The Plein Center for Aging is proud to announce its 2026–2027 cohort of Plein Research Scholars. This year’s five scholars come from across the UW School of Pharmacy’s graduate programs—Health Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR), Biomedical Regulatory Affairs (BRAMS), and Medicinal Chemistry, united by a shared commitment to conduct research that will improve the health, safety and daily lives of older adults.
Hui-Hsuan Chan (HEOR), mentored by Dr. Josh Carlson, will lead Healthcare Utilization and Expenditures Among Older Adults with Obesity: A Nationally Representative Analysis Using MEPS. Her project offers one of the first nationally representative pictures of how obesity shapes healthcare use and spending among adults aged 65 and older—an evidence baseline that arrives just as Medicare begins covering new treatments for obesity in this population.
Janice Jang (HEOR), mentored by Dr. Kyu Eun Lee, will pursue Healthcare Utilization and Economic Burden of Prolonged Anti-TNF Therapy in Older Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Her work examines the downstream clinical and economic consequences of different treatment strategies in a growing but understudied group of older patients, with the goal of informing more effective, less burdensome care.
Richard Lee (BRAMS), mentored by BRAMS Program Director David Hammond, will explore Usability of Innovative Technology and the Potential for an Agentic AI-Supported Medication Management System for Geriatric Patients. His project evaluates whether emerging tools—from computer-vision pill packs to a socially engaging “agentic avatar” interface—can help older adults manage complex medication regimens more safely and confidently at home.
Cristiana Meuret (Medicinal Chemistry), mentored by Dr. Mike Guttman, will investigate Deciphering the Role of Chondroitin Sulfate-Driven Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease. Using advanced imaging and mouse models, her research asks how remodeling of the brain’s extracellular matrix may make the aging brain more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s—and what distinguishes normal aging from the path toward disease.
Lijia Zheng (HEOR), mentored by Dr. Jing Li, will carry out Financial Toxicity After Serious Illness: Medical Debt, Financial Coping, and Medication Underuse Among Older Adults. Her project traces how medical debt and the financial strategies that families rely on to cope with it can ultimately shape whether older adults are able to keep taking the medications they need.
Together, the 2026–2027 Plein Research Scholars reflect the breadth of aging research underway at the School—spanning health economics, medicinal chemistry and regulatory science, and reaching from molecular mechanisms in the brain to the household finances that determine whether patients can afford their care. What connects their projects is a shared attention to the realities of later life: the complexity of managing many medications, the burden of chronic disease, and the everyday pressures that influence how older adults experience treatment.
Through the mentorship, up to $5,000 in funding, and community the Plein Center provides, these scholars will develop the skills and evidence to make meaningful contributions to the care of older adults. Congratulations to Hui-Hsuan Chan, Janice Jang, Richard Lee, Cristiana Meuret and Lijia Zheng on their selection as Plein Research Scholars!