A program to support diverse students in environmental health sciences
Official title: KEEP: Kentucky Environmental Education Pipeline, A program to retain a diverse and equitable scientific trainee pipeline
Funded at University of Louisville · NIH-11039990 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The KEEP program at the University of Louisville is a summer opportunity for undergraduate students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, to get paid while doing hands-on research in environmental health, receiving mentorship, and building their confidence as future scientists.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $133,521 |
| NIH project number | 5R25ES036039-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11039990 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this program are undergraduate students from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in environmental health sciences.
✕Less likely to help
Students who are not pursuing a degree in STEM fields or who do not meet the criteria for underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
The KEEP program at the University of Louisville offers a paid summer research experience focused on environmental health for undergraduate students, particularly those from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This immersive program aims to reduce dropout rates in STEM fields by providing mentorship, career counseling, and community engagement opportunities. Participants will engage in hands-on research, learn biostatistics, and present their findings at various academic events. The program seeks to foster a supportive environment that helps students develop their identities as scientists.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve retention rates of underrepresented students in STEM fields, leading to a more diverse scientific workforce.
How similar studies have gone: Similar programs aimed at supporting underrepresented students in STEM have shown success in improving retention and graduation rates.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Louisville
Louisville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neal, Rachel Elizabeth — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Neal, Rachel Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gastric rhythm map to understand stomach problems using a new noninvasive tool
A new noninvasive body surface mapping method is being tested to see if abnormal stomach electrical rhythms explain chronic stomach problems like functional dyspepsia and persistent nausea.
-
Novel antivirals for alphavirus arthritis
A research team is refining a promising antiviral compound to treat alphavirus infections that cause arthritis, with a focus on Chikungunya and related viruses.
-
Linking heavy metal exposure to a tougher breast cancer type (TNBC)
Aimed at understanding how heavy metals like cadmium might trigger a dangerous breast cancer type (TNBC) in people, especially those with BRCA1 risk, to identify possible future treatment strategies.
-
Cardiac safety of flavored e-cigarette aerosols in adults
A pharmacist or clinician would test how inhaling flavored e-cigarette aerosols affects heart rhythm in adults to see if flavors raise the risk of heart problems.
-
Biomedical Research Facilities to Expand Precision Medicine in Kentucky
A large NIH grant aims to renovate and expand a shared precision medicine center in Kentucky to speed up research that could improve health for people in Appalachia and surrounding areas.
-
Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.