On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences hosted its 20th annual College Research Day.

Filling the Student Commons and lower level hallways were 75 student and faculty posters across the spectrum of WSU Applebaum programs, with teams on hand to discuss their work with attendees. You can view the complete Flickr photo album (download and share your favorite shots!) and watch a truncated version of the keynote via the Echo360 recording (start at minute 10:50).

College Research Day is organized by the WSU Applebaum Research Committee:

• Kyle Burghardt, chair
• Jennifer Dickson
• Aloke Dutta
• Nora Fritz
• Arun Iyer
• Paul Kilgore
• Sara Lolar
• Anna Moszczynska
• Christine Rabinak
• MaryAnne Stewart

American Association for Cancer Research President-Elect and Yale Professor of Medicine Patricia M. LoRusso, DO, PhD, delivered an emotional and informative keynote, leaving a packed auditorium teary-eyed and inspired.

Following Dr. LoRusso’s talk, Research Committee Chair Kyle Burghardt presented Outstanding Research Awards to the following authors:

Health Sciences

The effects of isometric ankle training with visual feedback in individuals with chronic stroke 
Authors: Hiba Almoussa, SPT, Anna Krinkie, SPT, Kathryn Gordon, SPT, Tamara Simjanoski, SPT, Sara Maher, PT, PhD, DScPT, Vicky Pardo, PT, DHS. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Vicky Pardo, PT, DHS

Hand function following nerve transfer surgeries combined with hand training interventions in patients with spinal cord injuries: a scoping review
Authors: Megan Hofman, MOT Student; Kyle Racho, MOT Student; Deanna Sandven, MOT Student; Alexis Staff, MOT Student. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Gino Panza, Ph.D.

Reliability and Validity of the Step Test Evaluation of Performance on Stairs (STEPS) in Persons with Chronic Stroke
Authors: Anaya Lechnar, SPT; Zoey Bezilla, SPT; Cece Findlay, SPT; Bri Pajakowski, SPT. Faculty Mentor: Andrew Moul, PT, DPT, NCS; Nora Fritz, PhD, DPT, NCS; Victoria Pardo, PT, MHS, DHS

Health and Wellness Education Positively Impacts Residents of Low-Income Housing Communities
Authors: Mary McLaughlin, Holcomb J, Plonka J, Wingett J, Maher S, Dickson J. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Dickson, Dr. Maher

Muscle fiber-type assessment in a human-to-mouse muscle xenograft model
Authors: Joseph A. Roche PhD, Max Aleshire BS, Griffin Balick BS, Paolo DiMaria BS, and Alex Dusza BS

Doctor of Pharmacy

Trending: Continuous Glucose Monitoring in a Diabetes Elective Course
Authors: Brian Globerman, BS Psychology; Rena Dabish, Bachelors of Health Science; Alexandra Gavrilidis, BS Biology; Alison Lobkovich, PharmD; Helen Berlie, PharmD. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Helen Berlie and Dr. Alison Lobkovich

#ATimeToTalk: A strategy to destigmatize depression in a community pharmacy setting
Authors: Shannon Habba, PharmD Candidate; Lorden Kassab, PharmD Candidate; Kyle Burghardt, PharmD; Brittany Stewart, RD, PharmD. Faculty Mentor: Brittany Stewart, RD, PharmD

Mental Health in Arab Americans: Insights from Community and Clinic Based Intervention
Authors: Fatima Hazimeh, BSPH, BHS, PharmD Candidate 2025, Paul E. Kilgore, MPH, MD, FACP. Faculty Mentor: Paul E. Kilgore, MPH, MD, FACP

Building Pharmacy Student Empathy Through a Decision-Making Game
Authors: Wiam Ouahab, PharmD Candidate; Alison Lobkovich, PharmD; Insaf Mohammad, PharmD, BCACP; Sheila Wilhelm, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS. Faculty Mentor: Sheila Wilhelm, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS

