University of Notre Dame senior Emmanuel “Manny” Uzobuife has been named a 2026 Marshall Scholar. He is Notre Dame’s 12th Marshall Scholar overall and first since 2024. With the award, he will continue his education in Liverpool, England, with a focus on pharmacological solutions to substance use disorders.
“Congratulations to Emmanuel Uzobuife, his professors and his family on this impressive accomplishment,” , said. “Emmanuel represents the very best of Notre Dame, epitomizing the commitment to scholarship and social engagement we seek to instill in our graduates.”
Born in Nigeria, Uzobuife, a and , moved to the U.S. at the age of 3, settling with his family in the Bronx section of New York as one of seven siblings.
A science-business major with minors in science and patient advocacy, chemistry and musical theater, his interests revolve around the question of how science can intervene where society has failed, with a particular focus on the development and equitable distribution of life-saving drugs to prevent and combat opioid and other substance use disorders.
“It is my honor to be a recipient of the Marshall Scholarship with which I will use to continue to advance Notre Dame’s mission of being a force for good in the world by ‘caring for the least of these,’” Uzobuife said. “I’m deeply grateful to my loving family, my professors, mentors and classmates at Notre Dame, as well as the Galvin Scholars and for supporting me throughout the years.”
A Transformational Leaders Program Scholar, Uzobuife is active in research and other endeavors at Notre Dame.
He is an undergraduate researcher in the Lieberman Analytical Chemistry Lab, conducts biological education research with , teaching professor in the , is co-director of Health and Wellness for and is a resident assistant in Baumer Hall. He is a member of the Notre Dame Glee Club and the Biotech Club and he worked as an operations supervisor at RecSports for three years.
In his role with the Lieberman Lab, he co-authored a peer-reviewed study evaluating fentanyl test strip efficacy along with the lab’s director, , the Nancy Dee Professor of Cancer Research at Notre Dame, and others. He is currently examining the sensitivity of test strips in detecting xylazine, a new and powerful adulterant in illicit opioids.
Away from campus, he is a research intern with the Mayo Clinic Otolaryngology Research Program and in the Walsh Lab at the Icahn 91Ƶ of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In his free time, he volunteers with Our Lady of the Road, a Catholic drop-in center in South Bend.
His interest in substance use stems from his time growing up in the Bronx, where he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic, as exacerbated by factors such as stigma, poverty and structural neglect.
As a Marshall Scholar, he intends to pursue master’s degrees in pharmacology and toxicology (year one) and drug discovery and artificial intelligence (year two) at the University of Liverpool. He will then return to the U.S. to attend medical school and continue building a career at the intersection of pharmacology, public health and equitable medical care.
“Manny brings his passion for science to bear on real problems in our community,” Lieberman said. “In his research, he helped evaluate the quality of lateral flow immunoassay test strips that are used to detect the presence of fentanyl and other harmful opioids in street drugs, which resulted in a co-authored paper in the journal Harm Reduction. After he learned about the risk of opioid-laced pills to the student community, he planned a series of workshops about opioid use, drug stigma and training in Narcan use for pre-professional undergraduates, dorm rectors and RAs. Through these workshops, 107 campus participants received training and free Narcan.”
Established in 1954 to commemorate the Marshall Plan, the Marshall Scholarship supports Americans of exceptional ability to pursue graduate-level studies in the U.K., covering university fees, cost of living, research and thesis grants and travel to and from the U.S., among other expenses.
In applying for the award, Uzobuife worked closely with the , which promotes the intellectual development of Notre Dame undergraduates through scholarly engagement, research, creative endeavors and the pursuit of fellowships.
“I am pleased to congratulate Manny on his selection as a 2026 Marshall Scholar, our third in four years,” said Emily Buika Hunt, assistant director of scholarly development at CUSE. “At Notre Dame, Manny has pursued academic excellence while also demonstrating a deep commitment to serving our community through research, outreach, mentorship and music. His dedication to saving lives is representative of Notre Dame's core values and we are excited to watch his continued growth as a Marshall Scholar.”
Buika Hunt thanked the Transformational Leaders Program, the Mary E. Galvin Science and Engineering Program, CUSE Associate Director of National Fellowships Elise Rudt-Moorthy “and the many mentors Manny has had both within and beyond the Notre Dame community for the advice and mentorship they've offered to him during his time at the University.”
For more on this and other scholarship opportunities, visit .
Contact: Erin Blasko, associate director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu