Wednesday, January 21, 2026

The University of Iowa’s (UI) Dare to Discover campaign showcases students and postdoctoral researchers, scholars, and creators from across UI on banners throughout downtown Iowa City. This year, five featured researchers have ties to the College of Pharmacy: three PhD candidates, one postdoc researcher, and one undergraduate student. Read below to learn more about them and their impressive research.
 

Photo of an Indian woman smiling against a gray background. Headshot is cropped from chest up. She has curly black hair with reddish-brown ends, and it falls to her shoulders. She is wearing a white button-up.
Apurva Dusane

PhD Candidate, Pharmaceutics
Advisor: Aliasger Salem, Bighley Chair and Professor

Apurva Dusane is developing non-invasive topical drug delivery systems to treat Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), a progressive eye disease that leads to blindness. Three hundred million people around the world have FECD and with no approved drug therapies they rely on invasive surgical procedures for treatment. Dusane’s work focuses on creating formulations that bypass the need for surgery, providing patients with a safer and more accessible treatment option.

 


 

Headshot from the chest upwards. An Indian woman smiling at the camera against a gray background. She has long, straight black hair in a half-up half-down hairstyle. She is wearing a blue sleeveless tank.
Harsha Jain

Postdoctoral Scholar, Pharmaceutics
Advisor: Nicole Brogden, Chin Professor in Pharmaceutics

Harsha Jain is creating a quick, painless method of migraine treatment. Her dissolving patches deliver medicine through the skin by combining microneedles with localized heat to enhance drug absorption. Jain aims to make treatments that are faster, easier, and more comfortable for patients. 

 

 

Photo of a middle-eastern man smiling against a gray background. Photo is taken from the chest-up. He has short black hair and facial hair. He is wearing a blue patterned button-up.
Hesham Refaat

PhD Candidate, Pharmaceutics
Advisor: Reza Nejadnik, Associate Professor 

Hesham Refaat is expanding access to life-saving protein-based drugs. These drugs, called biologics, are difficult to replicate due to their complexity. Refaat’s research is paving the way to develop effective, low-cost versions of biologics by comparing them to their counterparts and seeing how stabilizers affect their quality.

 

 

Photo of a white woman smiling against a gray background. Her body is turned to the left. The photo is taken from chest upwards. She has long, wavy red hair and blue eyes. She is wearing a white turtleneck and green blazer.

 

Emma Simpson-Wade

PhD Candidate, Molecular Medicine
Advisor: Marie Gaine, Assistant Professor

Emma Simpson-Wade aims to safeguard mental health for new moms. Suicide is a leading cause of death for perinatal individuals, yet they remain underrepresented in research. Simpson-Wade’s research works to identify biomarkers for mental health disorders and guide interventions that reduce risk. 

 

Photo of a white woman smiling at the camera against a gray background. She has straight, light brown hair to her shoulders. She is wearing a blue shirt and cardigan.
Rylie Ulett

Undergraduate Student, Chemical Engineering
Advisor: Aliasger Salem, Bighley Chair and Professor

Rylie Ulett is designing a cancer treatment that harnesses immunity to destroy cancer cells. Her polymer-based nanoparticles deliver immune-stimulating signals directly to tumors. She aims to optimize the particles to help the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells.