This HBCU Senior is a STEM Trailblazer
Long before Ebony Lee decided to study pharmaceutical sciences at Lane College (a UNCF-member institution), she provided caregiving support for her grandmother. As her grandmother navigated several chronic health conditions, Lee helped organize her many prescription medications from a young age.
She witnessed first-hand how much medication management, patient education and access to quality healthcare matter.
“Those experiences sparked my curiosity about how medications work, how diseases affect the human body and why some communities experience greater barriers to receiving adequate healthcare,” Lee said.
Lee, a first-generation college student, is now a senior at Lane majoring in biology with a chemistry minor. She is a recipient of the UNCF Wells Fargo Scholarship. In 2025, she became the first student from an historically Black college or university (HBCU) to receive the Marion B. Sewer Distinguished Scholarship from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), which honors the memory of Marion B. Sewer, who pushed to increase the participation of historically underrepresented groups in science. This year, she became the first student in the program’s history to receive the distinction twice.
“Once was historic. Twice is unprecedented,” Lee said. “As a first-generation college student and two-time recipient of the Marion B. Sewer Distinguished Scholarship, this opportunity means a great deal to me. I am incredibly proud to see Lane College beside my name and to continue representing HBCU students in scientific spaces where our voices and talents deserve to be seen.”
For Lee, these scholarships provide much more than money. UNCF’s Wells Fargo Scholarship helped eased the financial strain of tuition and other expenses, freeing her to focus on her studies, research, leadership and service.
“Scholarships help bridge that gap by providing not only financial resources but also encouragement and reassurance,” she said. “I believe that when [donors] invest in a student’s education, you are investing in the future of their family, their community and the generations who will follow.”
A Researcher with a Mission
Lee summarizes her dream in six words: “From Lane. To Labs. To Legacy.”
Her research experiences at Rhodes College, Meharry Medical College and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have shaped her passion for pharmaceutical sciences, healthcare equity and serving underserved communities.
During her summer breaks, she spent time in some of the nation’s leading research settings. In 2024, Lee joined a National Science Foundation-funded program at Rhodes College, where she used a common laboratory fungus to study how proteins interact to help cells stay organized. In 2025, she turned to cancer research through a National Institutes of Health-funded program at Meharry Medical College. There, she examined the molecular mechanisms that drive cancer progression and why some prostate cancers become resistant to treatment. Black men experience disproportionately high rates of prostate cancer incidence and mortality.
This past summer, Lee conducted pharmaceutical sciences research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She studied how a protein called PLPP5 may influence the way cells respond to different drug compounds, connecting to broader investigations of cancer biology including acute myeloid leukemia.
These research opportunities shaped her interest in oncology and connecting laboratory research with clinical outcomes. “I’m grateful to ASBMB, my mentors, Lane College, Meharry Medical College, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and everyone who continues to pour into my growth,” she shared. “My journey through cancer research and pharmaceutical sciences has continued to shape my goal of becoming a pharmacist-scientist. I want to focus on research and patient-centered care to improve health outcomes in underserved communities.”
The Road Ahead
Lee will be graduating in spring 2027 and plans to begin a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in the fall. Her goal is to become a pharmacist-scientist specializing in oncology and disease research to improve health outcomes in underserved communities disproportionately affected by cancer disparities.Her vision is establishing a network of community pharmacies and wellness centers in predominantly Black communities and other underserved rural and urban communities. These centers would offer prescription services, medication counseling, preventive screenings and chronic disease education. They would ideally provide affordable remedies for serious illness and disease, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sickle cell anemia.
Lee also hopes to mentor the next generation of underrepresented students in STEM. She is developing an initiative called The Cure Collective, which will introduce underrepresented students to careers in STEM, pharmacy sciences, medicine and biomedical research.
Leading On and Off-Campus
At Lane, Lee has served as junior class president and president of the STEM club. She also founded the college’s American Red Cross chapter, serving as a national HBCU ambassador. She was driven to create more opportunities for students to engage in humanitarian service and community health.
Her advocacy reaches beyond campus as well. Lee is a digital organizer with the NAACP Youth & College Division and holds a leadership role in the National Society of Black Women in Medicine. She also has worn the crowns of Miss Freshman, Miss Sophomore, Miss 1936 and Miss Pre-Alumni Council.
Her message to young people who feel overlooked is direct. “We are intelligent enough,” she said. “We are capable enough. We are deserving enough. And we do not have to shrink ourselves to fit the limitations that others may attempt to place upon us.”
UNCF is proud of our students and alumni who have received scholarships that help them continue their education and graduate. These scholarships are invaluable to students, and UNCF is accepting donations to support students like Ebony Lee in their academic endeavors.