SPRING 2018 • Volume 40 • Issue 2
The Pharmacist
THE THE RESEARCH CLINICAL ISSUE ISSUE
A publication of the UIC College of Pharmacy
MOVING
FORWARD Dr. Glen Schumock takes the helm as Dean of the UIC College of Pharmacy.
ENGAGE Dr. Mike Koronkowski and his team are on the leading edge of eldercare education.
Bridging The Gap An online course aims to close the distance between pharmacy and public health.
Top Honors Three professors were awarded named professorships for their work.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
8
10 Features 8
A Short Walk and a Huge Change From the second floor to the first, from Professor to Dean.
10 ENGAGE
Dr. Mike Koronkowski and his team developed an app to disseminate eldercare education.
14 Bridging the Gap
An online certificate program is making it easier for professionals to enter the world of pharmacoepidemiology.
18 Top Honors
Named professorships were awarded to three top researchers in the College.
In September of 1868, our college published the first issue of a trade journal simply named “The Pharmacist.� The magazine you see before you is named in honor of that historic journal.
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
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18 EDITORIAL CREDITS Publisher Glen Schumock, Dean Editors Chris Gummert Associate Director of Donor Relations
24 Departments 2
From The Dean
3
Calendar
4
College News
6
Student News
22
Research Day
24
Alumni Reunion
27
Alumni Profile George Reidl: An Unimaginable Journey
28
Alumni News
29
Obituaries
Stepping Into a New Role
Deb Fox Director of Engagement and Participation Proofreader Deb Fox Nate Downing Glen Schumock Contributing Editors Daniel P. Smith Michael Dhar Richard Asa Chris Gummert Photography Barry Donald Designed by Studio V Design, Inc +++ UIC Pharmacist 833 S. Wood St. (MC 874) Chicago, IL 60612 Phone: (312) 996-7240 E-mail: pharmacy@uic.edu ©2018. All rights reserved.
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FROM THE DEAN
Stepping Into a New Role BY GLEN SCHUMOCK
Welcome to the research issue of The Pharmacist. This is my first chance to write the editorial for this publication as Dean. While I am new to the position, most of you know me already. I’ve worked at UIC for nearly 25 years, with one short stint in Wisconsin in the middle of that. Most recently I was Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy. In addition to my teaching and research experience, I am a pharmacist and have practiced mostly in hospital pharmacy and pharmacy management. I have dedicated the majority of my career to UIC, and I am proud to serve as Dean of one of the best colleges of pharmacy in the country. In this issue you will read about the investitures of some our most successful research faculty: Drs. Franblau, Pauli, and Che. Also highlighted are stories about creating geriatric education initiatives, and how online courses in pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety research are allowing us to grow our education programs.
These and other stories in this magazine illustrate how research being conducted by UIC College of Pharmacy faculty impacts the world around us — whether it be by developing life-saving new therapies or finding innovative ways to provide pharmaceutical care to patients. Research is one of the things that sets UIC apart. Our research programs help us attract the best and brightest faculty, and provide opportunities for our students to not only participate in cutting-edge discovery but to learn from national and international experts. This is why research is such an important part of the mission of the UIC College of Pharmacy. It goes handin-hand with our desire to provide the unparalleled education and training that produces pharmacists and scientists that lead in their respective fields. It makes us the epicenter of innovation and delivery of cutting-edge pharmacy services. And helps us serve to our community, the profession, and society in advocacy for access to and proper use of medications. I hope you will join me in saluting the faculty, staff, and students at the UIC College of Pharmacy that conduct the groundbreaking research that is described in this magazine.
“ The Pharmacist and other publications of the College are an important part of the way we communicate all the extraordinary things happening here. Enhancing communication is one of my goals as the new Dean.”
Online pharmacy.uic.edu go.uic.edu/PharmFBChicago go.uic.edu/PharmFBRockford go.uic.edu/PharmTwitter go.uic.edu/PharmLinkedIn go.uic.edu/PharmInstagram go.uic.edu/PharmYouTube
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Our Digital Edition issuu.com/uicpharmacy
UIC Pharmacist would like to hear from you and welcomes your letters: UIC Pharmacist (MC 874) 833 South Wood Street, Room 184KM Chicago, Illinois 60612-7230 E-mail: pharmacy@uic.edu
Letters are edited for length and clarity. All reader correspondence to the magazine and its editorial staff will be treated as assigned for publication unless otherwise specified.
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APR
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MAY
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HONORS CONVOCATION
Chicago Campus. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. with the ceremony to follow at 6 p.m.
CALENDAR
APR
SNPHA BANQUET Maggiano’s Little Italy 516 N Clark Street, Chicago Illinois Time: 6pm to11pm. For more information contact: soyibo2@uic.edu or alumiliaison.snphauic@gmail.com.
OPIOID EPIDEMIC SUMMIT – CE PROGRAM
1601 Parkview Ave, Rockford from 1-7 p.m. For more details contact Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu.
ISPOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS RECEPTION
Baltimore, MD (Exact Location TBD) 7-9 p.m. Contact Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu for more information.
CHICAGOLAND CRITICAL CARE CONFERENCE (C4) Contact Jill Wilson at jrmiller@uic.edu for more details.
REUNION
Recognizing the classes ending in 3 and 8. Carlisle Banquets 435 E Butterfield Road Lombard, IL Contact Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu for more information.
Got News?
Change jobs? Get a promotion? Publish a paper? Publish a book? Get married? Have a baby? We want to hear about it all! Now you can send your news directly to the magazine editor. Simply go to: go.uic.edu/PharmNews We’ll do our best to fit it into our publications and/ or social media! If you don’t see it in The Pharmacist please go to go.uic.edu/PharmNews.
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COLLEGE NEWS
PEOPLE
Stephanie Crawford,
received the FY2017 United States Pharmacopeia Award.
Jerry Bauman, Distinguished Professor,
has been named Editor-in-Chief of the new ACCP Journal, the Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (JACCP).
Thanks to everyone who spoke to the Dean’s Leadership Class (PMPR 329 Elective) this fall! Mike Qumsieh & Brendan Spence, P4 Students Kevin Rynn, PharmD, RES 1993, FEL 1994 Ernest Law, PharmD, PhD Candidate Abdul Qaiyum, BS 1969 Lisa Kohoutek, BCPS, PharmD 2010 Ria Westergaard, PharmD
Nick Popovich, BS 1968, MS 1971, PhD 1973, was invited by Dean Anne Lin, Notre Dame of Maryland School of Pharmacy, to present the White Coat Presentation on Saturday, October 7th in Baltimore, Maryland.
