Senior Biology Major Conducts Cancer Research at Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital

Alabama A&M University senior Jamie Pearl Chea spent part of her summer studying how leukemia cells respond to temperature stress as a member of the inaugural cohort of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Cech Fellows Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Chea, a biology major from Monrovia, Liberia, was among 176 undergraduate students from across the country selected for the inaugural summer 2026 cohort of the highly competitive program. From June 15 through Aug. 14, she conducted full-time biomedical research in the laboratory of Dr. Shingo Kajimura at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital in Boston.

“Being selected for the Cech Fellows program was a significant accomplishment for me because it gave me the opportunity to step outside of the classroom and contribute to research in a top professional biomedical setting,” Chea said. “As an international student from Liberia attending an HBCU, being able to represent Alabama A&M University in a research environment at a major medical institution was especially meaningful to me.”

Chea’s research focused on understanding how leukemia cell lines respond to cold and heat stress and investigating differences in their cellular responses to temperature changes. During the nine-week fellowship, she gained hands-on experience in biomedical research, analyzed experimental data, worked alongside scientists and presented her research findings.

The experience also strengthened skills Chea said will be important as she pursues a career that combines health care and scientific research.

“I learned how to think more critically as a scientist, troubleshoot experiments, analyze data and communicate scientific findings,” she said. “Most importantly, I learned that research requires patience, consistency, curiosity and a willingness to learn from unexpected results.”

Chea entered the fellowship with research experience developed at AAMU under the guidance of Dr. Qunying Yuan. That foundation helped her identify participating laboratories whose research aligned with her scientific interests and career goals. Fellows ranked laboratories based on their interests, while participating laboratories evaluated students for research fit. Chea was ultimately matched with Kajimura’s laboratory.

In addition to intensive research, the fellowship provided mentorship, professional development, scientific presentations and opportunities for students to engage with leading researchers and fellow undergraduates interested in biomedical science.

For Chea, the opportunity built on an undergraduate experience at AAMU that has extended well beyond the classroom. She is a Presidential Scholarship and Academic Merit Scholarship recipient, a two-time Presidential Gold Medallion recipient and a three-time Dean’s List honoree.

She also serves as president of the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students for 2026-27 and previously represented the International Student Association as Miss ISA 2025-26.

Chea said she chose biology because of a longstanding fascination with the human body and the science behind understanding and treating disease. Her experiences at AAMU and in the Cech Fellows program have helped shape her plans to pursue a career that allows her to combine patient care with her interest in biomedical research.

As she prepares for the next stage of her education, Chea has already been accepted into Emory University’s Master of Nursing program for spring 2027. She has also been accepted into the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Biomedical Science program for spring 2027.

Chea’s journey to this point began thousands of miles from Normal.

She said Alabama A&M’s history and culture particularly resonated with her as a student from Liberia, a nation with deep historical ties to the United States and the resettlement of free and formerly enslaved African Americans. She saw attending an HBCU as an opportunity to explore connections between African and African American cultures while building a strong academic foundation.

At AAMU, she said, she found both opportunity and community.

“I enjoy the sense of community at AAMU,” Chea said. “I have been able to build relationships with professors, mentors, classmates and other students who have supported me throughout my undergraduate journey. I also appreciate the opportunities AAMU has given me to grow beyond the classroom through leadership, research, professional development and service.”

Chea expects to graduate in December 2026. Her summer in Boston reinforced her interest in biomedical science while demonstrating how the foundation she developed at Alabama A&M can open doors to opportunities beyond campus.

“It reminded me that opportunities in science are not limited by where you come from, and it encouraged me to continue pursuing ambitious goals in biomedical science,” she said.