Looking back, I can say I took advantage of the opportunity that was before me when working with FIWH, Dr. Jeff Rohde, and being at Franciscan. After interning at AbbVie (then Abbott) and finding my passion for the poor, I performed, oversaw and directed the synthesis of approximately 85 compounds on main campus to be tested against TB.
Getting the opportunity to participate in the FIWH internship at AbbVie opened my eyes to a world of chemistry that I never knew about. Being able to design and synthesize my very own compounds which never existed was an incredible experience.
During the Summers of 2013 & 2014, I had the wonderful opportunity to work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the lab led by Dr. Tim Jamison. I have had the privilege of working on innovative ways to produce medications for the treatment of a rare form of epilepsy as well as the use of biodiesel as an alternative energy source.
Working with FIWH, I not only received a lab experience that was beyond my expectations, but I tackled real world problems alongside experts in medicinal chemistry. I was at the interface between many professionals: chemists, analysts, biologists, IT experts, and businessmen.
Doing medicinal chemistry research has broadened my understanding of what medicine really is, and has given me a better appreciation for the men and women who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to this branch of medicine and chemistry. Through the research I’ve done for FIWH, I’ve been able to take the knowledge I’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in the lab for the benefit of those less fortunate than myself.