Paul Blahunka, BS 1981, PharmD 1991, and Kathy Blahunka, BS 1983, PharmD 1987 Arasally Rodriguez, PharmD 2004 Scott Meyers, BS 1976 Dharmesh Bavda, PharmD 2011 Tim Murrey, PharmD 2012 Sam Skariah, PharmD 2005 Jim Dorociak, BS 1981, PharmD 1983 Maria Tanzi, PharmD 2001
Three people were honored at the Rockford Campus Employee Recognition Dinner: Megan Magnuson won the UIC College of Pharmacy at Rockford Rock Star Staff Award, Martin McDowell was congratulated for his 15 years of service, and Ken Smith was also awarded for his 5 years of service. Mary Moody, Kevin Rynn, Rachel Van Den Broek from the Rockford campus of the UIC College of Pharmacy and a clinical partner, Kathy Olson from Crusader Community Health, attended the Rockford Chamber of Commerce meeting in January. 4 | pharmacy.uic.edu
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FACULTY
Faculty Around The Globe!
Jerry Bauman and Marieke Schoen traveled to Malta to attend the Pharmacy Program Commencement at the University of Malta.
Jan Engle traveled to Singapore and other Asian Countries this fall.
Henri Manasse, BS ’68, traveled to Pakistan in October to teach.
Babies Melissa Badowski, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and her husband, Andrew Warpinski, welcomed son Alan Joseph (AJ) on September 25, 2017. He weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz., and measured 21.5” in. long.
Rebekah Hanson, Clinical Assistant Professor/ Clinical Pharmacist in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, and her husband, Mike, welcomed their first child, Michael Stellan Anguiano on October 6. He weighed 10 lbs. 1 oz., and measured 23 in. long.
Jennie Jarrett, Assistant Professor/Clinical Pharmacist in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and her husband Peter welcomed their second child, daughter Carson Elaine. Carson was born at 8:27 p.m. on January 8, 2018 and joins big sister Lola.
Tom TenHoeve, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, became a grandfather on Thanksgiving Day. Tom’s daughter Carissa and her husband Brian welcomed daughter, Adeline Grace Speelman on November 23. Adeline weighed in at 7lbs. 7oz. and measured 20 and one quarter inches long. (NO PHOTO)
Chris Shoemaker, Assistant Dean of Advancement and friend to countless alums, has taken a new job at the University of Michigan College of Medicine. His enthusiasm and dedication will be sorely missed.
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STUDENT NEWS
PEOPLE
IPhA participated in the 2017 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on 9/24/2017. The Alzheimer’s Association is AIPhA’s initiative for the AIPhA Cultural Show. Seven students participated in this opportunity for students to gain knowledge about Alzheimer’s: Waymond Zhou, Shyam Desai, John Chan, Madiha Khan, Loan Vi, Fatih Zecic, Nimalan Sivarajan. In the News Cindy Li, P2 (Rockford) had a perspective piece accepted by WNIJ which is our local NPR station. She shares her thoughts on the passage of Senator Stadelman’s SB 1790 which allows pharmacists to fill emergency prescriptions when the physician cannot be reached. Her Perspective on WNIJ, 89.5 aired on Wednesday, October 25.
Student Leaders of the Month Winners: August September 2017 Alyshia Accardi Cindy Li Kelsey Bridgeman Michael Robles Lelas Shamaileh October 2017 Cassidy Joy Annita Mathew Jacquelyn Punches Edwin Lee Jaron Lopez Dayna Redini
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November 2017 Emily Beskar Phuong Dung Luong Brandon Klein Sally Luvsantseren Christina Pham Maryam Naveed Henry Okoroike December 2017 January 2018 Haley Fox Jenna Hashimoto Kyle Huttner Benish Alam Katie Breese Emily Hiro James Ternig
Healthy Competition The Annual P&T Competition originated at UIC over a decade ago, was adopted by AMCP, and is now a national competition involving over 30 colleges of pharmacy. Over the years, this has provided alumni an opportunity to return to UIC and help judge. During the competition, student teams evaluate a drug dossier for its economic, clinical and humanistic merits. Their analyses are used to ultimately design and present a formulary recommendation. Each team compiles a drug monograph and presents their evaluation of the dossier and formulary decision to a panel of experienced judges. This year a total of 68 students across 17 teams participated as did many returning alumni judges. The winning team was comprised of Samuel Hong, Jae Hyun Lee, Kevin Meyer, and David Silva. Thanks to the 26 judges that were able to set aside time and return from all over the country. Also, a big thank you to our Chapter Advisors, Dr. Margaret Byun and Dr. Christine Rash-Foanio, our sponsors, CVS Health and Astellas, and the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs for making this event possible.
STUDENTS ACROSS
TEAMS PARTICIPATED
In addition, we would like to recognize the alumni who took time out of their day to judge the competition: Saad Ali, PharmD 2013 – CVS Health Rebekah Anguiano, PharmD 2006 – UIC Joseph Dang, PharmD 2017 – Genetech (San Francisco) Alex Endiakov, PharmD 2016 – Enhanced Medication Services (Florida) Sunny Hirpara, PharmD 2013 – CVS Health Mike Gannon, PharmD 2015 – UIC Grace Hsueh, PharmD 2017 – Shire (Boston) Dawn Hyatt, PharmD 2017 – CVS Health Albert Mei, PharmD 2017 – Navitus (Wisconsin) Irene Grace Park, PharmD 2017 – Mariano’s Aalok Shah, PharmD 2013 – Takeda Shivali Shah, PharmD 2014 – CVS Health Brian Talon, PharmD 2016 – Takeda Rob Wittenberg, PharmD 2007 – Astellas
The Rockford P3 Class and ICHP’s Mental Health Committee solicited donations for supplies to send to soldiers overseas. The group raised almost $300. Sierra Delehanty, P3, teamed up with the Epilepsy Foundation and are sending the supplies to Rockford soldiers who are currently deployed.
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A Short Walk
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AND A
HUGE CHANGE
For Dr. Glen Schumock, former professor and head of pharmacy systems, outcomes and policy, in the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, it’s just a quick move from his second floor office, down to his new one on the first floor. Same college. Same building. Same co-workers. Even the same email address. But the change is so much more than that. Dr. Schumock’s new office also comes with a title change: Dean of the UIC College of Pharmacy. It’s a big shift, and that’s not lost on the new Dean.
