The Pharmacist - Spring 2019

SPRING 2019 • Volume 41 • Issue 2

The Pharmacist

THE THE CLINICAL CLINICAL ISSUE ISSUE

A publication The Magazineofofthe theUIC UICCollege Collegeof ofPharmacy Pharmacy

MAPPING SUCCESS

UIC’s Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Section is one of the largest and oldest such fellowship programs in the country.

American Dream Dr. Bhavesh Patel and Carepoint Pharmacy are changing the landscape of independent pharmacy.

From Asia to UIC and Back Again Dr. Chaitanya Aggarwal’s career has been an adventurous trip.

Keep Learning Dr. Scott Conry’s drive for perpetual improvement began at UIC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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16 Features 10 Driven by an Infectious Focus

Drs. Larry Danziger and Keith Rodvold are charting a course for success.

16 American Dream

Dr. Bhavesh Patel is revolutionizing independent pharmacy by solving problems.

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.

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5 EDITORIAL CREDITS Publisher Glen T. Schumock, PharmD, MBA, PhD Professor and Dean Editors Ben Stickan, MBA, CFRE Assistant Dean of Advancement

23 Departments 2

From The Dean

From classroom to career.

3 Calendar

Chris Gummert Associate Director of Donor Relations Proofreaders Nate Downing Deb Fox Glen Schumock Ben Stickan Contributing Editors Michael Dhar Chris Gummert Daniel P. Smith Photography Barry Donald Designed by Studio V Design, Inc

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College News

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Student News

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Dan Yousif

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Research Day

The Pharmacist 833 S. Wood St. (MC 874) Chicago, IL 60612 Phone: (312) 996-7240 E-mail: pharmacy@uic.edu

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Alumni Profile

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Alumni News

©2019. All rights reserved.

Chaitanya Aggarwal: From Asia to UIC And Back Again.

Scott Conry: Keep Learning.

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FROM THE DEAN

Classroom to Career

BY DR. GLEN T. SCHUMOCK

From student or trainee to respected professional. From classroom or laboratory to a successful career.

That is the transition that the UIC College of Pharmacy has enabled for over 10,000 alumni since 1859. It is a key part of the mission of the College. It is what students come here for, what motivates our faculty and staff, and why our practice-based and corporate partners, friends and alumni continue to support us.

In this issue of The Pharmacist you will read about some of the many successful alumni of the UIC College of Pharmacy, about their transition from classroom-tocareer, and the faculty that helped them. Alumni like Scott Conry, PharmD ’93. In the quarter decade since graduating, Dr. Conry has had a stellar career in the pharmaceutical industry. Responsible for a team of 40 field medical liaisons at Novartis Oncology, Dr. Conry credits his ability to continuously learn and master new skills to his time as a student at UIC, and the professors who showed him the way.

Bhavesh Patel, PharmD ’98, (pictured above with me) is another great example. After graduating from the UIC College of Pharmacy, Dr. Patel sought experience in various jobs in retail, hospital, and infusion pharmacy. He then put his training and experience to work for himself – by founding his own independent pharmacy in 2012. In 2018, his “CarePoint Pharmacy” was named the second

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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SPRING 2019

fastest growing company in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business. An immigrant from India, Dr. Patel feels he is the perfect example of the American Dream. He credits his inspiration to the academic challenges and collaborations with fellow students while at UIC. With one of the largest pharmacy graduate programs in the country, the UIC College of Pharmacy has produced hundreds of successful PhD and Master’s degree graduates. Chaitanya Aggarwal, PhD ’14, trained under faculty member associate professor Dr. Michael Federle and conducted research in antibiotic drug discovery. His experience at UIC gave him the confidence to take risks, innovate, and challenge himself. Based in Singapore, Dr. Aggarwal is now head of in-house consulting in the AsianPacific region for Merck KGaA. The final article you will read is about the wellknown fellowship program in infectious disease pharmacotherapy – the longest standing and best-known such program in the United States. Its success, and that of the larger Infectious Disease Section within the Department of Pharmacy Practice, is due to the efforts of professors Drs. Larry Danziger and Keith Rodvold.

Together the two have trained over 75 fellows, whose names read like a Who’s Who of infectious disease pharmacotherapy. This and programs like it are what make the UIC College of Pharmacy one of the top destinations for advanced training in pharmacy practice and research.

The stories in this issue of The Pharmacist highlight the impact that the faculty and staff of the UIC College of Pharmacy have on the careers of its students and trainees. It provides evidence that we are accomplishing our mission. A mission that has recently been updated as part of an intensive strategic planning process for the College. That process, which involved hundreds of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners, culminated in the approval of our new Strategic Plan 2019-2023. I encourage you to review the plan at go.uic.edu/StrategicPlan. 

