This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on Nov. 14 for UNMC’s Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator Award recipients.
Research Leadership
The Research Leadership Award honors scientists previously recognized as Distinguished Scientists who have a longstanding research funding history and also serve as research leaders and mentors on campus.
- Name: Corey Hopkins, PhD
- Title: Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNMC College of Pharmacy; director, UNMC Center for Drug Design and Innovation
- Joined UNMC: June 2016
- Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana
Describe your research focus in three words:
Discovering new drugs
Why is research important in the world today?
Research is crucial in today’s world because it drives innovation, solves complex problems and expands human knowledge. It enables evidence-based decision-making in fields like medicine, technology and policy. Research fosters economic growth by developing new products and industries. It helps address global challenges such as climate change and disease. Moreover, research promotes critical thinking, challenges assumptions and encourages lifelong learning.
My work will make a difference because:
My work in drug discovery has the potential to make a significant impact on human health and quality of life. By discovering new medications, we are contributing to the fight against diseases that currently have limited or no treatment options. These efforts could lead to more effective therapies with fewer side effects, improving patient outcomes and reducing health care costs.
Drug discovery also drives scientific innovation, often uncovering new biological pathways and mechanisms that expand our understanding of human physiology. This knowledge can spark further research and applications beyond the original target disease. We also are training the next generation scientists who will help to drive the next round of innovations.
The best advice I could give a beginning researcher is:
Figure out when to say no (and actually do it).
The toughest lesson I’ve learned is:
Failure is not the end.
The best part of my job is:
The interactions with the students
Three things you may not know about me are:
- I have three French bulldogs.
- I’ve lived in eight states.
- I played a zombie in the short film “Reign of the Dead” in graduate school.
Congratulations, Dr. Hopkins!!!