Aubree Seibert-Jeffrey, B.S., B.A.
Education:
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology — Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Ark.
• Bachelor of Arts in Applied Physics — Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, Ark.
Personal Statement:
I am in my third year of pharmacy school at UAMS, and I have also been working towards a Ph.D. in the Pharmaceutical Evaluation and Policy program for the past two years. I am a pre-doctoral fellow supported by the NIDA T32 grant under the mentorship of Dr. Bradley C. Martin. I hope to use cost-effectiveness and retrospective data analysis to study treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD), especially medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
Madi Alexander, B.S.
Education:
• Current Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Student
• Bachelor of Science — University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Ark.
Personal Statement:
I am currently a pre-doctoral student from in my second year of UCA’s counseling psychology Ph.D. program. My main interest is prevention and early interventions for addiction and how to implement them into the community. Additionally, I am interested in the stigma surrounding substance use disorder, specifically in the South. The relevant research I have contributed to so far has emphasized the vocational interests, attitudes, and barriers of adult and juvenile male offenders. I have assisted in analyzing qualitative and quantitative data associated with such research, created a segment of a career self-help workbook for juvenile offenders, and assisted in a juvenile career mentorship program. My research in the T32 is currently focused on a NIDA-funded study that is looking at how to identify and treat PTSD/OUD among people in jail. I am mentored by Dr. Melissa Zielinski, Ph.D.
Justin Pressley, B.S.
Education:
• Current Ph.D. student in the GPIBS program — University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Ark.
• Bachelor of Science — Baylor University, Waco, Texas
Personal Statement:
I have always had a passion for science and the vast amount of information it encompasses. I further enjoy research, specifically the rewarding feeling of an experiment going right! My research experience includes 2 years working in environmental sciences studying the effects of diesel exhaust particles on rat brain cells. This was followed by 1 year in a medicinal chemistry lab where I synthesized small molecule inhibitors of cancer cells. While Arkansas is a beautiful state, I am a native of South Carolina and miss being so close to different beaches! In my free time, I enjoy discovering new music, binge-watching shows (when I’m not studying, ha ha), and spending time with friends doing inexpensive things. I also volunteer in the special needs ministry at my church, which is a true joy! My research in the T32 is focused on drug-drug interactions between synthetic cannabinoids and psychiatric medications, looking into the implications of abuse relevance and the mechanism for these interactions. I am mentored by Dr. Bill Fantegrossi, Ph.D.
Publications
(Baylor University)
Grace V Aquino, Amjad Dabi, Gabriel J Odom, Ramon Lavado, Kaitlin Nunn, Kathryn Thomas, Bennett Schackmuth, Nazeel Shariff, Manogna Jarajapu, Morgan Pluto, Sara R Miller, Leah Eller, Justin Pressley, Rishi Patel, Jeffrey Black, Erica Bruce. “Evaluating the effect of acute diesel exhaust particle exposure on P-glycoprotein efflux transporter in the blood-brain barrier co-cultured with microglia. (June 2023) . Current Research in Toxicology, vol.4.
Presentations
(University of South Carolina)
American Chemical Society March 29, 2023
Design and synthesis of optimized abbapolin inhibitors on PLK1 domain based on results from NCI-60 cell line screening
(UAMS)
Behavior Biology and Chemistry March 23, 2024–Poster
In vivo drug-drug interactions between synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist 5F-APINACA and benzodiazepines: effects on core temperature in mice
(UAMS)
Behavior Biology and Chemistry March 23 2025– Oral Presentation
In vivo and in vitro drug-drug interactions between synthetic cannabinoids and psychiatric drugs