Our Digital Edition issuu.com/uicpharmacy

The 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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Provide unparalleled pharmacy education and training

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SEARCH RE

APR Lead the nation in pharmaceutical research that impacts health I

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OVATION

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HONORS CONVOCATION

The 67th Annual Doctor of Pharmacy Honors Convocation where award scholarships and awards to deserving students.

Reception at 5 p.m. in the Lobby, followed by the Ceremony at 6 p.m. in Room 134-1.

25TH ANNIVERSARY SNPHA CELEBRATION

Join current and past members of SNPhA as we celebrate the organizations silver anniversary at the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago. For more information or to register, please contact Jenna Crosby at alumniliaison.snphauic@gmail.com.

DERSHI EA

APR

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Advance the profession through leadership and advocacy ABORAT LL I

APHA-ASP GOLF OUTING FUNDRAISER

Join alumni and friends at the APhA-ASP Golf Outing on April 27 at Arrowhead Golf Club in Wheaton. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Patrick Ndungu at pndung2@uic.edu; For more information, pricing and to register, please contact Sajeel Latif at slatif3@uic.edu.

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ALUMNI & FRIENDS RECEPTION AT APHA

Join Dean Schumock during the APhA Annual Meeting at the Hard Rock Café (116 Pike St, Seattle) from 5-6:30 p.m. For more information or to RSVP to Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu.

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Be the epicenter of innovative pharmacy services

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NORMAN R. FARNSWORTH LECTURE

Join us for the annual Norman R. Farnsworth Lecture by keynote speaker Ikhlas A. Khan, PhD on Friday, March 22 in Room 134-1. Lecture 11:30 a.m-12:30 p.m. followed by a reception from 12:30-2 p.m.

CALENDAR

FIVE-POINT VISION

MAY Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and inclusiveness

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MAY

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GOLDEN GRAD CELEBRATION AT COMMENCEMENT

Calling members of the Class of 1969! We would like to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of your graduation by welcoming and honoring the class at the Class of 2019 Commencement ceremony. For more information or to register for Golden Grads, please contact Dr. Deb Agard at agard@uic.edu.

ALUMNI & FRIENDS RECEPTION AT ISPOR

The Alumni and Friends Reception at ISPOR will take place at The Rusty Nail (1100 Constance St., New Orleans) on Monday, May 20 from 6-8 p.m. RSVP to Deb Fox at dfox4@uic.edu.

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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ALUMNI REUNION

Save The Date. Dean Glen Schumock invites you to the Alumni Reunion. We will be celebrating the classes of ’49, ’54, ’59, ’64, ’69, ’74, ’79, ’84, ’89, ’94, ’99, ’04, ’09, and ’14. We are also now accepting nominations for alumni awards, which will be given out at the Reunion. For more information on the awards, and to nominate an alumni go to go.uic.edu/UICPharmAlumniAwards. Alumni nominations will close on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

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COLLEGE NEWS

Dr. Judy Bolton, 56, distinguished professor

and head of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, died March 5.

“ Judy was a beloved friend and colleague whose impact as a researcher, educator and mentor will never be forgotten. She will live forever in our hearts.”

DR. GLEN SCHUMOCK, DEAN OF THE UIC COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

Bolton, who passed away due to complications from breast cancer, joined the university faculty in 1994 as an assistant professor. She was appointed head of the department of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy in 2005; in this role, she guided the department through a period of tremendous growth and success. She was named a UIC Distinguished Professor in 2017.

“Judy was extremely dedicated to her work, and devoted to her scientific family, and to the UIC College of Pharmacy,” Schumock said. “She very much enjoyed her role as department head. Judy’s unequivocal support

and mentorship of the faculty, students, postdoctoral researchers and staff was one of the many attributes for which Judy was beloved.”

A highly respected scientist, Bolton’s widely published work focused on understanding why women who take hormone replacement therapy or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) drugs are at increased risk for developing hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast or endometrial cancers. By understanding these mechanisms, she hoped to develop alternative drugs, and she was an active researcher in the UIC/ National Institutes of Health Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements Research.

Bolton was named UIC Woman of the Year in 2013, and her most recent award was a Founder’s Award from the American Chemical Society.

In lieu of flowers, Bolton’s family has requested donations be made to an endowment established before her death. Contributions can be made at www.giving.pharmacy.uic.edu in Bolton’s honor.

Please indicate “UIC COP Professor Judy L. Bolton Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Endowed Fund” in the bottom field, labeled “other.”

