The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharm Sci) celebrated another wonderful academic year and summer of student research experiences in Pharm Sci labs. As has become the department custom, faculty, postdocs, staff, trainees and students came together in July for a time of celebration and to share things learned and experiences gained in the lab. The interim dean of the College of Pharmacy, Kat Tromp, Pharm.D., also attended.
Sheila Fleming, Ph.D., director of the Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research Focus Area, served as host for the celebration and gave students the opportunity to share reflections and takeaways from their time in the labs. Comments from students and trainees included the following:
"I was able to test a new compound that may serve as a potential antibiotic/inhibitor in the future. I have never worked with newly developed drugs before they are introduced to the market before."
"What surprised me most about research was the number of people who can work on a project and the time these projects consume. The project I am working on has had significant contributions from many people and I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Dr. Wang’s lab."
"It was amazing to see mitochondrial health measured in real-time and it was very satisfying to see that my experiments were working after troubleshooting for most of the winter."
Moses Oyewumi, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (right), also took the time to address the group to congratulate them on this step in their career development and to encourage them as they chart the path forward in their academic and professional journeys.
Sharing a love for research
Over the past academic year, the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences sponsored activities for faculty to share their love of research with students and to offer a glimpse into the research world and various career opportunities. Nearly 30 students received first-hand experience in the research labs during the year. The experiences ranged from high school student visits to Ph.D. candidates working with major advisors to complete their dissertations.
Beyond NEOMED and Bio-Med, students from area high schools toured and volunteered in the labs, and students from area universities completed rotations and spent time studying neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury, precision medicine, nanoparticles and proteomics in Pharm Sci labs.
Research Fellows Program
Several students participated in the 2023 Research Fellows Program and many of them are expected to present their research as part of the NEOMED Student Research Symposium on Nov. 17. Some will also have the opportunity to present their work at national meetings, highlighting their significant contribution and ownership of the work, essential characteristics of transformational leaders.
The department looks forward to another exciting year of research!
— Submitted by Cheri Harris