Alzheimers Research Award
December 21, 2007
Mihaela Popescu, a student in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has received a grant from the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education to develop a new drug for Alzheimer's disease.
"There is nothing currently available to treat Alzheimer's disease -- everything on the market is simply to relieve symptoms, not to reverse the disease's course," Popescu said. "I have always been interested in applying the latest scientific advancements to drug design and delivery in order to develop new frontier drugs."
Popescu was one of 15 students nationwide to receive the award. She is expected to receive her doctorate in pharmacy in 2009.
Originally from Bucharest, Romania, Popescu and her family moved to the United States in 1999. While a student at Highland Park (Ill.) High School, she became fascinated with the medical field. She explored various options, going so far as to "shadow" different health professionals to learn what their job entailed. The pharmacy field, she said, appealed to her the most.
"I met pharmacists working in different settings, such as hospitals, at community pharmacies, in industry and in academic research. I was amazed by the multitude of options you have with a pharmacy degree,"she said. "I know that no matter what career path I take, I will be able to directly improve people's lives. That's what makes pharmacy such a great field."
During her pre-pharmacy years, Popescu met Hayat Onyuksel, professor of pharmaceutics and bioengineering in the UIC College of Pharmacy. Today, Onyuksel serves as Popescu's mentor on the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education project.
"Mihaela's acute interest in research and innate curiosity for exploring science will make her an asset in any laboratory," Onyuksel said. "There is no doubt in my mind that if given the opportunity her contribution to science will be significant."
CONTACT: Sam Hostettler, 312-355-2522, samhos@uic.edu