Investigating the Synergistic Potential of Bacteriophage, Combined with LL-37 and/or Antibiotics against Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Niharika L.S. Thota, BS, PharmD Candidate 2025; Callan R. Bleick, PharmD, PhD Candidate 2027; Samantha Vader, BS; Biswajit Biswas, MS, PhD; Cesar A. Arias, MD, PhD, MS; Susan Lehman, PhD; Michael J. Rybak, Pharm D, MPH, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Michael J. Rybak, Pharm.D., MPH, PhD

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Novel Insights into roles of Small G Protein Guanine Dissociation Stimulator (smgGDS) in insulin secretion in Pancreatic Beta Cells
Authors: Noah Gleason, MS; Carol Williams, PhD; Anjaneyulu Kowluru, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Anjaneyulu Kowluru, PhD

Proteomic profiling of PNPLA3 mutants in human hepatocytes reveals potential pathways in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Arifur Rahman, M. Pharm.; Xiangmin Zhang, PhD; Ruchi Jaiswal; Zheyun Peng; Wanqing Liu, PhD; and Zhengping Yi, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Zhengping Yi, PhD; and Wanqing Liu, PhD.

A Fragment-Based Thermal Binding Screen for the Identification of Binders of Bacterial N5- CAIR Mutase
Authors: Marcella F. Sharma; Aaron Robida, PhD; Nick Santoro, PhD; Steven M. Firestine, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Steven M. Firestine, PhD.

Post-Doctoral

Measurement Properties of Backward Walking and its Sensitivity and Feasibility in Predicting Falls in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Patrick G. Monaghan, PhD; Taylor N. Takla, BS; Alexis N. Chargo, MOT; Erin M. Edwards, PhD; Biaohua Yu, MS; Emily Myers, BS; Ana M. Daugherty, PhD; Nora E. Fritz, PhD, DPT. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nora Fritz, PhD, DPT

Mild Intermittent Hypoxia Improves Hand Function in a Participant with Motor Incomplete Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Zhao Fei, Ph.D.; Megan Hofman; Lexi Soltesz; Haya Javaid; Orena Koka; Jack Smith; Gino Panza, Ph.D. Faculty Mentor: Gino Panza, PhD

Encapsulation of CD40 agonist antibody (CD40a) in tumor-targeted smart nanolipid reduces tumor growth and enhances anti-tumor immune activity while minimizing systemic toxicity
Authors: Prahlad Parajuli, Salma Althobaiti, Duy Luong, Arun Iyer, Navnath Gavande. Faculty Mentor: Navnath Gavande, Ph.D.

Undergraduate

Targeted remodeling of the extracellular matrix with a branched peptide PD-1 agonist as immunotherapy for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
Authors: Bassil Adam; Jitender Dev Gaddameedi, PhD; Andrew Lipchik, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Andrew Lipchik, PhD

Impact of Sequential Administration of Ampicillin and Daptomycin along with Bacteriophage against Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Shaylyn Avery, Undergraduate student; Callan R. Bleick, PharmD; Samantha Vader, BS; Sumaiya Mohib, Undergraduate student; Biswajit Biswas, MD; Cesar A. Arias, MD, MSc, PhD; Michael J. Rybak, PharmD, MPH, PhD. Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Rybak, PharmD, MPH, PhD

8 Days of Mild Intermittent Hypoxia Improves Autonomic Dysreflexia and Orthostatic Hypotension in Individuals with Motor Incomplete Spinal Cord Injuries
Authors: Lexi Soltesz; Fei Zhao, Ph.D.; Megan Hofman; Haya Javaid; Jack Smith; Orena Koka; Gino Panza, Ph.D. Faculty Mentor: Gino Panza, Ph.D.

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An anchor in urban health care

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is built on more than 100 years of tradition and innovation in the heart of Detroit. We have grown deep roots in our city, harnessing its powerhouse hospital systems and community service organizations as vibrant, real-world training grounds for students, with an ongoing focus on social justice in health care. And our research at all levels — from undergraduates to veteran faculty members — translates into creative solutions for healthier communities.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 24,000 students.