Fellowship prepares nursing student for a career using research to improve patient care

A Boise native, Alice Mwamba graduates in December 2026 with her bachelor's of science degree in nursing.

Senior nursing student Alice Mwamba brought her love of science and patient care into the laboratory this summer.

Mwamba received an extremely competitive undergraduate research fellowship and joined a team investigating how bacterial biofilms can contribute to chronic, non-healing wounds.

"I learned so much about what research looks like outside of the classroom," Mwamba said. "It was definitely a lot of work, but it gave me a really good understanding of how much time and attention to detail goes into research before you even get to the actual data analysis."

Mwamba worked in Boise's Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center within Dr. Mary Cloud Ammons' lab. She described it as "an incredible experience." Her days included tasks like organizing and preparing wound samples, extracting DNA and RNA, copying segments and prepping, sequencing and analyzing genomic data.

"…Science is about continuing to ask questions and learn from what happens, even when the results are not what you originally expected," Mwamba said.

Nursing care that starts in the laboratory

Before the fellowship, Mwamba understood antimicrobial resistance primarily from a clinical perspective: she thought about the care she would provide as a nurse, since chronic wounds can be difficult to treat and heal. What she discovered through her research was the amount of work involved to understand it at the genomic and microbial level, way before bedside care.

"Seeing the organisms present in these wounds and studying their characteristics made me think about the clinical side of wound care in a completely different way," Mwamba wrote in an email.

"[The fellowship] helped me understand that some of the decisions nurses make at the bedside are connected to years of research happening behind the scenes."

Alice Mwamba

"As nurses, we see the patient at the bedside, but research helps us understand the bigger picture behind what we are seeing," Mwamba said. "It helps us determine which treatments are most effective, how diseases develop, how we can prevent complications, and how we can provide safer and better care. The research may start in a laboratory, but ultimately, the goal is to use that knowledge to improve people's lives."

Learning to adapt and share findings

The research process is rarely straightforward. As Mwamba's team hit roadblocks, she discovered how important it is to pivot and try new avenues to keep moving forward.

"That experience actually helped me understand the importance of research even more because science is about continuing to ask questions and learn from what happens, even when the results are not what you originally expected," she said.

"We definitely had hiccups…I think that was actually one of the most valuable parts of the experience because it taught me how unpredictable research can be and how important it is to be adaptable and patient," Mwamba said. "You can have a very detailed plan, but you also have to be willing to accommodate and problem-solve when things do not go according to that plan."

Mwamba's fellowship included laboratory research as well as presenting at the Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research.

An avid nurse scientist, Mwamba enjoys not just the inquiry process but also sharing her work with others. So one of her favorite parts of the fellowship was presenting the team's findings at the Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research in July.

"It was really exciting to see all of the different research being conducted by undergraduate students across Idaho and to have the opportunity to talk about our project with other students and researchers," Mwamba said. "Presenting also helped me become more comfortable explaining scientific concepts to people who may not have the same background or knowledge of genomics."

But this wasn't Mwamba's first time; she's been presenting work at conferences throughout her education as a research assistant at Boise State.

"My experience as a research assistant has really shaped how I see what is possible," she said. "Before getting involved in research, I did not fully realize how much research could influence real-world healthcare. Now I have seen firsthand how ideas can turn into projects, how projects can turn into findings, and how those findings can be shared with communities and providers to create change. It has made everything feel more tangible and achievable."

Mwamba has been a research assistant during most of her undergraduate education. "As a nursing student who hopes to become a nurse scientist, I'm especially interested in bridging research and patient care to help improve treatments and overall health outcomes," she said.

What's next?

As a first-generation student, Mwamba has prioritized community-centered care and research during her studies at Boise State. She remains grounded in patient care and driven toward research for her future.

After she graduates in December, Mwamba will begin working as an oncology nurse at St. Luke's Boise. Shortly after, Mwamba will start an online Master of Science in Nursing in Clinical Research Management program through Arizona State University.

"I plan to spend the next few years building strong bedside experience while continuing to develop my research skills and learning how to connect clinical experiences with meaningful research questions," Mwamba said. "In the future, I hope to pursue a PhD and become a PhD-prepared nurse who can contribute to research, improve patient outcomes, and address health disparities, with a particular research interest in oncology and cancer care."

Share This

• Share on Facebook
• Share on X
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share through Email