Pharmacology and Translational Science – Virtual Event

Dr. Namandjé Bumpus is the E.K. Marshall and Thomas H. Maren Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She joined the faculty at Hopkins in 2010 as an assistant professor. Dr. Bumpus earned a PhD in pharmacology at the University of Michigan in 2007 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular and experimental medicine at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA in 2010. Dr. Bumpus currently serves on the council of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). She previously served as chair of the NIH Xenobiotic and Nutrient Disposition and Action study section and an associate editor of the journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition. She is the past secretary/treasurer for the Division for Drug Metabolism of ASPET, and a member of the awards committees for ASPET and the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics. Dr. Bumpus’ laboratory applies state-of-the art approaches to define the molecular mechanisms that underlie disparities in drug outcomes. Her many honors include the Leon I. Goldberg Award from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the James Gillette Award from the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics, the John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers awarded by President Obama.

Craig W. Lindsley, Ph.D. is the Co-Director and Director of Medicinal Chemistry for the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery (VCNDD) and University Professor of Pharmacology, Chemistry & Biochemistry. Dr. Lindsley’s research is focused on the development of novel treatment strategies for schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Fragile X Syndrome and other brain disorders. In addition, his academic lab is focused on teaching the basic tenants of organic chemistry (synthetic methods, total synthesis, chemical biology) and then apply these skills to translational science problems. Craig graduated in 1992 from California State University, Chico with a B.S. in Chemistry, received his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara (Lipshutz), in 1996, and pursued postdoctoral studies at Harvard University (Shair). In 2001, Craig accepted a position at Merck & Co where he pioneered, in positions of increasing responsibility, the development of allosteric ligands for Akt, mGlu5 and M1, providing critical proof-of-concept compounds that validated the mechanism of allosteric modulation and clinical candidates. In 2009 Craig became the founding Editor-in-Chief of ACS Chemical Neuroscience and was also awarded the ASPET-Astellas Award for Translational Pharmacology. In 2012, he was awarded an endowed chair, the William K. Warren, Jr. Chair in Medicine.

LaTrease E. Garrison, the Executive Vice President of ACS Membership and ACS Education, received her B.S. degree in chemistry from Howard University and completed her M.B.A degree at Strayer University where her research focused on succession planning for the non-profit organization. LaTrease joined ACS in 1992 as a Program Assistant for Chemical & Engineering News magazine. In 1996 she moved to the Education Division where she held several positions including Senior Program Manager of Undergraduate Programs. In 2005 she was appointed to the position of Special Assistant to the Director of the Education Division. LaTrease previously served as the Assistant Director of the Member Communities/ Department of Volunteer Support and Director of the Administrative and Programmatic Technology group and the Professional Advancement Team. She has also served as staff liaison to various ACS Committees and Task Forces and is a trained facilitator for courses within the ACS Leadership Development System.

Edwin Robinson is an Account Manager for CAS based in Atlanta, GA.  He is responsible for field accounts in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Prior to CAS Edwin was employed by Chemtura Corporation where he was an Account Executive in the Polyurethane Dispersions & Urethane Specialty Chemicals Business unit.  In that role, Edwin was responsible for managing North American commercial relationships for polyurethane dispersions and urethane specialty chemicals for both direct and channel partners. Prior to Chemtura, Edwin also held positions of increasing responsibility with Excel Polymers, Sherwin Williams and Ferro Corp. Edwin holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Baldwin-Wallace College and an M.S. degree in Chemistry from The University of Southern Mississippi.

Justice Austin is a sophomore from North Little Rock, Arkansas, majoring in Biology Pre-Medicine with a minor in both chemistry and mathematics at Xavier University of Louisiana. She is acting secretary of Xavier’s ACS Student Chapter. She became involved after noticing the chapter’s increased volunteerism as well as mentorship. She has completed research at Florida International University in HIV-1 studies, and aspires to be a plastic and reconstructive surgeon for cancer patients in the future. Justice also hosts a podcast titled, “The Perfect You?”, where she discusses how girls and women can better their body and mind as well as learn about the possibilities women have in STEM.

Autumn Janay Williams is a senior chemistry major at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She is one of twenty students attending Spelman on a full-ride Presidential Scholarship and is a member of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program. Autumn is a member of the Spelman Continuum Peer Review Committee, Health Careers Club, Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, American Chemical Society, and Chemistry Club. She also serves as the Mentor of a sophomore chemistry major in the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, and she is currently serving as President of the Chemistry Club. In March of 2019, Autumn served as a University Relations Student Ambassador for Spelman College Research Day 2019. During the same month, she was also a judge at the University of Michigan’s College of Pharmacy Research Forum. Lastly, she served as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Peer Healthy Relationships Facilitator at Spelman from 2018 to 2020. Autumn frequently volunteers her time working with cats and dogs at the PAWS Atlanta No-Kill Animal Shelter. In 2019, she completed her summer undergraduate research on Enantiomeric Resolution and Identification at Clemson University in South Carolina.