Durand receives Distinguished Young Alumni Award
CHADRON – Dr. Nisha Durand, Manager of Process Development at the Human Cellular Therapy Laboratory Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, will receive the Distinguished Young Alumni Award (DYA) during Chadron State College’s Homecoming Oct. 1. Other DYA honorees include Ryan Hieb and Dr. T.J Thomson (in absentia). Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) recipients are Mark Brohman and Dr. Dora Olivares.
The DYA is presented to CSC alumni who distinguished themselves in their chosen career or community or have demonstrated exceptional service to the college and are 40 years of age or younger.
Durand graduated with a bachelor’s in Human Biology and received the Platinum Eagle award in 2012. During her CSC studies, she worked as an undergraduate research assistant in Physical and Life Sciences.
In 2017, she earned her doctorate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Durand also worked in the department of Cancer Biology as a graduate research assistant.
Durand worked full-time for the Mayo Clinic as a research fellow, senior research fellow, and principal research technologist before her current role as Manager Process Development.
Durand guest-edited a special issue of the Cells, a journal published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Additionally, she has published numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented research at national and international conferences.
In her current role, she is responsible for translating research processes and developing processes and techniques in support of all phases of cellular therapy product development. In addition, she is involved in the regulatory process with responsibility for generating pre-clinical safety and efficacy data. Her research interests include Mesenchymal Stromal Cell signaling and mechanisms of potentiation.
Durand, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, serves on the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy’s Early-Stage Professional Committee and Process Development and Manufacturing Committee.
Outside of regenerative medicine, Durand said she is passionate about increasing diversity among Science Technology Engineering and Math professionals. She serves as a Department Diversity Leader and is a member of the Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee.
Category: Campus News