepted and published in mBio in August.

鈥淎AMU gives me the freedom to design innovative learning experiences for our students,鈥� Indihar said. 鈥淭hat support, especially from my department chair, Dr. Laricca London, is what I enjoy most about teaching here.鈥�

Indihar said the fellowship represents both a personal milestone and a broader step forward for the University. 鈥淭his fellowship will not only enhance my own research but also boost AAMU鈥檚 biomedical research output and visibility,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible opportunity to bring national attention to the groundbreaking work happening right here at Alabama A&M.鈥