Students Display ‘Extraordinary Curiosity’ at Worcester Research and Scholarship Day

From using artificial intelligence in scientific experiments to developing community programs, MCPHS students showcased their dedication to creating a healthier world.

Students at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) are using AI to identify new anti-parasite drug compounds, comparing herbal supplement regulation in the U.S. and Canada, and testing treatments to prevent genetic eye disorders that cause vision loss.

These were among 32 projects on display during the annual Research and Scholarship Day on April 9 on the MCPHS campus in Worcester. Graduate students, postgraduate residents, and fellows from the New England School of Acupuncture, School of Optometry, School of Pharmacy, and School of Physical Therapy presented posters at this year’s event.

“There’s something truly special about this season of a scholar’s life,” said Dr. Keri Griffin, Dean of the Center for Research and Discovery, which sponsors the annual event. “You are in a space where extraordinary curiosity is still raw, where boundaries of what you know and what you want to know are stretched every single day.”

The AI revolution has impacted many student research projects. For the past year, Nathaniel George, PharmD ’27, has been part of an effort testing how drugs affect plants. Now, he’s using an AI model—which students developed and trained—to track the results.

“The model has allowed us to remove the intense, time-consuming human labor,” he said. “Switching to AI visual analysis has also brought me into a whole new realm of research that I’m very much enjoying.”

When it comes to student research, no issue or idea is too big to tackle. Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, but a group of pharmacy students is on a journey to finding a more effective drug delivery system for treating aggressive tumors.

“Today, we’re presenting our literature review, which revealed opportunities with nanotechnology-based chemotherapy delivery,” said Michael Segarra, PharmD ’27. “Now, we’ve moved on to the lab work. It’s a brand-new experience for me, and it’s been exciting to do the hands-on work.”

Research also happens outside the lab or library. Physical therapy students are leading a free, twice-weekly clinic at a medical respite center in Worcester. Pharmacy students, meanwhile, created an educational program for adults to prevent opioid misuse for adults dealing with chronic pain.

Another group of students is exploring combining two well-studied interventions—acupuncture and music therapy—to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A pianist and aspiring acupuncturist, Mint Gao, ’28, felt particularly suited to pursue this idea.

“As a musician, I can see how powerful music can be to treat people emotionally,” she said. “In both acupuncture and music therapy, the goal is to treat the whole person, so I was surprised they haven’t been combined for PTSD patients.”

All these projects were conducted under the supervision of faculty members, who provided guidance and support to students throughout the research process. At the event, University leadership encouraged students to build on their work and continue to lean on mentors.

“I encourage you to develop your research skills because they are an asset,” said Provost Caroline Zeind in her remarks during the event. “No matter where you work or practice—in a lab, clinic, or community setting—your efforts will pay off.”