Karina is a first-generation immigrant from Ukraine who was raised in Pembroke, NH. She is pursuing her Pharm.D. and a M.S. in Clinical and Translational Sciences at the University at Buffalo. After her first year of pharmacy school, Karina was awarded an NIH-funded T35 summer fellowship to research infectious disease therapies in underserved communities. Her career aspiration is to integrate innovative leadership and research, aiming to become a clinician-scientist. Karina serves as the co-chair for Operation Substance Use Disorders at the pharmacy school. She is currently collaborating with the Erie County Department of Health to make naloxone more accessible on campus. Her involvement in substance use dependency stems from her B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of New Hampshire. There, she investigated the results of inactivating the corticostriatal pathway after establishing associative learning connections with a nicotine stimulus. Outside of academia, Karina is a passionate musician, proficient in piano and organ. She has successfully competed on the national level in piano solos, duets, and choral performances. In her leisure time, Karina enjoys concerts by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.