“I am honored to be leading this historic and innovative institution, and the faculty, staff and students that make it so great. I know I have big shoes to fill.” GLEN SCHUMOCK
Dean Bauman announced his retirement early last year and the search for his replacement started almost immediately. An exhaustive search yielded a strong field of qualified candidates. The final three candidates were given the opportunity to hold town hall meetings to discuss their proposed direction for the college. In the end, it seemed that the ideal candidate for the job already worked here. A sentiment echoed by the University leadership. “Glen Schumock has been an outstanding leader in the UIC College of Pharmacy for many years,” said Dr. Robert Barish, vice chancellor for health affairs at UIC, “and in his new role, I am confident he will ensure the college advances as a major innovator in education, research, drug discovery and delivery.” Schumock’s record speaks for itself. On the education side, he’s an award-winning educator who has coordinated and taught courses on pharmacy management, business planning, pharmacoeconomics and research methods. His book, How to Develop a Business Plan for Pharmacy Services is used across the nation to teach
business planning to pharmacy students, clinicians, managers and leaders. He has authored and edited more than 200 articles and books, and is currently on the editorial board of the journals Pharmacotherapy and PharmacoEconomics and is associate editor of the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research. In the field of research, he has received more than $6 million in funding as a principal investigator or coprincipal investigator, and his research has been continually funded since 2000. Now Dr. Schumock turns his attention to leading the sixth ranked college of pharmacy in the nation. “The College of Pharmacy is one of the best colleges of pharmacy in the nation,” said Dr. Barish, “and it plays a critical role in improving the lives of people in Chicago through its research and training programs.” Schumock agrees adding, “The UIC College of Pharmacy is making a big impact on the lives of patients through innovations in the provision of pharmacy care and use of medication, and by discovering new drugs from natural products and by developing drugs synthetically.” While technological innovations and research are key to the growth of the college, Schumock knows that the most important resources are more tangible. “The students that come to this college are phenomenal,” Schumock noted, “and when they graduate they become leaders in the pharmacy professions.” And afterall, impacting the profession is the reason Dr. Schumock packed up his boxes and moved down to the first floor to begin with!
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UIC Tackles ELDERCARE EDUCATION with Pharmacy in Key Role
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As America ages, healthcare providers NEED TO ADAPT. Unfortunately, many healthcare professionals and institutions fail to meet the unique needs of these older populations. Culprit number one? A lack of quality training. An interdisciplinary team at the University of IllinoisChicago, including UIC-Pharmacy’s Michael Koronkowski, Pharm.D., is working to fill that gap. Koronkowski, as co-investigator, heads up the pharmacy component of the UIC research team working to develop and disseminate geriatric education initiatives. The effort involves researchers from across UIC’s healthcare colleges, led by co-principal investigators Dr. Valerie Gruss (Nursing) and Dr. Memoona Hasnain (Family Medicine). Earning a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) in 2015, the team has worked for the past three years to develop training tools and curriculum for the next generation of primary care providers. The grant comes under HRSA’s Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), which is designed to improve the interprofessional education of primary care clinicians (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other healthcare providers) in comprehensive geriatric healthcare; UIC calls its effort ENGAGE-IL (ENhancement of Geriatric Care for All through TraininG and Empowerment). Visit the program site at engageil.com. This kind of work continues to grow more and more important in the United States, Koronkowski said.
“With 10,000 people turning 60 every day [in the U.S.], there’s an onslaught in primary care with patients who are older [and] more vulnerable, have multiple chronic conditions, and require integrated care.” MICHAEL KORONKOWSKI, PHARM.D. “Yet, the primary-care workforce isn’t necessarily as prepared as they should be to deal with this frail and complex older adult” population. With a few months left on the initial grant period, the UIC team has helped address this need by developing several different tools and programs: a set of online continuing-education course sequences in eldercare education, an interprofessional-scholars’ education program, and several apps for use by clinicians and caregivers.
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3 KEY PRINCIPLES
1
Better coordination of care
2
Reduced treatment complexity
3
Holistic approach to individuals
UIC joined 44 other institutions across the country in earning a 2015 GWEP grant. The team is now applying for a grant reauthorization that would run through 2021. In that additional funding period, the research team would work to expand its efforts and demonstrate changes in health outcomes, Koronkowski said.
Pharmacy Plays Key Role The role that UIC’s Pharmacy school played in the grant demonstrates the importance of the discipline in interprofessional research and education, Koronkowski said. “I was tremendously excited” when UIC secured the grant, Koronkowski said. “Pharmacy … was a cornerstone in interprofessional development, [and] that showed the value of pharmacy and what we could do to add value to the grant.” In addition to Koronkowski’s work in developing the project apps and the pharmacy-focused modules, UIC Pharmacy colleagues Dr. Laura Meyer-Junco, based in the Rockford campus, and Dr. Julie Jun also played key roles. Meyer-Junco helped develop the curriculum, and both assisted in creating one of the apps. Overall, earning the grant and completing this research demonstrates the strength of UIC’s healthcare schools as a whole, Koronkowski said.
The guiding theme of this work is that older patients need a system of care designed specifically for their needs.
Campus Integration, Technology Set UIC Apart UIC earned the opportunity to address this need in large part because the school’s already highly integrated healthcare centers fit with the interprofessional focus of HRSA’s grant, Koronkowski said. “One of the strengths of the University of Illinois is that we have all the health sciences on one campus,” he said, “so we’re able to get all of the health sciences involved.” UIC’s different professional representatives could work together to both develop the curriculum and share it across the university’s different healthcare schools, he said. UIC also distinguished itself with a proposal that focused on technology, Koronkowski said. “Our online learning curriculum was a 24/7 piece that … could be infused across the country. So HRSA was very interested in that,” he said. “Because we were technologydriven in terms of accessibility, I think HRSA looked very favorably” on the UIC proposal.
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“This just shows you the value of collaborative practice and the value [that] the federal government sees in interprofessional training programs … and that the university is poised to continue this interprofessional work.”
A New Curriculum for a New Approach ENGAGE-IL has created an online modular curriculum for continuing education (called Online Accredited Learning Interprofessional Geriatrics Program, or OALIG, and available at engageil.com), a set of apps for caregivers and clinicians, and an interprofessional education program for scholars and leaders. All are designed to share a new philosophy of elder care, emphasizing three principles: better coordination of care, reduced treatment complexity and a holistic approach to individuals. The idea, Koronkowski said, is to both simplify older patients’ healthcare experiences and personalize their treatment. Under traditional — and currently prevailing — treatment paradigms, older patients see a litany of specialists for each of their health conditions. “These patients, who are older adults with multiple chronic conditions — they’re very complex, and our system is quite complex and fragmented, and we try to pull the patient apart and treat different organ systems,” he said.
“One-size-fits-all healthcare doesn’t fit for older Americans.” MICHAEL KORONKOWSKI, PHARM.D.