Anniversay Celebration The Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) will be celebrating 25 years at the UIC College of Pharmacy this year with an anniversary celebration on April 13. SNPhA is dedicated to representing the views and ideas of minority pharmacists on critical issues affecting health care and pharmacy; as well as advancing the standards of pharmaceutical care among all practitioners.

Saturday, April 13 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

National Hellenic Museum 333 S Halsted, Chicago, IL 60661

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Ticket Prices • $50 Students • $75 Alumni and Guests For more information, email alumniliaison.snphauic@gmail.com.

Dr. Brad Bartels was named Fall Teacher of the Semester by the Classes of 2021 and 2022.

Tiffany Bumpers

received the 2018 UIC Award of Merit during the 2018 UIC Employee Recognition Awards Ceremony and Reception on November 6.

Dr. Mike Gabay married Michael Miller on

October 19, 2018. The happy couple honeymooned in Palm Springs, CA.

Dr. Michelle Martin joined the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

She serves alongside fellow faculty Dr. Rob DiDomenico and Dr. Jerry Bauman.

Dr. Jan Engle

presented at the 9th International Conference of the Royal Medical Services in Jordan.

 Baby  Dr. Leena Deshpande and husband Dr. Nikhil Vajaria welcomed their second child, daughter Sienna was born on June 10, 2018. Sienna joins big sister, Sophia who is two and a half years old.

Dr. Dima Qato was selected as a 2018-2020 National Academy of Medicine Fellow in Pharmacy.

Dr. Z. Jim Wang was named the 2018 UIC Distinguished Researcher of the Year in Basic Life Sciences.

Dr. Isaac Cha was named

Fall Teacherof the Semester by the Class of 2020.

JoAnn Stubbings has

Megan Mangnuson and husband Robert, welcomed Vivienne Grace Magnuson and Mae Belle Magnuson on May 29, 2018 at 26.4 weeks gestation, due to preeclampsia and twin to twin transfusion syndrome.

Vivienne was 1 lb 13.5 oz and Mae was 1 lb 4 oz at birth.

Mae was transferred to Lurie’s Children’s Hospital on August 7th where it was discovered several weeks later through a CT scan that she had a very rare and serious disease called ‘pulmonary vein stenosis’ that was not allowing her lungs to properly aerate. Mae peacefully passed away on September 8th, 2018 in Megan’s arms with Robert at her side. After 114 days in the NICU, Vivienne was discharged on September 18th, 2018. The family, including big sister Jane, 8 years old, and Samuel, 5 years old, are incredibly thankful for the teams that worked tirelessly to give Mae a chance at life and helped Vivienne live.

been appointed Chair of the Executive Committee in the Section of Specialty Pharmacy Practitioners in ASHP. | The Pharmacist | 5

COLLEGE NEWS Kimberly Huang, MPA, Assistant Director of Grants and Contracts, is a recipient of the APAC Professional Development Award.

Dr. Jeremy Johnson

received a $1.7 million NIH/NCI MERIT Award. His research will identify compounds from Asian mangosteen fruit that can target androgen receptors in prostate cancer.

Cindi Schaefer

received the UIC College of Pharmacy Rockford Rockstar Award at the UIC Health Sciences Campus Employee Recognition dinner. She was nominated by a number of faculty and staff at the College.

Dr. John Nitiss was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He will be honored at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2019 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Drs. Alan Lau, Christina Mectal Haaf and Jennifer Pharm traveled to Manila, Philippines to speak at the University of Santo Tomas.

Dean Emerita Rosalie Sagraves returned to the College of Pharmacy to speak on Women Pharmacist Day.

Thank You! Drs. Sandy Cuellar and Christina Mectal Haaf had a

chapter published in the 3rd Edition of the Drug-Induced Diseases Prevention, Detection and Management.

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The Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs would like to thank the guest lecturers who spoke to the Dean’s Leadership Forum class this fall semester. This course features speakers who represent a wide variety of pharmacy career paths allowing our students to gain a bit of insight on their fields. This allows students to hear real world accounts from leaders as well as rising stars.

