The Future of Dermatology resides at TSU

By: Paris Blaylock

Still adorned in her white lab coat, her class had just ended.

Though winded from the energy required to teach, she maintained a calm and professional composure.

Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, she earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Alabama A&M University.

Sha’awn Gilbert is pursuing her master’s in Biology at Texas Southern University (TSU) College of Science, Engineering, and Technology.

She has made it her mission to bridge the gap between science and black skincare, and surprisingly, she said her passion for skin health didn’t start in a lab. It began with personal struggles.

“I grew up with eczema, and in college, it developed into psoriasis,” she said.

TSU student Sha’awn Gilbert

For years, Gilbert said she followed the advice of professionals, using prescribed treatments that were supposed to help. Instead, they did the opposite.

“I would go to the dermatologist, and they would prescribe me things that would make my skin burn,” she said.

From that moment on, Gilbert said she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“In college, I took a stand. I’m no longer using what my dermatologist was recommending me because it was burning my skin, so I’m going to create my own product,” she said.

TSU student Sha’awn Gilbert

What started as a personal experiment quickly turned into something significant.

“I didn’t know back then what I was really doing. I was just mixing stuff together,” she said.

“My friends would use my stuff too and tell me how good it was, telling me ‘you should sell it.’ So I started putting samples out there, and my business was very profitable,” she continued.

Sadly, despite the success, Gilbert said she hit a wall.

“I was making my own products, but I was using other products to make my products,” she said.

“I wanted to know the exact ingredients that were in them. I didn’t want to sell someone something that I didn’t know about what was in it.”

Gilbert said That stark realization landed her in a place she hadn’t imagined: Houston, Texas, at TSU.

“I never wanted to go back to school. I told myself I would never go back,” she said.

Now, as a master’s student, Gilbert’s research has become a natural extension of her skincare journey. She is currently studying Vitamin C extraction in plants and comparing it to synthetic and commercial products.

 Gilbert said she has had the opportunity to be advised by a committee of TSU professionals, including chemists, nutritionists, and Dr. Sodipe.

Dr. Sodipe has over 20 years of experience in the Department of Biology. With a Ph.D. in environmental toxicology from TSU, his career spans research, mentorship, and guiding students in their academic pursuits.

“When I first presented it to Dr. Sodipe, he was the only one to really take it on. He pushed me out of my comfort zone,” she said.

TSU Student, Sha’awn Gilbert

Gilbert said the guidance she has received at TSU has served as a lighthouse for the complex waters of her research.

“Your committee guides you. They put you back on the right track,” she said.

 “If you can’t find it together, they lead you in a direction, and then y’all meet up again, discuss it, and make sure things are back rolling.” she continued.

Even with a strong support system, Gilbert said setbacks are inevitable.

“I’ve been writing my experiment since October. Here we are in February, and I went to read my results, and… they didn’t read,” she said. “Basically, I’m having to run the experiment all over again.”

TSU Student Sha’awn Gilbert

Despite the frustration, Gilbert remains cheerful. With a bright smile, she said she embraces each challenge like a puzzle piece, constructing the picture for her impact on the dermatology industry as a black woman.

Her goals extend beyond earning her degree. With a plan to patent her work, she said she aims to ensure that her findings are protected and recognized for their originality.

“It’s not a lot of African Americans that specialize in skin,” she said.

“Originally, when I started, I strictly wanted to do African American skin,” she continued,  however, when it comes to research, you have to make it more broad because you hit a roadblock.”

TSU Student Sha’awn Gilbert

Gilbert said she realized that for her study to be statistically viable and widely accepted, she needed to include a diverse range of skin types.

“When it comes to people wanting to test, people opening up, or statistics it just narrows things down so much. So during grad school, I haven’t done only African American. I’ve been including everybody,” she said.

While it was an adjustment, she said it didn’t take away from her core mission, helping people achieve healthier skin with natural solutions.

For Gilbert, skincare isn’t just about beauty. It’s about confidence, health, and empowerment.

“I’m here to make people feel good,” she said. “When you have acne, you become self-conscious. When you have eczema really bad, especially in places people can see, it can wear on your self-confidence.”

Sha’awn Gilbert’s ventures, from struggling with her skin to developing science-backed solutions, prove that personal passion and rigorous research can lead to something far more historical than she ever imagined.’

“ I know that God put me here for a greater purpose and I feel like it’s to touch the lives of others,” she said.

With a patent in the work, restructuring of her skincare brand, and a community of experts supporting her, this is only the beginning of her story.