Dear Friends and Alumni,

Happy Independence Day! I hope you all can enjoy a break and time with family and fireworks. These are exciting times in the BioMolecular Sciences. Our faculty and students continue to reap awards and recognitions for their teaching, research, and service excellence. We have another group of undergraduate students working in our labs this summer – they have come to us from as near as Oxford and as far as Puerto Rico and Maine! We are accepting our first cohort into our new Masters in Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis and have hired new faculty for that as well. Next week, we will be hosting our fourth annual MidSouth Glycoscience Meeting, welcoming >120 researchers from around the country to speak and engage with our GyCORE COBRE scientists. May brought us celebrations of our new graduates and their thesis and dissertation titles are highlighted below. In August, we are excited that five new graduate students will join our PhD programs. Please take a few minutes to scroll below for more departmental good news and alumni highlights. This fall we will be celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the formation of our department; please stay tuned for events surrounding that milestone celebration. As always, if you are ever in back in Oxford please stop by Faser and say Hello - We would love to see you!

Hotty Toddy!

Kristie Willett,

Chair of BioMolecular Sciences

New Faculty Member - Rachel A. Parmelee, MSN, RN, CNE, AHN-BC

BMS recently hired our first, Online Lecturer for the new Online Masters Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis Program.

Our fully online MS in Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis, accredited by SACSCOC, leverages the University of Mississippi's rich research history in both fields. This program provides students with a comprehensive curriculum, covering fundamental principles, regulatory aspects, pharmacology, toxicology, formulation, and more. We aim to support not only individuals aspiring to enter these industries but also those already working within them.

Read more about the online program here: Online Masters in Dietary Supplements

Two BMS faculty were recognized at the annual School of Pharmacy retreat; Dr. Courtney Roper received the New Investigator Research Award and Dr. Noa Valcarcel received the Faculty Service Award.

Dr. Noa Varcarcel and Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Dr. Donna West-Strum

Pre-, peri- and postnatal exposures to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are increasing with expanded use of marijuana, hemp-derived supplements, and minor cannabinoid containing products available and marketed directly to consumers for an array of health claims. This project will address knowledge gaps associated with developmental consequences of exposure to THC, CBD, and other minor cannabinoids, with a particular emphasis on determining how early life exposures contribute to acute and latent effects into adulthood.

Our long-term goal is to define critical periods of susceptibility, the dose dependence of adverse outcomes, and molecular mechanisms of action of cannabinoids that can be used to guide cannabis/CBD policy decisions and ensure public health safety.

Co-localization of Tyrosine sulfation and O-glycosylation plays critical roles in binding/signaling pathways in biological systems. This proposal aims to use an innovative synthetic chemistry tool to provide a comprehensive understanding of this special arrangement of the two post-translational modifications. We will use structure-defined molecules to map out the complex network of the bindings/signaling pathways, develop new ways of characterizing the structures, and predict potential bindings and binding structures.

Commercially marketed ∆8-THC products were found to have several contaminants (impurities) resulting from the chemical conversion of hemp-derived CBD to ∆8-THC. This project is directed towards the isolation and purification of those impurities in sufficient amounts to study their pharmacology and their interaction with ∆8-THC. In vitro and in vivo studies will be carried out on each impurity to delineate their individual effects as well as their effects on ∆8-THC activity.

Dr. Kristie Willett and Dr. Neel Aluru (WHOI) released a new comprehensive toxicology handbook devoted to the effects of environmental pollution on fish.

This up-to-date, comprehensive toxicology handbook is devoted to the effects of environmental pollution on fish. Fish species represent nearly half of all vertebrates and have become important sentinels for environmental contamination and model organisms for understanding adverse outcomes from exposures. This new edition is written by recognized experts, and it highlights the significant research progress in fish toxicology that has resulted from rapid technological developments in analytical, biochemical, and genomic sciences.

In their recent publication in the Journal of Shellfish Research, Deborah Gochfeld and Stephanie Showalter-Otts found natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, manmade contamination including oil spills and freshwater dumping from spillways, and changes in water quality due to climate change are killing Mississippi oyster reefs.

Read more here: MS Oyster Reefs

Our program had another successful kickoff on May 29th! We have 12 non-UM undergraduate students participating this year. Our STEMS REU program aims to provide educational science research opportunities at the University of Mississippi to undergraduate students seeking research experiences and considering a career in research or academia.

The program allows students to learn about cutting-edge STEM-related topics, develop presentation and communication skills, practice networking skills, and explore and develop their interest in cutting-edge STEM-related research. In addition, the program aims to educate students beyond lab specifics and nurture students for successful careers in STEM, graduate, and/or professional programs.

BMS Achievements at a Glance

What did you love about the Ole Miss Department of BioMolecular Sciences?

"I really enjoyed my time at Ole Miss in the Department of BioMolecular Sciences and miss it dearly. One aspect I truly enjoyed about the department was the tight-knit community of students and professors. I always felt well supported during the toughest days of my Ph.D. and received endless guidance to ensure my success as a toxicologist."

Why would you encourage a student to pursue earning a master's or Ph.D. in this field?

"Earning a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of my greatest accomplishments. I find it necessary to put yourself through difficult yet very rewarding experiences. While earning a graduate degree may seem daunting, I owe much of the success in my career to the challenges I was able to navigate through in graduate school."

Dennis is currently a senior scientist at Takeda.

What did you love about the Ole Miss Department of BioMolecular Sciences?

"One of the aspects of BMS that I really enjoyed was the friendly and collaborative environment. Interacting with students or faculty from other labs was always a great experience. People were very willing to help you out, whether it be talking through an issue or lending a hand. Over my time as a student and now in the professional world, I have found that having a welcoming environment can really improve your experience, both personally and professionally."

Why would you encourage a student to pursue earning a master's or Ph.D. in this field?

I would encourage anyone who finds joy in learning to pursue a graduate degree. I have always loved to learn; however, I never enjoyed the homework and tests that came with it, but pursuing a graduate degree is different. You are able to further your understanding of topics that interest you as well as contribute to those areas of interest. Basically, graduate school is doing all the fun stuff in school with a lot less of the tedious work.

Stephanie is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Mayo Clinic.

Whether it's been two years or twenty years, we would love to hear what you've been up to! If you would like to share in future newsletters, contact us!

The University of Mississippi, Dept. of BioMolecular Sciences

(formerly the Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, & Pharmacology)