2024 Dr. Wayne Cody Scholar in Medicinal Biological Chemistry: Samantha Rokey

Congratulations to Samantha Rokey, who was selected as the 2024 Dr. Wayne Cody Scholar in Medicinal Biological Chemistry.

Samantha attended Illinois State University and received her B.S. in chemistry in 2020. She is currently pursuing her PhD in chemistry at the University of Arizona in Dr. Christopher Hulme’s lab. Her thesis project focuses on designing and synthesizing small molecule kinase inhibitors that target the Wnt signaling pathway for the treatment of colorectal cancer and glioblastoma.

Samantha recently had the opportunity to give an oral presentation at the Arizona Drug Discovery and Development Summit where she placed first among all student presentations. She says, "This summit was a great opportunity to learn about up-and-coming science from multiple biotech companies. The keynote speakers also took time to speak to me one-on-one about how to pursue a career in industry and make that smooth transition upon graduation."

Samantha is also an active member of PAWS, DEI, and TA evaluation committees at UofA. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time with her dog and friends, reading, traveling, and yoga.