Because older patients tend to have a great number of health issues, the current paradigm results in a very complex healthcare approach for a population that often has difficulty with such an experience, Koronkowski said. “Oftentimes, these patients can’t follow through with that complex treatment plan,” he said. “If you see three, four, five, six different doctors, you’re going to get three, four, five, six different treatment strategies, and that’s very confusing for an older adult.” Instead, the UIC’s curriculum takes “a less-is-best, team approach.” Under the new paradigm, older patients would interact mostly with their primary care physicians, who would work with teams to devise individualized, and easier-to-follow, integrated care plans. The new approach also involves reducing the medications older patients must take, emphasizing de-prescribing, Koronkowski said. Finally, Koronkowski said, the new approach means clinicians will look at the patient more holistically and individualistically, making decisions based on each patient’s specific, overall needs —not applying an unvarying standard based simply on organ system.
Continuing Ed, Apps and UIC Students To get that approach into the world, the ENGAGE team created an online, module-based geriatric curriculum for all healthcare providers. The modules are available 24/7 and offer continuing-education credit that’s free until June 30, 2018. The modules’ interprofessional approach makes them relevant to clinicians in multiple professions: medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, social work and dentistry. Offering interactive-video content, the typically half-hour modules’ topics include the aging process, fall prevention, medication management, pain management and hospice care. The team has also completed two apps, available free for iOS and Android, with a third on the way. The first one, a Behavioral Symptom Management app, aims to help clinicians manage the behavioral symptoms of dementia. It provides an algorithm for checking on symptoms and focuses on non-drug-based approaches to management.
The UIC team’s interprofessional education program, called Scholars and Leaders in Geriatrics, trains future leaders in geriatric care. Each year, this competitive program places two UIC students from each discipline (medicine, nursing, social work, public health, occupational therapy and pharmacy) on teams that complete 6- to 8-week programs on geriatric care. They learn about the different needs of geriatric patients across the full range of care environments, doing so via weekly immersion-practice experiences. Koronkowski serves as pharmacy lead faculty member for this interprofessional program.
Thousands of Users and More to Come All of that work has already produced results, with over 1,000 unique users of the online modules and more than 2,600 modules completed. Users in seven countries (the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Korea, Taiwan and Brazil) have accessed the dementia-expert guide app over 10,600 times. Meanwhile, clinicians in training at UIC health-sciences colleges have already learned from the curriculum developed by the project, with faculty incorporating these modules into the classroom environment through blended learning (which combines online education with traditional instruction). The hope is to see the curriculum expand and be disseminated to other institutions, Koronkowski said. The UIC team plans to submit for continued HRSA- GWEP funding to further this work. In the future project work, the team also hopes to expand some community-based screening programs around falls and dementia that it developed with the Illinois Department on Aging, create more point-of-care telemedicine practice tools, and generally expand its work on dementia, Koronkowski said. In pharmacy, specifically, the group is looking to develop de-prescribing algorithms and tools, along with programs targeting the highest-risk drugs, such as pain medication, antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, he said. Those next steps, and the work already done, will play an important role in improving healthcare for a large group of Americans, Koronkowski said. “I think the message should resonate that we have this very complex, growing population in the United States, and yet we aren’t necessarily infusing the best principles for healthcare. And hopefully, these educational tools … can help prepare a workforce that is able to address the health issues facing a growing aging population while impacting the older adult in a positive and meaningful way.”
ENGAGE The second completed app, called the Dementia Expert Guide for Families, helps caregivers manage the dayto-day lives of people with the condition. This app, in response to user feedback, works more like a book, Koronkowski said. Its various chapters instruct users on what dementia is and how to plan for it, including dealing with legal, financial and housing issues.
The third app, currently in development, will offer a tool kit of geriatric-care principles for primary care healthcare providers.
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RIDGIN B G THE GAP
MEDICATION SAFETY FOR THE MASSES
BY DANIEL P. SMITH
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ADVERSE DRUG EVENTS (ADES) ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY
700,000 100,000 AND
EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS
HOSPITALIZATIONS EACH YEAR.
UIC’s four-year-old online Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program bridges the gap between pharmacy and public health For years, Melissa McInnis PharmD 2013, an inpatient clinical staff pharmacist at UIC Hospital, had engaged in discussions with her sister, a public health professional who works at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, about different healthcare topics.
and this program has put me on that path,” says McInnis, who earned her Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate last fall.
More often than not, these discussions followed a familiar routine: while McInnis approached problems from the clinical perspective, her sister viewed issues through the public health lens. Though each would offer worthy points on a particular topic, McInnis, who held a longstanding interest in public health and visions of someday working in the public health arena as a pharmacist, yearned for a deeper understanding of the two related, though often disconnected fields.
With adverse drug events and the opioid epidemic capturing increased national attention in recent years, pharmacoepidemiology – the study of the utilization and effects of drugs in large numbers of people – has emerged as an increasingly critical health science.
“I definitely wanted a way to merge both of these fields together.” MELISSA MCINNIS PHARMD 2013 Enter UIC’s online Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program, a joint effort between the College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy and the UIC School of Public Health’s nationally recognized Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. The four-year-old program weaves together material from biostatistics, epidemiology and pharmacy as well as policy and regulatory science in a coordinated, accessible effort to prepare working professionals to manage multi-disciplinary pharmacoepidemiologic research and pharmaceutical policy evaluation studies. “I want to work on a more macro level and have larger-scale impact on various communities, particularly those from vulnerable and underserved demographics,
Addressing a critical need
Though medications help millions of Americans combat health challenges every day and therapeutic advancements have undoubtedly enhanced and saved millions of lives over the years, medications also pose inherent risks and can spark adverse drug events (ADEs). Such ADEs, many of them preventable, exact a human toll on the individuals affected and their caregivers, strain already-stressed healthcare systems and heighten the economic burden on society. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), ADEs account for approximately 700,000 emergency room visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year. Yet more, and quite alarmingly given the faith patients place in trained clinicians, nearly 5 percent of hospitalized patients experience an ADE, among the most common types of inpatient errors, while ADEs are reportedly even more commonplace among ambulatory patients. The escalating number of deaths related to opioid medications only further underscores the need for competent, qualified professionals positioned to reverse the troubling trend lines. Increasingly across the country, concern has morphed into action.
