Faiyaz Mahmud Nirob, a rising junior at Barry University is double majoring in Biology and Chemistry and is also a proud Stamps Scholar. Originally from a small city in Bangladesh, Faiyaz’s early exposure to healthcare disparities sparked a passion for science, medicine, and service. That passion has carried him throughout his academic journey at Barry and currently as he participates in groundbreaking research.

This summer, Faiyaz is immersed in the Larkin University Summer Research Program (LUSRP), conducting research at the College of Pharmacy under the guidance of Dr. Taraman Kadayat, a globally respected medicinal and computational chemist.

Faiyaz is currently working on a project at the intersection of oncology, pharmacology, and computational drug design. The research specifically involves structure-based design and optimization of novel PROTACs (proteolysis-targeting chimeras) targeting HDAC8, a key enzyme implicated in several cancers. The project is highly interdisciplinary and has exposed Faiyaz to real-world applications of computational chemistry and molecular docking.

“This is my first deep dive into the field, and I’m fascinated by how it’s reshaping pharmacology and drug discovery,” Faiyaz shared.

Faiyaz also shared that experiences at Barry have played an integral role in preparing him for this kind of complex, interdisciplinary work. Over the past two years, he’s built a robust research portfolio thanks to mentorship from three Barry faculty members:

• With Dr. John Boulos, he explored the fundamentals of organic and medicinal chemistry through synthesis and pharmacophore design.
• Under Dr. Tamara Hamilton, he sharpened his ability to conduct thorough literature reviews and collaborate in a high-level academic environment.
• With Dr. Stephanie Bingham, he learned how to design thoughtful experiments and analyze data critically, especially in the field of environmental toxicology.

He’s also taken rigorous coursework like Organic Chemistry I & II, Inorganic Chemistry, and Cell Biology, and serves as a Laboratory Teaching Assistant in the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

“Altogether, these opportunities have given me the confidence and competence to thrive in this summer program,” Faiyaz said.

Beyond the technical side, Faiyaz shared that some of the most rewarding parts of the summer were the community and mentorship at Larkin University. He also mentioned the benefits of weekly professional development sessions that introduced him to careers paths that he never imagined.