• Zach Carson, PharmD, Hot Shots Nuclear Medicine • Hina Choudhary, PharmD ’11, L’Oreal • John Coleman, PharmD, Nabriva Therapeutics AG • Caryn Dellamorte Bing, BS ’79, CB Healthcare Consulting • Christopher Dao, PharmD ’16, U.S. Public Health Service • Bernard Hsu, PharmD ’15, Novartis • Kenneth Johnson, PharmD, XERIS Pharmaceuticals • Jon Lehan, PharmD, Rock Valley Compounding Pharmacy • Tim Lehan, RPh, Lehan Drugs • Jeff Mucksavage, PharmD, UIC College of Pharmacy • Phil Naughten, PharmD, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. • Hina Patel, PharmD ’98, NorthShore University HealthSystem • Masooma Razvi, PharmD ’14, Pfizer • George Riedl, BS ’83, Riedl Retail Health Solutions • Jennifer Samp, PharmD ’12, MS ’12, PhD ’17, AbbVie • Daphne Smith-Marsh, PharmD ’97, UIC College of Pharmacy

STUDENT NEWS

Rho Chi Association of Indian Pharmacists in America (AIPhA) • Held annual Diwali Dinner and Cultural Show.

• Volunteered at Indian American Medical Association Charitable Fund.

• Participated in the Hot Chocolate Run.

• Helped boy scouts earn medication safety badges through partnership between the Boy Scouts of America and The National Council on Patient Information and Education.

• Hosted a joint research seminar with Illinois Council of Health Systems Pharmacists (ICHP) American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP).

Sharing Care Rho Chi along with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), Christian Pharmacist Fellowship International (CPFI), and Infectious Disease Student Pharmacist Association (IDSPhA) hosted a health fair at the Pacific Garden Mission. Each group handled a different topic. IDSPhA discussed safe sex and STIs. APhA discussed hypertension and diabetes management, and performed blood glucose testing residents and blood pressure testing for residents.

CPFI educated residents on managing depression and anxiety. With the grant money received from winning the Chapter Project Proposal, Rho Chi were able to put together and distribute over 100 goody bags, including things like band-aids, socks, Tylenol, and hand sanitizer.

Practicing Mental Health The American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists International Pharmaceutical Student Federation group (APhA-ASP IPSF) collaborated with Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists (ICHP) to coordinate a presentation regarding mental health awareness and the resources available for the community. The event featured a discussion panel on ways to relieve stress and to practice mindfulness as well as a mediation session led by the Venerable Suchart, a practicing Buddhist Monk from the Meditation Center of Chicago. Under the Venerable Suchart’s guidance, over forty-five pharmacy students attended on a busy Thursday lunch period to meditate and practiced mental wellness for twenty minutes.

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STUDENT NEWS

AMCP P&T Competition 2019 Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) is proud to announce that the 19th Annual Pharmacy & Therapeutics (P&T) Competition was an incredible success with a record high number of 35 teams! Students used their clinical and economic skills and evidence-based medicine knowledge to decide whether to place their study drug, TYMLOS (abaloparatide), on a drug formulary or not.

Community Drug Education Committee (CDEC) Students from UIC’s Community Drug Education Committee (CDEC) volunteered at Ombudsman High School to teach teens about drug use and addiction.

At these sessions, PowerPoint presentations and open discussion are used to encourage Ombudsman students to have an honest conversation on drugs. These volunteer events aim to address any misconceptions and clear up any questions students may have. As drug experts, pharmacy students have knowledge to share and guide the audience towards making safe decisions. CDEC worked to provide resources to the students and to foster conversation about past experiences.

Amongst those 35 teams, the faculty advisors, Drs. Margaret Byun, Michael Gannon, and Irene Park, chose the Top 15 Teams’ drug monograph and formulary decision to present on January 18, 2019. We had 26 managed care pharmacists, industry pharmacists, and/ or COP alumni who took time out of their busy schedule to volunteer as judges.

Congratulations to the Top 3 Teams who competed at the final round of competition on January 25, 2019!

FIRST PLACE • Team #5 • Kent Hanson, Hali Ramirez, Victoria Marshall, Andrew Posen SECOND PLACE • Team #1 • Josiah Baker, Hanna Hwang, Vishal Shah, Joshua Baczkowski THIRD PLACE • Team #6 • Brandon Klein, Phuong Dung Luong, Hannah Dalogdog, Ryan Hill

Thank you to UIC AMCP Chapter advisors and the numerous sponsorships we received from AMCP Midwest Affiliates, CVS Health, Astellas, Lundbeck, and UIC’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs.

Thank you very much to all the competitors, volunteers, and executive board members who contributed their time and effort to make this year’s UIC AMCP P&T Competition just another success!

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) • Volunteer with Feed My Starving Children.

• Host independent pharmacy owners to share their own experiences.

Illinois Council of Health Systems Pharmacists (ICHP) • Held Student/Alumni social.

• Spread awareness of pediatric oncology with the More Than 4 campaign.

Polish American Pharmacists Association (PAPA) • Paczki and princepolo fundraiser • Flu clinic • Blood pressure and blood glucose health fairs • Co-Hosted student-athlete flu shot clinic with Student Society of Veterinary Pharmacy (SSVP).

