BioMolecularSciencesUniversity of Mississippi ----- July 2020 Newsletter

Message From the Chair

Dear Friends and Alumni,

I sincerely hope that you and your families are staying well during theseunprecedented times. Back in January, we pledged to stay in touch withyou more frequently and share our activities with you. Below wehighlight some of our good news resulting from the hard work of ourBioMolecular Sciences students, faculty, and staff. With the July 1staddition of Dr. Jing Li, a computational medicinal chemist, thedepartment now numbers 19 full time faculty.

Our students come to Oxford from around the state and world, enhance our diversity, inspire us tothink in new ways about our research and teaching, and make us proud with their award recognitions(see below). In fact, enabled by donations from alumni like you, at orientation this August theBioMolecular Science Student Advocates will for the �rst time present a Student Excellence Award inaccordance with their mission of leadership and public service. The collective achievements of ourgraduate program were recognized this summer by the American Association of Colleges ofPharmacy (AACP) Graduate Education Special Interest Group with their inaugural AchievementAward!

Last year, we had �ve masters and �ve PhD students graduate and begin new jobs. Currently, we have30 students enrolled and have accepted 16 new students for the fall. Unfortunately six of thesestudents may need to delay their admission due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

In research, our faculty have earned nearly $3 million this FY so far. We are especially excited that wehave a new NIH GlyCORE: Glycoscience Center of Research Excellence under the leadership of Drs.Sharp and Ross. Our new discoveries were communicated in 51 publications and 141 scienti�cpresentations this past year. Please follow us on twitter (@OleMissBMS) to keep up with ourannouncements between our newsletters. I hope you enjoy the articles we highlighted here. Pleasestay safe, and Hotty Toddy!

Sincerely,

https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-jing-li/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/gsac-officers/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/06/30/biomolecular-sciences-chair-receives-aacp-graduate-education-award/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/07/20/glycoscience-research-center-established-at-school-of-pharmacy/https://twitter.com/OleMissBMShttps://s.smore.com/u/fedf0d36b6977d0d26e71ef5f530cea3.jpg

Kristie Willett

https://umfoundation.givingfuel.com/bms

We are excited to announce the 2020-2021 BioMolecular Sciences Student Advocates (BSA) o�cers!President - Shukria Akbar, PharmacognosyVice President - Tomayo Berida, Medicinal ChemistrySecretary - Mehjabeen Hossain, PharmacologyTreasurer - Maggie Craze, Environmental ToxicologyJournal Club Chair - Mohammed Salahuddin, PharmacologySkills Workshop Chair - Ben Sawyer, Medicinal ChemistryStudent Events Chair - Amelia Clayshulte, Environmental Toxicology

https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/gsac-officers/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/shukira-akbar/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/tomayo-berida/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/mehjabeen-hosaain/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/amelia-craze/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/mohammed-salahuddin/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/benjamin-sawyer/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/amelia-clayshulte/

Glycoscience Research Center Established at School of Pharmacy

Dr. Joshua Sharp Dr. Samir Ross

Pharmacy Faculty Selected to AACP House of Delegates

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has received a $10.5 million Centers of BiomedicalResearch Excellence Phase I grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish a new centerdedicated to glycoscience, funded for the �rst year at $2,107,042.

The Glycoscience Center of Research Excellence, known as GlyCORE, will study how carbohydratesand carbohydrate-containing molecules affect human health.

Read More: “Glycoscience Research Center Established at School of Pharmacy”___________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://news.olemiss.edu/glycoscience-research-center-established-at-school-of-pharmacy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=glycoscience-research-center-established-at-school-of-pharmacyhttps://news.olemiss.edu/pharmacy-faculty-selected-aacp-house-delegates/https://news.olemiss.edu/glycoscience-research-center-established-at-school-of-pharmacy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=glycoscience-research-center-established-at-school-of-pharmacy

Dr. David Colby Dr. Noa Valcarcel

BioMolecular Sciences Chair Receives AACP Graduate Education

Award

OXFORD, Miss. – Kristie Willett, chair of the Department of BioMolecularSciences at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has beennamed the inaugural recipient of the American Association of Colleges ofPharmacy Graduate Education Special Interest Group AchievementAward.

