In 2021, MCI’s
Youth Advisory Board (YAB) was able to release an undergraduate research opportunity in an effort to engage young scholars in the field of male contraception. The opportunity was made available with support from the
Parsemus Foundation and contributions from Male Contraceptive Initiative.
Qualifying students enrolled in accredited undergraduate institutions internationally and in the United States were encouraged to submit their application before the end of September. Applicants were requested to develop a small-scale research or advocacy project related to understanding or developing novel male contraceptives that could be conducted over the 2021-2022 academic year. Once each application was reviewed, the approved projects were eligible to receive up to $1000 in funding.
The YAB and MCI staff reviewed each application and selected awardees based on relevance, feasibility of the project proposed, and candidate strength. After the reviewal process with MCI was complete, the YAB decided to award four undergraduate students the funds to conduct their project.
The YAB proudly awarded Malena Gabri, Kenitimi Bikikoro, Aryani Pallerla, and Madeline Mahoney the first undergraduate research award since its inception in 2017:
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Malena Gabri
Malena is studying social work at the University of Buenos Aires and is interested in improving the health outcomes of low-income populations. Her project aims to understand young people’s perception of novel male contraception in Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires and how new methods of contraception can address high rates of unintended pregnancy.
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Kenitimi Bikikoro
Kenitimi is a student in Medical Lab Sciences at Niger Delta University. With a focus in Chemical Pathology, Kenitimi is undergoing bioinformatics training to monitor, diagnose, and treat human diseases. His project seeks to use computational biology tools to predict potential vaccine candidates for nonhormonal, reversible, post-meiotic male contraception.
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Aryani Pallerla
Aryani is studying Neuroscience, Chemistry, and Creative Writing at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her research is focused on female/male contraception and HIV prevention in drug delivery systems. Aryani’s project aims to develop, characterize, and optimize a long acting and reversible injectable in situ forming implant (ISFI) for male contraception.
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Madeline Mahoney
Madeline is a second-year student at the University of Chicago involved in sexual and reproductive health research at Planned Parenthood North Central States. Madeline’s project aims to investigate the perceptions of people who have undergone a vasectomy, in order to understand their preferences towards reversible contra sperm methods.
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Engaging young people in all stages of male contraceptive research is critical in understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of potential users. The Youth Advisory Board is excited for the opportunity to facilitate youth engagement in male contraceptive research with this grant opportunity. The YAB is grateful for the contributions from the
Parsemus Foundation and MCI; the funds will be dedicated to supporting each young researcher as they develop and implement their project ideas.
The YAB and MCI staff reviewed each application and selected awardees based on relevance, feasibility of the project proposed, and candidate strength. After the reviewal process with MCI was complete, the YAB decided to award four undergraduate students the funds to conduct their project.
The YAB proudly awarded Malena Gabri, Kenitimi Bikikoro, Aryani Pallerla, and Madeline Mahoney the first undergraduate research award since its inception in 2017:
Malena is studying social work at the University of Buenos Aires and is interested in improving the health outcomes of low-income populations. Her project aims to understand young people’s perception of novel male contraception in Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires and how new methods of contraception can address high rates of unintended pregnancy.
Kenitimi is a student in Medical Lab Sciences at Niger Delta University. With a focus in Chemical Pathology, Kenitimi is undergoing bioinformatics training to monitor, diagnose, and treat human diseases. His project seeks to use computational biology tools to predict potential vaccine candidates for nonhormonal, reversible, post-meiotic male contraception.
Aryani is studying Neuroscience, Chemistry, and Creative Writing at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her research is focused on female/male contraception and HIV prevention in drug delivery systems. Aryani’s project aims to develop, characterize, and optimize a long acting and reversible injectable in situ forming implant (ISFI) for male contraception.
Madeline is a second-year student at the University of Chicago involved in sexual and reproductive health research at Planned Parenthood North Central States. Madeline’s project aims to investigate the perceptions of people who have undergone a vasectomy, in order to understand their preferences towards reversible contra sperm methods.