The Polish American Pharmacy Association, PAPA, expanded its service to the community by partnering with the Polish-American Association (PAA). PAPA delivered three presentations in Polish to PAA members struggling with addiction. The presentations included information about what addiction is and its risk factors, how alcohol affects the brain, medications to treat alcoholism, and drug interactions with alcohol. The sessions included pre/post quizzes as well as a question and answer session. PAPA served an estimated 20 patients, all of whom were Polish immigrants. They plan to continue our working with PAA and expand their involvement with the organization.

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Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) The Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO) chapter, in collaboration with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs, hosted their 3rd Annual Pharma Fair. This event exposes students to different aspects of the pharmaceutical industry and the various companies in the area as well as around the United States.

Students were able to network and learn from current fellows and fellowship directors from companies, such as AbelsonTaylor, Astellas, the FDA, Alnylam, AbbVie, UCB, Eli Lilly, Sanofi Aventis, Horizon Pharma, Takeda, and UIC’s own Pharmacy Systems Outcomes and Policy department.

Infectious Disease Student Pharmacist Association (IDSPhA)

Kappa Psi • Hosted 11 collegiate fraternity chapters and four graduate chapters for the bi-annual Mid-America Province Assembly Meeting.

• Hosted a Mario Kart tournament fundraiser to benefit the fraternity’s national philanthropy – Reach Out and Read.

• Made presentations about antibiotic stewardship.

• Participated in the Safer Sex Fest by offering education on sexually-transmitted diseases.

• Hosted the second annual “Say No to the Flu” flu kit giveaway.

The Infectious Disease Student Pharmacist Association (IDSPhA) Rockford educated the local homeless population about the community resources available to them during the winter months. They also discussed appropriate non-pharmacologic options to help them recover if they were to get the flu or cold.

The Muslim Pharmacy Student Association (MuPhSA) • Hosted a social dinner for the other Muslim student associations in medicine, dentistry, nursing, public health, and the graduate college at UIC. • Hosted panelists from Northwestern to speak at our alumni panel.

• Hosted a cultural health expo with the other cultural/ religious organizations at the UIC College of Pharmacy to educate students on different cultural/religious medical remedies.

The Muslim Pharmacy Student Association, MuPhSA, did blood pressure and blood glucose screenings at the Muslim-American Society-Islamic Circle of North America (MAS-INCA) convention during winter break. MAS-ICNA helps Muslims in America overcome the new challenges this country now faces. The convention hosts tens of thousands of Muslims from all over America.

Student Society of Veterinary Pharmacy (SSVP) • Raised money for the Evanston Animal Shelter’s Trick or Treat Trot for Tails.

• Co-Hosted student-athlete flu shot clinic with Polish American Pharmacists Association (PAPA).

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DRIVEN BY AN

Infectious Since 1996, Drs. Larry Danziger and Keith Rodvold have directed a section focused on infectious disease research, training and clinical service.

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SPRING 2019

CO

ON

FOCUS

BY DANIEL P. SMITH

ABORAT LL I

A large U.S. map graces the wall of Larry Danziger’s first-floor office inside the UIC College of Pharmacy building. Dozens of small plastic flags protrude from the framed, earth-toned map, lining both coasts and peppering the U.S. heartland.

Each flag, Danziger explains, marks the current location of a former fellow from the College’s Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Section – one of the largest and longest-standing such fellowship programs in the U.S. As Danziger stands alongside his College of Pharmacy colleague Dr. Keith Rodvold, with whom he founded the Section in 1996 and continues serving as its co-director, he beams about the contributions of the Section’s past fellows. Danziger tells of individuals working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, major pharmaceutical industry players and various universities, including some of who have constructed academic programs modeled after the heralded UIC-based Section.

“For Keith and I, [the fellows] are like our children and we’re both so proud of all they’ve accomplished,” says Danziger, a professor of pharmacy practice.

Over the last 23 years, the Infectious Diseases Section – propelled by the enterprising spirit of those fellows as well as Danziger, Rodvold and a swelling group of faculty colleagues – has emerged a prominent player in the healthcare landscape by delivering education, clinical support and research to the University and an array of external partners. The Section has bolstered patient care, created a robust training program and highlighted the value pharmacists can bring to interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

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Seizing Momentum In the mid-1990s, a time in which various other College faculty members were forming their own specific sections, Dr. Richard Hutchinson, then-head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, encouraged Danziger and Rodvold to formally merge their respective expertise in infectious diseases. Establishing a section, Hutchinson advised, would spark more collaborative, organized research around infectious diseases and inject fresh energy into the specialty field.

