Commencement Spotlight: Kristen Patterson

Class of 2026 graduate Kristen Patterson will receive her degree in chemistry from the James T. Laney Graduate School this spring. Before attending Emory, Patterson obtained a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and sociology from New College of Florida in Sarasota, Florida.

Her research focuses on developing new ways to formulate medicines so they can more effectively reach the brain, improving treatment options for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 

“The brain is heavily protected by a barrier that prevents most drugs from entering. In my research, I package drugs into nanoparticles made from polymers, which are large, modular molecules that can be highly customized. I then tailor them to the inherent properties of drugs to improve their delivery,” said Patterson 

Neurological diseases affect millions of people worldwide, and many existing treatments manage symptoms rather than addressing the underlying disease. Improving how medicines reach the brain remains one of the biggest challenges in treating these conditions. 

Patterson’s research explores ways to alter how the body interacts with a compound without changing the drug itself, an approach that could help revive previously abandoned drugs and address ongoing challenges in drug development. 

“This approach allows drugs that were previously abandoned to be taken back into consideration to re-enter the development pipeline, opening doors for new medications that may have otherwise never reached patients,” said Patterson. “It can also reduce the need for invasive procedures such as spinal injections or surgical implants to get medication to the brain and convert to methods such as oral pills or nasal sprays.” 

Throughout her academic journey at Emory, Dennis Liotta, Samuel Candler Dobbs, professor of chemistry, has served as a strong source of support for Patterson. As her research advisor, Liotta emphasized to Patterson that the research she conducts has the potential to change lives.  

“I plan to carry Dr. Liotta’s words of wisdom forward in the future, as it reminds me to keep my science grounded in the people it could one day impact.” 

After defending her dissertation in December 2025, Patterson transitioned to a postdoctoral fellow position at Emory, where she works to characterize novel polymers for drug delivery applications. 

Check out Kristen’s previous spotlight to follow her journey from then to now.