NORMAL — Calling it an “incredible opportunity to bring national attention” to groundbreaking work on The Hill, an Alabama A&M microbiologist has been selected as a member of Cohort 2 of the Stanford Medicine–HBCU Faculty Fellows Research Program, the university announced.
Huntsville native Dr. Dana F. Indihar, an assistant professor of microbiology and virology in Alabama A&M University’s Department of Biological Sciences, is one of only five fellows selected nationwide and is the first from Alabama A&M to earn the honor. Her fellowship began this summer and continues through May 2027.
The 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, according to the AAMU news release.
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, the news release said. She will travel to Stanford quarterly to conduct research on campus and present her findings to Stanford faculty.
“I applied in January with a proposal related to HIV and went through multiple interviews where I pitched my research,” said Indihar. “Ultimately, 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’s validating to know that my research ideas have merit and that larger institutions like Stanford are interested in my work.”
Indihar said she is most excited about the fellowship’s highly collaborative atmosphere.
“I’ve met incredible colleagues who share my passion for scientific excellence, addressing global health inequities, and engaging HBCU students in research,” she said.
Indihar said she plans to expand opportunities for AAMU students through the fellowship. 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, the news release said.
“Students would gain hands-on experience using Stanford’s laboratories and resources, training in research excellence that will empower them to pursue STEM careers,” she said.
Indihar joined Alabama A&M University 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’s degree in general biology from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Born and raised in Huntsville, she now leads the Indihar Lab at AAMU, which combines experimental and computational approaches to address virological challenges.
In addition to her research, Indihar said she 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’s Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program, where students discover and name their own bacteriophages and later apply bioinformatics to study them.
Indihar’s 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.
“AAMU gives me the freedom to design innovative learning experiences for our students,” Indihar said. “That support, especially from my department chair, Dr. Laricca London, is what I enjoy most about teaching here.”
Indihar said the fellowship represents a personal milestone and a broader step forward for the university.
“This fellowship will not only enhance my own research but also boost AAMU’s biomedical research output and visibility,” she said. “It’s an incredible opportunity to bring national attention to the groundbreaking work happening right here at Alabama A&M.”
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