December 2025

Welcome to the latest Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin. We examine key issues in health care and how our academicians, practitioners and scientists drive progress, while also sharing updates from UB’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to highlight the outstanding work of our community.

“The best way to ensure we can support and mentor our future pharmacists and research scientists is to make sure we are reviewing and discussing what is currently happening in the dynamic and ever-changing world we live in.”

Earlier this month, UB’s deans had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Russell Reynolds Associates, the search firm assisting with the recruitment of a successor to President Satish Tripathi. We also met with a representative from the consulting firm BWF and members of the university’s advancement team to review key aspects of the recently completed — and remarkably successful — Boldly Buffalo campaign. Together, these conversations provided a welcome opportunity to reflect on what makes our university exceptional, why UB is well positioned to navigate the challenges currently facing higher education in the United States, and how the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences contributes to the broader university mission.

We are fortunate to reside in a state that values higher education and that, at least in the recent past, has demonstrated both the resources and the willingness to invest in it. UB is the flagship of a large and highly regarded public university system. We are an AAU institution with national leadership in technology and a full complement of health professions schools, an uncommon and powerful combination.

While the headwinds confronting higher education – and public research-intensive universities in particular – are undeniable, UB is well prepared to meet these challenges and continue its trajectory of success. We have benefited from a sustained period of outstanding leadership by a president and provost whose partnership has been both uniquely strong and highly effective. Thoughtful stewardship of our resources has left us in a comparatively strong financial position. Most importantly, we have cultivated a culture of collaboration, collegiality, and civility — qualities that make our institution especially resilient in times of stress.

How is our school positioned to help UB continue on this path? Over the past two years, we have led the university in enrollment growth across all degree categories. Among PhD-intending students, this growth reflects the strength and momentum of our funded research portfolio. We have also led the university in student retention, a continuing institutional priority and an important counterpoint to some of the skepticism currently directed at higher education. Beyond campus, we continue to make a positive impact on our community through intentional and thoughtful outreach. In short, we are leading by example while remaining firmly aligned with the university’s strategic framework.

Our ability to continue to succeed is not in question. It is, quite simply, a matter of sustained commitment to our mission. We have no shortage of that.

Best wishes for the holiday season, and for a happy and healthy 2026.

Qu and research team make diabetes breakthrough in $3.5M funded study
Jun Qu, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and his research team, have uncovered a key discovery in diagnosing and classifying Type 1 diabetes. The team developed a cutting-edge technology that detects protein molecules at ultra-low concentrations in the blood, revealing differences between healthy and diabetic individuals that standard proinsulin tests miss. Their discovery could potentially slow progression to full-blown diabetes and was recently featured as the cover story of Analytical Chemistry, a top journal of analytical science.

Balu-Iyer named fellow of National Academy of Inventors
Sathy Balu-Iyer, PhD, distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences and associate dean for research at SPPS, has been named a fellow by the National Academy of Inventors, the highest distinction awarded solely to inventors. Balu-Iyer holds more than 50 patents or patent applications for drug-related therapies and is one of 185 exceptional inventors chosen for the 2025 class of fellows. Over the past three decades, he has conducted extensive research in protein therapeutics and immunotherapy, co-founded a biotechnological company and secured over $5 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health.

Demler-led study reveals shifting perceptions of patients with mental illness
Tammie Lee Demler, BS '92, PharmD '02, MBA '09, adjunct professor of pharmacy practice and psychiatric pharmacy residency director at SPPS, is leading efforts to challenge misconceptions about mental illness among future health care professionals. In a recent study of third-year pharmacy students, she found that presenting evidence-based information boosted students' support for voting rights of psychiatric inpatients. Published in the journal Pharmacy Education, the findings show how education can reverse discriminating opinions among upcoming pharmacists and other health care professionals in training.

PLAID Day facilitates conversations between students and legislators
On Nov. 18, the SPPS Student Pharmacists Association of Western New York hosted Pharmacy Legislative Advocacy Invitational Day (PLAID), an annual event that gives PharmD students the opportunity to connect with local legislators and discuss health care legislation and its impact on patient care. This year’s event brought together nearly 140 students for meaningful conversations on key pharmacy and health care issues.

SPPS alumni are invited to join the Dean's Alumni Ambassadors program and make a lasting impact on the next generation of pharmacists. Mentoring is flexible, rewarding and managed through UB's exclusive Connect-A-Bull platform, allowing you to choose a time commitment that fits your schedule.

Featuring our new program, Pharmacist Dispensing of Self-Administered Hormonal Contraceptives Pursuant to the New York State Standing Order, which satisfies the NYS education requirement for pharmacists, along with home study options.

Join UB alumni experts from across the globe as they share professional insights and advice during Webinar Wednesdays. Engage in upcoming webinars along with past sessions.

Show your #UBTrueBlue spirit by sharing UB Pride photos, videos and stories!

Thank you for reading our December 2025 edition of the Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin. Please stay in touch! Send us updates on your own personal and professional accomplishments by filling out our alumni update form. 

Regards,
Gary Pollack, PhD '84
Dean and Professor