Across the street from the School of Pharmacy—just beyond the Max Light Rail tracks—sits the Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Lab. Though summer brings a quieter campus, the lab is anything but slow. Every year, our pharmaceutical sciences faculty and lab research staff provide enriching summer research experiences to undergraduate students through the ASPET SURF program, as well as to PharmD and Master’s students.
But the lab’s energy extends far beyond summer. This past academic year, five students successfully completed their thesis research and earned a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) degree, including two students from the inaugural standalone Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) class.
Our students, pharmaceutical sciences faculty, and staff shared their work widely—delivering 18 research poster presentations and 5 podium presentations at local, national, and international scientific conferences. In addition, pharmaceutical science faculty authored 8 peer-reviewed publications, many with student coauthors.
One of these standout publications came from Dr. Fawzy Elbarbry’s lab and was honored by the American Associate of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Pharmaceutics Section for its significant intellectual contribution to the field. The study highlights natural isothiocyanate compounds—found in arugula, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables—as safe, effective, and selective inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), an enzyme linked to inflammation and cardiovascular disease. The research was supported by an NIH R16 award to Dr. Elbarbry, and was coauthored along with Dr. Michael Espiritu (co-investigator on Dr. Elbarbry’s NIH grant), Jonathan Taylor (a senior research assistant within the School of Pharmacy), and PharmD students Kaylen Soo and Bailey Yee, who are both former ASPET SURF fellows.
We’re also thrilled to share that Kayhan Karimi, a third-year student jointly enrolled in the 3-year PharmD pathway and MSPS program who is conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Sigrid Roberts, was recently selected for an AFPE Gateway to Research Award for his project titled “Validating the Efficacy of Difluoromethylornithine in Combination Treatments against Leishmania Parasites.” Kayhan is also a coauthor on a recent publication from Dr. Roberts’ laboratory, which establishes the polyamine putrescine as essential for the survival of the human pathogen Leishmania donovani and elevates the parasite enzyme ornithine decarboxylase as a promising drug target for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. This publication from Dr. Roberts’ lab also included School of Pharmacy research staff, students, as well as fellow faculty member Dr. Nicola Carter as coauthors and was a featured publication in the journal Pathogens.
We are proud of our students, faculty, and staff for their ongoing commitment to impactful research and for advancing the School’s mission, visibility, and societal impact.
-Written by
Nicola Carter, PhD | Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Associate Professor | School of Pharmacy