Dear Friends and Alumni,

Hello from Oxford! We’ve had our first few cooler nights here and two home football games so the feeling of Fall is truly in the air. Campus is bustling. Personally, I really appreciate having 3-dimentional students back in a real classroom. I can’t tell if they are smiling or yawning behind their masks, but if I ask a question they can all respond at the same time!

The Department currently has 45 graduate students and 6 postdoctoral trainees that we hosted at a back to school event in August. Our new Interim Dean, Donna Strum helped us recognize six of our outstanding students with divisional awards, and Dr. EJ Edney facilitated an insightful workshop on the Importance of Diverse Teams. It was the first time BMS had been all together since the beginning of the pandemic (picture below).

We are now looking forward to the visit of alumni Dr. G. Michael Wall on Friday, October 8th when he will present the 2021 Joseph Sam Distinguished Alumni Lecture. Also watch out for an invitation from the UM Graduate Student Council who together with the School of Pharmacy and Department are planning a Graduate Alumni Weekend November 5-6 with a Tailgate prior to the Liberty Football game… I truly hope some of you can make it back then. I’d love for you to meet our current students and faculty new and old.

I hope you and your families are adapting to the challenges that the pandemic continues to impose. Please stay safe, and Hotty Toddy!

Sincerely,

Kristie Willett

What was your graduation year and Division/department at the time?

I graduated in May 2020 from the Department of BioMolecular Science/Division of Pharmacognosy.

What is your favorite memory of grad school/the department?

When faculty and graduate students tailgate together.

What did you do after graduation?

I worked as a postdoctoral research scientist in Dr. Colby's lab.

Where are you now?

I am with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

What is a something you like to do outside of work?

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the city, spending time with friends at tea shops, and people-watching.

Do you have any advice for our current students?

Have a clear goal of what you want to accomplish/where you want to work/who you want to work for once you graduate to develop a plan or plans. At the same time, keep in mind the possibility of uncontrollable setbacks such as natural disasters or pandemics to develop a safety net. Learn money management. Last but not least, be grateful and always curious.

What was your graduation year and Division/department at the time?

Year: 2017, Division: Pharmacology, Department: BMS

What is your favorite memory of grad school/the department?

After, my PhD defense, when for the first time, Dr. Willett said "Congratulations, Dr. Jain".

What did you do after graduation?

I worked as an End Product Assurance Scientist in PharMEDium, Memphis, TN.

Where are you now?

I am working as a Senior Scientist in In Vitro Pharmacology department at HD Biosciences – A WuXi AppTec Company, San Diego, CA.

What is something you like to do outside of work?

I am a BeachBody Fitness coach. I help and encourage people to make positive lifestyle changes.

Do you have any advice for our current students?

Talk to people. Talk to your former classmates or alumni who share your interests, your professors, or if coworker would like to grab coffee/lunch. Getting to know people, sharing thoughts and asking questions can lead to all sorts of unexpected ideas and opportunities.

What was your graduation year and Division/department at the time?

Dec 2017, Pharmacology, Department of Bimolecular Sciences.

What is your favorite memory of grad school/the department?

Walking around the beautiful campus of Ole Miss almost every day.

What did you do after graduation?

I joined as a postdoc at Calibr at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. (May 2018 to October 2019)

Where are you now?

I am working as a Senior Scientist, In vivo pharmacology team, HD Biosciences, a WuXi AppTec company in San Diego CA.

What is a something you like to do outside of work?

Play with my daughter and gardening in my backyard.

Do you have any advice for our current students?

Work with passion and learn as much as possible from all around you. Every single bit of knowledge you gain is going to be a building block of your career.

Oxford, Miss. - The Glycoscience Center of Research Excellence (GlyCORE) held its first seminar of the new Seminar Series on Aug. 24 in the Thad Cochran Research Center. GlyCORE will host a seminar with presentations from two GlyCORE researchers once every fourth week.

Each seminar will include a research presentation about current research from within GlyCORE and a literature presentation on an impactful article from an author outside of GlyCORE followed by a period of discussion.

Read More: "GlyCORE kicks off its first Seminar Series with groundbreaking student research presentations"

OXFORD, Miss. -- University of Mississippi faculty, staff and students are working with health care and public service providers to start meeting the health care needs of Pontotoc’s underserved Spanish-speaking community.

The UM McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement, as well as representatives from the School of Pharmacy, partnered with providers to host a bilingual health fair at the Pontotoc Gateway Pavilion on July 24.

Read More: "UM, Community Partners Organize Bilingual Health Fair in Pontotoc"

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Oxford, Miss. -- Preserving the health of the Mississippi Coast is important for the health of the state as a whole. Fortunately for the state, the researchers at the Environmental Toxicology Research Program are here to help.

At ETRP, graduate students work alongside University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty, research scientists and staff to resolve problems related to environmental and human health. Their research provides valuable resources for state and local decision-makers. With events such as extreme storms putting pressure on the Gulf of Mexico in recent years, those resources are more important than ever.

Read More: "UM Researchers Working to Protect Mississippi's Environment"

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OXFORD, Miss. -- The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy recognized four of its faculty members for their excellence in and commitment to teaching, service and research during its annual faculty retreat.

“Our stellar faculty and research scientists go above and beyond to advance the mission of our school and profession,” said David D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “It’s truly a privilege to have the opportunity to recognize their efforts.”

Read More: "Faculty, Researchers Honored by School of Pharmacy"

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OXFORD, Miss. – Salahuddin Mohammed, a graduate student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has always sought to make his mark on the research and science world. As a young student with an interest in neuroscience, that desire led him to pursue a career in pharmacy and has taken him across the globe.

While receiving his undergraduate degree in pharmacy from Osmania University in India, Mohammed developed a passion for research. He followed that passion to the United Kingdom, where he received his Master of Science in Pharmacology from Aston University.

Read More: "Pharmacology Graduate Student Striving for Excellence"

OXFORD, Miss. – With projects ranging from service robots in the hospitality and tourism industries to a novel treatment of dry eye disease to relationship ghosting, 20 University of Mississippi graduate students are exploring a range of research and creative scholarship as recent recipients of Graduate Student Council Research Grants.

The $1,000 grants, funded by the university’s Graduate School and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, or ORSP, will support projects that contribute to the university’s research mission while also helping the students develop their research and grant-writing skills.

Read More: "Graduate Student Council Research Grants Further Range of Research"

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OXFORD, Miss. – Being a new student in a new school can be a challenging experience. The same is true for new faculty members.

For Shukria Akbar and Cole Stevens, these were experiences they shared.

Akbar, a Ph.D. student, came to the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy in 2016 after receiving her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of the Punjab in Pakistan. She found a position in the lab run by Stevens, assistant professor of pharmacognosy, where she has conducted research into myxobacteria, a group of bacteria that live in the soil and feed on organic material.

Read More: "Learning from Each Other"

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