EDUCATION & BUSINESS LEARNING
Ramapo College Alumni Played Key Roles on Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Research Teams
In 2002, Ramapo College was among the first fouryear colleges in the U.S. to develop a bachelor of science in Bioinformatics program.
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our Ramapo College alumni who work for Pfizer Inc. at its Pearl River, N.Y., facility experienced first-hand the excitement when the company announced last fall that its mRNA vaccine was 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections. The extraordinary achievement and emergency use approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was a major milestone in the campaign to combat the virus that had already affected millions of people worldwide. Amanda Gryzmolowicz ’10 (B.S. Biology, minor in Chemistry), Jake Stass ’10 (B.S. Biology), Mingzhao Liu ’16 (B.S. Bioinformatics, B.S. Computer science) and Patrick DeMarinis ’19 (B.S. Bioinformatics) each contributed in their own way to Pfizer’s success, culminating with the FDA announcement in early December. Jake Stass, a key member of Pfizer’s Vaccine Research Development team, said the news was “surreal.” “The world was waiting and we were about to offer something that could help turn the corner in this pandemic,” said Stass, adding that the real “wow moment” for him came when the results of the vaccine’s efficacy were shared internally. “Up to then, we only had the data from blind studies so we really didn’t know how effective the vaccine would be until it was announced. We were thrilled, to say the least.” Amanda Gryzmolowicz, a senior manager in Research Informatics Operations, Compliance & Support, shared Stass’s excitement. “We were working on a number of activities when Covid took center stage. It consumed us for the next eight months of our lives,” Gryzmolowicz said. “The only word I can use to describe how I felt is
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meadowlandsmedia.com
May 2021
‘proud’ — for everyone and for the teamwork and commitment they showed. It was a tremendous effort.”
A pioneer in bioinformatics In 2002, Ramapo College was among the first four-year colleges in the U.S. to develop a bachelor of science in Bioinformatics program. Ramapo Professor Paramjeet Bagga, who was a co-founder of the program and teaches senior level Biology, Cell & Molecular Biology as well as the Bioinformatics course, had high praise for his former students. “These courses are known to be extremely challenging but these students worked very hard and accepted the challenges with smiles,” said Bagga. He said that his four former students displayed exceptional organizational skills, a professional approach to problem solving and excellent communication skills. “It is said that ‘coming events cast their shadows before.’ These students certainly proved that proverb.” Neither Stass nor Gryzmolowicz imagined their careers would lead them on such a high-profile journey. Stass said he wasn’t really “laser-focused” on any field in particular but his interest in the sciences peaked when he studied biology and chemistry at Westwood High School. “I was intrigued by the constant advances in the field and how they affected our everyday lives.” He brought that intrigue to Ramapo College and after earning his degree, he worked at a local doctor’s office coordinating electronic records. Two years later in 2012, he received a contract position with Pfizer as a lab analyst responsible for receiving biological samples collected from the company’s vaccine programs and clinical trials. He
