Ubong Ekperikpe is the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Highlighted Trainee Author for the March 2023 issue. Currently, he is a pre-doctoral trainee working on his PhD in Experimental Therapeutics and Pharmacology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. His mentor is Dr. Jan Williams. The JPET article that earned his selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled "Neutralizing MIP3a Reduces Renal immune Cell Infiltration and Progressive Renal Injury in Young Obese Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rats" and is available at https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.122.001298.

Mr. Ekperikpe’s areas of research are chronic kidney disease; diabetes and obesity; insulin resistance; inflammation; experimental therapeutics; ethnopharmacology. His current research is focused on understanding the role of insulin resistance and renal inflammation in the progression of renal injury during childhood obesity. With the increasing rate of renal injury in obese children, there is a need to develop novel therapeutic drugs to prevent this devastating disease in this unique population.

The anticipated impact of Mr. Ekperikpe’s current research will provide insight into the contributions of insulin resistance and renal inflammation to the renal consequences of childhood obesity.

Outside the lab, Ubong enjoys cooking, attending musical concerts, and exercising. He also likes to watch fantasy and sci-fi television series.