On Thursday, Nov. 4, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women honored Anti-Infective Research Lab Fellow Graduate Jacinda Abdul-Mutakabbir with one of three 2021 Warriors of Distinction Awards during a live Zoom ceremony that featured remarks from Wayne State University President M. Roy Wilson and Rep. Debbie Dingell.

Dr. Abdul-Mutakabbir, who holds a PharmD from the University of Saint Joseph as well as a Wayne State master of public health, is an assistant professor at Loma Linda University’s schools of pharmacy and medicine in California.

“As a native of Detroit, it was such an honor for me to have the opportunity to both train and attend Wayne State as a student,” Abdul-Mutakabbir said. As a student in Wayne State’s public health program, I was able to learn how to apply all of the skills and knowledge that I have gained through my pharmacy career to explore novel methods to mitigate health inequities.

“Ultimately, the shared experiences that I had while at Wayne State have shaped my career and changed my life,” Abdul-Mutakabbir continued. “They have provided the basis for my dedication to amplifying, researching and overcoming health disparities amongst minoritized communities.”