Lexe West

Lexe West is a 2026-2030 Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellow pursuing her Ph.D. in Toxicology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She graduated from Kansas State University in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology, where she conducted behavioral neuroscience research and was recognized as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. Following graduation, she worked as a research associate at University of Kansas Medical Center investigating how maternal immune activation shapes the diverse phenotypes associated with Down syndrome.

In her doctoral research, Lexe aims to examine how early life environmental exposures and lifestyles factors influence disease risk across the lifespan. She is also deeply committed to science advocacy and communication, with a particular focus on expanding access to research opportunities for first-generation college students. After completing her Ph.D., Lexe plans to pursue the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellowship and ultimately work in the federal government to advance science policy that supports communities historically excluded from scientific discourse. 

Mentor: Michele Pritchard, Ph.D. Professor, Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, KUMC