Dr. Pope’s selection is viewed by university leadership as a strategic advancement of FAMU’s research enterprise, directly aligning with priorities to expand externally engaged scholarship and elevate the university’s national profile.
“As a FAMU alumna, Dr. Pope represents the excellence, resilience and innovation that define our institution,” said FAMU Provost Allyson Watson. “Her experience and her growing body of work made her an ideal fit for this distinguished partnership.”
The hybrid program combines structured professional development with collaborative research opportunities, culminating in a national symposium in May where fellows will present their work. Her participation reinforces FAMU's long-term commitment to cultivating a more robust and visible research ecosystem that supports both faculty innovation and student success.
Dr. Pope’s fellowship involves a direct collaboration with KC Huang, Ph.D., a professor of bioengineering, microbiology and immunology at Stanford Medicine. Their joint project investigates cellular and microbiome-mediated responses to traditional Chinese medicines. The research seeks to understand how natural herbal remedies influence microbial behavior and intestinal cell function, with potential implications for colon cancer prevention and strengthening the body’s disease resistance.
“This fellowship has created a powerful space for collaboration and innovation among HBCU faculty,” Dr. Pope said. “It allows us to expand the reach of our discovery efforts while contributing to solutions that have tangible impact in the communities we serve.”
The program is part of a broader recognition of the critical role HBCUs play in the national research landscape and the need to dismantle barriers to resources and partnerships. By creating sustained, meaningful collaborations, the initiative aims to build research capacity at HBCUs and diversify the pathways to groundbreaking discovery.
Further, it emphasizes the broader significance for FAMU’s academic trajectory. “Dr. Pope’s selection is a reflection of the strength of FAMU’s faculty and the intentional investments we are making in research and innovation,” Watson said. I thank Stanford Medicine leadership for “recognizing the value of HBCU research partnerships.”