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In 2014, the HHS published the National Action Plan for Adverse Drug Event Prevention, a thoughtful endeavor to identify current ADE best practices, promote greater medication safety and encourage coordinated efforts to increase awareness and, ultimately, reduce preventable ADEs. Sharing in that spirit, UIC’s Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program represents a proactive step toward a more responsive and responsible profession committed to pharmaceutical safety and effectiveness. “Though drug safety is clearly important, it’s certainly not an area with many training programs devoted to it,” says Todd Lee, professor and interim head of the Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy. “There is more need for structured learning for current pharmacy students as well as those working in the industry and a focused curriculum on medication safety can give those across the industry the tools they need to conduct drug safety-oriented work.”
UIC’s Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate defined With today’s clinicians having access to some 10,000 prescription medications and nearly one-third of U.S. adults taking five or more medications, according to AHRQ, understanding the intricacies of how medication affects populations has never been more difficult or important, impacting everything from individual treatment decisions for a patient with diabetes to the latest public health policies. UIC’s Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate leverages faculty at two leading health sciences colleges to educate a new generation of professionals prepared to improve public health and medication safety. The Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program holds a number of decisive objectives, namely to arm students with the tools and background knowledge to: • evaluate the design and application of surveillance and population-based approaches • gauge the benefits and potential harms of medications released into the marketplace • apply epidemiologic techniques to study patterns and determinants of drug use • understand key regulatory requirements in biomedical product regulation related to safety • and improve medication safety at all stages across the drug development life cycle
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“We want our students prepared to look at data and to understand patterns in drug use and outcomes because the better they understand these factors, the better they can implement programs in which drugs achieve better outcomes,” new College of Pharmacy Dean Glen Schumock says. While faculty from the School of Public Health bring cutting-edge knowledge in core methods across biostatistics and areas of study design, epidemiology and observational research to the program, faculty from the College of Pharmacy provide contextual, pharmacy-oriented content ranging from medication safety to health policy. The interdisciplinary design ensures students receive focused training from international experts in precise fields.
“We each have our own areas of expertise and this program provides content delivered by the people who know the content best. This ensures the best training possible and access to the latest happenings around drug safety.” TODD LEE, Professor and Interim Head of the Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy.
For working professionals eager to advance their careers in either pharmacoepidemiology or pharmacovigilance from either the pharmacy or public health side of the equation, Lee believes the program can increase individuals’ marketability within their sector or ease the training some are assigned to provide within their current position. “We are trying to produce professionals who are good assets for our industry partners and valuable contributors to the science in this vitally important space,” Lee says. The online component, meanwhile, democratizes an increasingly critical area of healthcare study, allowing students from across the U.S. and world to study pharmacoepidemiology at their own pace and with leading faculty from two top-ranked schools. “We always want to be able to provide additional learning opportunities for our alumni and others across the industry and the flexibility of an online program is particularly valuable in today’s world,” Schumock says, adding that the recently launched online Masters degree in Comparative Effectiveness Research similarly helps those who want to progress in their careers gain new knowledge in a more feasible way. “We’ve designed these two online programs, in particular, to provide accessible opportunities for people to advance their careers and contribute to a more productive, professional industry.”
Cultivating public health pharmacists Since the Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program’s 2014 debut, UIC has awarded 16 certificates. Another 13 students are presently enrolled in some phase of the program, including current UIC College of Pharmacy students like Abir Mneimneh. A fourth-year pharmacy student, Mneimneh sees the certificate program as an opportunity to propel her career by strengthening her understanding of a still-novel and developing interdisciplinary field. In her first semester, for instance, Mneimneh learned new terminology and statistical tools that are preparing her to be a knowledgeable and proficient public health pharmacist capable of driving positive change.
“I have always been very interested in the study of medicine and the intersection of public health and this program is helping me to become better versed in pharmacy policy and epidemiological terminology, while I learn the tools, resources and skills necessary to help me better understand and interpret study designs.” ABIR MNEIMNEH
For McInnis, the certificate program helped her “connect the dots” between pharmacy and public health and also solidified her interest in public health pharmacy. “I needed to learn how to speak the technical jargon of the various disciplines encompassed in this Certificate program, to familiarize myself with the science of collecting, processing and interpreting data acquired through biostatistics and subsequently gain a deeper understanding of the linkages that already exist. This program has definitely provided that and much more,” says McInnis, who hopes to someday work in safety and quality improvement.
AT A GLANCE: EARNING THE PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY CERTIFICATE Students enrolled in UIC’s online Pharmacoepidemiology Certificate program are tasked to complete four courses, all of them structured around the core methods used to study drug use in large populations. The courses, 13 credit hours in total, include:
Biostatistics I, a four-credit hour course addressing concepts
such as descriptive statistics and basic probability as well as providing an introduction to statistical data analysis software.
Intro to Epidemiology: Principles & Methods, a course designed to familiarize students with descriptive and analytical epidemiology as well as determinants of health and disease in populations.
Pharmacoepidemiology, which covers the key concepts and principles related to the study of medications in large populations. Pharmaceutical Policy, a course examining key features of healthcare and pharmaceutical policy while also providing a framework for students to analyze and evaluate current policy issues affecting medication safety in the U.S. and abroad. Students are evaluated on their participation in online discussion groups and virtual collaboration sessions with their fellow students and faculty as well as their performance on quizzes and assignments. To earn the certificate, students must secure a 3.0 grade point average. Notably, students receive graduate credit for each of the certificate classes they complete. Those credits can later be applied to the fulfillment of a Masters or PhD degree at the UIC College of Pharmacy or School of Public Health.
For More Information on the program: go.uic.edu/pharmacoepicertificate
Comments like that have Lee encouraged that the program is accomplishing its ambitious aims and playing a role in creating improved health outcomes. “We need people trained to identify safety issues and professionals with a deep understanding of relevant medication safety issues, and this program works hard to accomplish just that by providing in-depth training with expert faculty,” Lee says. “Now, the mission is to keep it going because we know there’s a lot at stake.”
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TOP
HONO
Dr. Scott Gary Franzblau
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Dr. Chun Tao “C.T.” Che
Dr. Guido Frank Pauli
RS Three longtime faculty members in the College of Pharmacy have received named professorships in honor of their significant work. Each professorship acknowledges the recipients’ contributions to the UIC College of Pharmacy and to pharmaceutical research in general. A named professorship is one of the college’s highest academic honors. Dr. Franzblau (second from the left) poses at the investiture ceremony with the family of Dr. Albert Schatz.
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Dr. Franzblau has been a professor in the department of Medical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy and director of the Institute for Tuberculosis Research since 2000. He has worked in the area of new assay development and drug discovery for tuberculosis and leprosy for the past 30 years. Over nearly two decades he has distinguished himself by assembling all of the components of a drug discovery team under one roof in the Institute for Tuberculosis Research. Through the institute, Dr. Franzblau is at the forefront of research into the discovery of new anti-tuberculosis agents. Known throughout the world, the institute can count members from China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Korea, Philippines, Poland and the U.S. In 2017 Dr. Franzblau received the Albert Schatz professorship, named for the researcher who first discovered the drug streptomycin.
