Tomorrow's Leaders

Kennesaw State celebrates Women's History Month

By Kennesaw State University

March 6^th, 2026

This Women’s History Month, Kennesaw State University will shine a light on remarkable women who are shaping the future through groundbreaking research and transformative student leadership. Throughout March, we’ll introduce you to Owls whose work on campus and in their communities is forging new paths and inspiring the next generation of history makers.

APRIL FORD

As a master’s student in Kennesaw State University’s integrative biology (MSIB) program, April Ford is taking a fresh approach to discovering what role certain proteins play in an organism’s development. By examining when and how hormone receptors interact with these proteins, she is contributing important insights that could shape our understanding of biological development, puberty, and even steroid-driven cancers.

While still an undergraduate at KSU, Ford discovered her research passion at the intersection of biology, genetics, and molecular tool development. So, when she began in the MSIB program, she looked for a mentor who could help her advance those interests. She found that fit with Joanna Wardwell-Ozgo, whose project aligned with Ford’s broad interest in developmental biology.

A young woman smiles in a lab, wearing safety glasses and a lab coat. She works with a microscope and a small sample container, wearing black gloves.

“Once I immersed myself in the project, my curiosity about hormonal signaling grew.” Ford said.

Steroid hormones like estrogen and testosterone are known to be key players in development, but this project takes on a new approach to an old question: how do certain proteins work alongside them to control their effect?

“Historically, we lacked the tools to reveal how specific proteins play their roles in regulating development,” she explained. “So, we built our own toolkit.”

The research team has encountered some unexpected results with their toolkit, but instead of feeling discouraged, Ford embraces the challenge.

“It’s actually been most exciting when our hypotheses are incorrect. I have gone down a bit of a rabbit hole to try and understand why,” she explained.

A woman in a lab coat holds a tray of sample bottles in a science lab. She wears safety glasses and black gloves, and the tray is labeled

Even when experiments fall short, she lets curiosity drive her motivation because the data collection must continue.

“Willingly sitting in the cold, dark microscope room for hours at a time to see the results of my experiments tells you how much I’m in love with seeing these results and microscopy,” she added with a laugh.

Joanna Wardwell-Ozgo echoed Ford’s spirit of resilience and considers working with her among the most rewarding experiences she's had as a mentor. She described with pride how Ford has grown from a student who needed direction into an independent researcher whose initiatives now drive the work.

“April has guided this project to where it is now entirely on her own. I get to sit back, say, ‘yes,’ and watch her follow her curiosity,” she said.

Ford knew the MSIB program’s hands-on, impactful research opportunities with mentoring faculty made KSU the right place to continue her studies. She encourages future students to be intentional when selecting a research advisor, noting, “This is the person who will be there for you in both success and failure.”

Wardwell-Ozgo agrees, adding that KSU sets itself apart by giving students unique opportunities to conduct basic biomedical research and not only receive training on advanced scientific equipment, but use it often. Together, strong mentorship and cutting-edge training give KSU students a competitive edge in both advanced study and industry careers.