My Summer Research took place in University of Lyon 1. As my project was centered on hospital pharmacy, I spent most of my time working in the pharmacy office in the hospital. Other activities such as conferences, lectures (about vaccinations) and presentations by other pharmacy students were on campus. In order to complete my project on Pharmaceutical Interventions, I gathered data of a six-month period using Excel (Nov 2025 - Apr 2026 inclusive). I then created and presented a Powerpoint presentation on the topic of physician-acceptance of pharmacist interventions and the spread of numbers of interventions for each service group in the hospital (surgical, geriatric, emergency and medical). Following this, under the guidance of my supervisor, I wrote a scientific article entitled 'Pharmaceutical interventions involving high-risk medications across hospital service groups: a six-month observational study.'

During my stay, I learned a lot about French language and culture. I also revised pharmacological knowledge from previous years and improved my Excel and Powerpoint skills. I gained a lot of insight into what hospital pharmacy looks like and the common types of medications / interventions that are the most relevant in a hopsital environment. I also learned how to write a scientific article using the IMRaD structure, and how to use PubMed. Overall, the learning experience was very satisfactory and highly beneficial for career-building.

On a side note, Lyon itself had a lot of picturesque places / cities in its vicinity, the work-travel balance is great. The heat wasn't great, but in the end I got by!

Yuxuan Zhen

Claude Bernard University

Overall it was great - from the very first day I was shown a lot of care and it was very welcoming. Prof Nakanishi showed me and my colleague, Vinh An, the bus route to the university, and organised for Dr Gegentuya to give us a tour of the school. He helped me immensely in my time in the university as well as settling in. I then met my supervisor, Prof Mamoru Fukuchi, who was a pleasure to work for. He organised a welcome party to introduce me to my lab members and fellow students in the department. Throughout our experiments, he was always very helpful, informative and gentle. I saw him everyday and he was present in the lab with us, unless he had to leave to give a lecture. I learned a wide variety of experimental techniques under him, and experienced a snippet of what lab work is like, which I quite enjoyed. He organised events for me and my lab mates outside of the lab, like a trip to a nearby city for a tour which was very memorable. Overall it was very beneficial and a joy to work under him.

On a normal day, I'd work with around four other 5th year pharmacy students from about 9am-3pm, with some exceptions on longer experiments. Every week we would have seminars where other professors would discuss their current experiments. On Fridays there was a "Global Café" where international as well as domestic students would gather, play games and chat for an hour or so.

In the lab, we mainly performed subculturing, DNA transfection, western blotting and mouse related experiments, such as injections and hippocampus isolation. I gained a lot of hands-on experience doing this work - it was all very beneficial.

Everyone from the dean of the university to the students were all so welcoming and helpful. As beneficial as the work was, I enjoyed everyday working with my labmates and the professors. Genuinely a great experience from start to finish. I made amazing memories and would do it again if I had the chance.

Ibrahim Banni

Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Japan

My name is Vinh An, and I have just completed my summer research at Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Japan. I was assigned to work in biology labs, where I was trained in mRNA extraction, PCR, and electrophoresis. During the research, I was warmly welcomed and supported by the school. In addition to academic training, the school and professors organised many activities for me to explore and enjoy Japanese culture, and all the memories were saved and uploaded to the school Instagram page (@kendaiyaku). To summarise, doing research overseas is one of the best experiences for any student, because you not only learn more but also make more friends and experience a unique culture.

Vinh An

Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Japan

This summer, I had the opportunity to complete an eight-week research internship at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the lab, where I worked on an in vitro cell line project. Although we had covered cell lines during my pharmacy degree, I had no previous practical experience, so this was a completely new challenge.

During the project, I gained hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, PCR, and adipogenesis assays while investigating cellular differentiation and gene expression. I developed valuable laboratory skills and a greater appreciation for experimental design, data analysis, and the importance of reproducibility in research. My supervisor was incredibly supportive while encouraging me to work independently as much as possible. Although challenging at times, it made the project feel like my own and was very rewarding.

One of the highlights of the placement was working in such an international and collaborative research environment. It was inspiring to hear German, English, French, Italian, and Chinese spoken in the same laboratory and to learn from researchers and pharmacy students from different backgrounds. Living and working in Munich was both scientifically and personally enriching, and the experience has strengthened my motivation to pursue a career in research.

Sophia McCullen

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

I completed my capstone research project at Utrecht University, and it was truly an incredible experience. I’ve returned to Dublin having gained three months of amazing memories, new skills and knowledge in my research field, as well as some great friendships and travel experiences!

My research project was titled, ‘Synthesis and dialysis-mediated assembly of DNA-based polyelectrolyte complex micelles’. This project was carried out under the Pharmaceutics division of Utrecht University, which was a team of some of the most bright and inquisitive people I’ve met. My supervisors were extremely welcoming, and I immediately felt that no question was too silly to ask. During my first week, the training and guidance provided by them was so thorough, that I was able to then (mostly) independently carry out my research for the remaining seven weeks. Some highlights of my research project/new theory and practical skills gained:

- RAFT polymerisation theory and synthesis of block copolymers by photo-RAFT polymerisation
- 1H NMR theory revision and practical M-NOVA software use
- Using dialysis followed by lyophilisation to recover pure, dry block copolymer
- PEC micelle theory and synthesis of DNA based PEC micelles
- Critical salt concentration theory and determination for micelle batches
- Hysteresis theory and investigation via dialysis
- Cryo-TEM imaging of dialysed micelles
- Final presentation delivered in front of fellow researchers

What stood out to me was how professional and casual the team was. Everyone was on such amazing terms with one another and were genuinely interested in each other’s research. The pharmaceutics team met twice weekly, where people would deliver research presentations.

