Skip to main content

Part of UT Health San Antonio

UT Health San Antonio ResearchUT Health San Antonio Research

Research

Part of UT Health San Antonio

Give

Researcher Quicklinks

Institutional Core Labs

  • iLabs
  • Bioanalytics & Single-Cell
  • Biospecimen and Translational Genomics
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Mass Spectometry
  • Optical Imaging
  • Structural Biology (NMR)
  • Structural Biology (X-Ray Crystallography)

Find a Researcher

  • Profiles

Research by School

  • Long School of Medicine
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Health Professions
  • School of Nursing

Software Training & Cyberinfrastructure

  • VPR IT

Additional Resources

  • Environmental Health & Safety
  • Council of Principal Investigators
  • National Academy of Inventors
  • Office of Technology Commercialization
  • Postdoc Positions
  • Report A Discovery
  • Research Directory
  • San Antonio Bioscience Research
  • San Antonio Partnership for Precision Therapeutics
  • Spotlight on Research Integrity

Close Quicklinks

Menu
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Research Areas
  • Researchers
  • Clinical Trials
  • VPR Resources
  • Collaborations

You are here

  • Stories
  • Dr. Gruslova Completes the Eli Lilly Certificate Course on Making Medicines

Dr. Gruslova Completes the Eli Lilly Certificate Course on Making Medicines

Contributor

March 8, 2019

Dr. Aleksandra Gruslova, postdoctoral fellow, conducts in vitro and in vivo experiments for preclinical drug development.

Aleksandra Gruslova, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, was always fascinated with the life sciences and, after 10 years of dedicated study, received her Ph.D. in physiology at St. Petersburg State University in Russia.

In 2012, she joined the lab of Andrew Brenner, M.D., Ph.D., co-leader of the Experimental and Therapeutic Program at the Mays Cancer Center, and began studying the efficacy of new therapeutics drugs to treat brain and breast cancers sparking her passion for drug development.

Her time in Dr. Brenner’s lab led her to develop an intracranial microscopy technique using a cranial window that allows for the study of brain tumor progression in a live mouse to better understand the interactions of cell systems during cancer initiation, response, and treatment. She has also established primary tumor cell lines, a research tool widely used for preclinical drug screening. “As I began studying the applications of my laboratory science, I knew I wanted to bridge the gap between bench and clinical work,” Dr. Gruslova shared.

Wanting to gain deeper insights into the drug discovery and development process from the pharma-industry perspective, she was excited to learn of a new eLearning certificate course developed by Lilly USA, LLC in collaboration with academia and now available to UT System institutions. “We believe this course provides UT researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs a more robust appreciation of the complexities and intricacies of the drug development process,” said Matthew Sorenson, Ph.D., innovation program manager with the UT System’s Office of Innovation and Strategic Investment. The online modules cover the entire spectrum of drug development, from discovery to clinical trials including the regulatory process, how to identify key stakeholders, and patient insights to better inform trial development.

“The flexibility of the course was very helpful to me. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the step by step process for discovering and developing drugs,” Dr. Gruslova shared, “As a basic scientist, I was compelled to think about where my research is and how to apply it to the drug development pipeline to bring new treatments from the bench to clinicians and help save lives.” 

When asked if she had any advice to offer students about career development, Dr. Gruslova recommended to begin networking as soon as possible. Without the right collaborations and attitude, it can be more challenging to launch your career. Recalling an important lesson learned from 18 years of practicing Aikido, “Leave your ego with your shoes. Success is a process and to gain perspective on my work, I must first think about how to best utilize it for other people and tailor my education to those needs,” she shared, “We cannot make an impact on the world if we do not continue to learn and grow.”

Editor’s Note: Making Medicines: The Process of Drug Development is available to UT Health San Antonio students, faculty, and staff. Contact Dr. Teresa Evans evanstm@uthscsa.edu to request login information.

Dr. Gruslova at her computerDr. Gruslova completed the Making Medicines: The Process of Drug Development certificate course gaining a deeper understanding of translational research.

Categories:  Resources & Services; Training & Funding

The VPR Newsletter

The latest in research discovery, innovation and resources.

Read related stories

  • Dr. Waridibo Allison

    Training the Trainer to Increase Health Care Access

  • History of PTEF

    Announcing the President’s Translational and Entrepreneurial Research Fund 2020 Awards

  • CT Day Collage

    Proyecto Voces (Project Voices): Tu Voz Puede Ayudar a Inmigrantes Latinxs

Share this story

Map image of UT Health San Antonio location

UT Health San Antonio

8403 Floyd Curl Dr
San Antonio, TX 78229

210-567-7000
vpr@uthscsa.edu

Connect with us

  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Linked In
  • Facebook
  • Job Opportunities
  • Research Directory
  • Mission Magazine
  • Give a Donation

We make lives better ®

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, also called UT Health San Antonio, is a leading academic health center with a mission to make lives better through excellence in advanced academics, life-saving research and comprehensive clinical care including health, dental and cancer services.

Web Privacy | Links from websites affiliated with UT Health's website (uthscsa.edu) to other websites do not constitute or imply university endorsement of those sites, their content, or products and services associated with those sites. The content on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Health information on this site is not meant to be used to diagnose or treat conditions. Consult a health care provider if you are in need of treatment.