EDUCATING LEADERS IN PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES SINCE 1886
May 2025
Welcome to the next edition of the Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin where we will continue to explore and discuss issues in health care and how we as academicians, practitioners and scientists can lead and support these issues. The Bulletin will also keep you updated on the latest school news, highlighting the outstanding work of our UB SPPS 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.”
Class of 2025: Leading the Future of Health Care
The month of May is the time we celebrate our graduates — offering congratulations, best wishes and, subsequently, enjoying a summer of unfettered campus parking.
This year’s graduates from health professions and health sciences programs around the country are stepping into a world shaped by extraordinary opportunities and profound challenges. On one hand, advances such as the introduction of artificial intelligence across health care and the rapid progress enabled by technologies like the mRNA platform are revolutionizing the way we discover and deliver therapies and care for patients. On the other, we face a troubling wave of science skepticism and increasing barriers to equitable access to health care resources — issues that threaten to undermine progress, public trust and ultimately the health of our communities.
Navigating this landscape requires not only professional competence but also resilience, critical thinking and a deep commitment to service. These qualities are especially vital for the Class of 2025, and we are proud to say our newest alumni are exceptionally well prepared to meet this moment. We have abundant confidence in them. They are bright, driven and deeply aligned with the core values that define our school — values our faculty and staff continue to uphold in the face of rapid change.
To our graduates: Thank you for allowing us to be part of your journey. You have enriched our academic community, and we are excited to see the impact you will make in the world. To everyone else: This class is ready to do meaningful, necessary work. We need them more than ever.
Michelle Lin, PhD, presents 2025 David Chu Lecture
On May 1, SPPS welcomed Michelle Lin, PhD, as our 2025 David Chu Lecturer. Lin shared her expertise in developing gene-modified cell therapy products and offered valuable insights into the future of the field. Her presentation, “Developing Gene and Cell Therapies: Learnings from Casgevy and Visions for the Future,” explored the development of Casgevy (Exa-cel), the first CRISPR/Cas9-edited stem cell product approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia and discussed how continued innovation is shaping the future of cell therapy.
Nicole Albanese, PharmD, assistant dean of student success and engagement and clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, was honored with the 2025 Western New York Residency Preceptor's Best in Practices Residency Training Award. The award recognizes her exceptional leadership and innovation in residency training since 2003, during which she has trained 24 residents and mentored many others.
Daly discusses impact of Rite Aid closures on Western New York
Following Rite Aid's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on May 5, Christopher Daly, PharmD, MBA, clinical associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, recently shared his concerns about the harmful effects the impending closures could have on patient care across Western New York. With nearly 70 community-based pharmacies, including 13 in inner-city Buffalo, set to close in the coming weeks, Daly warns that these closures will disrupt access to care and negatively impact all aspects of health care in the region.
Celebrating the UB Class of 2025
Congratulations to our School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences graduates! We proudly held our annual commencement ceremony on May 17 at the UB Center for the Arts.
PhD graduate selected for career development mentoring program
Mfonabasi Ette, PharmD, RPh, PhD ’25, has been selected for the prestigious Scholar Mentoring and Development Program (SMDP), a competitive career mentoring program supporting graduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program pairs scholars with industry mentors in biotechnology, consumer healthcare and medical technology. Ette was selected for the SMDP Biotech program and will attend a five-day training session in Boston this June, followed by a year of personalized mentoring, career coaching and networking with an industry mentor.
Pharmacy students more connected, better focused with new Learning and Engagement Communities (LEC)
Since their launch last year, our SPPS LECs have fostered a more cohesive student body, increased engagement and helped students stay focused on their academic and professional goals. Designed to strengthen peer and faculty connections, our LECs offer career guidance, leadership development and social activities. During last month's spring roundtable discussion, second- and third-year pharmacy students shared their accomplishments and future aspirations with peers and faculty.
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Register for 2025 Remembrance Conference: June 6-8
Join health sciences students, faculty and professionals at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for this annual conference, honoring lives lost in our community and exploring public health strategies to prevent gun violence.
Call for Nominations: SPPS Alumni Awards, Due June 6
Nominate outstanding SPPS alumni for the 2025 Willis G. Gregory Memorial Award and the Orville C. Baxter Memorial Professional Practice Award. Nominations due Friday, June 6.
Register for SPPS Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Symposium (QSP): July 29
Join our pharmaceutical sciences faculty to discuss contemporary approaches, challenges and opportunities for advancing the science and practice of QSP.
SPPS Continuing Pharmacy Education Calendar
Featuring our annual Comprehensive Pharmacy Law Review, a two-day program providing a review of legal issues governing the profession of pharmacy at both the federal and New York State levels. Join us live via webinar on Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29.
SPPS Event Calendar
UB Event Calendar
UB Alumni Webinars
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.
Share Your UB Pride
Show your #UBTrueBlue spirit by sharing UB Pride photos, videos and stories!
Thank you for reading our May 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