The honoree must exemplify teaching excellence and commitment,inspirational leadership, and be a valued mentor, which are many of thequalities Willett portrays.

Read More: "BioMolecular Sciences Chair Receives AACP Graduate Education Award"___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pharmacy Professor Awarded Grant to Study Neuroregeneration

OXFORD, Miss. – Vitor H. Pomin, a professor in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, hasreceived a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to investigate the

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty members David Colby and NoaValcarcel were selected to represent the school in the American Association of Colleges of PharmacyHouse of Delegates.

The AACP House of Delegates is the association’s democratic policy-setting body. Representativesdebate and approve statements of educational policy, approve changes to the bylaws and thestrategic plan, act to accept new institutional members and establish dues for all categories ofmembership.

Read More: "Pharmacy Faculty Selected to AACP House of Delegates"___________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/06/30/biomolecular-sciences-chair-receives-aacp-graduate-education-award/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/kwillett/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/06/30/biomolecular-sciences-chair-receives-aacp-graduate-education-award/https://news.olemiss.edu/pharmacy-professor-awarded-grant-study-neuroregeneration/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-vitor-h-pomin/https://www.ninds.nih.gov/https://s.smore.com/u/f1dd0f5f48daa2ce823282d1cfb6ee9f.jpghttps://s.smore.com/u/3051b808fa2f65de069c4e7686f28f3d.jpghttps://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/blog/team/dr-david-a-colby/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/blog/team/dr-noa-valcarcel-ares/https://www.aacp.org/article/house-delegateshttps://news.olemiss.edu/pharmacy-faculty-selected-aacp-house-delegates/https://s.smore.com/u/b06d2b5d708b7551ad99c18a447a1679.png

molecular details and potential active compounds in the process ofneuroregeneration.

Pomin, assistant professor of pharmacognosy, will seek to betterunderstand the biochemical mechanisms that limit the ability of thenervous system to recover after damage.

Read More: "Pharmacy Professor Awarded Grant to StudyNeuroregeneration" ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pharmacy School Honors Faculty with Teaching, Research Awards

Dr. Noa Valcarcel Dr. Jason Paris

Pharmacy Faculty Named Distinguished Teaching Scholar

OXFORD, Miss. — BMS faculty member David Colby has been named asDistinguished Teaching Scholar for a three-year term.

The honor recognizes professors who have proven to be exceptionalteachers and colleagues, and who promote effective teaching andlearning.

Read More: "Pharmacy Faculty Named Distinguished Teaching Scholars"

OXFORD, Miss. – Dr. Noa Valcarcel and Dr. Jason Paris were recognized for their excellence incommitment to teaching and research during the virtual Faculty and Research Scientist Advancement.

“We are fortunate to have a team of faculty and research scientists that goes above and beyond,” saidDavid D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy. “It’s always a privilege for me to celebrate the workthey do for our students, school and the profession with these awards.”

Read More: "Pharmacy School Honors Faculty with Teaching, Research Awards"___________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://news.olemiss.edu/pharmacy-professor-awarded-grant-study-neuroregeneration/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/06/25/pharmacy-school-honors-faculty-with-teaching-research-awards/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/04/22/pharmacy-faculty-named-distinguished-teaching-scholars/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-david-a-colby/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/04/22/pharmacy-faculty-named-distinguished-teaching-scholars/https://s.smore.com/u/56e5cfd7b425a9cbefebc764a7fe5499.jpghttps://s.smore.com/u/74d2afac2c869ff4140bef1d42dc67a1.jpghttps://s.smore.com/u/70be4ae5f707220ed41221f24b62d509.jpghttps://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-noa-valcarcel-ares/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-jason-paris/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/media/2020/06/25/pharmacy-school-honors-faculty-with-teaching-research-awards/https://s.smore.com/u/079f4c2bda075c94ea5c641ee578ffc3.jpg

