MEET OUR SPRING 2025 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Julia Bianchini Andrade
Tell us a little about yourself.
What is your major?
Biology
Minors?
Microbiology
What year do you graduate?
2025 spring
Where are you from?
Brazil
What motivated you to come to UK?
UK has really good scholarships for international students and a great international community
To major in biology?
I was always very interested in scientific research, and UK was a great fit for biological research since it is an R1 institution.
Have you had any mentors or professors who have significantly impacted you?
Dr. Amelia Pinto is my research mentor all throughout my time in her lab she has constantly challenged me to think critically about my research and encouraged me to be independent in the lab.
Are you involved in research?
If so, what does your research entail?
I do research in Dr. Amelia Pinto’s viral immunology lab and I study immune responses to flavivirus in individuals with Metabolic Syndrome.
What do you hope to gain from it?
I hope to gain research experience and improve my wet laboratory techniques to become a better candidate for a PhD in Virology in the future.
What could you have benefitted from in the department of biology, that you feel you were missing? For example, If the department of biology could provide you with an additional resource toward your training, what would it be?
I wish there had been more classes related to my area of research and potentially a virology minor would have been very helpful.
Describe your journey so far at UK.
What are you most proud or excited about?
I am proud of the research I have done and how much I have learned in the lab.
How did you overcome challenges that you may have faced?
I have an incredible support system both academically, with the community in the Pinto Lab, and socially with my friends, and I am never afraid to reach out and ask for help when I face challenges.
Describe any highlights or memorable moments here at UK.
Some highlights of my time at UP are definitely the research that I do in the lab and my favorite class so far, which was Virology, with Drs. Chattopadhyay, Dutch, and Elliot.
Who do you look up to and why?
I look up to my mom because she has built an incredible life for herself with very little information and resources, and I hope to one day be to someone as good as she is to me.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love doing jigsaw puzzles and sports like gymnastics and soccer. I was even briefly involved with the UK Futsal Club.
What are your plans after graduation? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
I plan on working as a lab tech for a couple years after graduation to improve my research skills then do a PhD in Virology. In 5 years, I see myself pursuing my PhD and, in 10 years, I see myself working in the vaccine development research for a company like Pfizer or Moderna.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My grandma’s lasagna is the best food in the entire world!
If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
I cannot imagine myself meeting a famous person.
If you could share one statement about your experience as a UK Biology major so far, what would it be?
My statement would be that it is an eye-opening experience to how much we don’t know about the world and an open door towards uncovering a little more of the world.
Is there another question we could be asking in an interview like this?
I always take interest on people’s pets, so I think asking about pets would be a nice icebreaker!
Connor Stuart
Tell us a little about yourself.
What is your major?
Biology and Neuroscience
Minors? Spanish
What year do you graduate? May 2025
Where are you from? Florence, KY
What motivated you to come to UK?
I wanted to go to UK because of the vast breadth of research coming out of the university. Also, I love Lexington and was excited to become a part of Big Blue Nation.
To major in biology?
I wanted to major in Biology because it allowed me to explore how different environmental factors impact human health.
Have you had any mentors or professors who have significantly impacted you?
Over my time at UK, I have had several influential mentors. First, Dr. Ann Stowe, my research mentor, is the reason I decided to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. after graduation. Taking classes with Dr. Cassone and Dr. Grondin also helped solidify my future goals, and they were my favorite professors throughout undergrad.
Are you involved in research?
Yes
If so, what does your research entail?
I work with Dr. Ann Stowe and a graduate student, Daimen Britsch, studying how exercise and hypoxia can be used to improve recovery after spinal cord injury.
What do you hope to gain from it?
I hope to understand the mechanisms through which SCI recovery occurs, and I plan to study this in my Ph.D.
What could you have benefitted from in the department of biology, that you feel you were missing? For example, If the department of biology could provide you with an additional resource toward your training, what would it be?
I think the biology department’s education was extremely thorough! However, a class covering flow cytometry and other advanced experimental techniques would have been helpful.
Describe your journey so far at UK.
What are you most proud or excited about?
I am most proud of being named Co-Editor-in-Chief of Aperture Journal of Undergraduate Research for the 2024-25 year. Helping lead UK’s interdisciplinary research journal has been a highlight of my time at UK.
How did you overcome challenges that you may have faced? A main challenge I had to overcome while at UK was balancing all the activities in which I am involved on campus. Living by my Google Calendar has been a game changer.
Describe any highlights or memorable moments here at UK.
Being named a 2022 Chellgren Student Fellow was a great moment, and the reason I started doing research here.
Have you recently received any awards/accolades/recognitions?
I was named a semifinalist for the Fulbright Scholarship in December. I am still waiting to hear final results.
Who do you look up to and why?
I look up to Dr. Ann Stowe because she is the type of researcher I aspire to be. Her creativity and dedication to her work is something I hope to have in my own career.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love reading when I have the time. I am currently reading Sunrise on the Reaping.
What are your plans after graduation? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
I plan to conduct research in Germany for a year as part of the Fulbright scholarship. Once I return to the States, I will be attending medical school to earn a M.D./Ph.D. before hopefully becoming a pediatric neurologist.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tonkotsu ramen
If you could meet one famous person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Lee Taemin because I need to know how he can dance continuously for a three-hour concert night after night.
If you could share one statement about your experience as a UK Biology major so far, what would it be?
UK Biology has given me the tools to succeed in my chosen field, and for that I will always be grateful.