ACC LASA Dual Credit Biotechnology Students Complete the Sakura Science Exchange Program from the Japan Science and Technology Agency

Dual Credit ACC LASA Biotechnology BITC 2486 students and their instructor Adjunct Professor Joseph Oleniczak traveled to Tokyo, Japan February 24 – March 3, 2023 for the Sakura Science Exchange Program from the Japan Science and Technology Agency.  For this program, students designed and conducted a research project aimed at evaluating pharmaceutical drug development and clinical trials by analyzing experimental data and comparing average drug responses in both the U.S. and Japan.  Through this analysis, students gained an understanding of how the field of biotechnology pharmaceutic development and clinical trials differ between Japan and the U.S.

These research efforts and exchange program were supported by the Japanese Science and Technology Agency and Pfizer Japan Regulatory Affairs & Development Department.  For the in-country portion of this project, students consulted with industry professionals at Pfizer Japan, met governmental regulators at PMDA, and learned from researchers at Kitasato University.  Based on this research and their in-country experiences, ACC LASA Biotechnology students are working on a manuscript that will be submitted for publication to the International Journal of High School Research.

The students that participated in this experience are Jay Campanell, Gabriel Keller, Amelise Morrison, Sophie Sun, Richa Kalari, and Zachary Suri.  All of these Dual Credit ACC LASA students will be graduating in May 2023 with a Level I Certificate in Biotechnology from ACC.   

Contact Adjunct Professor: Joseph Oleniczak for more information, email: jolenicz@austincc.edu