Dr. Chun-Tao Che graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with BSc (Biology) and MPhil (Biochemistry) degrees. In 1982, he earned his docorate in pharmacognosy at UIC, under the mentorship of Professor Harry H.S. Fong. After a brief period of postdoctoral research at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Toronto, he returned to UIC and became a research assistant professor. Dr. Che became the first Norman R. Farnsworth Professor of Pharmacognosy in the College of Pharmacy and Head of the Pharmacognosy Graduate Program in 2010. Since then, he has also been the Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Traditional Medicine at UIC. In 2017, Dr. Che was honored again, being named the first Harry H.S. Fong Professor. Dr. Che has gained an international reputation as a scholar, researcher and educator.
Albert Schatz was a graduate student at Rutgers University when he isolated streptomycin, the first such antibiotic that proved useful in treating tuberculosis in humans. Schatz, however, received no recognition for his important discovery. Because the funds supporting the named professorship come from a royalty stream, Dr. Franzblau was in a position to right the wrong by naming the professorship. Since Dr. Schatz’s work was similar to what the Institute for Tuberculosis Research does, Dr. Franzblau decided to use his honor to in turn honor Dr. Schatz for his devotion to finding anti-disease agents from microorganDr. Che (third from the left) isms at a time when doing so was far more difficult and with Harry Fong and family. dangerous than it is today.
Throughout his distinguished academic career, Dr. Fong has focused his research efforts on collaborative drug discovery from plants, particularly those with active anti-tumor, anti-fertility, cancer chemopreventive, and anti-HIV compounds. He has been at UIC since 1970, becoming professor emeritus in 2004. For the past four decades, he also has been dedicated to the quality analysis and standardization of herbal medicines and botanical supplements, collaborating with the World Health Organization’s Traditional Medicine Program (1981-) and the Hong Kong Health Dept (2002-); and serves on scientific advisory boards for universities around the world. The American Botanical Council named Dr. Fong, as the
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recipient of the Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award for 2014. Dr. Pauli is a Professor and University Scholar in the College of Pharmacy. He has been with the College for nearly two decades. He is the director of PCPRS and NAPRALERT and is principal investigator and collaborator in NIH-funded interdisciplinary and translational projects involving bioactive natural products from diverse sources. He also serves in leadership roles in technology (CENAPT) and botanical research centers. NAPRALERT is the premier computerized database on the research and science of natural products. For the depth and diversity of his work, he received the Norman R. Farnsworth Professorship in 2017. Dr. Pauli also serves on scientific and review panels of federal agencies, editorial and professional boards, and other expert committees. His academic track record includes mentoring of 18 Ph.D. students, 17 postdoctoral scientist, 15 visiting professors and scientists, and active international collaborations, particularly in China and Europe.
Professor Norman R. Farnsworth was a revered figure at Dr. Pauli and his family. the UIC College of Pharmacy. He earned his doctorate in Pharmacognosy from the University of Pittsburgh in 1959, where he helped establish the Pharmacognosy Department and became its first chair. He was also the founding director of the Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences at UIC. From 1970 to 1982, he was the head of the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmacology. A pioneer in the field of pharmacognosy, Dr. Farnsworth was awarded several honorary doctorates around the world. In 2005, the American Society of Pharmacognosy honored him with its Research Achievement Award.
Dr. Norman Farnsworth working on the NAPRALERT. | The Pharmacist | 21
RESEARCH DAY
Research Day 2018 The Ninth Annual UIC College of Pharmacy Research Day was held on February 9, 2018, the day after an uncharacteristically strong winter storm dumped upwards of eight inches of snow in the Chicago metro area. But the science went on undeterred. Nearly a hundred students competed for the prizes listed below. Awards were also handed out to Assistant Professor Laura Sanchez and alum Michael T. Flavin. Dr. Sanchez was awarded the Hans W. Vahlteich Research Award for “Dissecting host-microbe chemical communication in pathogenic relationships.” Dr. Flavin was awarded Alum of the Year for his tremendous work in such companies as Advanced Life Sciences, INC., Shamrock Structures, LLC. and his own Flavin Ventures, LLC. The day also featured a keynote address by Dr. Steven D. Pearson, MD, MSc. Dr. Pearson, the president for the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, spoke on drug pricing. His presentation was titled, “Is there a “fair” price for a new drug? The new landscape for pharmaceutical value assessment in the United States.”
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2018 Poster Award Winners Biology: Molecular & Cell Biology; Mechanism of Action FIRST PRIZE
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Award for Excellence in Research Shijie Huang, Dorota Klepacki, Luc Jaeger, Alexander S. Mankin, “Bacterial Cells can Live Without Free 5S rRNA” SECOND PRIZE
AbbVie Award for Excellence in Research Rachel Knopp, Manel Ben Aissa, Ammar Jastaniah, Sue H. Leem Ragda Izar, Gregory R. J. Thatcher, “Selective Calpain-1 versus Calpain/Cathepsin-B Dual Inhibtion as a Therapeutic Approach to AD” SECOND PRIZE
Horizon Award for Excellence in Research Kyle Mathes, Jimmy Orjala, Alessandra S. Eustaquio, “Genome Mining of Freshwater Cyanobacteria for Rare Metabolites” Chemistry: Discovery, Modeling, Design & Evaluation of Novel Drugs; Detection & Delivery Systems FIRST PRIZE
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Award for Excellence in Research Daniel S. May, Camila M. Crnkovic, Aleksej Krunic, Jimmy Orjala, “A Bioinformatic and Metabolomic Strategy to Discover New Natural Products from Cultured Cyanobacteria” SECOND PRIZE
AbbVie Award for Excellence in Research Camila M. Crnkovic, Aleksej Krunic, Daniel S. May, Diana Kao, Tyler A. Wilson, James R. Fuchs, Joanna E. Burdette, Nicholas H. Oberlies, Jimmy Orjala, “Metabolomics Guided the Discovery of New Natural Products from Cyanobacteria” SECOND PRIZE
Horizon Award for Excellence in Research (tie) Alanna Condren, Kahl, Lars Dietrich, Laura Sanchez, “Bile Acid Exposure Alters Specialized Metabolism Leading to Biofilm Inhibition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa” AND
