The Department of Pharmacology at SIU School of Medicine held its 2025 Awards, celebrating the dedication and scientific achievements of its students and researchers. The annual event highlighted their contributions, which are crucial to maintaining SIU's status as an R1 Top-tier Research University . Despite current challenges in the national research landscape, Shelley Tischkau, PhD , chair and professor of pharmacology, reaffirmed SIU’s commitment to rigorous, meaningful science. “Researchers are often expected to work faster, publish more and justify every decision,” she said. “But we