Stephen Capuzzi, '12

"I am a Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D. candidate in the Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. My research takes a data-driven approach to drug discovery, which blends chemistry, biology, and computer science. Specifically, I use computer-aided drug design methods to identify Ebola virus inhibitors and chemical probes of anti-cancer targets. I have also published extensively in the area of computational toxicology. Such published works include using novel machine-learning algorithms to predict chemicals with toxic potential in stress response and nuclear receptor signaling pathways, replacing mouse models with computer models for skin sensitization potential, and informing the design of non-toxic compounds through the integration of expert-systems and statistical modeling."

"I received my BS in Chemical Biology from SJU in 2012. After graduation, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in the same area. In particular, I wanted to develop new drug treatments for infectious diseases and for rare cancers. The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill has one of the top ranked Chemical Biology programs in the country. It was a natural fit."

"SJU was one of the first universities in the nation to offer Chemical Biology (not to be confused with Biological Chemistry!) as a major. Chemical Biology is the use of chemistry and chemical tools and techniques to probe biological systems. Chemical Biology sits at the interface of biology and chemistry and is highly interdisciplinary in nature. Moreover, Chemical Biology forms the foundation of the modern drug development paradigm. SJU, by having this major, allowed me to explore an intellectually rich and challenging field with massive career potential. My faculty mentors, in particular Drs. Edwin Li, James Watrous, Mark Reynolds, and Catalina Arango Pinedo, encouraged me to attend graduate school. I could not be more grateful for their support, as I have found a life in science to be incredibly rewarding."

"During my senior year, I traveled to Cuba as a part of a Medical Ethics course. My first-hand experience of science and medicine in a developing nation helped inspire me to pursue my Ph.D."