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WesternU / Research and Biotechnology / WesternU Student Opportunities

WesternU Student Opportunities

 

Discover Your Potential Through Research at WesternU

At Western University of Health Sciences, we believe that research is the cornerstone of innovation and academic excellence. Our student research opportunities are designed to empower you to explore new ideas, collaborate with expert faculty, and contribute to advancements in health sciences. Whether you’re interested in clinical studies, laboratory investigations, or interdisciplinary projects, WesternU provides the resources, mentorship, and support to help you turn curiosity into meaningful impact. Start your journey today and become part of a community dedicated to shaping the future of healthcare.

Student Research Opportunities

WesternU students interested in gaining research experience can refer to the list of laboratories below that have faculty accepting student volunteers. Please contact the faculty directly, who will involve ORRA to start the onboarding process.

 

 

Lab Name Professor Email Description
Bioinformatics Research Dr. Theros Ng therosng@westernu.edu Dr. Ng would prefer reaching out to students and explaining his ongoing research projects in bioinformatics directly.
Atherosclerosis Research Dr. Vikrant Rai vrai@westernu.edu

 

 Testing various drugs and small molecules in vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells to study their effects on factors involved in atherosclerosis. Follow-up studies may test these compounds in a mouse model of atherosclerosis.
Mycobacterial Infection Dr. Vishwanath Venketaraman vvenketaraman@westernu.edu Preclinical studies and clinical trials to characterize the host immune responses against mycobacterial infection.
Drug Discovery Dr. Bradley Andresen bandresen@westernu.edu The Andresen lab has developed a screening method to test novel agonists for orphan GPCRs receptors. They have identified 10 experimental agonists that need to be examined for activity and specificity. This project combines computer-based experiments to develop predictions, and wet lab experiments to test the predictions.
GPCR Signaling Dr. Bradley Andresen Using a chimeric heterotrimeric G-protein, Dr. Andresen has identified a novel mechanism controlling GPCR signaling. His hypothesis is that RGS proteins can indirectly interfere with the function of GRKs. The hypothesis will be tested through molecular and functional studies.
Gait Analysis Dr. Babak Faramarzi bfaramarzi@westernu.edu Histological analysis of the foot, with a focus on collagen and elastic fibers. These structures are fundamentally similar in humans and animals. Gait analysis applied across species to understand locomotion in both clinical and research settings.
Clinical Genomics Dr. Andrius Baskys abaskys@westernu.edu Bioinformatics based clinical genomics analysis of a neurodegenerative disease case. Students will learn basic principles of bioinformatics as they pertain to clinical genomics. Minimal coding may be required.
Antimicrobial Resistance Dr. Priyank Kumar pkumar@westernu.edu Research projects focused on antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine. Projects may include studying bacterial and fungal biofilms, evaluating the efficacy of antimicrobial drug combinations, understanding mechanisms of resistance, and applying molecular and microbiological techniques to identify novel therapeutic strategies.
Plant Genetics Dr. Qingshun Li qli@westernu.edu Gene expression regulation in a plant model system using molecular biology and genetics tools. A potential project for interns would be generating transgenic plants and screen for transformants using gene editing tools like CRISPR/CAS. This is a project funded by the US National Science Foundation and in collaboration with scientists from USDA and University of Kentucky.
Drug Development Dr. Preshita Desai pdesai@westernu.edu Strategic designing, optimization, scale up, and characterization of novel pharmaceutical formulations. Nanotechnology-based targeted delivery systems, including specialized formulation for controlled drug delivery and/or bioavailability enhancement. These studies have possible applications in tumor-treating fields, cancer chemoprevention and treatment, neurodegenerative diseases.

Student Research Fellowship