PRISM + Internships Lead Raider Rodriguez ’20 to Pharmacology Ph.D.

Current Role: Postdoctoral Associate, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Buffalo
Postgraduate degree: Ph.D. in Pharmacology, University of Buffalo, June 2025
John Jay College degree: B.S. in Toxicology
Program: Program for Research Initiatives in Science & Math (PRISM), CUNY Justice Academy (CJA)
Mentors: Marta Concheiro-Guisan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Toxicology; Edgardo Sanabria-Valentín, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Associate Program Director of PRISM
Internships: Research Scientist Intern, Mimetic Medicines Inc.; Summer Research Intern, University of Pittsburgh; Undergraduate Research Assistant to Marta Concheiro-Guisan, John Jay College
Hometown: Dominican Republic; New York City
Career Aspiration: Biomedical Researcher

What was life like before John Jay College?
I grew up in the Dominican Republic (DR) and had a great childhood. I was always surrounded by family and friends. My mom worked as a pharmacist in the DR, so there’s always been a passion in me to understand how different medications work. In terms of academics, I wasn’t very good at math, but I was inclined toward science classes. I did well in biology. 

Mom left for the U.S. when I was 10 years old. I remained in the DR with my dad, but when I was 18, I joined my mom and brothers in New York City. We all understood that there were more educational and career opportunities here than in the DR.

Why John Jay?
When I first arrived in New York, my English was not very good. So, I began my college career at Hostos Community College as an ESL student, and then later enrolled in their forensic science program. Beyond the focus on forensic science, what attracted me to the program was its dual-admission structure: you earn your associate degree in forensic science at Hostos and then your bachelor’s degree at John Jay College. I was excited about the research opportunities John Jay College provides its students, so joining the dual program was an easy decision for me. I was excited to transfer to John Jay and to immerse myself in the College’s science programs.

What sparked your passion for science and pharmacology?
I’ve always had a curious mind and was attracted to science. A lot of that had to do with my mom’s work as a pharmacist in the DR. People from the neighborhood, who didn’t have a lot of resources, would reach out to my mom, asking her what they should take to treat ailments. I would hear her conversations with the neighbors, explaining how different medications would help and what the possible side effects were. Hearing mom help our neighbors sparked something in me, a drive to learn more about how medications work, their effects on the brain and body, and how we can use them to help people feel better. 

Then, when I came to John Jay, I had the chance to do hands-on research with Dr. Concheiro-Guisan and internships that opened my eyes to biomedical research and drug discovery. I knew then that’s what I wanted to pursue for my career. I want to learn more about pharmacology and work in the biotech field, specifically in drug research and development.

What was your research at John Jay about? 
Our research focused on coming up with a method to analyze psychoactive drugs, specifically methylone, a type of amphetamine. At the time, there wasn’t much research done on the drug. Methylone is a popular street drug and is more commonly known as bath salts. The goal of our research was to identify and develop a method to quantify psychoactive substances in the brain. Using rats, we observed how the drug was absorbed and broken down in the brain and how it affected their brains and behavior. We ended up developing a method using LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry) techniques, which is often used in forensic science to identify drugs. What was most exciting was that our results were published, which made it my first published research paper.

How did your mentors put you on the path to success?
I really believe that my PRISM mentors were the main reason I was able to get into a Ph.D. program. They helped boost my confidence by encouraging me to immerse myself in the world of science and research. They pushed me to take advantage of opportunities, such as undergraduate research with Dr. Concheiro-Guisan, research programs outside of John Jay, presenting at science conferences, and networking events where I met other students aspiring to work in science. 

My mentors also helped me with the application process for the summer research program at the University of Pittsburgh and, ultimately, for the Ph.D. program at the University of Buffalo. They wrote my recommendation letters, reviewed my resume and essays, conducted practice interviews with me, and connected me with people who were already in graduate school or working in pharmacology. They wanted me to have insight into the world I was stepping into. They wanted me to be ready.

How did your John Jay education prepare you for your Ph.D. program?
I had great professors at John Jay who taught me a lot about pharmacology and toxicology. Notably, toxicology professor Richard Stripp, Ph.D., really sparked my passion for the field. The way he taught his courses was phenomenal because he was a practicing toxicologist and could bring his real-world experience into the classroom. His teaching style made me excited to learn more and provided an incredible foundation of knowledge that I could apply in Buffalo.

Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
I see myself working in the biotech field, specifically in research and development. I want to develop drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases and age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s. As our life expectancy increases, so too does the risk of health challenges. My goal is to hopefully slow down the disease’s progression or eradicate it completely.

I’d also like to make science more inclusive and diverse by helping the next generation. I joined the John Jay alumni mentorship program this past fall. I was assigned an undergraduate mentee who wants to work in science. Learning more about her goals and helping her navigate the undergraduate process, as my mentors at John Jay did for me, has been really great.

Finish this sentence: Because of John Jay…
I am a scientist with a Ph.D. who is on a mission to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.