Debika Ghatak Awarded Rafati Fellowship
We are pleased to announce that Molecular Pharmaceutics PhD student Debika Ghatak was awarded the Rafati Fellowship for 2026-2027!
Debika’s research addresses a critical and largely unresolved challenge in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): the substantial loss of drugs within the circuit. By developing advanced drug delivery systems, including liposomes and micelles, her work seeks to protect therapeutics from circuit-related sequestration and enable more accurate, patient-specific dosing in critically ill individuals. This research has the potential to improve treatment efficacy, reduce toxicity and underdosing, and ultimately enhance survival in one of the most vulnerable patient populations. The project is conducted in close collaboration with Dr. Kevin Watt, the Robert M. Ward Endowed Chair in Clinical Pharmacology, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and Chief of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology in the Department of Pediatrics and Dr. James Herron, Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Graduate Education, Molecular Pharmaceutics
The College of Pharmacy Fellowship Committee noted that Debika's academic performance and description of her research project were impressive, and her personal essay was compelling.