Though Danziger and Rodvold regularly worked together on training and research throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, they nevertheless remained independent, each maintaining his own group of postdocs and individual research directions. Creating a more formalized operating unit, however, streamlined their work and supercharged their efforts.

“Everything changed from that moment forward,” says Rodvold, who, like Danziger, is also a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice.

In fact, there was a near-immediate surge in fellows, faculty collaboration and external partnerships. Danziger and Rodvold went from each having “one or two fellows” to six between them. The added capacity increased the scope of research and positioned the Section for exponential growth.

“Everything synergized,” Danziger says. “We had this tremendous spurt in research and training activity because we were representing a larger group.”

Navigating Success Early on, the Section established a strong relationship with Abbott Laboratories, with whom it helped develop multiple drugs.

“That got people paying attention to us,” Danziger says of the Abbott collaboration. “And, frankly, that’s when we realized ourselves that people needed our expertise.”

Other partnerships soon followed – first of the local variety, including collaborations with Loyola University Medical Center, the Cook County Health and Hospitals System and other industry players before moving regionally, then nationally and, eventually, internationally. There was, for example, the creation of a national program for PharmD infectious disease fellows established in partnership with the University of Minnesota and Wayne State University as well as an eight-year drug development initiative with WHO. These collaborations escalated the credibility of the Section and also provided the Section’s fellows a diverse array of compelling research opportunities.

That, in turn, led to heightened competition for the Section’s fellowships.

“One day, we turned around and had trained 75 people,” Danziger jokes.

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“ We were helping infectious disease doctors learn nuance and showing what a pharmacist trained in infectious diseases could do.”

LARRY DANZIGER, PHARMD

At the same time, additional faculty members from the College joined Danziger and Rodvold in the clinical realm.

That spurred deep relationships with entities such as the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, John H. Stroger Cook County Hospital, the Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and the Division of Infectious Diseases at UI Health.

As chair of Cook County Hospital’s Division of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Robert Weinstein relished the opportunity to leverage the Section’s personnel, acumen and spirited focus. “[The Section] had a great working knowledge of clinical and research pharmacology, while Larry and Keith, in particular, were great collaborators with excellent trainees interested in learning and working,” says Weinstein, who maintained a relationship with the Section as he moved onto leading Cook County Health’s Department of Medicine and serving as CORE Center’s chief operating officer.

For Danziger and Rodvold, the creation of a formalized section at the College energized their respective careers and enlivened the research, clinical and training elements of infectious disease pharmacy at UIC. “Our department head was smarter than us,” Danziger says of Hutchinson. “He saw the value we could add.”

Charging into the Future Today, the Section’s mission remains unchanged from its 1996 founding – to carry out important research, clinical and training opportunities around infectious diseases – though it pursues that work on a much greater scope these days.

Indeed, the Section today extends far beyond Danziger and Rodvold and includes faculty who have pushed the Section into a number of notable areas, both clinical and research. To wit: • Drs. Melissa Badowski and Thomas Chiampas lead the HIV Telemedicine Clinic that provides care to 26 facilities within the Illinois Department of Corrections system.

• Drs. Renata Smith, Sarah Michienzi and Rodrigo Burgos recently received an industry-sponsored grant to treat hepatitis C virus infection in populations with substance abuse and other social barriers.

• Dr. Eric Wenzler is investigating the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antimicrobials in both the in vitro and clinical arenas.

• Dr. Zackery Bulman’s lab is evaluating antibiotic combination therapy with in vitro infections models for treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

• Drs. Gail Itokazu and Robert Glowacki provide clinical pharmacy services in infectious diseases at Cook County Hospital.

• Dr. Blake Max guides outpatient pharmacy services at the CORE Center for patients with HIV infections.

Also on the research front, the Section is involved in Phases I through IV clinical trials of existing and investigational antimicrobial compounds. The Microbiology Research Laboratory, which the Section launched and currently manages, continues exploring the activity of novel compounds and approaches to improve the use of both new and old antimicrobials as well as new pharmacotherapeutic options for the treatment of antibiotic resistant infections.

With an unrelenting and unapologetic belief in translational research, one sharpened by their early careers in clinical pharmacy, both Danziger and Rodvold steer much of the Section’s research toward work with real-world applications.

Inevitably, though, everything circles back to training and the educational focus both Danziger and Rodvold have long championed for the College’s fellows and students, of course, but also the greater healthcare

field. Training, the longtime colleagues acknowledge, remains the ultimate ticket to a vigorous field and improved patient care.

