Staff Spotlight: Joshua Wilkinson
The Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt University consists of a remarkable community dedicated to advancing the translation of basic science to novel therapeutics to treat serious brain disorders. In addition to our outstanding faculty, postdocs, and trainees who are at the forefront of our cutting-edge research, a large part of our center’s success is attributed to our staff.
We sat down with Joshua Wilkinson, Drug Discovery Scientist I of the Molecular Pharmacology and Biology team, who told us a little about himself.
What do you do for the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt University?
I’m on the molecular pharmacology team; my primary responsibility is to develop assays and to test the activity of compounds at their respective targets.
How long have you been working with the WCNDD?
For about a year now.
What is unique about working for WCNDD?
The WCNDD strikes a unique balance between academia and industry. We have the resources of industry to help execute experiments, and you get to see projects progress as you would in any pre-clinical biotech company. On top of that, we also experience some of the basic science, and publish, as you would in an academic setting.
What is your favorite memory or project you completed during your time at WCNDD so far, and why?
The main project I work on is confidential; otherwise, the M1 Antagonist program will be interesting. We are going to publish the work from that project, which gives me the freedom to test new pharmacology experiments that I’ve been wanting to check out.
What is a professional or personal achievement that you are most proud of?
I’m early in my career, so there isn’t a big achievement that stands out yet. But my overarching goal was to apply science to do something that could help others, so I’m happy to be on that trajectory.
What is a fun fact about you?
I’m taking a pottery class right now.
What activities do you like to do outside of work?
I paint some and I enjoy any type of creative outlet. I like to hang out with friends and get outdoors whenever I can.
What advice would you give to a student interested in pursuing a career in your field of work?
Try to learn a range of topics beyond your specific discipline, glean experience from scientists who understand the fundamentals, and take the initiative to seek out emerging techniques and gain exposure to them. Science is constantly evolving, so there is always the opportunity to be the person who brings something new and advantageous to a team.