Two doctoral candidates from St. John’s University have been recognized for their contributions to cancer research at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Akanksha Patel, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a focus on Industrial Pharmacy, was awarded the Best Abstract award by AAPS and the Student Research Award by the American Association of Indian Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAiPS). The AAiPS is a key organization supporting Indian pharmaceutical scientists in the United States since its establishment in 1999. It offers mentoring programs, scholarships, and grants to support young scientists.

The AAPS is a global professional organization with around 7,000 members and over 10,000 stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and other research institutes. Its mission is to enhance the ability of pharmaceutical scientists to develop products that improve health worldwide.

Henis J. Patel also received recognition as he won the Graduate Student Award sponsored by the International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council (IPEC) of the Americas Foundation. He has been invited to present his research at the AAPS Annual Meeting. This award acknowledges excellence in graduate-level research on pharmaceutical excipients—inactive ingredients in drug formulations. IPEC-Americas includes more than 80 US companies and aims to ensure safe production and use of excipients.

Henis's research focuses on Sotorasib, an FDA-approved inhibitor for non-small cell lung cancer treatment. "Receiving the IPEC Graduate Student Award is a significant honor that validates my research," Henis said. "This recognition motivates me to continue pushing boundaries in formulation science."

Both students acknowledged St. John’s University for its role in their achievements. Akanksha noted her roles as teaching fellow and graduate assistant provided valuable experiences that deepened her commitment to education and research excellence.

Ketankumar D. Patel, Ph.D., Associate Professor at St. John’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, mentors both students. “Henis has demonstrated exceptional dedication,” he said regarding Henis's work in cancer nanotechnology.

Dr. Patel added about Akanksha: “She joined St. John’s University with strong passion... particularly lung and colon cancer.”