PRA Health Sciences Dedicated to Merck Pharmaceuticals

Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Department of NeurologyExploring various areas of the brain and understanding associations that are responsible for different aspects of speech and language functions in patients who have been affected by stroke and dementia.

Administer and score standardized and non-standardized cognitive function test for clinical and clinical research purposes (stroke and dementia patient focus).

Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Objectives (per Dr. Marlis Gonzalez-Fernandez): Understanding how the brain controls swallowing and how a person’s swallowing recovers after stroke.

University of Delaware: Neurobiology/Behavioral Neuroscience (Internship)Principle Investigators /Mentor: Jeffrey B. Rosen, Ph.D Objective: Understanding the physiological, neuroanatomical and neuro-molecular bases of fear and anxiety in rodents using trimethylthiazoline (TMT), an odor originally isolated from fox feces. Supported by Delaware Biotechnology Institute (INBRE program) and NIH – National Center Research Resources.

Supplemental Instructor for Genetics and General Biology Courses.Provided tutoring and mentoring to college studentsAssist professors with lecture and laboratory courses (Genetics and General Biology)Provided weekly study sessions to students.Assisted students develop study strategies and assist in challenging concepts.

Principle Investigator/Mentor: Preston Hayward, Ph.D Objective: Determine the nature and magnitude of the inter-molecular forces involved in substrate binding in biochemical complexes such as drug-receptor interactions. Responsibilities included data collection using neuro-transmitter serotonin and the element lithium chloride. The data obtained was used with the previous studies to determine the nature of the intra- and inter-molecular bonds in each of the complexes.

Principle Investigator /Mentor: Bizuneh Workie, Ph.D Objective: Observe the properties of nanostructured materials, such as nanocrystalline palladium, produced by pulse electro-deposition. Responsibilities included data collection using pulsed electrochemical deposition technique to allow the production of large amount of nanocrystalline palladium using very low porosity.