At the College, Badowski, Smith and Chiampas have developed elective courses on topics such as case-based infectious diseases, management of the HIV patient, telemedicine in pharmacy practice and concepts in drug development, while Dr. Blake Max spearheaded the launch of the College’s Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in HIV Care course. Such conscientious training positions UIC’s pharmacy students and the Section’s fellows to be healthy contributors to a diverse array of organizations. “[The Section] has a great record of taking excellent people and turning them into even greater professionals and that’s evident with where the past fellows are today,” Weinstein observes. “Fellows once rounding with us years ago are now the ones giving the conference keynotes.”

Beyond the College’s classrooms and labs, the Section ran an annual continuing education program focused on infectious diseases for Chicago area healthcare providers and also provided programming to pharmacists through the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center. In addition, Rodvold and two past fellows, Dr. Manjunath Pai and Dr. Paul Gubbins, served as co-editors of the fourth edition of the Drug Interactions in Infectious Diseases textbook, a primer for which Rodvold and another past fellow, Dr. Stephen Piscitelli, were founding co-editors.

“Advancing the field and training the next generation of infectious disease pharmacists was consistently top of mind for us,” Danziger reports. “We never got far away from that.”

Now, Danziger and Rodvold’s most pressing challenge is to see that the Section is well positioned for a long, stable future. To that end, the Section has integrated new faculty members such as Wenzler, Bulman and Michienzi to propel the Section’s future.

“Programs and people come and go, but we got momentum and kept building on it, adding as others were shrinking,” Rodvold says. “The hope is that continues well into the future.”

Danziger agrees.

“Whether its research, clinical or training, pharmacy can bring a lot to patient care and the healthcare field,” he says. “We’ve tried to show that time and again.”

A map in Danziger’s office reminds that the Section has accomplished just that and much more.

| The Pharmacist | 13

FORMER FELLOWS YEAR NAME

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SPRING 2019

YEAR NAME

1984-1986

Frank Paloucek

1999-2001

Amit Pai

1985-1987

Robert Blum

2000-2002

Katie Suda

1986-1987

Jacquiline Danyluk

2001-2003

Shana Gunderson

1986-1988

Kevin Furmaga

2001-2003

Chris Schriever

1987-1989

Jill McCollam

2001-2004

Kelly Sprandel

1987-1989

Randy Pryka

2002-2004

Rupali Jain

1988-1990

Gail Itokazu

2002-2004

Kinnari Khorana

1989-1991

Pramodini Kale-Pradhan

2003-2004

Christine Fernandez

1989-1991

Linda Wesley

2004-2006

Kathryn Momary

1990-1992

Sharon Erdman

2005-2006

Sonia Vibhaker

1990-1992

Doug Fish

2005-2007

Jomy Joseph

1990-1992

Paul Gubbins

2005-2007

Christine Slover

1990-1993

Stephen Piscitelli

2006-2007

Rodrigo Burgos

1991-1992

Jenny Colombo

2006-2008

Sarah Langridge

1991-1993

Tom Kanyok

2007-2008

Somvadee Laohavaleeson

1991-1993

Susie Pendland

2008-2010

Jackie Joujry

1991-1994

Donna Cranford

2009-2010

Diana Yu

1992-1994

Chris Gentry

2009-2011

Ben Colton

1992-1994

Steve Martin

2009-2011

Tonya Crawford

1992-1994

Susan Raber

2010-2012

Emily Huesgen

1992-1994

Lori Schoonover

2010-2012

Zahra Kassamali

1993-1996

Joette Meyer

2010-2013

Julie Justo

1994-1995

Lawrence Watt

2011-2012

Kristy Shaeer

1994-1996

Mariela Diaz-Linares

2011-2014

Melinda Soriano

1994-1996

Aaron Killian

2012-2013

Tommy Chiampas

1994-1996

Ian McNicholl

2012-2014

Siyun Liao

1994-1997

Chad Messick

2012-2015

Kevin McConeghy

1995-1996

Blake Max

2013-2014

Andrew Merker

1995-1997

Christine Lesch

2014-2015

Whitney Dickson

1995-1997

Jim Scott

2014-2017

Eric Wenzler

1996-1998

Susan Chuck

2015-2017

Kristen Bunnell

1996-1998

Rose Jung

2015-2017

Sarah Michienzi

1997-1998

Renata Smith

2016-2017

Kari Horn

1998-2000

David Bearden

2016-2018

Mark Biagi

1998-2000

Joan Cannon

2016-2018

David Bulter

1998-2000

Melinda Neuhauser

2017-2018

Paa Kwesi Yanful

1998-2000

Suttiporn Pattharachayakul

2017-2019

Samah QasmieH

1998-2000

Pavenna Sonthisombat

2017-2019

Tan Xing

1998-2001

Kevin Garey

2018-2019

Marisa Brizzi

INFECTIOUS DISEASES FELLOWS

Where are they now?

