College News

MNovationRx Showcase Features Intersection of Arts and Science

Earlier this spring, the college hosted its third MNovationRx Showcase. The event, “Expanding perspectives: Where art and health care meet” featured faculty, staff and students from across the College of Pharmacy and broader University who have been instrumental in creating intersections of art and science in the College of Pharmacy. Participants joined a Zoom broadcast that included video components and live discussion. The live discussion was moderated by Dr. Todd Sorensen and included conversations with Dr. Paul Ranelly, Dr. Jim Cloyd, and Dean Lynda Welage. The videos that were shared that day can be viewed by visiting the event playlist on the college’s YouTube channel.  

Pharmacogenomics Accelerator Program Making an Impact

The Pharmacogenomics Accelerator Program, launched by ASHP and the College of Pharmacy is discussed in the ASHP Intersections article, “ASHP Accelerator Program Fast-Tracks Pharmacy-Led Pharmacogenomics Services.”

Student News

• Meade Avery, P3 student, was selected for a summer pharmacy internship at Johns Hopkins! It is a dual role with Patient Care Services and with the Hemostatic and Antithrombotic Stewardship team at the main hospital campus in Baltimore.
• Jessica Barry, a graduate student in the Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, was awarded the Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences as part of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education Awards Aspiring Researchers for 2023-2024
• Kate France, P3 student, was awarded a 2023 Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy award SPHS Excellence in Public Health Pharmacy Award. She was among 88 nominated pharmacy students this year. France also presented her QR bracelet innovation at APhA 2023 and was named the winner of the "PharmTANK: Practice Innovation and Payments for Independent Pharmacists." Participants pitched their revolutionary ideas in front of an audience of peers from every practice area in pharmacy who determined the winner. 
• Shaquib Al Hasan, a graduate student in the Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, won first place in the 2023 Interdisciplinary Health Data Competition hosted by the Business Advancement Center for Health focused on "Value, Quality, and Disparities in Care." Shaquib and his teammates Quincy Gu from the College of Science and Engineering and Courtney Larson Cernohous from Carlson School of Management won the competition for their research entitled "Disparities in Optimal Diabetes Care Ratings in Clinics in the Upper Midwest Region: Patterns, Trends, and Predictors.” 
• Kelsey Holdaway, a graduate student in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, received the Dr. Paul B. Myrdal Memorial Pre-Doctoral Fellowship as part of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education Awards Aspiring Researchers for 2023-2024.
• Sam (Yu-Chia) Hsu, a graduate student in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (SAPh), Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, won the Stanley A. Edlavitch Award from the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology for the abstract, “Using a target trial framework to compare the effect of high/low opioid dosing strategies at post-surgical discharge on ‎newly developed opioid use disorder.”
• Alec Helmke, P4 student, was featured in the University’s Office of Academic Clinical Affairs story, “Engaging Patients Where They Are At.”
• This year’s CLARION Local Case competition had a pharmacy student on the first and second place teams. King Yang, P3 student, and Patrick Acton, P3 student, joined teammates on nine interprofessional teams of students representing ten professions. The teams spent a month preparing a presentation focused on the challenge of shared interprofessional visits in a community clinic setting. 

The AMCP Foundation announced the top colleges and schools of pharmacy of the 23rd Annual National Student Pharmacist P&T Competition during AMCP 2023. Out of 45 teams, fifteen teams were recognized as semi-finalists, five teams went on to present to a mock P&T Committee as finalists, and three teams were named top three. The College of Pharmacy is proud to recognize the students who were members of the third place team:

• Zachary Brunko, P4 student
• Cindy Chan, P4 student
• Marina Fahim, P4 student
• Leena Jamaleddin, P4 student

The University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships (DDF) are awarded to the University's most outstanding PhD candidates for their accomplishments in highly significant and innovative research areas. College of Pharmacy recipients include:

• Charul Avachat, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, mentor: Dr. Angela Birnbaum
• Jinghan Li, Department of Pharmaceutics, mentor Dr. Raj Suryanarayanan
• Zengtao Wang, Department of Pharmaceutics, mentor Dr. Karunya Kandimalla
• Yu-Chia (Sam) Hsu, Social & Administrative Pharmacy, mentor Dr. Wendy St. Peter
• Tian Lan, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, mentors Dr. Courtney Aldrich and Dr. Dave Ferguson
• Abhishek Kulkarni, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, mentor: Rick Wagner

The Summer Melendy Research Scholarships are competitive research awards for pharmacy students to pursue mentored research experiences. Since 1995, there have been approximately 150 Melendy Summer Scholars! The following new students and their mentors are now part of this long-standing collegiate tradition.

