Brian Tsuji, professor of pharmacy practice and associate dean for clinical and translational sciences, is the principal investigator on a five-year $3.92 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his groundbreaking research to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The grant, titled “Novel Strategies for Antibiotic Combinations to combat Gram-negative Superbugs,” is the second largest R01 NIH grant in the history of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the first being Tsuji’s 2014 $4.4 million grant to develop new dosing regimens for polymyxin antibiotics.

• Congratulations to Sara Robinson, associate director of admissions and advisement, recipient of the 2020 Sarah Piraino Advising Award.
• Congratulations to the Department of Pharmacy Practice 2019 Award winners:
  • Excellence in Teaching Award: Chris Daly, clinical assistant professor
  • Excellence in Research Award: Ashley Woodruff, clinical associate professor
  • Excellence in Service Award: Nick Fusco, clinical associate professor
  • Citizenship Award: Kal Desai, senior research scientist
  • Community Engagement Award: Gina Prescott, clinical associate professor
  • Staff Member of the Year Award: Julie Kopfer, program coordinator (posthumously)
• Ed Bednarczyk, director, Center for Health Outcomes, Pharmacoinformatics and Epidemiology, represented the profession of pharmacy at The CBD Summit: A National Dialogue on Public Safety, Research and Policy, in Washington, D.C.
• Javier Blanco, professor, pharmaceutical sciences, was co-author with recognized pediatric cardio-oncology leader Steven Lipshultz, MD, on a recently published article titled "Cardiovascular diseases in survivors of childhood cancer."
• Murali Ramanathan, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, is co-author on a recent study by a team of University at Buffalo researchers that found a link between fats in the blood and problems with the arteries in people with multiple sclerosis.
• Dhaval Shah, PhD, associate professor, pharmaceutical sciences, was featured in The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust Winter In Focus newsletter for his work on making novel drugs for treating eye cancer in children.

• Collin Clark (PharmD ’17) was hired as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice on Jan. 1, 2020.
• Toni Derrick retired on Jan. 31, 2020, from her position as a Staff Assistant in the Office of Admissions.
• Debra DuBuois retired on Dec. 17, 2019, from her position as a Research Associate Professor.
• Nicholas Fusco (PharmD '10) was appointed Assistant Director of Experiential Education.
• Denise Grisanti retired on Jan. 3, 2020, from her position as Administrative Assistant.
• William Prescott, Jr. (PharmD '02) was appointed Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, effective Jan. 16, 2020.
• Robert Wahler (PharmD '00) was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice on Dec. 1, 2019.
• Sukyung Woo joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences as an Associate Professor on Jan. 1, 2020.
• Youngjae You joined the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences as an Empire Innovation Professor on Jan. 1, 2020.

Pharmacy Legislative Advocacy Invitational Day (PLAID) is an annual event that gives pharmacy students the opportunity to discuss new legislation that affects health care with area legislators. This year’s PLAID Day, held Monday, Dec. 2, welcomed Senator Michael Ranzenhofer and Senator Patrick Gallivan, along with Legislative Directors Rick Rodgers and Joseph Popiolkowski, to take part in conversations with over 120 first-year pharmacy students.

• Congratulations to the students honored at our Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences’ Annual Awards Banquet!
  • Van Anh Nguyen, Graduate Scholar Award
  • Vincent Clark, Outstanding MS/BS-MS Award
  • Nicholas Smith, Outstanding TA Award
  • Nhan Hanh Nguyen and Jin Niu, Barnett Fellowship Awards
• Laurie Plewinski (PharmD '21) received a 2020 American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Student Leadership Award.

The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is proud to announce the recipients of its 2020 alumni awards. The ceremony takes place April 7, 2020, at the Center for Tomorrow on UB’s North Campus.

John Pieper, PharmD ’79, is the recipient of the 2020 Willis G. Gregory Memorial Award. The award is the most prestigious given by the school, honoring an outstanding alumnus who personifies the ideals of service, integrity and profession of pharmacy in the eyes of his colleagues. 

He is currently the president of St. Louis College of Pharmacy and a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). Pieper has more than 80 peer-reviewed research publications and approximately 100 published research abstracts in the areas of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism.

Andrew DiLuca, BS ‘81, is the recipient of the 2020 Orville C. Baxter Memorial Professional Practice Award. The award acknowledges leadership within the profession of pharmacy, career innovation and dedication to the school and students.

DiLuca is currently Senior Director of Pharmacy for Kaleida Health, where he oversees the pharmacy operations for the 950 bed, four-hospital system. He serves on numerous decision-making committees for the health system, including Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Electronic Medical Record Steering, Quality Leadership and Patient Safety Council, and the Medical/Dental Staff Executive Committee.

As a preceptor, he has helped implement hospital/health-system pharmacy rotations at Buffalo General Medical Center. DiLuca is also an SPPS adjunct assistant professor, a longtime Dean’s Alumni Ambassador, and serves on a number of school-based committees.

Our alumni play a valuable role in the recruitment, application and enrollment process by sharing their positive experiences and advice with prospective students.

Congratulations to the following Dean's Alumni Ambassadors, who have given ten years of service to the program:

• Carol Gloff, BS '75
• Joanne Brodfuehrer, BS '77
• Gary Gonza, BS '80
• Caroline Suczynski, PharmD '10

• Andre Persaud (BS '82) was appointed Executive Vice President, Retail, for Rite Aid Corporation.
• Geoffrey Brown (PharmD '18) was a featured panelist at UB's Blackstone LaunchPad Cannabis Industry Panel on Feb. 5.

• Melvin Brothman, BS '54
• Peter Rocci, BS '65
• Joseph Dunn, BS '75 & PhD '81
• John Toscado, BS '75
• David Blanchard, BS '86
• Providence Morris, PharmD '88
• Aaron Peng, PhD '11

Thank you for reading our Winter 2020 edition of Buffalo Pharmacy eNotes. Please stay in touch! Send us updates on your own personal and professional accomplishments by filling out our alumni update form.

Look for our next edition of eNotes later this spring.

Best regards,
James M. O’Donnell, PhD
Dean and Professor