Homecoming brought the return of Dr. Christopher Mirabelli, ’77, to campus, where he delivered a keynote address for the Department of Biology, met students in classrooms and was treated to an informal reception in the Science Center.
Also that weekend, Dr. Mirabelli was honored by the university and the Fredonia Alumni Association as a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award for 2016.
Mirabelli, who credits Professor Emeritus Wayne Yunghans as his inspiration to go on to graduate school and dedicate his career to research, has played an important role in the development of medicines used to treat a variety of cancers and autoimmune diseases.
Mirabelli directed an R&D department within Smith Kline & French and established and directed his own pharmaceutical companies. He currently serves as the managing director of HealthCare Ventures, a venture capital firm in Boston that specializes in the pharmaceutical industry.
On Friday morning, Oct. 21, Mirabelli spoke to about 85 students enrolled in a sophomore-level Genetics class taught by Dr. Scott Ferguson. An early-afternoon visit to Dr. Scott Medler’s upper-level Neurobiology class gave Mirabelli an opportunity to meet additional students.
Mirabelli’s keynote presentation, "A Journey through the World of Pharmaceutical Research and Development: Lessons Learned and a New Challenge," for faculty, alumni and students in the Science Center atrium drew strong interest from students, including many who indicated they were inspired by his educational and professional journey.
Of particular note was a Molecular Genetics student who came to Fredonia with an interest in pharmacogenetics. After hearing Mirabelli's presentation her interest in pharmacogenetics has intensified and her desire to apply to graduate school after earning her bachelor’s degree at Fredonia has been heightened. She also hopes to be able to visit Mirabelli's company in Massachusetts.
Mirabelli has been a generous benefactor, longtime supporter and faithful friend to the Department of Biology and its students. In a time of the department’s greatest need, when it was still located in Jewett Hall, the gel imager – an essential instrument used in molecular biology teaching and research lab work -- stopped functioning. Mirabelli unexpectedly came to the rescue.
“To buy a new one would have cost $30,000, which was impossible for us at that time,” recalled Patricia Astry, associate professor of Medical Technology and chair of the Department of Biology. “Chris heard about our need and bought us one.”
Mirabelli is also responsible for creating and funding the largest Biology scholarship given to incoming first-year students, the Yunghans-Mirabelli Scholarship. During his visit, Mirabelli met three current scholarship recipients, all of whom want to become physicians. They were: Laurel Finson, of Lakewood, a first-year Biology major who wants to go to medical school and specialize in radiology; Jessica Merle, Portland, a sophomore Molecular Genetics major who wants to go to medical school and specialize in pediatrics; and Zachary Eklum, senior Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Psychology, who was accepted (as a first-year student) into the early acceptance program at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Mr. Eklum will enter its College of Medicine this fall.
“We are very, very grateful to him for his friendship and generosity,” Ms. Astry said.