If students are interested in pharmaceutics-based projects, especially involving micelles and LNPs as drug delivery systems, I’d highly recommend Utrecht University! Although they don't take students studying cell systems for such a short duration (8 weeks).

Saumya Kothiyal

Utrecht University

My name is Ellen Byrne, and I had the opportunity to complete my Capstone Project abroad at Utrecht University in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology & Clinical Pharmacology. I was based in the main pharmacy building at the Utrecht University Science Park, where I had my own desk and worked five days a week, except on bank holidays. Most of my work involved using Excel, SPSS, and other platforms to access, manipulate, and analyse data, which helped me develop my technical and analytical skills. I worked closely with my supervisor and a PhD student on the project, meeting with them weekly to set a project plan, discuss progress, and clarify any questions. English was widely spoken at Utrecht University, which made communication easy and allowed me to collaborate effectively with the many international students in the department.
Living on campus made the whole experience even more enjoyable, as I was fully immersed in both academic and social life. Since college was still in session in the Netherlands during May and June, I was able to join Erasmus events and meet new people through different activities. I also had the opportunity to make close friends within my department, with people from a variety of nationalities, which gave me a great cultural experience. On weekends, I was free to travel around the Netherlands, visiting cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Groningen.
Another highlight was attending the weekly departmental meetings, where PhD and master’s students presented their final projects. These gave me valuable insight into what a career in research could involve for a pharmacist. Overall, my time in Utrecht was an incredibly rewarding experience, allowing me to grow professionally by developing my research and communication skills, while also growing personally by becoming more independent, adaptable, and confident.

Ellen Byrne

University of Utrecht

I thoroughly enjoyed working in the pharmacology department of the school of pharmacy there. Along with my own project I got an insight into other research being done there mostly surrounding liver diseases and how animal studies are conducted.
UConn is known as a highly sport focused college with great facilities and the student accommodation it top notch. The college is situated in secluded Storrs, Connecticut with buses to larger towns and cities in the state.
It is also about half way between Boston and New York, both of which I was lucky enough to visit frequently.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I feel as though I have gained lab and research skills that will stand to me in my pharmacy study.
I would recommend anyone who is between doing the Capstone project abroad and doing a J1 to consider an American college as it really is the best of both worlds.

Emily Ray

University of Connecticut

My name is Trina, and last summer, after my third year of Pharmacy studies, I was very fortunate to spend two months conducting research in Germany. I worked with a Pharmaceutical Chemistry PhD research group in Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich. The group was incredibly supportive and made me feel welcome from the start. I took part in weekly discussions and group activities, which made the experience especially rewarding. I also had an encouraging post-doctoral supervisor who mentored me throughout the project and I learned a lot from their guidance and expertise. Being part of an active research team gave me a much clearer understanding of what a career in research would look like.
It was also my first time living alone in another country, which was both exciting and challenging. I took the opportunity to travel almost every weekend and reconnected with friends and classmates from Pharmacy who were studying at different universities across Europe. I learned a lot about myself, became more independent, and made lasting memories.
Overall, the experience had a profound impact on me, helping me grow not only as a student but also on a personal level. It helped me explore whether an academic, research-focused career would be the right path for me. I would highly recommend this opportunity to students in the earlier years of their studies, and I’m extremely grateful to the school for organizing and providing me with such an incredible experience."
Thank you again for everything, hope you have a good summer!

Trina Yu

University of Munich

My name is Ben Rafter. I spent two months completing my Capstone project in Sapienza, the University of Rome. I had the opportunity to work in a lab dedicated to the development of a novel drug delivery system. The topic was quite new to me, so it took a while to get comfortable, but once I had
settled, I had an amazing time. I made some great friends in the lab, who were all so helpful as I completed my research. I genuinely could not get over the heat in the city and in the lab – it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. As I have been commuting to (Trinity) college from home the past four years, I never had the chance to live on my own. It was brilliant to have so much independence. The sites in Rome are even more impressive than you would expect. I got to eat some of the nicest food I had ever eaten in my life. I had the opportunity to go travelling with two of my peers to Bologna and Florence. Additionally, I went to Salzburg during a weekend free from the lab, with three other peers of mine. Thanks to Erasmus, I became closer than before with these peers of mine. Personally, I feel accomplished for having been able to live on my own for a while. Additionally, it was helpful (and quite essential for me!) to have effectively had a head start on my Capstone thesis write-up compared with my peers who did not go on Erasmus in the summer. Professionally, I felt more confident than ever before during labs in Trinity, after my experience in Rome. Especially with all the grants that are available, which helped me tremendously, I would highly recommend any pharmacy student to go on Erasmus.

Ben Rafter

University of Rome