Xavier University of Louisiana Professor Jayalakshmi Sridhar PhD, didn't mind answering questions from her students at Xavier University of Louisiana about their family members with cancer. 

With expertise in the development of cancer therapeutics and also health disparities, Dr. Sridhar recognized that her students were in a unique position to help their families and communities better understand cancer — the No. 2 cause of death in Louisiana.

“There is a lot of information that is missing for families,” she explained.  “Since these students are in the science field,  their families tended to ask them, ‘Can you explain to us what this diagnosis means? What should we look for?’ If they needed treatment, they wanted to know where to get started.”

One Saturday morning in March 2025, a few Xavier students met with Dr. Sridhar and Dr. Christopher Williams, chair of Xavier’s Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences and LCRC faculty member to form a Cancer Education and Research Club (CERC). Within a month, the club elected board members and began planning events for the next academic year. As a result, students at Xavier University of Louisiana are not only learning about cancer research—they are also learning how to educate others about the disease, its risks and prevention.

They are becoming a trusted source of cancer information, and that fills a gap for those who lack access to healthcare.

The club kicked off the 2026-27 academic year with 68 members and a full schedule of activities, supported with funding from the Louisiana Cancer Research Center. Dr. Sridhar and Jasmin Eugene, PharmD, also an LCRC faculty member, advise the organization.

In its first year, the club held seminars featuring national speakers addressing different aspects of cancer. A panel of Ochsner Health hematologists spoke about the role of hematology in cancer and career opportunities. Club members participated in community events for kidney cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer, distributing informational materials they created.

Members gained experience with cancer research as well, participating in undergraduate projects under the guidance of mentors and examining research through student-led journal discussions. “We allow the students to pick a research paper to analyze and present their findings to the larger group,” said club president Kyla George, a senior from New Iberia, Louisiana.

Neuroscience major Maya Adams presented a talk on "Nuclear Enlargement After Confined Migration" and described the experience as "a major turning point for my personal growth. Beyond developing confidence in front of an audience, I found it deeply rewarding on a personal level to absorb brand-new scientific concepts and be introduced to such a specialized area of cancer research...learning to independently evaluate complex studies forced me out of my comfort zone, refined my analytical skills, and instilled a sense of professional assurance that will directly serve my future career in medicine."

According to George, the club hopes to get more undergraduate students involved, grow its community impact and start conversations with other academic institutions as to how their students can move forward with assisting patients and their families in the Louisiana area."

‍