Ogechi Ogoke Was Awarded The WNY Prosperity Fellowship

Ogechi Ogoke has won the 2018-19 Western New York Prosperity Fellowship. The WNY fellowship is awarded to students who demonstrate their commitment and leadership to the industry and community. Ogechi Ogoke is a third-year PhD candidate in Dr. Natesh Parashurama's research group. His research focus is on the development of functional liver tissue from pluripotent stem cells,  which he hopes to turn into a start-up endeavor in the near future.

"The development of functional liver tissue from pluripotent stem cells addresses a need for improved drug toxicity and drug development assays. Functional stem cell derived liver tissue can also be used directly as cell therapy in liver regenerative medicine for patients with acute or chronic liver failure. Our goal in the lab is to develop miniaturized self-renewable liver organoids that can address these two capacities. In addition, we deeply believe that improved drug screening and cell therapy for liver failure are such critical needs for healthcare that a start-up company geared towards addressing these concerns is not just an opportunity but a vital need in society.”

        -Ogechi Ogoke