Information Part 1
College of Pharmacy Research Day
Research Day is an annual College-wide event that brings together our trainees, alumni, faculty members, and staff as well as industry and academic colleagues from the Chicago area.
Organized in the fall, the event showcases the research of our students and postdoctoral trainees, with ~80 posters presented. We invite exciting keynote speakers whose cutting edge research appeals to campus-wide audiences. The day concludes with award ceremonies and reception. We recognize our outstanding students, faculty members, and alumni as well as top poster presenters.
SAVE THE DATE: The 16th Annual Research Day will be held on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
2025 Poster Award Winners
2025 Poster Award Winners
| Category | Place | Authors | Title | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology: Molecular & Cell Biology; Mechanism of Action | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 1st Place | Andrea Ochoa-Raya, Samuel J. Eallonardo, Mercy Kremer, An N. Tran, Nancy E. Freitag | Listeria monocytogenes Virulence Factor Inlb as a Key Modulator of Vertical Transmission and Human Trophoblast Infection |  |
| Biology: Molecular & Cell Biology; Mechanism of Action | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 2nd Place | Angela Nguyen, Yu-Shiuan Cheng, Ricky Chen, Alison E. Ondrus | Characterizing the Ligand-Sensitive TMEM97 Interactome in Alzheimer's Disease |  |
| Biology: Molecular & Cell Biology; Mechanism of Action | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 3rd Place | Joohyun Im, Amrita Salvi, Yi-Chien Wu, Dan D. Lantvit, Steve Seung-Young Lee, Barbara C. Vanderhyden, Joanna E. Burdette | PAX8-Dependent Signaling Networks as Drivers of Progression and Immune Evasion in High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer |  |
| Chemistry: Discovery, Modeling, Design & Evaluation of Novel Drugs; Detection & Delivery Systems | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 1st Place | Bo Zhou, Leticia Do Amaral, Emily K. Bremers, Reagan S. Haney, Emilio F. Merino, Yuexin Li, Mairi Buchanan, Delphine Baud, Steve Brand, Marcus C. S. Lee, Jane X. Kelly, Max Totrov, Maria B. Cassera, Paul R. Carlier | Pharmacokinetics, in vivo Efficacy, Phenotyping, and Safety Pharmacology of the Irresistible Antimalarial PRC1910 |  |
| Chemistry: Discovery, Modeling, Design & Evaluation of Novel Drugs; Detection & Delivery Systems | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 2nd Place | Shan He, An Lu, Endong Zhang, Chih-Jia Chao, Luyu Zhang, Zongmin Zhao | A Macrophage-based Therapy for Immune Reprogramming in Acute Lung Injury Treatment |  |
| Chemistry: Discovery, Modeling, Design & Evaluation of Novel Drugs; Detection & Delivery Systems | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 3rd Place | Sonia Alavi, Mohammadali Ashraf, Angeliki Andrianopoulou, Hajirah N. Saeed, Richard A. Gemeinhart | Co-Network Reinforcement of Gelatin Methacryloyl Enables Mechanically Robust Hydrogels for Ocular Microneedles |  |
| Clinical, Social, and Applied Sciences | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 1st Place | Ibrahim Warsi, Aaron N. Winn | Evaluating the Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Out-of-Pocket Caps on Patient Assistance Fund Efficiency and Coverage Expansion |  |
| Clinical, Social, and Applied Sciences | UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy Award for Excellence in Research 2nd Place | Hadeel Fouad, Melissa Badowski, Joy Lee, Jennifer Flores,Jane Park, Mahesh Patel, Brian Drummond, Scott Borgetti, Drew Halbur, Emily Drwiega | Evaluation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Virologic Suppression Among Reincarcerated Individuals Within the Illinois Department of Corrections |  |
| Innovate@UIC Innovation Award | 1st Place (tie) | Dua H. Al-Smadi, Emily R. Smith, Yitao Dai, Manead Khin, Joanna Burdette, Brendan M. Duggan, James J. La Clair, Alessandra S. Eustáquio, Michael D. Burkart | Biosynthetic Engineering of the Pladienolides |  |
| Innovate@UIC Innovation Award | 1st Place (tie) | An Lu, Chih-jia Chao, Qing Bao, Philana Phan, Zongmin Zhao | Membrane-destabilizing Expansion Lipid Derived LNPs for mRNA Targeting Delivery |  |
| UI Cancer Center Cancer Science Prize | 1st Place | Monica A. Haughan, Hannah J. Lusk, Carlismari Grundmann, Tova M. Bergsten, Aloysius J. Klingelhutz, Laura M. Sanchez, Joanna E. Burdette | Adrenergic Signaling in Adipocytes Drives Ovarian Cancer Cell Invasion |  |
| UI Cancer Center Cancer Science Prize | 2nd Place | Chih-Jia Chao, An Lu, Zongmin Zhao | In situ Dendritic Cell Therapy enabled by Lipid Nanoparticle-mRNA Formulations |  |
| American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Student Chapter Choice Award | 1st Place | Edidiong Udofa,Siwar Hamdi, Shan He, Zongmin Zhao | Bone Voyage: Nanoparticle-mediated Reprogramming of Monocyte Trafficking for Bone Marrow Targeting |  |
| Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Association Student Chapter Award | 1st Place | Edward Huang, Sara Elgendy, Marko Bogosavljevic, Cory Matsumoto, Yu Gao | Development of an Optimized Low-Input Workflow for Highly Sensitive Proteomics |  |
| ISPOR Student Chapter Choice Award | 1st Place | Mohammad Alnuman, Kibum Kim | Suggestions for the Economic Analysis of Pharmaceutically Assisted Weight and Obesity Management: All Kilograms are not Equal |  |
| ISPE Student Chapter Choice Award | 1st Place | Lilah Khoja, Kibum Kim | Trajectory of Cardiometabolic Risk Profile During and After Use of Anti-Obesity Medications |  |
Thank you for your Support!
Judges Quote
Setting aside the challenges of things being virtual…I am, again, overall impressed with the research work thoughtfully conceived and then carried out there at UIC COP. The students, both grad and PharmD, are receiving a measurably better education now than in the past, because of your efforts. You should all go home at night, virtually!, knowing that you are training and educating future leaders in pharmacy and the health care professions.
| 2018 UIC College of Pharmacy Alumnus of the Year, commenting on the success of the Virtual Program