Montana State doctoral student receives inaugural fellowship for human health researchers

BOZEMAN - A Montana State University graduate student planning a career in cancer research is the first recipient of a newly established fellowship for emerging MSU scholars working to address and expand scientific understanding to advance human health.

Chloe Rifai, a second-year doctoral student in biochemistry, said the $30,000, two-year award from the Kathryn Follis Heivilin and Gerard Heivilin Research Fellowship will allow her to devote her time to identifying differences between regular ovarian cancer cells and their chemotherapy-resistant counterparts.

Rifai works under the advisement of Mary Cloninger, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Letters and Science, whose research group investigates a class of proteins called galectins that may protect cancer cells from chemotherapy. Understanding the role that galectins play in the development of resistance to commonly used chemotherapy agents could ultimately lead to improvements in chemotherapy for ovarian cancer patients, Cloninger said.

"I really appreciate the opportunity I've been given to pursue research full time," said Rifai, adding that she was surprised to learn about the award because Cloninger quietly applied for it on her behalf without her knowledge. "My project has the possibility of mushrooming into many different avenues to investigate, and so I'm really excited about what that's going to look like."

The new fellowship was established in the spring with a gift from Kathryn and Gerard Heivilin to support graduate students pursuing scientific research that advances overall human health and the prevention and treatment of disease. Kathryn Follis Heivilin retired from the University of Montana in 2023, after working as a researcher for more than 40 years at UM, the University of California Berkeley, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt University and the University of Washington. She dedicated 24 years to advancing knowledge and discovery in the field of HIV and AIDS. Impressed by MSU's research output, particularly in the biological and interdisciplinary sciences, she said she seeks to honor the progress achieved during her professional lifetime while "paying it forward" to developing scholars.

"It is our hope that this new fellowship will allow MSU to continue to attract top talent and provide meaningful opportunities for graduate researchers to focus on their pursuit of innovative inquiry and contributions toward scientific advancement," Heivilin said.

Rifai said she chose to pursue her doctorate at MSU after she met Cloninger and learned about her research. She additionally weighed good things she had heard about MSU's Graduate School, mentorship and research opportunities while she was finishing her master's degree in toxicology at Colorado State University. Rifai also holds bachelor's degrees in marine biology and biochemistry from Northeastern University in Boston.

While her scientific interests are wide-ranging, Rifai said her work in Cloninger's lab has helped define her future career path.

"I would like to continue working in cancer research at a cancer research center, national lab or in industry," she said. "I also have a passion for women's health research, so I'm really happy to have ended up in this field. It's definitely the most fulfilling research I've been a part of."

Cloninger said the financial award will allow Rifai to focus solely on her research and advance it much more quickly.

"I am grateful to Kathryn and Gerard Heivilin for the opportunity to recognize and foster Chloe's potential," Cloninger said. "She is a talented, dedicated student who is deeply committed to her research. This fellowship will greatly facilitate her development as a scientist by removing financial pressures from her life that detract from learning."