Eight University of Iowa (UI) College of Pharmacy graduate students have completed their academic journey, marking a significant career milestone. Their hard work, dedication, and contributions to their fields have been exemplary. We celebrate their achievement and wish them well as they step into the next phase of their professional lives.
| Eilan AlhershMS - Health Services Research |
Research Focus | My work examined how people living in areas without easy access to pharmacies experience challenges in getting their medications, specifically how this affects their ability to stick to treatment plans and impacts their overall quality of life. I’m especially interested in improving health care access for underserved populations. |
Postgraduation Plans | I am pursuing a PhD in Health Services Research at the UI College of Pharmacy with a focus on health-care cost and access. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | It provided a strong foundation in research methods and real-world health outcomes. The support from faculty, hands-on learning, and opportunities to present my research at national conferences helped build both my confidence and skills. The experience has truly prepared me to work at the intersection of research and patient care. |
Favorite Memories | My favorite memory is presenting my thesis research at the American Pharmacists Association conference and feeling proud to represent the University of Iowa on a national stage. I’ve also really enjoyed working alongside faculty and peers during group projects — those long days in the college turned into great learning moments and friendships. |
| Valeria CotaPhD - Human Toxicology |
Research Focus | My research focused on microneedle assisted transdermal drug delivery in skin of color. Since micropores, the pores formed after applying a microneedle to the skin, close more slowly in darker skin, the aim was to address why this occurs and how it affects drug delivery. This allowed me to pursue many research interests such as clinical research, skin of color biology, dopamine in the skin, and drug delivery. |
Postgraduation Plans | I will be joining Medpace in Cincinnati, Ohio, as an associate clinical trial manager. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | I found a love of clinical research and learned valuable skills that directly aided my next career steps, such as writing Institutional Review Board documents and recruiting human subjects. |
Favorite Memories | I liked the yearly Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics (PSET) retreats. I really appreciated seeing everyone come together for great food and great science. |
| Alyssa DanielPhD - Human Toxicology |
Research Focus | It has been suggested that insecticide exposure is positively associated with depression diagnosis in agricultural workers. However, the relationship between intensity of exposure and severity of symptoms and the underlying mechanisms by which insecticide exposure could lead to depressive behaviors are not known. I used various means to assess the impact of organophosphate insecticides on depressive symptoms in a cohort of pesticide applicators and on depressive-like behavior in a mouse model. |
Postgraduation Plans | I will be staying at the (Iowa) State Hygienic Lab as an environmental specialist with future hopes of working as a forensic toxicologist, analyzing evidence and developing/improving analytical methods for forensic applications. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | My experiences taught me the importance of employing the scientific method in developing analytical plans and provided essential opportunities to solve complex problems. I also learned how to collaborate with people from a variety of disciplines to solve real-world problems. |
Favorite Memories | I always enjoyed learning about all the research everyone else was doing at the PSET retreat. I also was able to participate in the UI Three Minute Thesis competition and won a Dare to Discover Award, both of which I am extremely proud. |
| Moana Hala’ufiaPhD - Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry |
Research Focus | My work centered on discovering new compounds that slow the rates of proliferation and migration in triple negative breast cancer. |
Postgraduation Plans | I plan on going into an industry position and eventually getting into the medical writing field. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | My time at the college helped with my future plans by training me as a scientist. I also had great mentorship through my advisor, as well as other professors, on my dissertation committee. |
Favorite Memories | My favorite memories of the program were going to departmental hockey games and conferences with my lab. |
| Wesam IsmailPhD - Health Services Research |
Research Focus | My research focused on comparing the side effects (i.e. safety profile) of medications that are used in vulnerable populations, such as children. |
Postgraduation Plans | I am joining AbbVie as a postdoc in real-world evidence. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | The courses and training I received during my journey equipped me with the skills needed for the job market, such as analytical skills, critical thinking, communications, and theoretical knowledge. |
Favorite Memories | The Health Services Research division picnics and social gatherings will always be in mind. |
| Emese KovácsPhD - Pharmacology |
Research Focus | My research looked at differences in DNA methylation in bipolar disorder. I studied two characteristics in particular: a history of suicide attempt and current lithium use. Suicide attempt in bipolar disorder is associated with accelerated biological (epigenetic aging). I also showed that lithium use is associated with differential DNA methylation and by treating cells with the drug, I showed that lithium influences DNA methylation directly. |
Postgraduation Plans | I have taken a postdoc position at Emory University under Alicia Smith studying the genetics and epigenetics of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), primarily in African American women. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | Because I studied DNA methylation in psychiatric disorders, it was a natural fit for me to go into PTSD research. |
Favorite Memories | With my lab we had some fun social events. We celebrated accomplishments with dinners, we did a wine and paint night where we watched a Bob Ross video and tried to paint what he was painting, and we recently went to PinSeekers Golf. I am really going to miss the people in the Gaine Lab. |
| Joshua ReederPhD - Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences |
Research Focus | My research focused on Improving how antibiotics are dosed in hospitalized patients, particularly those undergoing surgery or receiving intensive care. In these settings, infections are common and life-threatening, and standard antibiotic dosing guidelines don’t always consider individual patient differences like kidney function or surgery length. To address this, I conducted clinical studies and used mathematical modeling to understand how antibiotics behave in the body. I then simulated thousands of patient scenarios to find dosing strategies that ensure the drug remains effective throughout treatment — especially during long surgeries or in critically ill patients with unstable health. |
Postgraduation Plans | I plan to pursue a career in clinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics. Ultimately, I aspire to help bridge quantitative science with real-world patient care. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | I received comprehensive training in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics modeling, population pharmacokinetics modeling, and quantitative clinical pharmacology. Through the emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, I worked closely with clinicians, microbiologists, and statisticians and this helped refine my ability to communicate scientific findings across disciplines. Additionally, my coursework, research, leadership experiences, and opportunities to present at national conferences formed my readiness to contribute meaningfully to model-informed drug development. |
Favorite Memories | One of my favorite memories is building lifelong friendships with my lab mates and fellow graduate students, not only within the college but also across other departments at the UI. Spending long hours together in the lab — troubleshooting experiments, celebrating small victories, and supporting each other through challenges — created a real sense of community that I will always value. Another memory that stands out is the strong mentorship I received. Faculty members were always approachable and invested in my growth, and they encouraged me. That support helped shape not just my technical skills, but also my confidence and passion for translational science. |
| Min XuPhD - Pharmaceutics |
Research Focus | I studied understanding how certain drugs interact with their targets inside the body and how these interactions can influence how long a drug stays in the system. This knowledge supports rational dose selection for new drugs and contributes to the design of safer and more effective therapies, particularly for drugs with non-proportional dose–exposure–response relationships, where clinical dose selection can be especially challenging. |
Postgraduation Plans | I am to join the pharmaceutical industry as a clinical pharmacologist/pharmacometrician, contributing to drug development through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling. |
How the College Fostered Your Growth | The strong research training, mentorship, and interdisciplinary collaboration have been essential in preparing me for a career in drug development. I’ve gained hands-on experience in both experimental and computational approaches that are directly relevant to my future role. |
Favorite Memories | My fond memories include presenting at national conferences, collaborating with colleagues across different labs, and the strong sense of community among graduate students in the college. |