Graduate Programs Student Representatives
Kristin Weninger
Toxicology PhD Senior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/her
Where are you from?: Caledonia, Michigan
Undergraduate Institution: Colorado State University
Lab and project you are currently working on: I currently work in Dr. Manisha Patel's Lab. I use a zebrafish model to study Dravet Syndrome, a form of pediatric epilepsy. I am looking to see if therapeutics targeting the Translocator Protein on the surface of the mitochondria can be used to treat Dravet Syndrome.
Random fact about yourself: I have a minor in music!
Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, soccer, swimming, skiing, and playing the cello.
Deepika Paratane
Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research PhD Senior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Where are you from?: Mumbai, India
Undergraduate Institution: University of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Lab and project you are currently working on: I am currently working on projects that include assessing use of compounded GLP-1 products for the purposes of weight loss, cost-effectiveness of medications used for the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy and assessing the impact of including quality-of-life in cost-effectiveness analyses.
Random fact about yourself: I dreamed of becoming an architect as a kid, but life led me to the pharmacy field. Still, I have a secret passion for interior design.
Hobbies/Interests: I’m into to all things creative including painting, DIY projects, and crafting. I also enjoy spending some time outdoors and exploring Colorado.
Kelly Douglas
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Senior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/Her
Where are you from?: I am originally from the Chicagoland area and graduated from Libertyville high school. (Same high school as Dan LaBarbera!)
Undergraduate Institution: I attended the University of Denver and studied Molecular Biology with minors in Chemistry and French.
Lab and project you are currently working on: I am a part of Thomas Delong's lab and I am studying Type 1 Diabetes, investigating hybrid insulin peptides.
Random fact about yourself: My cat was feral and that is why she looks so unhappy in my photo!
Hobbies/Interests: I am interested in autoimmunity, and genetic predispositions to autoimmune diseases. Outside of school I like to hike, camp, dirt bike, read nonfiction, and go to French club!
Cameron Lowry
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Senior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: He/Him
Where are you from?: Catonsville, Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: Virginia Tech
Lab and project you are currently working on: I'm working in Christina Aquilante’s group to 1) determine if preemptive pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing improves clinical outcomes among Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine biobank participants who are prescribed high-risk PGx medications, and 2) develop ways to identify individuals most likely to benefit from preemptive PGx testing.
Random fact about yourself: One of my favorite movies is The Other Guys.
Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants, watching movies, and going to concerts.
Ryan Farmer-Smith
Pharmaceutical Sciences MS Senior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: He/Him
Where are you from?: Harleysville, PA
Undergraduate Institution: CU Boulder
Lab and project you are currently working on: Dr. Mallela, currently working on AAV viral vectors
Random fact about yourself: I am a huge LEGO collector, I currently own over 50 different sets.
Hobbies/Interests: Playing video games, playing the piano, playing with my two small dogs, and going to concerts!
Phaedra Whitty
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Junior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: she/herWhere are you from?: Portland, Oregon
Undergraduate Institution: University of Oregon
Lab and project you are currently working on: I am working in the Lampe lab on cytochrome P450 enzymes in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Random fact about yourself: The Anschutz campus gave me my third cat, Diesel—she found her way under the hood of my car in the parking lot as a kitten and screamed her little head off when I started driving home.
Hobbies/Interests: I like to get outdoors to hike and rock climb but also love to hang out with my cats while reading, gaming, or watching TV!
Demi Brown
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Junior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/HerWhere are you from?: Broomfield, Colorado
Undergraduate Institution: Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska
Lab and project you are currently working on: I am currently working in Phil Reigan’s lab on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of AMPK and MDM4 PROteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) as potential treatment in various cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Random fact about yourself: I have two dogs, Sabrina (left) and Kona (right), we have recently discovered that despite Kona’s large and lab-like structure she is 4% pug!
Hobbies/Interests: My long-term career goal is to pursue veterinary drug development. I also enjoy knitting, trivia, and spending time with my family.
Harry Gymiah Gyamfi
Pharmaceutical Outcomes PhD Junior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: He/HimWhere are you from?: Accra, Ghana
Undergraduate Institution: Central University
Lab and project you are currently working on: I use real-world data and decision analytic methods to study real-world drug outcomes and value, with current work focused on GLP-1s.
Random fact about yourself: I used to be a breakdancer in high school.
Hobbies/Interests: Gaming, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Sophia Rankin
Toxicology PhD Junior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/herWhere are you from?: Cabin John, Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: Loyola University of Chicago
Lab and project you currently work on: I work in Dr. Rebecca McCullough's Lab. My research explores the contribution of hepatocyte intracellular complement activity, known as the complosome, to cellular homeostasis and disease progression in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).
Random fact about yourself: I used to Irish dance for 13 years!
Hobbies/Interests: Hiking, playing video games, reading, watching shows, and spending time with my partner and my cat.
Sydney Shuler
Pharmaceutical Sciences MS Junior Student Rep 2026-2027
Pronouns: She/Her
Where are you from?: Loveland, CO
Undergraduate Institution: I went to CSU in undergrad
Lab and project you are currently working on: I am in Dmitri Simberg and Tom Anchordoquy's lab, working on my capstone in Hand Foot Syndrome as a side effect of liposomal chemotherapeutics.
Random fact about yourself: I have an outrageous number hours in Wizard101.
Hobbies/Interests: My hobbies include painting, cooking, baking, as well as hosting little get-together events