Benjamin G. Richardson, Atul D. Jain, Phillip R. Lazzara, Brian P. David, Haranatha Potteti, Chandra Tamatam, Ewelina Choma, Kornelia Skowron, Katherine Dye, Yue-Ting Wang, Aleksej Krunic, Sekhar P. Reddy, Terry W. Moore, “Replacement of a Naphthalene Scaffold in Keap1/Nrf2 Inhibitors” Clinical, Social, and Applied Sciences FIRST PRIZE
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Award for Excellence in Research Rachel Harrington, Sruthi Adimadhyam, Todd A. Lee, Glen T. Schumock, James W. Antoon, “A CaseCrossover Study Examining the Association between Oseltamivir and Suicide among Pediatric Patients, 2009-2014” SECOND PRIZE
AbbVie Award for Excellence in Research Jeremy Capulong, Beenish S. Manzoor, Edith A. Nutescu, “The Impact of Health Literacy and Numeracy on Quality of Anticoagulation Control in Minority Patients” SECOND PRIZE
Horizon Award for Excellence in Research Katherine Harrigan, Surrey Walton, Shirley Huang, Varun Kumar, Rick Chapman, Steven Atlas, Foluso Agboola, Dan Ollendorf, Daniel Touchette, “Long-term
Cost-effectiveness of Valbenazine and Deutetrabenazine for Tardive Dyskinesia” Innovate@UIC Innovation Award FIRST PRIZE
Cutler Lewandowski, Manel BenAissa, Sue Lee, Bhargava Karumudi, Gregory Thatcher, “Development of Tissue-Selective ABCA1 Agonists as Potential Therapeutics for Alzheimer’s Disease” SECOND PRIZE
Sue Hyun Lee, Manel Ben Aissa, Yue-ting Wang, Emily Nepomuceno, David Gonzalez, Gregory R.J. Thatcher, “Novel Model of Accelerated Cognitive Deficits Induced by Oxidative Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury with Exacerbated Neuropathology” UI Cancer Center Cancer Science Prize FIRST PRIZE
Taha Y. Taha, Shaimaa M. Aboukhatwa, Rachel C. Knopp, Naohiko Ikegaki, Hazem Abdelkarim, Jayaprakash Neerasa, Yunlong Lu, Raghupathi Neelarapu, Thomas W. Hanigan, Gregory R. J. Thatcher, Pavel A. Petukhov, “Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Tetrahydroisoquinoline-Based Histone Deacetylase 8 Selective Inhibitors” SECOND PRIZE
Jose Colina, Subbulakshmi Karthikeyan, Peter Varughese, Joanna E. Burdette, “Loss of PAX2 Recapitulates Secretory Cell Outgrowths (SCOUTs), precursors to High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer and Potentiates Aberrant AKT and Steroid Signaling” Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Multidisciplinary Team Science Award Yukuang Guo, Camila Crnkovic, Hyunwoo Lee, Jimmy Orjala, John Lee, Hyunyoung Jeong, “The Role of Gut Microbiota in Tacrolimus Metabolism” American Association of Pharmacetical Scientists (AAPS) Student Chapter Choice Award Thomas Speltz, Zamia Siddiqui, Jeanne Danes, Sean Fanning, Colin Fowler, Chris Mayne, Emad Tajkhorshid, Geoffrey L. Greene, Jonna Frasor, Terry W. Moore, “Functionalized Hydrocarbon Stapled Peptides for the Estrogen Receptor/Coactivator Interaction” Controlled Release Society (CRS) Student Chapter Choice Award Katherine E. Zink, Matt Dean, Joanna E. Burdette, Laura M. Sanchez, “Developing a Novel Imaging Mass Spectrometry Method to Detect Chemical Communication Driving Metastasis in Ovarian Cancer” International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Student Chapter Choice Award Ashley S. Cha, Ernest H. Law, A. Simon Pickard, “American Perceptions of Health Then and Now: Comparing the United States General Adult Population in 2002 and 2017” International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) Student Chapter Choice Award Alemseged Ayele Asfaw, Connie H. Yan, Victor Ramirez, Karen Sweiss, Scott Wirth, Pritesh Patel, Lisa Sharp, “Patient-reported Barriers to Medication Adherence and Perspectives on Sensored-medication Devices in Patients from Lower Socioeconomic Background with Multiple Myeloma”
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REUNION
Reunion 2017 The annual alumni reunion was held on Saturday, October 14 at the Maggiano’s in Oakbrook. This year the event was held in conjunction with the opening of POZEN Plaza at the College of Pharmacy on October 13, and celebrated the years ending in 7 and 2. The evening honored several illustrious alums during the ceremony. Nicole Avant, PharmD 2012, and Scott Wirth, PharmD 2007, both won the Rising Star Award for young alums. Ed Cohen, BS 1975, was given the Jesse Stewart Service Award for his work. The evening concluded by awarding the Alumnus of the Year title to Bob Heyman, BS RPh 1952. This year’s alumni reunion is being held on November 9 at Carlisle Banquets in Lombard, Illinois. We will be celebrating the classes ending in 3 and 8. Save the date and we’ll see you there! And if you know anyone deserving of one of the alumni awards nominate them at: go.uic.edu/UICPharmAlumniAwards
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For a donation of $500 to the Annual Fund, you can get a brick engraved with up to 64 characters placed in beautiful new POZEN Plaza. Due to ongoing maintenance, this opportunity will not happen again for at least three years. Get yours today. Place your order at go.uic.edu/PlazaProject by May 1. If we receive enough orders we will be laying the bricks in the plaza over the summer. If not the bricks will be laid at their earliest convenience.
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ALUMNI PROFILE
BY DANIEL P. SMITH
An Unimaginable Journey George Riedl once envisioned a career in community pharmacy. Today, he directs pharmacy operations at the world’s largest retailer. George Riedl (BS 1983) seemed destined to be a pharmacist. Among his immediate family, Riedl counts 11 pharmacists, including his father, Ernest (BS, 1948), who directed Riedl Pharmacy in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood for some three decades. There, Riedl swept floors and manned the candy counter as a middle schooler before graduating onto reading and filling prescriptions. As college neared, the Berwyn, Ill., native didn’t much contemplate other careers. “My goal was to be the best pharmacist I could be by serving and educating my patients just as my father did,” Riedl says. On that seemingly pre-ordained road to life in community pharmacy, however, Riedl was fortuitously sidetracked. His time as a College of Pharmacy undergraduate exposed him to the broader world of pharmacy opportunities, while Dr. Ludwig Bauer, the College’s hard-nosed medicinal chemistry professor, challenged Riedl to pursue his ultimate potential. “I had no doubts the College was invested in my success,” Riedl says. During his senior year, Riedl began an apprenticeship at an enterprising local retail operation with national ambitions. Over the next 27 years, Riedl would hold 16 different roles at Walgreens ranging from pharmacy manager and district supervisor to corporate positions quarterbacking everything from purchasing, merchandising and marketing to the launch of the company’s first transactional website.
