Donor support fuels UWL cancer research and the next generation of scientists

Donor support fuels UWL cancer research and the next generation of scientists

For Aliyah Schieldt, undergraduate research began almost by coincidence.

A sophomore majoring in radiation therapy, Schieldt met Md Kausar Raza, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UW-La Crosse, during her first-semester Chemistry 103 lab. When Raza described his research, Schieldt immediately saw a connection to her own interest in cancer treatment.

"I knew I wanted to join," she says.

Schieldt officially joined Raza's laboratory last spring and spent the summer gaining hands-on experience facilitat ing experiments, creating compounds and operating scientific instruments.

The research explores an important challenge in cancer treatment: developing therapies that can remain effective in the low-oxygen environments found within many solid tumors.

Raza and his team study metal-containing molecules that can be activated by light. They design and analyze these compounds with the goal of using light to trigger their cancer-damaging effects, potentially allowing greater control over where and when that activity occurs. While the research is still in its early stages , Raza says careful laboratory studies can provide the preliminary evidence needed to determine which promising ideas are worth pursuing.

As the work continues to take shape, so too has Raza's growing team of undergraduate researchers.

"I began establishing this research program at UWL in fall 2025, building on several years of prior research," Raza says. Four undergraduate students participated during the first year of research , with additional students joining this fall.

The Bioinorganic Chemistry Faculty Research Fund , mana ged by the UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation, is helping the program create even more opportunities. Supported by donor Töre , neurointerventional surgeon at Emplify Health by Gundersen , the fund provides resources and dedicated research time that allow Raza and his students to explore new ideas while giving undergraduates meaningful roles in the research process.

"What makes a gift like Dr. Töre's especially meaningful is its dual impact: I t supports the search for new knowledge while helping educate the people who will carry that work forward," Raza says. "A donor is investing not only in an experiment, but also in a student's opportunity to become a scientist."

T ö re was impressed when he heard about the work being pursued at UWL . W ith his experience working in research and labs, namely a two-year appointment as a research fellow at Northwestern University in Chicago, T ö re realized the importance of extramural support needed to maintain and build on the high-quality work being done in UWL's bio in organic chemistry lab.

"Undergraduate research helps students learn how new information is produced and implemented into practice," says Tore. " I hope that my support will help students participate in world class research and encourage them to pursue new ideas and innovation, not only while working on a specific project but throughout their careers."

For students, that opportunity extends well beyond learning how to conduct an experiment.

Schieldt says she has learned how to work safely with chemicals, use spectroscopic techniques to analyze compounds and understand their composition, and operate scientific equipment. She also has gained a new appreciation for the time, patience and persistence research requires.

"Doing the hands-on experiments showed me how researchers work every day," she says. "The experiments take a long time and then you must test to confirm their ability, and so on."

Senior chemistry major Amy Schaetz joined Raza's lab after attending a Chemistry & Biochemistry Club presentation.

" Dr. Raza has given me the opportunity to experience how my undergraduate lab hours actually apply in real world application ," Schaetz says. "I have enjoyed being able to research questions independently while also being able to learn and ask Dr. Raza questions."

In addition to laboratory skills, Schaetz has developed her ability to research, collaborate, solve problems and communicate scientific ideas.

Last semester, students assisting Raza were asked to g ive weekly presentations on their assigned topics, an experience that helped Schaetz recognize that "there is much more to science than just conducting experiments inside the lab."

For Raza, those student experiences are central to the purpose of the research program.

"For our students, research turns chemistry from something they learn into something they do," he says. "These experiences help prepare them for graduate school, healthcare professions, and careers in the chemical and pharmaceutical sciences."

For Schieldt, the experience is already shaping how she sees her future.

"Research is very important to any science major," she says. "It can also lead you to realize different career paths and might heavily influence your future."

That kind of discovery is one of the lasting impacts of undergraduate research. With donor support, students like Schieldt and Schaetz gain more than hands-on laboratory experience. They develop the skills, confidence and curiosity to explore what comes next - and begin to see themselves as the scientists and health care professionals of tomorrow.