A Conversation with ASPET’s Drug Metabolism and Disposition Division Secretary/Treasurer, Klarissa Jackson, PhD
Klarissa Jackson, PhD, is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy. She is an active member of ASPET where she serves as Secretary/Treasurer for the ASPET Drug Metabolism and Disposition Division (DMDD). Dr. Jackson is also a member of the ASPET Fellows Review Committee. She previously served as the Councilor for DMDD as well as a member of the Mentoring and Career Development Committee. An ASPET member since 2013, Dr. Jackson shares her insight and guidance for young scientists with The Pharmacologist.
How did you get started in pharmacology?
I was introduced to pharmacology during a summer internship after my sophomore year of college at Jackson State University, where I was a chemistry major. I was fascinated by the science of drug action, and I wanted to learn more about the chemistry and biology of how drugs worked. During the summer of 2004, I participated in an internship at Vanderbilt University through the Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Pharmacology. My summer internship mentor was Dr. Brian Wadzinski in the Department of Pharmacology. I appreciate the time that Dr. Wadzinski and his lab members took to mentor me during my first introduction to pharmacology.
My career journey started with an internship at Merck Research Laboratories through the UNCF-Merck Science Initiative during the summer of 2005. I worked under the mentorship of Dr. Thomas Rushmore in the Department of Drug Metabolism. I learned that genetic factors could affect drug response in different patient populations, which fascinated me. Eager to learn more, I pursued related work in graduate school.
After graduating with a PhD in Pharmacology in 2011, I pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Washington. My research project focused on defining the molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity associated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib, which is used in the treatment of advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. This research helped directed my faculty career in pharmaceutical sciences and drug metabolism.
I started my faculty career as an assistant professor at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy in 2013 in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and I later joined the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2019 in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics.
How did you first get involved with ASPET?
I attended my first ASPET meeting in Boston, Mass., in 2015. My former Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Joey Barnett from Vanderbilt University, recommended that I co-chair the ASPET 2015 Teaching Institute with Dr. Kelly Karpa. At the time, I was an assistant professor at Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, where I conducted research and taught pharmacy students in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.
I also appreciate ASPET’s generosity for providing award opportunities for my students who received an ASPET Young Scientist Travel Award to attend the 18th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (WCP2018) in Kyoto, Japan. Another one of my students received an ASPET 2018 Individual Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship to conduct summer research in my lab and an ASPET Undergraduate Student Travel Award to present his research at the ASPET 2019 Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
At the ASPET 2019 Meeting, through the support of Dr. Nina Isoherranen and Dr. Namandjé Bumpus, I was nominated to be a Councilor for the Division for Drug Metabolism and Disposition. I served in this position from July 2019 through June 2022. I also served as a member of the ASPET Mentoring and Career Development Committee from 2019–2022 through the encouragement of Dr. Ashley Guillory.
What do you want the ASPET membership to know about you and your ideas on how to move the organization forward during your term?
I encourage all members of ASPET to get involved in their Divisions and Committees of interest and invite their colleagues and peers to join ASPET. It is truly a “home for pharmacology” and a vibrant professional community. I also want to encourage students, postdoctoral fellows, and early career scientists to get involved with ASPET because it provides excellent opportunities for professional development. I would like ASPET to continue supporting the career development of trainees and provide opportunities for members throughout their career trajectory (early-, mid- and senior-career members). I also think it is important for ASPET to continue offering programming that engages people from diverse backgrounds who bring unique perspectives and experiences to science, pharmacology education and policy.
What has been your proudest accomplishment in your career so far?
I am very grateful to have received the ASPET 2023 Richard Okita Early Career Award in Drug Metabolism and Disposition. Dr. Okita has a wonderful legacy of mentoring early career scientists and promoting the careers of many people in our field. I appreciate the generous way in which Dr. Okita continues to invest in sharing scientific and career building opportunities with me and other members of the drug metabolism and disposition community.
What advice would you give young scientists who are just starting out in their careers?
My advice is to identify what excites you about science and follow your passion. Enjoy the journey. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. That is how we learn and grow. Find good mentors and do your best to be a good colleague. You never know what future opportunities may come from the connections that you make early in your career. I hope to keep learning and growing. I wish you all the best on your journey.
