Meet Lauren Aleksunes

Tell us about yourself

I am a scientist, wife, mom and quilter who enjoys her work and play. I joined LKS in 1996 as a freshman at the University of Connecticut (Alpha Beta Chapter). During my collegiate years, I met so many wonderful sisters who provided fun and support as we navigated pharmacy school. Today, I am an Associate Professor at Rutgers University in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy where I teach pharmacology and toxicology. I also run a research laboratory that studies factors that influence the disposition of drugs in the body. I love my job! Each day I look forward to going to work – whether it is to give a lecture on signal transduction, work in the laboratory with graduate students, or run weekly meetings with our summer interns. Academia offers tremendous flexibility in making your mark on the discipline of pharmacy. When I am not working, I am enjoying time with my son and husband – playing in the backyard, cooking in the kitchen, or swimming at the town pool. My hobbies include needlepoint, greeting card making, and quilting – it provides me great satisfaction to make items for our home or as gifts for friends and family.

Most memorable LKS memory

One of my favorite and most recent memories was this year’s LKS chapter semi-formal. Our babysitter cancelled on us 15 min before she was supposed to arrive. So, we ended up taking our 4-year old son to the semi-formal. The LKS sisters were amazing and welcomed him during the dinner, ceremony, and of course the dancing. Now that he has been to a semi-formal, I do not think our son will ever let us attend one without him again.

Advice to collegiates?

As a collegiate, LKS offers one of the best opportunities for developing leadership skills in a very supportive manner. Try becoming a Membership Educator or an officer of your chapter. The skills you foster as a leader in LKS will help you in your future careers.

Why are you a Lamb for LIfe?

LKS prepared me to become a leader. I continue to support the Pi Chapter as Faculty Advisor to ensure that more students are provided a similar experience and network of amazing colleagues.

If you were not a pharmacist, what would you be?

Running my own quilting store – of course, I guess I would still be ‘teaching’.