Jie Shen, an assistant professor in the Colleges of Engineering and Pharmacy, has been at URI for only a year but is already making her mark. Shen, who teaches in the chemical engineering and pharmaceutical sciences departments, received the Emerging Researcher Award from the International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council Foundation at its conference in November.

“I was thrilled when I found out that I won,” Shen said. “This award is very competitive. People apply from all over the world. I’m also excited that part of the award will be used to provide training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.”

Shen received her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences at China Pharmaceutical University in Nanjing in 2009. She is currently hard at work in URI’s Pharmaceutics Lab researching the development of novel drug delivery systems for the treatment of eye cancer. The project is funded by Rhode Island Idea Network for Excellence in Biomedical Research, based at URI.

“This award is an exciting accomplishment for Jie, as it recognizes the great research she is leading and her potential to significantly impact the field of pharmaceutical engineering,” said Geoffrey Bothun, chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Criteria for the award is “demonstrated interest in and dedication to the area of excipients in terms of: published manuscripts and a research proposal in the area of excipient scientific/technological research.” Excipients are inactive substances present in a drug that act as a vehicle or stabilizer for the active ingredients, such as pill coatings or binding elements.

“My research is focused on developing and manufacturing advanced drug delivery systems, which is all directly or indirectly related to the safe and effective use of excipients,” Shen said.