The Campbell University School of Pharmacy has announced the receipt of a $5,000 Undergraduate Biotechnology Research Fellowship grant award from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. This grant will support the full-time summer and part-time school year research experience of rising senior pharmaceutical science major, Kathryn M. Cindric, under the direction of Assistant Professor Sarah Liu, Ph.D. The award provides salary support, research supplies, and funds to support Katie’s travel to a national scientific meeting to report her studies on the glycan profiling difference between serum and tissue proteins which could be potential diagnostic markers for certain types of cancer. This research on glycans will make use of a highly sensitive mass spectrometer, which was previously purchased through an equipment grant from the NC Biotechnology Center.
Katie’s ultimate career goal will be to obtain a postgraduate degree that will qualify her to work in the area of drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry. Katie states, “I am encouraged by the growth of biotechnology in my home state of North Carolina, and I hope to become a participant in this booming field. I am grateful to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and Dr. Liu for providing me with this research opportunity.” Dr. Liu recently joined Campbell’s School of Pharmacy from Vanderbilt University where she established her expertise in cancer research. She is delighted to have the opportunity to nurture a young scientist through this intensive research training program. Dr. Emanuel Diliberto, chair of the Pharmaceutical Sciences department at Campbell, acknowledges the value of this fellowship program by stating, “This pairing of an eager young student with an exceptionally talented and energetic research investigator will provide benefits to all concerned, including the state of North Carolina.”
The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation supported by the N.C. General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology research, business, education and strategic policy statewide.
The Campbell University School of Pharmacy was established in 1986 as the first new school of pharmacy to open in the United States in 35 years. The school’s primary mission is to train clinical pharmacists in a Christian environment to meet existing and future health care needs and to guide students to become well adjusted, exemplary citizens and community leaders. The school is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and accredited by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). Additional courses are taught at the School of Pharmacy Department of Clinical Research located on Campbell University’s RTP campus.
Photo Copy: Dr. Sarah Liu, left, and Ms. Katie Cindric.