At the close of 2009, Riedl left Walgreens. After stints in consulting and consumer goods, he joined Walmart in December 2015 as its president of health and wellness. He is currently responsible for all pharmacy business across some 4,700 U.S. stores, an expansive charge that includes overseeing operations, purchasing, merchandising, managed care, clinical services, vision care, health clinic operations and more as well as helping to define the strategy and direction of healthcare at Walmart, the world’s largest retailer.
OR GE
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RIEDL
“I love the work because I love finding people with exceptional talent, building teams and finding new ways to contribute to a company uniquely positioned to solve health challenges in the U.S. given its size and community standing,” Riedl says. In a way, it’s as if Riedl’s work at Walmart represents a super-sized version of the community pharmacy life he envisioned long ago.
‘83
“Walmart is a company that prides itself on a culture of service, respect, excellence and integrity and that’s all I ever wanted to give this profession.” GEORGE RIEDL
“I was so fortunate to find myself at a growing company that favored promoting from within,” Riedl says. “And whenever I got tapped on the shoulder, I buried myself in that new role.”
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ALUMNI NEWS
We are pioneers, pushing innovation, exploring possibilities, relentlessly researching in genetics to create life-saving drugs. By building research programs and expanding collaborations with peer colleges at UIC and beyond, we can create a more effective and equitable healthcare system, grounded in the quest for new solutions. But we can’t do it alone. We need your help: • Recruiting world-leading entrepreneurial scientists to lead and teach. • Investing in fellowships and funds to help students and faculty turn breakthrough discoveries into businesses. • Creating and improving new research and learning spaces.
Kudos
Brenton Bialik, PharmD 2014, is now a Medical Science Liaison, US Immunology Midwest at Shire. Caryn Dellamorte Bing, BS 1979, received the ASHP Distinguished Leadership Award at 52nd Annual Midyear Clinical Meeting in December. The Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes contributions to excellence in pharmacy practice leadership in acute and ambulatory care settings. Stephanie Dwyer, PharmD 2015, is now a Clinical Pharmacist/Clinical Assistant Professor at UIC College of Pharmacy. Arsany Ibrahim, PharmD 2014, is now a Staff Pharmacist at Walmart. Mihaela (Popescu) Jason, PharmD 2009, is now the Safety Evaluator Team Leader, Pharmacovigilance at the FDA. Samantha Landolfa, PharmD 2015, is now the Anticoagulation Clinics Pharmacy Supervisor with Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Delaware. Jenny Le, PharmD 2016, is now a Clinical Pharmacist at Preveon Health in San Diego, California. Samantha Kush, PharmD 2016 is now BCPS certified.
Help us ignite the world of Pharmacy by donating at pharmgiving.uic.edu.
Nanette Gamazon Masangcay, PharmD 2010 now working as a Clinical Trials Pharmacist at Rush University Medical Center. Syed Munawer, PharmD 2016, is now Senior Medical Information Associate at Astellas. Nashrah Maryum, PharmD 2016, is now the Associate Manager, Regulatory Advertising and Promotional Review at Astellas.
COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Megan Prasse, PharmD 2009, is now a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Rush University Medical Center. Jennifer (Kutemeier) Sandi, PharmD 1991, earned her Board Certification for Critical Care Pharmacy (BCCCP) from the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Kavita Singh, PharmD 2007, is now an Oncology (Solid Tumor) Medical Science Liaison for Celgene. Neil Schroeder, PharmD 2016, is now BCPS certified, and an Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor at Hines VA Hospital. Robert Wittenberg, PharmD 2007, started a new position at Astellas Pharma Global Development as Associate Director Regulatory Affairs, Advertising and Promotion. Rebecca (Zaworski) Young, PharmD 2012, is now a Clinical Pharmacist at Advocate Medical Services.
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Know an alum who deserves
RECOGNITION? Let us know! We’re currently accepting nominations for: RISING STAR AWARD for alums who have graduated in the last 10 years. JESSE STEWART SERVICE AWARD for alums who have generously donated their time. ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR to an alum with a distinguished career.
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Alina Meile, PharmD 2010, married Francisco (Paco) Dimas on November 24 at Wedgewood, Stallion Mountain in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ed Cohen, BS 1975, married Lillian Maltz on October 29. Michelle Bryson, PharmD 2011, got married on September 29 at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. The happy couple honeymooned in Vietnam. Brennan Ertmer, PharmD 2011, married his wife Kari on October 14, 2017. For more information, or to nominate an alum go to: go.uic.edu/UICPharmAlumniAwards
Hari Patel, PharmD 2011, married Ekta Guggal on November 18. Clare Kane, PharmD 2015, got engaged to Marc McDowell on December 17. Michael Kenes, PharmD 2013, got engaged to Jodie Franzil. Colleen Murray, PharmD 2012, is engaged to Eric Cappelli. Numera Quraishi, PharmD 2016, got engaged to Khuram Ali on November 25.
OBITUARIES
Babies Meghan (Hatzer) Krzan, PharmD 2015, and husband Chris welcome their first child. Son Cole was born on November 11, 2017. He weighed 6 lbs.14oz.
Madeline Saffle, PharmD 2016, and husband Christopher Saffle welcomed baby girl Evelyn Rose Saffle on July 2, 2017.
Dipa (Shah) DenOuden, PharmD 2014 and her husband Christian welcomed their first child. Daughter, Lyla Grace was born on October 23. She weighed in at 7lbs 2oz and was 19 1/2” long. (NO PHOTO) Daniel Gardner, PharmD 2012, and his wife Juju Murad welcomed daughter Amira Laila on December 12, 2017. She weighed 8lbs 6oz and measured 20.5 inches long. (NO PHOTO)
Marie (Matesi) Alessandra, BS ’59, passed away December 20, 2017; in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Alessandra, became Chief Pharmacist at Edward Hospital in Naperville, having set up the first pharmacy there. She also worked at her grandfather’s drugstore, Matesi Rexall in Lockport and Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance, California. Josephine Mika, passed away November 21, 2017 in Munster, Indiana. Mrs. Mika is the wife of former faculty member, Dr. Edward Mika. The Mika’s created a named endowed scholarship which is awarded annually to a P3 student. Thomas Yankee, PharmD ’95, passed away June 23, 2017 in Overland Park, Kansas.
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COLLEGE OF PHARMACY UIC College of Pharmacy (MC 874) 833 South Wood Street Chicago, Illinois 60612