• Kate France, P3 student, mentor Dr. Jacob Brown
• Ahmid Habib, P2 student, mentor Dr. David Ferguson
• Emily Letscher, P3 student, mentor Dr. Lisa Coles
• Danielle Luettel, P2 student, mentor Dr. Reena Kartha
• Chenwei Yan, P2 student, mentor Dr. Reena Kartha
• Dina Zheng, P3 student, mentor Dr. Elizabeth Hirsch

The Tony Diggs Excellence Awards are intended to recognize annual student group achievements. These College of Pharmacy student groups were recognized this year. 

• Excellence in Community Building: Phillips Neighborhood Clinic 

Excellent Student Group Advisor: Dr. Jason Varin - Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, Theta Chapter

Faculty & Staff News

College Honors Retirees

Congratulations to the following individuals who have retired from the University. Their tremendous talents and years of service have contributed greatly to our community. Best wishes to all as they embark on new adventures! (pictured left to right)

• Dr. Janice Conway-Klaassen, Emeritus Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
• Valorie Cremin, SAPh Graduate Program coordinator, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
• Dr. Michelle Henry-Stanley, Professor ad Honorem, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
• Dr. Philip Portoghese, professor, Department of Medicinal ChemistryDr. 
• Randall Seifert, professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Dr. Timothy Wiedmann, professor, Department of Pharmaceutics

 Faculty Recognition

• Dr. Heather Blue, was among the fellows (FMSHP) recognized at the 2023 Minnesota Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MShP) Annual Meeting.
• Dr. Joel Farley was interviewed for the KSTP-TV story, “Eli Lilly to cut list price, cap monthly costs of insulin.”
• Dr. Kerry Fierke, was the recipient of an AACP Leadership Development SIG Best Poster Award for the poster titled, “"Implementation of an Experiential Rural Health Leadership Initiative to Expand Collaboration, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership" and an AACP Leadership Development SIG Best Manuscript Award for, “Three-part Virtual Series: featuring A Virtual ‘Think Tank’ to Establish Collaborative Leadership Initiative Plans (‘CLIPs’).”
• Dr. Laura Palombi was interviewed for the Washington Post story, “Even over the counter, Narcan may be too costly to reach many drug users.”
• Dr. Cristina Peterson is among ten people selected as an American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Fellow. 
• Dr. Stephen Schondelmeyer, is quoted in the Star Tribune story, “What’s behind shortages of Adderall, Ozempic, and other meds?” Additional coverage from KARE 11, WCCO-AM and ABC News.
• Dr. Jared Van Hooser is the recipient of the Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service. These awards are designed to recognize faculty for exceptional service that has strengthened the functioning and climate of a local unit or department. 
• The article titled, “An Artificial Gut/Absorption Simulator: Simultaneous Evaluation of Desupersaturation and Absorption from Ketoconazole Supersaturated Solution” by Dr. Krutika Meena Harish Jain, Dr. Helen Hou, and Dr. Ronald A. Siegel has been selected as a Featured Article in Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Welcome!

• Natasha Bellefeuille, has joined the college as a student advisor/student support coordinator in the Office of Student Services.
• Kristina D'Allaird has joined the college as an executive associate in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• Dawn Hood has joined the college as chief financial officer.
• Diane Hutchinson has joined the college as the director of clinical education in the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences.
• Tess Mickle has joined the college as an administrative associate in the college’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
• Jude Patrick Mikal has joined the college as a researcher 7 in the Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems.
• Dr. Hannah Oldenburg has joined the college as an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
• Dr. Paula Rabaey has joined the college as an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
• Kristin Randall has joined the college as an executive office and administrative specialist in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• Don Riley has joined the college as an education coordinator, in the Professional Education Division.
• Erica Stapic has joined the college as an executive accounts specialist in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry.
• Kristy Vang, has joined the college as an administrative associate in the Dean’s Office.