Written by Elodie Kadjo
Barbara I. Adaikpoh is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on developing a bacterial host for natural product discovery and development.
Dr. Adaikpoh decided to study pharmacy because of her fascination with the use of plants and microorganisms to produce therapeutic compounds. She obtained her Pharm.D. from the University of Benin (Nigeria), followed by an MSc. in Pharmacognosy from the University College London (UK). Insatiable for knowledge, she went on to get a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Mississippi.
Barbara describes her journey as exciting and very rewarding. The most gratifying part of her work is experiencing the developing curiosity and excitement of her mentees during their research projects. Nonetheless, she does sometimes face difficulties. Recounting one of those difficult moments, she said: “While in graduate school, my first application for a travel grant to attend a conference was rejected. I was very disappointed and questioned my ability to be successful in my chosen career path because I had invested a lot of time and effort into preparing the application. Rather than give up, I decided to improve my writing skills by attending writing-focused workshops organized by my institution. I also attended workshops that focused on improving mental health and overcoming imposter syndrome – I wanted to better deal with future rejections. In addition to being successful in my next application for a travel grant, I developed skills that would enable me to better navigate my future career.”
Barbara often uses her experience to encourage her co-workers and mentees. She has benefitted from various mentorships and has been shaped by unique experiences while developing her career path. Now, Barbara wishes to pursue an academic career. This will provide the opportunity to give back by serving as a role model and a mentor to inspire confidence and scientific curiosity among underserved groups and help facilitate their success in their chosen careers.
Outside of work, Barbara loves to run and visit new cities.