Chemistry PhD Student Honored by NJAS  

Niki Rana, a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Seton Hall received the Graduate and Overall 2016 Senior Academy Research Poster Presentation Award at the New Jersey Academy of Science 61st Annual Meeting hosted by Kean University.

Niki Kamlesh Rana, a doctoral student in Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Seton Hall, began her graduate studies in cancer research in Dr. David Sabatino’s lab 4 years ago. Her research focuses on the development of short amphiphilic peptides that exhibit enhanced cytotoxicity in a selected class of lung cancer cells. The accumulation of her research work has led to a manuscript that is currently in review by the journal Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Moreover, this research has been showcased at several regional venues, including the latest New Jersey Academy of Sciences (NJAS) meeting on April 30th 2016. Niki presented her research work in the form of a poster presentation at this meeting and was awarded the 2016 Senior Academy Research Poster Presentation 1st Place Graduate and 1st Place Overall Awards.

On her experience at the meeting, Niki said “Seton Hall provides great support to attend regional and national meetings to gain advanced knowledge in the sciences. The NJAS meeting is an excellent opportunity to showcase our research work and to learn from other academic institutions in the tristate area. It is also a great opportunity to support undergraduate research and to encourage them to become great scholars by joining graduate research programs. Overall, I’d like to thank my research mentor, Dr. David Sabatino, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Seton Hall University, and my friends and family for supporting my education and to help me become a contributing member of the scientific community.”