EDUCATING LEADERS IN PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES SINCE 1886
September 2023
Welcome to the next edition of the Buffalo Pharmacy Bulletin (BPB) where we will continue to explore and discuss social issues in health care and how we as academicians, practitioners and scientists can lead and support these issues. The BPB 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.”
Academic Research and the “Missing Americans”
The Drug Discovery, Development and Evaluation Hub
I recently came across an interesting, albeit disheartening, article titled “Missing Americans: Early Death in the United States – 1933-2021”. The central theme of this paper is that, over the last 40 years or so, the mortality rate in the U.S. relative to “peer” nations has increased steadily. Compared to this peer group, and adjusting for population, at the turn of the 21st century actual deaths in the U.S. exceeded expected deaths by about 400,000. The number of “missing Americans” increased by roughly 10,000 per year through 2019, immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic. During the “pandemic years” excess deaths, again compared to peer nations, ballooned to more than one million per year.
There are, of course, several factors that have led to the sub-standard performance of our country in terms of mortality rate. The U.S. has substantially more violent deaths, especially from guns and automobiles, then would be predicted based on average rates of such deaths in peer countries. We also perform poorly on deaths due to overdose, diabetes, and complications associated with pregnancy. These factors were compounded by our poor performance in managing the pandemic. And, of course, communities of color fare much more poorly than do white-majority communities in our country.
What role can academic health professions in general, and academic pharmacy in particular, play in responding to the “missing Americans” phenomenon? The most obvious answer, at least for research-intensive schools such as ours, is to continue to play its part in the process of introducing new therapeutic modalities into practice. That is where UB’s Drug Discovery, Development and Evaluation Hub comes into play; where our school will coordinate and lead a university-wide effort to improve our collective ability to treat critical diseases. Understanding, and reacting to, the numerous factors that dictate disease onset, progression, and outcome of therapeutic intervention is another key aspect of promoting health and wellness; again, this is an active area of investigation for UB faculty.
Of course, preparing the highest quality clinicians and scientists to face this century’s health care challenges is crucial. The changes we are introducing to our professional and graduate programs, which include a renewed PharmD curriculum and an online master’s degree in pharmacometrics, are being implemented with these challenges in mind. Finally, we must continue to work with state legislatures and others to change state laws that impede the full deployment of pharmacy’s intellectual contribution to patient care. Given that it is embedded in communities in a manner that is unrivaled by the other health professions, pharmacy is our best hope for eliminating the concept of “missing Americans”.
Jun Qu, PhD, professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, has been awarded a four-year $982,617 U01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study, called “Robust Mass Spectrometric Protein/Peptide Assays for Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Applications,” will develop novel, highly sensitive assays that quantify proteins or peptide hormones to effectively monitor the progression or efficacy of new clinical interventions prior to or following the onset of Type 1 diabetes.
Woo selected for NIH Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology C Study Section
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review has appointed Sukyung Woo, PhD, associate professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, to serve as a member of its Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology C (DMPC) Study Section. Membership on a study section represents a major commitment of professional time and is a unique opportunity to contribute to the national biomedical research effort. Woo’s term appointment began on July 1, 2023, and she will serve through June 30, 2027.
Calvin Meaney, PharmD, clinical associate professor and interim division head, Division of Outcomes and Practice Advancement, Department of Pharmacy Practice, has been named a Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP). Fellowship in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (FCCP) recognizes excellence in the practice and science of clinical pharmacy and is the highest honor ACCP can bestow on its members.
Healy selected for AACP's inaugural Aspiring Academics Program
From over 200 program applicants across the country, Kaitlyn Healy, PharmD'25, was selected as one of only 20 student pharmacists to participate in the inaugural cohort of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Aspiring Academics Program.
The program is designed to facilitate a deeper understanding of career paths in academic pharmacy and engages participants through learning modules, mentorship and networking opportunities at AACP meetings and conferences.
UB SPPS hosts 2023 Welcome Week for incoming students
SPPS welcomed incoming students during our 2023 Welcome Week, which included a multi-day orientation program, school-wide picnic and White Coat Ceremony for our first year PharmD students.
UB Pharmacy Alumni Reunion, October 12-14
We are excited to welcome SPPS reunion classes ending with 2, 3, 7 or 8 back to campus this fall to celebrate reunions and the accomplishments of our SPPS alumni award winners! Special recognition will be given to those celebrating a 50th, 25th or 10th year reunion along with our alumni award winners.
Sinnett receives a 2023 UB Distinguished Alumni Award
Mark J. Sinnett, BS ’83, PharmD ’87, is the recipient of a 2023 UB Distinguished Alumni Award. He will be honored with this award at the UB Alumni Association Achievement Awards Ceremony on October 12.
The UB Distinguished Alumni Award is given to alumni who have made a significant impact on the university at-large and also to the programs and students at SPPS.
A natural leader and mentor, Sinnett has spent the last 35+ years at Montefiore Medical Center in his role as director of clinical and educational pharmacy services and was director of the PGY1 pharmacy residency program for almost 25 years. He plays a critical role in placing fourth year PharmD students from UB at Montefiore.
To support the profession of pharmacy, Sinnett and his wife Merrette created the Mark J. Sinnett Scholarship, an endowed fund to assist PharmD students in need and who also demonstrate interest in outcomes-based research.
Giacomini and Brim named 2023 SPPS alumni award winners
We're proud to announce the following recipients of our 2023 SPPS alumni awards. Our awardees will be honored at a ceremony at the Pharmacy Building on October 13.
2023 Willis G. Gregory Memorial Award: Kathleen M. Giacomini, PhD ’79
This is the most prestigious award given by our school, honoring an outstanding alumnus who personifies the ideals of service, integrity and the profession of pharmacy in the eyes of their colleagues.
2023 Orville C. Baxter Memorial Professional Practice Award: Karen M. (Wilson) Brim, BS ’82
This award acknowledges leadership within the profession of pharmacy, career innovation and dedication to our school and students.
Bulman and Kufel receive awards from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Congratulations to our following SPPS alumni on receiving prestigious awards from the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)! They will receive their awards during the Awards and Recognition Ceremony at the 2023 ACCP Annual Meeting in Dallas, TX on November 12.
ACCP New Investigator Award: Zackery Bulman, PharmD’15
This award recognizes an ACCP member who has made a significant impact on an aspect of clinical pharmaceutical science. Bulman has obtained over $4M in research grants from NIH and other competitive funding sources, including a 5-year NIH/NIAD R01 award which is among the largest R01 grants awarded to a PharmD.
ACCP New Clinical Practitioner Award: Wesley Kufel, PharmD’15
This award honors a new clinical practitioner who has made outstanding contributions to the health of patients or the practice of clinical pharmacy. Kufel has initiated several novel and innovative clinical programs at his practice site and has developed or helped optimize numerous pharmacist-led services.
Dean Pollack hosts UB Alumni webinar: October 18
October is recognized as national pharmacy month and during this webinar session, Dean Pollack will discuss how advances in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences are leading transformational change in health care and how strategic new initiatives at SPPS are helping to lead these efforts.
SPPS Continuing Pharmacy Education Events
Featuring our new UB Compounding Pharmacy Continuing Education Activity, which meets the new three hour NYS pharmacy CE requirement.
SPPS Event Calendar
View our upcoming SPPS events!
UB Event Calendar
View upcoming events on the UB Events Calendar!
Thank you for reading our September 2023 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