University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences has once again joined the Community College of Philadelphia and The Wistar Institute in participating in an exciting and innovative program called the Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program. Students in the program are trained in the growing field of basic and applied biomedical research.

University of the Sciences is one of a number of affiliate institutions including The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology at Temple University, and a host of biopharmaceutical companies that play a role in the program.

This year there are three non-University of the Sciences students, Ervan Dickens, Thy Nguyen, and Kianna Richardson, who began work on May 18 in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department.  Dickens is working with Dr. Bin Chen who studies and develops light-based technology for cancer therapy (photodynamic therapy) and imaging (photodetection), Nguyen is working with Dr. Natalia Coleman in use of stem cells in drug discovery, and Richardson will be working with Dr. Clyde Ofner in selective drug delivery to tumor cells.  These students are learning the day-to-day nuances of laboratory management, including following laboratory protocols, making detailed observations, collecting, analyzing, and recording data, and reporting experimental results. University of the Sciences looks to host several students each summer.

The BTT Program is funded entirely from government, corporate, and foundation grants. “This represents an opportunity to advance research at University of the Sciences at no additional cost to the University. It also increases the window of our being able to recruit excellent Community College graduates into our BS programs.” noted Dr. Adejare.