{"id":12864,"date":"2025-09-17T09:26:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T14:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=12864"},"modified":"2025-09-17T09:26:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T14:26:29","slug":"a-molecule-with-medical-promise","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/a-molecule-with-medical-promise\/","title":{"rendered":"A molecule with medical promise"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Photo:<\/a>
Roman Domashevsky, a junior majoring in biology with a biomedical concentration, was part of the Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship program this summer. He is pictured working with organic solvents under the fume hood in the Prairie Springs Science Center\u2019s chemistry lab, alongside his faculty mentor, Robin Grote.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship supports life-changing student experience \u2014 and potentially, life-saving science<\/h2>\n

When Joe Toce ran a biochemistry company in St. Louis over two decades ago, one elusive molecule stood out. His team had long sought to synthesize it \u2014 a small organic compound with big potential to revolutionize blood-thinning medications used to prevent strokes, heart attacks and chronic conditions like deep vein thrombosis.<\/p>\n

Current anticoagulant therapies, while effective, come with significant drawbacks: some must be administered by injection, while others are irreversible or take hours to activate \u2014 issues that can cost lives in emergency situations. The compound Toce envisioned could change that. Taken orally and fast-acting, it could fill a critical gap in patient care.<\/p>\n

Years later, after retiring and becoming a long-time donor and supporter of UWL student research and science education, including support of the\u00a0Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship (DDF) program<\/a>, Toce brought that question \u2014 and the promise of that molecule \u2014 to UWL.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe approached me at a DDF event,\u201d recalls Robin Grote, associate professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at UWL. \u201cHe explained the molecule and the medical need behind it. That\u2019s how the project was born.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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From lab to medical school<\/h3>\n
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Roman Domashevsky, a junior majoring in biology with a biomedical concentration, and his faculty mentor, Robin Grote.\u00a0The DDF program provided Domashevsky a stipend to conduct 30 hours of research each week during the summer.\u00a0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This summer, Grote and biology major Roman Domashevsky took on the challenge of synthesizing this molecule through the DDF program \u2014 a prestigious summer research experience that pairs undergraduates with faculty mentors. For Domashevsky, the opportunity is more than just a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 builder; it\u2019s an early step toward his goal of becoming a physician.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince shadowing my dad \u2014 who\u2019s an ER doctor \u2014 I\u2019ve known I want to work in that kind of environment,\u201d says Domashevsky. \u201cIt\u2019s fast-paced, and you\u2019re in a position to make someone\u2019s day or life better. That\u2019s incredibly valuable to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Domashevsky\u2019s experience preparing for medical school reflects exactly what Drs. Joe and Suzanne Toce hoped to support when they decided to donate to the Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Investing in the future<\/h3>\n
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Joe\u202fToce and his wife, Suzanne, have been long-time supporters of UWL research and the sciences. They established the Drs. Suzanne & Joseph Toce Biochemistry Scholarship Endowment Fund\u202fthrough the UWL Foundation, which funds three, $1,000 scholarships. They also started the Joseph & Suzanne Toce Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship, which this year is funding three Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellows. They also donated to the\u202fPrairie Springs Science Center endowment.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think of it as donation,\u201d says Suzanne regarding their gifts to the DDF program. \u201cI think of it as investment. You are investing in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Toces have seen the impact of their support firsthand. During a recent cardiology visit, a medical student recognized Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told the doctor, \u2018He funded my summer research to get into medical school,\u2019\u201d Toce recalls. \u201cThat\u2019s why we do this. It\u2019s a way of helping students move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their connection to UWL runs deep. Joe once taught part-time in the\u00a0Chemistry & Biochemistry Department<\/a>\u00a0and has since encountered several former students \u2014 now working as respiratory therapists, physician assistants, and more \u2014 during hospital visits at Emplify Health. \u201cIf you teach at the university and go to the hospital, you will see former students,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

They hope their support helps students get a foot in the door to their future career.<\/p>\n

Real research, real results<\/h3>\n

While contributing to a novel research project, Domashevsky is gaining hands-on lab experience rarely accessible to undergraduates at larger institutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been really blessed to have this experience,\u201d he says. \u201cAt big schools, it can be nearly impossible to land a research spot as an undergrad. Dr. Grote reached out to me and made it easy to get involved \u2014 and it\u2019s been a huge step in preparing for medical school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grote says she selected Domashevsky for her fellowship project because he showed initiative early on \u2014 asking about research opportunities after class during his freshman year. Though her lab was full at the time, she remembered his interest and contacted him the following semester when her DDF project was nearly ready to launch.<\/p>\n

Since June 1, the two have been collaborating in the organic chemistry lab inside UWL\u2019s Prairie Springs Science Center, starting with the most obvious synthetic pathways and gradually working toward more creative approaches to building the molecule.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll students find it a little intimidating at first \u2014 being in charge of a chemical research project sounds overwhelming,\u201d says Grote. \u201cBut Roman is starting to realize he knows what he\u2019s doing. He\u2019s building confidence and working more independently. It\u2019s great to watch that growth \u2014 and especially meaningful given his medical aspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The research, which will likely continue into the academic year and possibly involve other student researchers, is still in early stages. But Grote says the process itself \u2014 asking good questions, experimenting and learning from setbacks \u2014 is the heart of scientific inquiry.<\/p>\n

And for Domashevsky, the experience has already been transformative.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast summer I was a lifeguard, outside all day,\u201d he laughs. \u201cThis is a complete change \u2014 but I love it. Working in the lab with Dr. Grote is genuinely fun. And I\u2019ve made real connections with the other students. We\u2019ve become friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grote, who joined UWL as a new faculty member in Fall 2023, says mentoring in the DDF program was a priority from the start.<\/p>\n

\u201cA huge part of the mission of a tenure-track professor is to help undergraduates find their footing in research,\u201d she says. \u201cThe DDF program gives students a stipend for their time, plus professional development \u2014 training in research ethics, applying to graduate programs and more. It is a fantastic program. They don\u2019t just do research \u2014 they join a community of learners.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch the video of Roman describing his research.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

About the Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship (DDF) Program<\/h3>\n

For over 20 years, the Dean\u2019s Distinguished Fellowship has offered select students in\u00a0UWL\u2019s College of Science and Health<\/a>\u00a0a transformative summer research experience. Under the guidance of faculty mentors, fellows explore scientific and scholarly projects that prepare them for careers in research, healthcare, technology and beyond.<\/p>\n