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Medical Graduate Training Program Selects UM Scholars

JACKSON, Miss. – BMS graduate student, Cellas Hayes, was amongeight doctoral students selected as members of the second cohort of theRobert Smith, M.D. Graduate Scholars Program as part of the JacksonHeart Study Graduate Training and Education Center at the University ofMississippi Medical Center.

Read More: "Medical Graduate Training Program Selects UM Scholars"

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Graduate Students Find Impacts of Freshwater in Mississippi's Oysters

University of Mississippi Students Investigate Oyster Population in Mississipp

Gulf

https://news.olemiss.edu/medical-graduate-training-program-selects-um-scholars/https://news.olemiss.edu/medical-graduate-training-program-selects-um-scholars/https://news.olemiss.edu/graduate-students-find-impacts-freshwater-mississippis-oysters/https://s.smore.com/u/1de5c92c936de25d003824199ad24543.jpg

Graduate Students Awarded Grants to Fund Further Research

Salahuddin Mohammed Maali Alshammari Cellas Hayes

Welcome Dr. Jing Li!Our department is proud to welcome Dr. Jing Li as a new assistantprofessor of medicinal chemistry! Dr. Li is a computational biologist andchemist and and comes to us from the University of Chicago. Dr. Li will

OXFORD, Miss. – As Ann Fairly Barnett pulled an oyster dredge up through the shoreline waters of theMississippi Sound, she was dreading what she was about to �nd.“Not a single living oyster,” said the University of Mississippi master’s student in environmentaltoxicology.

The Jackson native, along with UM environmental toxicology graduate student James Gledhill, hadchartered a small �shing boat to visit several native oyster reefs in the sound to check the waterquality and the health of the reefs.

Read More: "Graduate Students Find Impacts of Freshwater in Mississippi's Oysters"___________________________________________________________________________________________________

OXFORD, Miss. – Three BMS graduate students, Maali Alshammari, Salahuddin Mohammed andCellas Hayes, each received a $1,000 competitive research grant funded by the university’s GraduateSchool and O�ce of Research and Sponsored Programs. The funds will be used for projectsconducted over the next year or two.

Read More: "Graduate Students Awarded Grants to Fund Further Research"___________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://news.olemiss.edu/graduate-students-awarded-grants-to-fund-further-research/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/jinglilab/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/etrp/https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/etrp/https://news.olemiss.edu/graduate-students-find-impacts-freshwater-mississippis-oysters/https://s.smore.com/u/d67402109cc4afd01cef2228dd38de30.jpghttps://s.smore.com/u/650a5c28b088b09591777f9fbf415a7a.jpghttps://s.smore.com/u/a7d4783dc4e18eebd06c0d31c9216d8b.jpghttps://umississippigradschool.university-tour.com/https://research.olemiss.edu/https://news.olemiss.edu/graduate-students-awarded-grants-to-fund-further-research/

be teaching Intro to Computer-Aided Drug Design to graduate studentsthis coming fall semester.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Facebook @OleMissBMS

Contact Us

University of Mississippi Scho… bmschair@olemiss.edu

662-915-7101 pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/

https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/team/dr-james-a-stewart/https://www.facebook.com/OleMissBMShttp://www.twitter.com/@OleMissBMShttps://umfoundation.givingfuel.com/bmshttp://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=University%20of%20Mississippi%20School%20of%20Pharmacy%2C%20Thad%20Cochran%20Research%20Center%2C%20University%20Ave%2C%20University%2C%20MS%2038677&hl=enmailto:bmschair@olemiss.edutel:662-915-7101https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/bms/