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2025 Chemistry and Biochemistry Ward Medal Winner

Hello! My name is Marielle Kudera, and I’m a Biochemistry major at City College pursuing a minor in Business Management and Administration on the Pre-Veterinary Track. I recently started The Pre-Veterinary Society of t¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ last Fall to cultivate a strong and supportive community for Pre-vet students here on campus. My mission was to create a space I wished I was able to find as a Freshman — a space for pre-vet students to connect with each other and be motivated to stay proactive  in their journey, whether they are pursuing a field in animal care or merely interested in finding other ways to serve this population. CCNY provided the opportunity for me to achieve my goals as President, hosting career-building workshops, guest speaking events, volunteer efforts, and connecting people to internships, shadowing roles, and other opportunities. I had an amazing time this year thanks to my wonderful team, the executive board, and the people whom we helped guide and impassion. The Philippine American Organization also helped me connect more strongly to my cultural identity and create lasting friendships I hadn't expected when entering CCNY.

I also engage in captivating research in the Li lab, where we use C. Elegans as a model system to analyze the processing machinery, pathway, and role of the apl-1 gene, an orthologue to the human app gene. In elucidating these characteristics, we can further our understanding of the components and mechanisms behind neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The laboratory methods used to attain my findings are also those that have been drilled into me throughout my classes, and I really love the application of topics I learned into real scientific work. I will never forget classes such as Organic Chemistry I and II, Physical Chemistry , Biochemistry I and II, their lab components, Immunology, and others with professors and TAs that continuously inspire and fuel my passion for STEM. My success in these classes and the joy and curiosity I find in research can be attributed to the unwavering support system I have found here at CCNY, my professors, and my PI/mentor. 

As I keep pushing toward my goals, I am continuing my job as veterinarian assistant at Heart of Harlem, my volunteer work for GallopNYC to help in therapeutic horse riding lessons while caring for and maintaining the well-being of horses, other volunteer work in South Africa as I assist in Wildlife Rehabilitation and Care, and finishing the remainder of my major classes while beginning to take classes for a Business Minor. In my final year at CCNY, I will begin the application process to vet schools, and, in the years following, I aim to keep traveling to new destinations, as it is another strong passion I have.