About Tom 
​Tom was born in New York, NY in 1973. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Delaware in 1995. As an undergraduate, he investigated a route towards the total synthesis of taxol under the tutelage of Professor Douglas Taber. Tom then moved to Richmond, VA to begin his graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University working with Professor Richard A. Glennon. His graduate work focused on design and synthesis of selective h5-HT1D ligands as potential antimigraine agents culminating with a Ph.D. in 2000. Tom then traveled to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases as an Intramural Training Award (IRTA) Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Kenner C. Rice, where he investigated drugs subject to abuse and treatment agents. 

​He began his independent career in 2003 and subsequently rose through the ranks at the Universities of Iowa and Kansas prior to the University of Kentucky where he is currently a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. His research combines medicinal and natural products chemistry and is directed toward elucidation of the structure and function of neurotransmitter systems in the central nervous system in normal, drug-altered and pathological states and the development of medications for the treatment of drug abuse and pain. Tom is the recipient of a number of awards including a Jack L. Beal Award from the Journal of Natural Products (2006), a Matt Suffness (Young Investigator) Award from the American Society of Pharmacognosy (2008), a Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award from the College on Drug Dependence (2011), a David W. Robertson Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry from the Division of Medicinal Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (2012), the inaugural Innovator Award from the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (2018), and a Rho Chi Excellence in Teaching Award at the University of Kansas (2018).

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Sophia Kaska, Ph.D.
Position: Post-Doctoral Scholar 
Graduate University: Michigan State University
Degrees Awarded: Ph.D., Pharmacology and Toxicology, Environmental Toxicology
Current Research: ​Pharmacological characterization of novel opioid receptor compounds using in vitro methods. 

Dan Luo, Ph.D.
Position: Post-Doctoral Scholar 
Graduate University: Wayne State University   
Degrees Awarded: Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences
Current Research: Design, synthesis, and SAR study of biologically relevant small molecules derived from natural product Salvinorin A targeting κ-opioid receptors.
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Nazmul Bhuiyan
Position: Post-Doctoral Scholar 
Undergraduate University: University of Dhaka 
Graduate University: University of Iowa 
Degrees Awarded: Ph.D., Chemistry 
Current Research: Design and synthesis of 7-BIA based small molecules. With collaboration, their biological activity will be evaluated as PTPRD phosphatase inhibitors.

Sidnee Hedrick
Position: Graduate Student Research Assistant 
Undergraduate University: Graceland University 
Graduate University: University of Kentucky  
Degrees Awarded: B.S., Chemistry and Biology  
Current Research: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Salvinorin A-inspired compounds. 
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Lindsay Kornberger 
Position: Graduate Student Teaching Assistant
Undergraduate University: Kean University 
Graduate University: University of Kentucky 
Degrees Awarded: B.S., Molecular Biology, MS, Biotechnology  
Current Research: Design and synthesis of novel KOR ligands as analgesics with reduced abuse potential.

Kailee Baker  
Position: Graduate Student 
Undergraduate University: University of Georgia 
Degrees Awarded: B.S., Pharmaceutical Sciences

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Karli Smith 
Position: Lab Technician  
Undergraduate University: Graceland University 
Degrees Awarded: B.S.H, Chemistry and Biology