CONTACT:
Mike Lurie
Office: 410-455-6380
Cellphone: 443-695-0262
mlurie@umbc.edu

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Wyeth Research, having signed a formal agreement establishing a three-year partnership, have awarded the inaugural Wyeth Fellowship to Orrette R. Wauchope, a Ph.D. candidate studying synthetic organic chemistry.

The partnership includes graduate fellowships for talented students conducting research in fields of joint interest to UMBC faculty and Wyeth scientists.

Students selected for the two-year fellowships will be designated Wyeth Fellows and will receive an annual stipend and mentoring support from an industry scientist at Wyeth Research.

As the inaugural 2006 Wyeth Fellow, Wauchope was recognized as a rising Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Wauchope will have the opportunity to present his or her research findings to a group of senior scientists at Wyeth Research. His doctoral research is being conducted under the guidance of Dr. Katherine Seley-Radtke, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry and a 2006 Jefferson Science Fellow for the U.S. Department of State.

Wauchope’s research focuses on the design and methodological development of chemical agents that potentially serve as anticancer, antiviral and antiparasitic catalysts. Wauchope is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Brooklyn College, where he majored in chemistry.

“Orrette has a keen interest in the use of synthetic organic chemistry to solve problems in medicinal chemistry,” said Dr. Jerauld S. Skotnicki, senior director of chemical and screening sciences with Wyeth Research. “His Ph.D. project with Professor Seley-Radtke is quite challenging and will enable him to enhance, apply and expand his interests and skills.

“As the Wyeth mentor, I am looking forward to the interactions and to contribute to their program. The Wyeth Fellowship exemplifies the ideal partnership of two innovative cultures from two distinct sectors, bringing out the best in people and their science.”

The Wyeth-UMBC partnership includes a three-year commitment to Gold-Level sponsorship for UMBC’s annual life science symposium - A Look Ahead: Futures in Biomedical Research. A signed memorandum of understanding between UMBC and Wyeth was completed on July 25, 2006 at the Wyeth Research facility in Collegeville, Pa. An additional Wyeth Fellow will be selected in the second year of the partnership.

“I am privileged to have mentoring support from the scientists at Wyeth,” Wauchope said. “I will have the opportunity to share and discuss aspects of my research in an industrial setting with chemists who possess years of experience.”

Wyeth, headquartered in Madison, N.J., is a global leader in pharmaceuticals, consumer health care products and animal health care products. The company is a leader in the discovery, development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and non-prescription medicines that improve the quality of life people worldwide. With research and development programs focused on small molecules, vaccines and biotechnology, Wyeth is exploring more than 60 new therapies for medical conditions such as diabetes, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

UMBC is a mid-sized, public research university located between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. UMBC is a major center for cutting-edge research in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. The campus is home to more than 20 research centers and institutes.
UMBC’s College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences includes the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics. These four departments administer close to half of the Ph.D. programs at UMBC. The College has more than 100 full time faculty members, and includes approximately 1500 students in 7 undergraduate programs and 280 students in 13 graduate programs. Research expenditures currently top $13M per year.

For inquiries directly to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals:
Gerald Burr
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Office: 484-865-5138
Cell: 484-686-6998
Email: burrg@wyeth.com