September 2026

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.”

Buried in Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel “The Years of Rice and Salt” is a line I return to regularly: “The future is a project to be enacted.” It is a reminder—perhaps even an admonition—that the future is neither preordained nor something that simply happens to us. We have the capacity, individually and collectively, to shape the future through action.

Enacting the future is, of course, at the heart of the educational enterprise. Our students work alone, together and with faculty as their guides to shape their futures as professionals, scientists and human beings. Faculty-led scholarship enacts the future as well: new knowledge, new technologies and new ways of understanding the world are the foundation of humanity’s efforts to shape what comes next.

This perspective is especially vital today. It is no secret that higher education, health care and biomedical research are navigating a turbulent era. From political crosswinds to shifting public trust, the institutions whose missions include advancing human health are under increasing pressure. Looking past the headlines and soundbites, though, we find a hopeful counter-narrative driven by people who refuse to let the future be dictated by cynicism.

We see this hope enacted in the next generation. Recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show that, despite an unfavorable landscape, undergraduate enrollment in biomedical fields grew by 3.7% this past year. Interest in our own Doctor of Pharmacy program continues to be robust, with year-over-year growth for the past several years. Our classrooms and laboratories are filling with students who are choosing a future focused on improving human health.

We also see this hope in the enduring momentum of discovery. Academic laboratories continue to produce breakthrough advances despite intense societal friction, demonstrating that scientific purpose can thrive under pressure. Even when federal support for research is challenged, universities continue to enact new futures by forging innovative partnerships—such as the Empire Discovery Institute—that keep life-saving therapeutic pipelines viable. At the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, this is exactly who we are. We do not pursue science for science’s sake; we drive science toward real-world solutions.

When higher education, research and health care are under attack, our best defense is continued excellence. We enact the future every time we mentor a student, optimize a clinical outcome or unlock a therapeutic mechanism. The future is not waiting to be predicted; it is waiting to be built. And we are the ones holding the blueprint.

UB study examines medication safety in older adults with cognitive disorders
Researchers at UB recently found that nearly one-third of older adults with cognitive disorders in the U.S. were taking potentially harmful prescription medications. Led by first author Haowen Hsu, PharmD, MPH, Medication Safety and Health Outcomes Fellow at UB SPPS, the study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Team Alice. The findings reinforce the need for careful medication reviews and deprescribing efforts to improve medication safety among this vulnerable population.

Wang explores omega-3-based treatment for severe lung disease
Zhenjia Wang, PhD, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received a $2 million, four-year grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to investigate a safer and more effective treatment for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The research explores the healing properties of molecules found within omega-3 fatty acids as a potential treatment for ARDS and other inflammatory conditions. If successful, the approach could represent a new way of treating inflammatory diseases beyond ARDS, including autoimmune diseases, arthritis and Crohn's disease.

Sprowl leads study of cancer drug-induced neuropathy
Jason Sprowl, PhD, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, recently received more than $410,000 from the National Cancer Institute to study why the chemotherapy drug monomethyl auristatin E can cause nerve damage in some patients. The research aims to better understand this phenomenon and find solutions to reduce nerve damage, helping patients remain on treatment and maintain their quality of life.

Students discover ways to get involved at SPPS Student Organization Fair
Students kicked off the fall semester at the Student Organization Fair, connecting with classmates and learning about the many professional organizations and special interest groups available within SPPS. From networking and leadership to service and advocacy, student organizations offer opportunities to get involved, build skills and find community at SPPS. 

Take the next step in your pharmacy career with advanced training at SPPS. Join us at one of our upcoming postgraduate training program showcases to learn more about available residency and fellowship opportunities and connect with program representatives.

We invite SPPS alumni to join the Dean's Alumni Ambassadors program to help 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.

Choose from live webinar and online home study offerings designed to support your professional development. All activities are administered through CE21, and you will be prompted to create an account when registering. 

UB students, faculty and staff can get flu and COVID-19 vaccines at clinics across the North, South and Downtown campuses through Nov. 6. Participants should bring their UB ID and health insurance card. The clinics are offered through a partnership among the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Student Health Services and Tops Friendly Markets.

Hear from UB alumni experts from around the globe as they share professional insights during the Wednesday lunchtime 'Experts and Extras' series.

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

Thank you for reading our September 2026 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 or submitting your SPPS news, including recent research, publications and awards.

Warm regards,
Gary Pollack, PhD '84
Dean and Professor