Congratulations to Adrian De la Peña, selected as a 2026 Outstanding Senior Ambassador!

Adrian Drake de la Peña is graduating with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Pharmaceutical Science, while co-enrolled in an Accelerated Master’s Program in Biochemistry to be completed in May of 2027. Adrian is from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where he spent 17 years until moving to Tucson to attend the University of Arizona. His siblings are now made up of primarily Arizona Wildcats, as his older sister Nicole is an alumnus of UArizona, and his younger brother Blake will be attending Fall 2026. Even as Adrian completes his Bachelor of Science in only three years, Adrian has made an impact within his department as a Chemistry & Biochemistry ambassador, peer mentor, and student researcher. He has dedicated a great deal of time to outreach events with new students and even helped in a department event with the Autism Society of Southern Arizona for autistic children interested in the sciences. A dedication to research integrity and breadth describes Adrian’s research career in a biochemical lab in the CBC department. He has spent almost 3 years in research with the Hruby-Cai Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Minying Cai, where he developed biophysical, whole-cell, and computational assays for efficient pipeline development of new drugs. In addition to his academic research, time working in commercial pharmacy as a pharmacy technician has also given him practical knowledge of modern diseases needing a chemical solution. Adrian has co-authored one published paper in the Australian Journal of Chemistry and is currently authoring two others. In his free time, Adrian plays piano, climbs for the UArizona Climbing Team, and has modeled for UArizona Fashion Week. Adrian hopes to get his PhD abroad after receiving his Master’s in Biochemistry. He will then search for a role in the research and development of new peptide pharmaceuticals for a company at the forefront of improving human health.