Ch. 01 — Now Showing · Durham, NC

Preston
Cosby

Biochemistry Researcher and Student Body President at NCSSM, building toward cost-effective, equitable healthcare — at the intersection of bioengineering and public policy.

See the work ↗︎ Get in touch
00:00:01:00 — Portfolio Scroll
02About

I see problems and I build solutions — because real problems deserve real solutions.

Across chemistry, the humanities, and engineering, the pattern is the same. I saw that late-stage Alzheimer's patients didn't have many options, so I set out to give them one. I saw that prosthetics are out of reach for most of the world, so I worked to close that gap.

On a personal level, I value authenticity, expression, connection, and optimism. On a professional level, I apply those same values to the world around me. The communities that gave me room to grow are the reason I believe every community — big or small — deserves an equal chance to thrive. So I build solutions that don't just work in theory; they work in the real world, making life a little more fair, one step at a time.

We've all heard "life isn't fair." It gets thrown around like it's settled. I can't accept that.

If you want to build toward a fair world — let's work together.

— The Receipts / 02:14 —
680+students led as Student Body President
250K+students represented in UNC System governance
$30Ksaved per patient through accessible prosthetics
2independent research programsCornell & Stanford PhD–mentored
03Research

The science.

CH. 01 — Featured

A Novel Dual-Mechanism Small-Molecule Therapeutic for Alzheimer's Disease

Research in Chemistry · Mentored by a Cornell PhD

Computationally designing a dual-inhibitor for Alzheimer's disease using molecular-modeling software (including Schrödinger Maestro, SwissADME, and pharmacokinetic analysis tools) — engineered to target both symptom alleviation and disease modification across the full disease trajectory, addressing the shortage of late-stage treatments. Synthesizing, confirming, and validating the molecule via NMR, IR, and a C. elegans Alzheimer's model.

Drug DesignComputational ChemistryCompound SynthesisBiochemistry
CH. 02

Compounding Echoes: Systemic Racism & Healthcare Outcomes for Black Patients in America

Research in the Humanities · Mentored by a Stanford PhD

A research article examining the history and present of medical discrimination in employment and patient outcomes for African Americans — tracing systemic geographic, economic, and educational effects and their compounding consequences, then analyzing root causes to evaluate and propose solutions.

Health EquityMedical DiscriminationPolicyHumanities

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04Real-World Impact
e-NABLE · Founder, "Creating Change"

Prosthetics that reach the people who need them.

As a prosthetic technician with the e-NABLE non-profit, I 3D-print prosthetic limbs for individuals with limb differences around the globe — provided free of charge, performing at a level comparable to consumer-grade devices. What started as a library initiative I founded became a working answer to a global accessibility gap.

Prosthetic DesignHealth EquityInternational Impact
$30,000
saved per patient vs. an average prosthetic
vs
$100
total cost per limb, all-in
Comparable performance to consumer-grade prosthetics — at a fraction of the cost, delivered domestically and internationally at no charge. 1 in 10 people worldwide lack access to prosthetic limbs — WHO
05Interests

What I'm into.

9 — 5

The work

BiochemistryHealth EquityPublic Policy LegislationBiomedical EngineeringPharmaceuticals BusinessPoliticsPhilosophy
5 — 9

The person

Social AdvocacyWritingPhotography / Cinematography Music — orchestral & solo, regional recognition Languages — Spanish & Korean (learning) Website DevelopmentSpeech & Debate
Current / Future Research Directions
Neurodegenerative DiseasesDrug Design Covalent Inhibitor DesignMulti-Target Directed Ligand Development Underserved PopulationsBiochemistry Medical DiscriminationLegal Equity
06Résumé

The need-to-knows.

Download full résumé ↓

Education

NC School of Science & MathematicsAug 2025 – May 2027
Durham, NC · GPA 4.85W Admitted to the NCSSM Residential Program, a residential program at the #1 public high school in America, for junior and senior year.
Relevant & Upcoming Coursework Multivariable Calculus · Biophysics · Linear Algebra · Organic Chemistry · Differential Equations · Biochemistry · Biomedical Engineering · AP Chemistry · AP Statistics · Immunology

Skills

Technical
Small Molecule Drug DesignSchrödinger MaestroWet Lab Synthesis Policy / Legislation DevelopmentDemographic AnalysisWebsite Development Database ManagementHumanitarian PhotographyLegislative AdvocacyPublic Speaking
Language
English (Native)French (Conversational)

Experience & Leadership

Student Body President2025 – Current
NCSSM Student Government Represents the NCSSM student body within UNC System governance, affecting 250K+ students statewide through legislation. Elected chief executive of 680+ students, directing a 14-member executive board. Serves on the NCSSM Board of Trustees — the only student on the Durham campus selected to do so.
Pharmacy Assistant (Seasonal)Jun 2025 – Current
Guardian Pharmacy · Charlotte, NC Facilitates daily pharmacy operations and prepares medication deliveries for nursing homes. Firsthand exposure to pharmaceutical access gaps informs research on cost-effective treatment development.
Teen Volunteer & Founder, "Creating Change"Aug 2022 – May 2025
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Advised patrons, managed circulation, and ran library programs. Founded and led the Creating Change initiative — 3D-printing prosthetic limbs to demonstrate cost-effective solutions to medical accessibility gaps.
07Contact

Let's build something worth doing.

Research, internships, collaborations, or just a conversation — if it moves the work forward, I want to hear about it.

EmailPreston.icosby@gmail.com LinkedIn/in/preston-cosby SchoolCosby27p@ncssm.edu

Usually replies within a day or two.

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Message sent.

Thanks for reaching out — I'll be in touch soon.