Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memoridal Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics

Students who meet all eligibility requirements for the AFPE Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences and are researching pharmaceutics are eligible to apply for the Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics. To apply for the Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics, please use the application link provided for the AFPE Pre-Doctoral Fellowship and select “Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics” under “Fellowship type.” Students who are not selected for the Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutics will be automatically considered for the AFPE Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Stipend: $10,000

This award is offered in loving memory by the family of Dr. Paul B. Myrdal. Click here to read more about Dr. Myrdal and his legacy.

The 2026-2027 Receipient is Julia Crowther, University of Michigan

Research Title: Modulating Microglial Activation and Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity: A Multi- Stage Evaluation of Celastrol in Neuroinflammation

“Many brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, involve chronic inflammation in the brain. This inflammation damages brain cells and weakens the blood–brain barrier, a protective layer that normally prevents unwanted substances and immune cells from entering the brain. When this barrier breaks down, inflammation becomes worse and can speed up disease progression. The goal of this project is to test whether a naturally derived compound called celastrol can reduce harmful brain inflammation and protect the brain’s protective barrier. To improve how well celastrol reaches the brain, it will be packaged into particles called nanodiscs, which are designed to help drugs enter inflamed brain tissue more effectively. The project will first identify and confirm celastrol’s anti-inflammatory effects in cultured mouse microglial cells. It will then test how well celastrol, delivered using nanodiscs, can reduce inflammation and protect the blood–brain barrier in mouse models of brain inflammation. Finally, the project will evaluate whether celastrol can reduce inflammation in a genetic mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Overall, this research aims to determine whether improving drug delivery to the brain can make anti-inflammatory treatments more effective, with the long-term goal of developing better therapies for people with neurodegenerative and inflammatory brain disorders.”

Past Awardees

2025-2026 – Nila Murali, University of Texas at Austin
2024-2025 – Namir Khalasawi, University of Michigan
2023-2024 – Kelsey Holdaway, University of Minnesota
2022-2023 – Gerrit Vreeman, University of Minnesota
2021-2022 – Jason Grunberger, The University of Utah
2020-2021 – Mansour Dughbaj, University of Southern California