CBC Alumni Spotlight: Alexis Cruickshank-Taylor

After graduating from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alexis Cruickshank-Taylor continued to build on the academic foundation developed as an undergraduate. Alexis’s time at the university was enriched by participation in undergraduate research and by serving as a student assistant and mentor for the BIO5 Institute’s KEYS Research Internship. For four summers, Alexis had the privilege of supporting Arizona high school students as they embarked on their own research journeys—an experience that was both rewarding and inspiring, as Alexis watched them grow as young scientists.  

Following graduation, Alexis was accepted into the Arizona Biological and Biomedical Sciences (ABBS) Graduate Program at the University of Arizona. During the first year, Alexis completed three laboratory rotations before joining Dr. Wei Wang’s lab in March 2024, where Alexis is now pursuing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in Drug Discovery and Development. Alexis’s research focuses on developing novel therapeutics to improve the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive hematological cancer. As a biologist, Alexis works alongside a dedicated team of chemists to design compounds and biological experiments that test their efficacy and safety as cancer therapeutics. Alexis is honored to have been appointed to the NCI T32 grant this past September as part of the Integrative Cancer Scholars Program at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, which has greatly enhanced her research and networking opportunities. Most recently, Alexis was grateful to receive the William and Betty Milleson Fink Award from the College of Pharmacy, a recognition that motivates continued striving for excellence in research and academic pursuits.