Alexandra Polasko, PhD, received the 2025 Recognizing Individuals for Support and Empowerment (RISE) Award from the Stanford-HBMC Medical Scholar Program. This award celebrate faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and residents who have exemplified exceptional mentorship for visiting medical students from Historically Black Medical Colleges (HBMCs). The RISE Awards specifically recognize those who have fostered an inclusive environment and provided outstanding guidance to mentees participating in the 2025 Stanford-HBMC Summer Research Program. Mentors distinguished themselves by embracing the whole student, focusing not only on research skills but also on personal growth, cultural connection, and professional development.
Dr. Polasko is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. James Brooks‘ lab at Stanford University School of Medicine. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UCLA. She is also a K12 Scholar in the K12 Urology Research at Stanford (KUReS) Career Development Program. Her research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms that drive benign prostate hyperplasia which affects nearly 80% of men over eighty and can result in impaired urine storage and voiding as well as renal failure.
Yasmin Abdellatiff, a medical student at Meharry Medical College, nominated Dr. Polasko for her above-and-beyond mentorship. Yasmin says Dr. Polasko is “not only the best mentor I have worked with but also one of the most caring and inspiring individuals I have encountered in my life.”
Dr. Polasko’s achievement demonstrates her commitment to stewarding the next generation of urologic researchers. Congratulations, Dr. Polasko.