Investments in this priority helped Elon ascend to No. 1 in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report ranking for excellence in undergraduate teaching.
Because of the generosity of donors during the Elon LEADS Campaign, Elon continues to enhance its innovative courses and programs, make advancements in teaching methods, and support robust research conducted by students and their faculty mentors.
Meaningful connections
At Elon, students develop lifelong relationships with faculty and staff mentors who seek to provide support along with academic, social, personal, cultural and career-focused learning and development. Associate Professor of Biology Jennifer Uno, who supervises biology research projects in Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, is one of those mentors. She teaches courses in general biology, anatomy and physiology and endocrinology.
“I love science. Any of my students will tell you that I get excited over any cool biology facts, and I think the gut is the coolest organ around,” says Uno. “My research focuses on the interactions between the immune cells and the microbes that reside in the intestine.”
Samuel Ramirez ’24 is one of several students Uno is mentoring. He is researching the gut-brain axis relative to Alcohol Use Disorder in zebrafish. Specifically, he is attempting to understand how chronic alcohol use disrupts the intestinal microbiome and its association with mood disorders. Under Uno’s guidance, Ramirez will be collecting videos from fish exposed to acute and chronic levels of alcohol to assess behavior. He is also examining intestinal bacterial communities and looking at genes associated with the gut-brain axis to determine if they are impacted by alcohol use.
Ramirez, whose family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, from Colombia, is a biology major with a molecular biology focus, with minors in chemistry, French and art. Now a junior, he has plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biological science with the intention of becoming a professor. So far at Elon, he has participated in several research projects, including a National Science Foundation-funded research experience for undergraduates.
He is also the recipient of the Glen Raven Endowment for Undergraduate Research in the Sciences. Funding received during the campaign added more endowed funds like this one, allowing students the opportunity to perform research for credit while gaining invaluable experience under the guidance of Elon’s renowned faculty. It’s no surprise that Elon was ranked No. 7 for undergraduate research by U.S. News & World Report for 2022-23.
