Alagu Subramanian, B.A. ’23, a Baylor University Scholar with concentrations in biology, medical humanities, and business administration, has been named one of 16 recipients of the highly competitive Winston Churchill Scholarship in science, mathematics, and engineering by the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States.
Subramanian is Baylor’s fourth consecutive Churchill nominee, a remarkable achievement given the University’s short history of nominating institutions. Baylor Churchill Scholars Arvind Muruganantham, B.S. (cell and molecular biology) ’23, Kate Rojales, B.S. (chemistry) ’22, and Emily Schultz, B.S. (biology) ’21, are studying for a master’s degree at Churchill College, Cambridge.
According to Andrew P. Hogue, Ph.D., associate dean for active learning at Baylor, the Churchill Award is the most prestigious for undergraduates in STEM due to its high standards and limited number of recipients. “That Baylor has done something unparalleled in the history of the prize by winning for the fourth time in a row is simply amazing – a credit to our great students, dedicated science faculty, and thriving undergraduate research enterprise. Alagu clearly merits a spot in the Baylor-to-Cambridge pipeline.
The Churchill Scholarship was established at Sir Winston Churchill’s request as part of the foundation of Churchill College in Cambridge. It carries on his aim of strengthening the US-UK partnership to develop science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic, assuring future prosperity and security. The Churchill Fellowship provides full tuition, a competitive stipend, travel expenses, and the opportunity to compete for a $4,000 special research award.
Subramanian plans to pursue an M.Phil. in Medical Science at Cambridge’s Department of Surgery and Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. He will collaborate with Dr. Andrew McCaskie and Dr. Mark Birch on a project to study biological circumstances that enrich stem cells for transplantation as a regenerative therapy for osteoarthritis.
Subramanian intends to pursue an M.D. after finishing his studies at Cambridge, where he will perform research in translational drug discovery and first-in-class therapeutic development.
“I applied for the Churchill Fellowship so that I could go to a new nation while performing groundbreaking research at a world-renowned institution. My research experiences in academia, industry, and government inspired me to pursue science. Every question I asked resulted in a new topic and a chance to apply results to improve each patient’s lived experience with sickness,” Subramanian explained.
“The Churchill Scholarship will provide me with the opportunity to encounter a new culture and broaden my horizons in a new nation. An experience that allows me to study abroad while developing relationships that will affect my professional destiny. “I’ve heard that Cambridge science dances on the rooftops, and I can’t wait to dance,” he said.
Subramanian received his second major scholarship after winning the sixth consecutive Goldwater Scholarship at Baylor in 2023. The Goldwater Scholarship, awarded to outstanding undergraduates in natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics, motivated him to pursue revolutionary therapies for patients.
Subramanian, a Baylor undergraduate from San Ramon, California, found a natural research mentor in associate biology professor Joseph Taube, B.S. ’03, Ph.D. The Taube Lab focuses on molecular pathways and cellular features that enable primary tumor cells to spread. He initially met Taube while attending an Invitation to Excellence event as a prospective Baylor student.
“Dr. Taube spoke to me about his research in breast cancer metastasis which inspired me and was a key factor in my decision to come to Baylor and work with him,” Subramanian said in a statement.
Despite starting his undergraduate study during COVID, Subramanian demonstrated exceptional independence and skill, according to Taube.
Subramanian, an aspiring medical researcher and physician interested in novel therapeutic discovery, worked on the lab’s small molecules project and served as the biology lead of the MiniPharma collaboration, a collaborative undergraduate research program focused on molecular modeling, synthesis, and cellular assays to identify novel drug leads.
“I asked Alagu to evaluate the anti-cancer effectiveness of numerous substances offered by the Romo research lab. He not only analyzed cytotoxicity in a variety of malignancies, but he also discovered a potential biomarker that could predict vulnerability to these chemicals,” Taube added. “I loved having Alagu in my lab because I enjoy supporting Baylor students who are interested in research. Getting to be a part of their discovery that they can provide relevant and innovative data and join the community of research scientists is a blessing for me.”
At the University of Texas at Austin’s SURE conference in Natural Sciences, Subramanian presented his research on cancer biology, specifically cancer stem cells. In October 2023, he was one of the few undergraduates to present a poster at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Boston. He was also the first author of the paper published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Taube explained that the work he began serves as the foundation for a new graduate student’s thesis, and they would collaborate on an upcoming book.
