After investigating subjects as varied as cerebral palsy, cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, depression, neonatal opioid exposure, and many more, dozens of University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy students showed off their research projects during the fourth annual Student Research Showcase in the lobby of Avedisian Hall on April 25.

Faculty members reviewed the research and issued awards for the top projects in each of four departments in the college. See a gallery of all winners below, pictured with Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education Niall Howlett, along with their faculty mentor. Award winners include:

Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

First Place: Daniella Cottone, Tyler Demers, Sophia DiMuccio, Salma Taghzout
Faculty mentor Xuerong Wen
Comparing Cardiovascular Risk of Benzodiazepines versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

Second Place: Rose Boudreau, Matteo Ferrara, Emi Merritt, Mia Ragosta
Faculty mentor Xuerong Wen
Comparing the Risk of Diabetes Mellitus between the use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Selective-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)

Third Place: Ava Amato, Jacob Derby, Bee Lee, Sydney Scott 
Faculty mentor Xuerong Wen
Comparing Sodium Levels in Patients with Depression Taking Fluoxetine versus Sertraline

Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science (BSPS)

First place: Danielle Burge
Faculty mentor Deyu Li
Analyzing the Enzymatic and Molecular Pathways of Chemotherapy Resistance of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Second place: Elise Vanluinen
Faculty mentor Shawn Chen
Flagellin-Displayed HBc VLP for HA Stem-Based Universal Influenza Vaccine Development

Third place: Bhavya Chatragadda (not pictured)
Faculty mentor Claudia Fallini
Exploring the Neuroprotective Effects of Natural Compounds on Oxygen-Glucose Deprived Neurons in an In-Vitro Model of Stroke

Graduate student in Pharmaceutical Science

First place: Brittany Monte
Faculty mentor William Van Nostrand
Characterization of a Novel Rat Model Containing the Homozygous R302Q HTRA-1 Mutation: Implications for CARASIL Research

Second place: Alicia Collins
Faculty mentor Claudia Fallini
Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of RNA-binding proteins in iPSC-derived ALS neurons is altered under conditions of stress

Third place (tie): Colleen Hayes
Faculty mentor Nisanne Ghonem
Regulation of hepatic multidrug resistance-associated protein 3 (MRP3) to treat cholestatic liver diseases: comparison of PPAR agonists

Third place (tie): Judith John
Faculty mentor Jyothi Menon
pH Targeted Drug Delivery using pH Low Insertion Peptides (pHLIP) for Liver Fibrosis Treatment

Post-doctoral Fellows

First place: Lucas Nicolau
faculty mentors Virginia Lemay, Lisa Cohen and Kelly Orr
Pharmacists Expertise on GLP-1/GIP Receptor Agonists Current Shortages, Dose Conversions, and Alternative Sources: Identifying Knowledge Gaps and Training Needs

Second place: Tasneem Al-Huniti
Faculty mentor Ruitang Deng
Bile Acid-Induced Senescence in HepG2 Cells: Implications for NAFLD Progression and Hepatic Dysfunction

Third place: Emily Reedich
Faculty mentors Katharina Quinlan and Marin Manuel
Motor unit development in a rabbit model of cerebral palsy