What happens in the lab doesn't just stay in the lab: A conversation with Jinfan Chen, Ph.D.

Jingfan Chen, Ph.D., says she understood that her research had impact outside the laboratory setting when she was studying the solubility of cancer drugs. Lack of solubility -- put simply, whether a drug molecule can dissolve in liquid -- keeps potential cancer drugs from reaching the market. Her study of ways to make these drugs more soluble opened her eyes to the importance of her research outside the lab. Chen took first place in the 2024 ORISE Postdoc Poster Session Showcase for her research on the quality and safety of compounded off-brand semaglutide-based medications. As the demand for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy has grown, there have been occasional shortages of the name-brand medications. Off-brand compounded medications are more affordable than their name brand counterparts, but can often contain ingredients that are non FDA approved. In this episode of the ORISE Featurecast Chen talks about her work on the poster that took the award, other research she has done, her career trajectory and so much more.