As flok launches another year of the Guthrie-Koch Scholarship Program, we’re thrilled to spotlight someone who embodies what this program is all about—curiosity, determination, and a commitment to the metabolic community.
A recipient of the Guthrie-Koch Scholarship, Alyssa Keller lives with PKU and now works as a Genetic Counselor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This fall, she joined flok’s Guthrie-Koch Scholarship Committee to support the next generation of scholars. Alyssa’s journey shows us what individuals with these conditions can achieve, and the power of community in helping them reach their potential.
Growing Up with PKU
Growing up in Iowa, Alyssa had four cousins with PKU—all close in age. She and her cousins would eagerly await the arrival of the National PKU News newsletter (now flok) each month, flipping through stories, research updates, photos of other kids with PKU, and new low-protein recipes. While she felt fortunate to have family who understood and shared her condition, the newsletters helped her realize she was also part of a larger national community.
As she got older, Alyssa’s curiosity about PKU turned into a love of science. “PKU was something I started to recognize in my classwork. In high school biology I learned about genetics, and later in biochemistry I learned why my body can’t break down the amino acid phenylalanine.”
It was then that her path began to take shape. Alyssa’s PKU clinic connected her with researchers at the University of Iowa, where she had the opportunity to meet geneticists and attend a conference. Alyssa realized she wanted to become a genetic counselor and work directly with patients and families navigating new diagnoses.
Alyssa applied for a Guthrie-Koch Scholarship as she entered her first year at the University of Iowa—and was selected to receive a stipend toward her tuition.
“Reading about Guthrie-Koch Scholars was a big part of my childhood—seeing where students with PKU were going to school and what careers they were pursuing,” she says. “To have that history and then become a recipient myself was an incredible honor.”
Alyssa majored in biology with a genetics track and gained hands-on experience through research jobs—confirming that genetic counseling was exactly where she belonged.
After graduating from Iowa, Alyssa earned her Master’s in Genetic Counseling from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She completed clinical rotations in pediatric, oncology, prenatal, and metabolic care.
Thriving in Her Career—and Giving Back
Today, Alyssa works at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute as a Certified Genetic Counselor (CGC), primarily supporting patients with inherited metabolic conditions. She helps families understand genetic testing, gene inheritance, and research studies. Alyssa also brings something uniquely powerful to her work: lived experience.
“It’s really rewarding to reassure families about what’s possible with PKU with the right diet and medical care, and to be an example of an adult who’s thriving.” This commitment to connection with the metabolic community is part of what drew Alyssa to flok. Earlier this year, Alyssa attended flok Family Camp West and was inspired by the organization’s growing focus on serving the broader metabolic community.
“There are so many similarities across these conditions—and a shared experience with a protein-restricted diet. Camp was an amazing experience, and I tell all the patients I work with to go if they can.”Now as a member of the Guthrie-Koch Scholarship Committee, Alyssa is supporting the application process and review. She’s passionate about championing new scholars and is especially enthusiastic about the program’s inclusion of trade and technical schools alongside college pathways.
Alyssa urges aspiring students with inherited metabolic conditions to apply and embrace what makes them different, “PKU opened a lot of doors for me. It has its challenges, but it makes you stronger and it doesn’t need to hold you back.”
The Guthrie-Koch Scholarship application window opens December 15, 2025, and runs through March 15, 2026. Students with Classical HCU, MSUD, Organic Acidemias, PKU, Tyrosinemia, and Urea Cycle Disorders are encouraged to apply. Visit flok’s scholarship page to learn more. 
