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Students at 51�Թ�’s Schaumburg campus are working to accelerate chemotherapy, minimize allergic reactions and discover solutions to antibiotic-resistant bacteria—all before they step into a hospital or corporate laboratory. The campus’ small class sizes and state-of-the-art equipment provide Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences (MSPS) students the opportunity to conduct in-depth research and log extensive laboratory time. And they can gain this incredible experience under the guidance of faculty with extensive drug-testing experience.

“I was admitted to many PharmD programs, but what convinced me to choose 51�Թ� was the small class sizes and the ability to engage in research on-campus in addition to rotations,” says third-year PharmD candidate Alesia Gjoni. “There are no massive lecture halls where I feel like a number, and the facilities here in Schaumburg are so extensive that I never need to compete for time with others in my cohort. And because faculty conduct research here to, I’ve been able to find genuine mentors.”

During her time at 51�Թ�, Gjoni’s research has focused on reducing metastatic cancer cells. Her work with the University’s Dr. Peter Hart (who specializes in ovarian cancer treatment research) has allowed for multiple experiments where proteins are injected directly into lines of ovarian cancer cells and display more invasive and aggressive tumor behavior. Gonji’s professional goal is to create medications that reduced this protein production and thus ovarian cancer risk. She was recently accepted as a resident at Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa, Florida and credits her placement to the PharmD research opportunities available to her at 51�Թ�.

“It was incredible to come to the Schaumburg campus so often, work with Dr. Hart and conduct these experiments while I was still in school,” Gjonji says. “The value of working with this equipment and being able to speak comprehensively about what I’m passionate about is something that’s going help my career progression.”

Dr. Hart, who spent his post-doctorate studies analyzing tumor developments in micro-environments at the University of Chicago, continues his cutting-edge research at 51�Թ� by developing compounds that can have direct therapeutic effects for cancer patients. He praises the Schaumburg campus’ ability to merge research with drug development and direct learning opportunities. 

“The great thing about 51�Թ� is that the elements of research and education aren’t siloed,” he says. “Here we encourage the innovative compounds being created by PharmD students in class to apply to my research, and it’s demonstrating to students how the worlds of research and industry go hand-in-hand.” 

51�Թ� dedicates millions of dollars to expand its research capability by acquiring state-of-the-art pharmacology technology through federal grants. This gives students access to the modern technology found in the world’s best pharmacy labs, including chemical fume hoods to absorb experimental vapor, automative chromatography machines to isolate drug components and plate readers to investigate organic cell manipulation. 

“All of this investment is directly resulting in doctoral students with incredible technical acumen and experience before they enter residency,” says Dr. Maggie Kurbanow, who teaches medical chemistry in the MSPS program. “The invaluable benefit of research is that is allows you to directly apply theory to the real-world, and because our program integrates the classroom with this technology, our students can enter the workforce fully prepared.”