MANHATTAN — The Johnson Cancer Research Center at Kansas State University has selected 47 students to participate in its undergraduate research mentoring and award program.

The center’s Cancer Research Award program promotes student participation in laboratory research. It encourages undergraduate students to consider careers in cancer research and medicine early on while they are still deciding what academic and professional paths to take.

“This opportunity gets students engaged, a critical factor in their success,” said Stephen K. Chapes, the center’s interim director and a professor of biology. “Many of these future cancer researchers and medical workers will undoubtedly go on to be some of the top professionals in their fields.”

The award program, which is open to Kansas State University undergraduate students interested in doing cancer-relevant research, provides $1,000 awards to up to 50 students a year, and $1,000 per student for research expenses.

Students applied for the awards by co-writing research proposals with faculty mentors affiliated with the center. The awardees conduct their research in the mentors’ laboratories during the spring semester.

“These are some of the university’s — and the state’s — most outstanding science students, working closely with excellent faculty on real research projects,” Chapes said.

The students will be recognized in the spring at a banquet attended by their families and faculty mentors, cancer research center supporters and university administrators.

The Johnson Cancer Research Center supports the research and training of affiliated faculty, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate and graduate students. All of these programs are funded through private gifts.

The following local students received Cancer Research Awards; included is each student’s faculty mentor:  Sarah Pendell, Fort Riley, senior in microbiology, faculty mentor Rollie Clem, professor of biology; From Manhattan: Anna Brokesh, senior, faculty mentor Richard Todd, associate professor of plant pathology; Kseniya Chumachenko, senior in biology, faculty mentor Annelise Nguyen, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; Tran Le, freshman in biology, faculty mentor Masaaki Tamura, associate professor of anatomy and physiology; Damilola Ogun, freshman in biology, faculty mentor Masaaki Tamura, professor of anatomy and physiology; Kayla Shore, senior in nutritional sciences, faculty mentor Saurav Misra, research associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics; and Vaithish Velazhahan, junior in microbiology, faculty mentor Kathrin Schrick, associate professor of biology.