Dr. Ryan Pearson from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy is using nanoparticles to fight sepsis, one of the deadliest medical emergencies. #BreakthroughsCantWaitUMB #SepsisResearch #Nanomedicine #UMBresearch

University of Maryland, Baltimore had the opportunity to get a free lunch from President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, deans and vice presidents in this annual Founders Week tradition.

Ryan Pearson, PhD, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and director of the Bio- and Nano-Technology Center at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to move forward with a unique approach to defeating sepsis using nanoparticles. His approach is different because the custom-designed nanoparticles are not used to transport other drugs, but are themselves the treatment.

As an ACS-IMPACT Research Scholar at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Gabrielle Olibris spent her summer in the lab of Aditi Banerjee, PhD, targeting medulloblastoma, a pediatric brain cancer, with a novel therapeutic compound called BNPP-433.3 Beta.BNPP-433.3 Beta shows strong potential, she said, explaining, “This is already patented, so it’s a drug that’s already being used to treat prostate cancer.”By exploring a new use for an existing cancer drug, Olibris hopes to help advance research that could lead to safer, more effective treatments for children.#breakthroughscantwaitumb #cancerresearch

With a passion for social justice and public interest law, Danielle Basdekis arrived at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 2023 to pursue a Juris Doctor degree and hit the ground running. In two years, she has distinguished herself as a student, scholar, and leader, with her contributions significantly enriching the law school and advancing the mission of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).The third-year student has made her mark on the Francis King Carey School of Law through her academic pursuits and leadership roles. Basdekis, who will be a clerk for Justice Angela Eaves on the Supreme Court of Maryland after graduating next spring, said she was “overwhelmed” by the Student of the Year honor.Read more: https://elm.umaryland.edu/elm-stories/2025/Founders-Week-2025-Student-of-the-Year-Danielle-D-Basdekis.php