The MSTPS program offers students a flexible, hands-on experience that extends beyond the classroom. Students have opportunities to engage in laboratory research, explore entrepreneurship and innovation, build connections with mentors and industry professionals, and gain practical insight into how scientific discoveries move toward real-world application.
For our students, MSTPS is a place to explore multiple dimensions of translational science while developing a clearer sense of their future path. The program supports experiences that can span research, drug development, bioinformatics, entrepreneurship, and professional skill-building, helping students connect their education and training to meaningful careers and next steps in science, medicine, and beyond.
Explore the information below to learn more about our students and the paths they pursued during and after MSTPS.
Derek Lake was summiting a mountain in South America when he realized he wanted to pursue a career in medicine.
Well, perhaps it wasn’t that precise moment. But as Lake was backpacking from Mexico to Patagonia, often volunteering as an emergency medical technician to accompany climbers on their mountaintop quest he saw the disparities plaguing certain regions, especially related to healthcare access.
He knew medicine was how he could make a difference.
Five years later, after earning a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences and gaining extensive genomics research experience at Northern Arizona University, Lake completed the Master of Science in Translational Pharmaceutical Science at CWRU.
As Lake expanded his pharmaceutical, bioinformatics and entrepreneurial knowledge in the program, he quickly jumped into the opportunities available: He gained experience as a researcher in the Marvin Nieman Lab (CWRU Pharmacology) working on protein purification and cryo-electron microscopy, was a part of National Institutes of Health’s I-Corps entrepreneurship training program, and was a Case Venture Mentorship Program fellow.
Through the Master of Science in Translational Pharmaceutical Science, Lake has gained invaluable experiences networking with pharmaceutical company founders or working in an academic research lab.
“I’m looking to apply my research in the real world,” Lake said, “and this program has already given me the practical, applicable skills to do exactly what I want to do.”
After graduating from the MSTPS Program in 2025, Derek Lake began his PhD journey after accepting a place in CWRU SOM’s Biomedical Sciences Training Program. He is now a Systems Biology and Bioinformatics Graduate Student Researcher in the Pathology Department’s Cascalho Lab.
His goal: returning to Mexico to open a precision medicine clinic working to improve the healthcare disparities he’d witnessed years ago.
Before coming to Case Western Reserve University, Alexis was working full time as a research assistant in academia. While she enjoyed bench research, she wanted to better understand how scientific discoveries move beyond the laboratory to ultimately benefit patients.
That interest led her to CWRU’s Master of Science in Translational Pharmaceutical Science program, where she has expanded her background in molecular genetics to develop a broader understanding of pharmacology and the development of drugs, biologics and medical devices.
Through the program’s diverse curriculum, Alexis has explored contemporary approaches to drug discovery, developed a mock regulatory strategy for a medical product, designed a clinical trial protocol, and strengthened her leadership, communication and professional skills.
“The most rewarding part of my studies has been the opportunity to continually challenge myself and expand my knowledge,” she said. “It has been incredibly rewarding to look back and see how much my knowledge and confidence have grown.”
Her learning has also extended beyond the classroom. During the summer, Alexis completed a 12-week internship with the nonclinical research science team at Sarepta Therapeutics in Columbus, Ohio, gaining firsthand experience with research in the pharmaceutical industry. In her final semester, she will continue building her laboratory skills through research with Dr. Jason Mears and his team in CWRU’s Department of Pharmacology.
After graduation, Alexis hopes to pursue a research career in industry, applying the scientific knowledge, practical experience and professional skills she developed through the MSTPS program.
Her advice for prospective students is simple: “Be yourself and be willing to learn. You don’t have to have your whole life figured out right now. There are so many compassionate and knowledgeable members of the CWRU community who are willing to help.”
Among her courses, her favorite was MGRD 425: Leadership and Professional Development Skills for Biomedical Sciences with Dr. Tessianna Misko.
Alexis especially valued that the course not only provided practical skills she can carry into the future, but also helped her better understand how she learns, thinks and works in ways she had not recognized before. She describes Dr. Misko as kind, approachable and always willing to help students, and says the class discussions and activities were consistently enjoyable and helpful.
MSTPS at a Glance
