Grant Recipient Panels

We’re thrilled to host two sessions with our 2024 Undergraduate Research Grant and Travel Grant recipients! These sessions are open to all and are an excellent opportunity to meet your Nu Rho Psi peers, learn about their research, and ask them your questions on getting involved in research, about their experiences as researchers and Nu Rho Psi members, and more!

Day 1: Saturday, March 22 at 1 PM Eastern. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/MHeBtQrcQBW40OCwMZdjNQ

Day 2: Wednesday, March 26 at 7 PM Eastern. Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ZVtOhqEGT5iWQry2ExJ15g

Meet the panelists!

Day 1:

Razeen Thammachack, The Ohio State University (γ-OH)

Razeen Thammachack (he/him) is a senior at The Ohio State University, where he is anticipated to graduate in May 2025 with a B.S. in Neuroscience on a pre-medical track. After graduating, he will take a gap year to apply to medical school, work as a patient care nursing assistant (PCNA), and attend a medical mission trip. Razeen was awarded a Nu Rho Psi 2024 Undergraduate Research Grant for his project “Age-associated neurobehavioral deficits following brain injury” under the guidance of his current P.I., Dr. Jonathan Godbout. The Godbout Lab studies neuroimmunology, neurotrauma, and behavior, and utilizes cryostat, high powered fluorescent imaging, image analysis, immunohistochemistry, RNA isolation, and PCR techniques. He has previously researched with Dr. Timothy Pawlik, MD, PhD, MPH studying gastrointestinal cancer surgery as part of the Cancer Control Program, and with Dr. Robert Stewart,  MD, studying cardiothoracic surgery as part of the Akron Children’s Summer Pediatric Research Scholars Program. For his research, he has presented at numerous Ohio State University events, including STEP Expo, the Denman Forum, Chronic Brain Injury Research Day, Neuroscience Research Forum, and the Spring Undergraduate Research Festival, and received the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program Award.

Razeen has a wide range of leadership experiences, including being the Treasurer of the OSU Nu Rho Psi chapter, the Networking Director for OSU’s Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-health honor society, a Neuroscience Ambassador, the Honors Lead Peer Mentor in the College of Arts & Sciences, and is a volunteer with Hospice of Central Ohio, the American Red Cross, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, Akron Children’s Hospital, and Cleveland Clinic Akron General.

Previous presentations entitled: “Cuprizone induced demyelination causes formation of unique rod-shaped microglia” and “Does low dose, subtherapeutic heparin infusion prevent vascular thrombosis in patients with central venous lines?”

Alex Jakubiec, Wayne State University (β-MI)

Alex Jakubiec (he/him) is a post-baccalaureate scholar, obtaining his B.S. & B.A. in May 2024 from Wayne State University with majors in Neuroscience and French, and minors in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Psychology. Jakubiec is a research assistant in the THINK Lab of Dr. Hilary Marusak, studying adolescent mental health topics such as air pollution, peer-victimization, and cannabinoids. Within the lab, Jakubiec uses personal air pollution monitors, EEG, startle behavioral tasks, mental health questionnaires, and skin conductance. Jakubiec was awarded the 2024 Andrew Mickley Undergraduate Research Grant for his project within the THINK Lab “Exploring the Relationship between PM_2.5 Exposure and Functional Connectivity in the Salience Network: Implications for Anxiety Risk”. 

In addition to the THINK Lab, Jakubiec is also a research assistant in The Gavande Lab under Dr. Navnath Gavande, PhD, focusing on the organic synthesis of potential drug molecules for the treatment of cancer and SARS-CoV-2. For his research, Jakubiec has presented at several conferences, including SOBP, the Michigan Society for Neuroscience and Annual International Society for Neuroscience conferences, the WSU Warrior Scholars Conference, WSU Chemistry DOW Undergraduate Conference, WSU Chemistry Graduate Research Symposium, and WSU Graduate Research Symposium, with posters entitled “Exploring the Impact of Air Pollution on Youth Anxiety ​and Brain Connectivity through Personal Air Monitoring​” and “Design and Development of SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors by Targeting PL Protease”.​ At the Warrior Scholars Conference, Jakubiec was awarded the Warrior Scholar Conference Award.

During his undergraduate career, Jakubiec was the Academic Director and part of the Event Coordination Committee for the WSU Nu Rho Psi chapter, an Organic Chemistry Peer Mentor for 5 semesters (2023-2024) and the first post-bachelor’s Organic Chemistry Instructional Assistant for the Summer 2024 semester, joined the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa (2024), was a Richard Barber Interdisciplinary Fellow (2022), and tested into the highest undergraduate level of the Middlebury College School of French Immersion Program (2021). Jakubiec anticipates applying to and attending graduate school to obtain his PhD in Biochemistry, with a particular interest in drug discovery.