Kevin Hurtado, PhD, a postdoctoral research scholar in the laboratory of Leslie Gewin, MD, has been selected for induction into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, a national honor recognizing exceptional scholarship, leadership, and a commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in higher education.
Founded in 2005 by Yale University and Howard University, the Society is named for Edward Alexander Bouchet, the first African American in the United States to earn a PhD (Yale, 1876). It honors scholars who embody his legacy of excellence, integrity, mentorship, and advocacy, with chapters now established at leading universities across the country.
Dr. Hurtado earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biological and Ecological Sciences from Northern Arizona University and went on to develop a strong research foundation during four years as a graduate research assistant at the University of Arizona, where he completed his PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology. He joined WasU Nephrology in December 2023 as a postdoctoral scholar in the Gewin Lab, where he investigates mechanisms of kidney injury and repair.
“I began my research journey with the goal of supporting first-generation students, inspired by my own experiences and the mentors who helped me along the way. Joining the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society is an honor that deeply humbles me and makes these goals feel more tangible.”
Kevin Hurtado
Hurtado grew up in Mexico and was raised with a strong devotion to helping others, a value that now motivates him to use what he learns to support future generations of scientists. “I strongly resonate with the Society’s mission to serve, advocate, and lead, and WashU has provided me with resources to live out that mission”.
He joined the Gewin lab to study the role of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation in the progression of chronic kidney injury. Initially supported by a T32 training grant (WashU Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research), he is now funded by an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship. Hurtado is also president of the Washington University Postdoctoral Society.
“I have been exposed to high-end techniques to elevate my project thanks to the opportunities to collaborate with great scientists,” he says. “I also have the opportunity to develop mentorship and leadership skills by training undergraduate students.”
In 2023, Hurtado published the article “Lasmiditan promotes recovery from acute kidney injury through induction of mitochondrial biogenesis” in the American Journal of Physiology, Renal Physiology, and recently presented his research at the Basic Research Forum for Emerging Kidney Scientists, where he earned the Best Oral Presentation and People’s Choice awards.
“I am incredibly proud of what Kevin has done both in the lab and as a role model of professionalism,” says Dr. Gewin, the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Renal Diseases in the Department of Medicine.
Hurtado will be formally inducted the Annual Bouchet Conference and Induction Ceremony at Yale University in April, 2026.
