De'William Togba
Chemistry (professional)
Class of 2027
From Monrovia, Liberia
OU is like a football stadium. It has the lights, the paints, the crews, the equipment, your teammates, your supporters, and it is here to see you succeed at scoring your touchdowns, or even your fumbles. Regardless of what happens when the clock ticks, OU is here to support you as you become a better version of yourself.
OU junior De’William Togba’s love for the unordinary led him to pursuing a degree in chemistry (professional). What began as wondering how common medicines like Tylenol and Advil help with minor pain led him to asking more questions.
“My curiosity has increased in my time at OU,” De’William said. “How are common painkillers made? Why does caffeine help us stay awake? What is it made of? These questions propelled me toward drug design and discovery. I want to work in the pharmaceutical industry and an internship opportunity with OU’s Chemistry and Biochemistry Department was the perfect stepping stool to answering these questions.”
In spring 2025, De’William took a course on quantitative analysis with OU professor Robert White. During office hours, De’William wanted to learn more about White’s current research and if he had any space for an undergraduate research intern. While White didn’t have any openings, he encouraged De’William to review the OU Chemistry Department website for any opportunities.
“I found Dr. Idris Raji’s portfolio,” De’William said. “I was interested in what he was doing, Drug Design and Discovery and Synthesis of Lipid nanoparticles. I reached out to him, he offered an interview, and I started the next day.”
During his research internship, he worked on a research project focused on synthesizing Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors (HDACi) for drug discovery. HDACi are chemicals that help regulate genes activity, which can help fight diseases.
“I had hands-on experience in complex chemistry experiments, purifying compounds by chromatography, and analyzing my results using nuclear magnetic resonance,” De’William said. “I learned how the chemistry I studied in class applied to real-world medical research, I collaborated with graduate students and mentors, and I gained a better understanding of how new drug candidates are designed and evaluated in my future industry.”
When De’William graduates next spring, he will seek admission into a graduate program and then, move on to a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.
“I believe the work I did in my internship gave me the opportunity to live the life of a researcher and see whether it suits me,” De’William said. “It’s an experience that will help my transition to graduate school.”
While De’William spent time in research labs as an undergraduate researcher, he remained active on campus as part of student life through OU Transformation Tutoring Initiative, OU African Students Association, OU Minority Health Science Conferences, and campus life.
“OU is like a football stadium,” De’William said. “It has the lights, the paints, the crews, the equipment, your teammates, your supporters, and it is here to see you succeed at scoring your touchdowns, or even your fumbles. Regardless of what happens when the clock ticks, OU is here to support you as you become a better version of yourself.”
