We are delighted to announce that two graduate students from the UWM Chemistry & Biochemistry Department received the 2025 Sterling Pharma Graduate Student Support Awards.
The awards will support Mayurika Mahendran and Maya Fernando during the summer of 2025, enabling them to continue their chemistry graduate work in the laboratories of Profs. Peng and Arnold. Mayurika will continue her PhD work focusing on the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide responsive theranostic agents that can be used as targeted cancer therapeutics and bioimaging agents. Maya will continue the synthesis of subtype selective diazepine based ligands for the adrenergic receptor alpha 2B that might lead to novel therapies for anxiety and depression. We are very grateful for the support by Sterling Pharma Solutions that provides funds for both awards. Sterling Pharma Solutions is a small molecule partnership development and manufacturing organization delivering comprehensive small molecule services spanning preclinical development to full commercial manufacturing. The UWM Chemistry & Biochemistry Department has a strong relationship with Sterling Pharma Solutions in Germantown Wisconsin providing a robust talent pipeline for organic and analytical chemists.