From industry to academia to the public sector, past fellows from the UIC College of Pharmacy’s Infectious Diseases Section inhabit a diverse array of positions today. A sampling: A fellow from 1993-1996, Dr. Joette Meyer is currently an associate director for labeling at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Now in her 21st year with the FDA, Meyer oversees and manages the labeling portfolio for prescription drug and biological products in the Division of Gastroenterology and Inborn Errors Products. The Division conducts regulatory review and advises pharmaceutical companies on the development and approvability of drugs and biological products for the treatment of various GI diseases and inborn errors of metabolism, which includes drugs for rare diseases with serious unmet medical needs.

Upon completing his fellowship in 1993, Dr. Steve Piscitelli joined the National Institutes of Health before entering the corporate sector, including time as the global head of clinical pharmacology for the Infectious Diseases division at GlaxoSmithKline. Now the vice president of clinical pharmacology for Dermavant Sciences, Piscitelli was the first pharmacist to serve on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Guidelines Panel for Treatment of HIV Infection and is also a past member of the Pharmacy Professional Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General. His resume includes over 125 published papers and co-editing a drug interactions textbook with Keith Rodvold.

After completing his Infectious Diseases fellowship in 1992, Dr. Doug Fish accepted a position with the University of Colorado, where he is in his 27th year as a faculty member at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. As chair of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Fish oversees a roster of some five-dozen faculty members. A clinical specialist in critical care and infectious diseases, Fish has led the School’s PGY2 Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Residency program as well as its PGY2 Critical Care Pharmacy Residency program. 

“All of our research is devoted to having an impact on patient care.”

KEITH RODVOLD, PHARMD

| The Pharmacist | 15

L

P

DERSHI EA

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SPRING 2019

dream

How an independent pharmacy became one of Chicago’s fastest growing companies.

7

2,000

Carepoint locations

$230

scripts a day nationwide

million in revenue

Nearly seven years ago…

A humble beginning

Bhavesh R. Patel, PharmD ’98, opened a small independent retail pharmacy in Schaumburg, Illinois that, in its first year, filled about 50 prescriptions per day.

Today, Patel’s pharmacy network, Carepoint, spans seven locations, processes more than 2,000 scripts from across the United States daily, and generates approximately $230 million in revenue annually.

Dr. Patel’s first job was in a Target Pharmacy. He was 17 at the time and the position was one he humorously admits was short-lived. After graduating from UIC’s College of Pharmacy with a doctorate in pharmacy, he went on to work for Walgreens and CVS Caremark, and he worked in both hospital and specialty pharmacies.

Dr. Patel, 44, who immigrated to the U.S. from India in 1988 with his family, says he is living proof that the American Dream is possible.

“Even in my wildest dreams, I did not imagine this type of success and growth for Carepoint,” said Dr. Patel, founder and chief executive officer at Carepoint.

A self-described entrepreneur – it’s in his nature, he says, not just his professional experience – Dr. Patel credits Carepoint’s focus on customer service and innovation as the driver of its success: in 2018 Carepoint was named the second fastest growing company in Chicago by Crain’s Chicago Business and was recognized as one of the most inspiring companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine’s “2018 Inc. 5000” list, coming in at No. 1,243.

When Dr. Patel founded Carepoint, it was with just a handful of employees and a vision to offer outstanding customer service to patients in need of affordable and convenient pharmacy services.

How did Dr. Patel manage to increase Carepoint’s revenue by approximately $230 million annually since 2012?

“We got here by hard work and solving one problem at a time.”

DR. BHAVESH R. PATEL

| The Pharmacist | 17

“ We were open to any ideas and I was willing to talk with anyone about how we could offer better options to patients.”

DR. BHAVESH R. PATEL

“We started by primarily serving patients with diabetes,” Dr. Patel said. From glucose testing strips to insulin, Dr. Patel says his mission was to help patients get everything they needed, including compounded medications, home infusion services and specialty medications “under one roof,” or as is the case for most of Carepoint’s customers, by mail from one pharmacy.

At the beginning, the challenges were as expected: accreditations, building efficient processes and breaking into a market that largely favors large retail chains.

“Independent pharmacies face a number of barriers to entry,” Dr. Patel said. But for many patients, Dr. Patel says the drawback of using a chain pharmacy is that they may not receive personalized services or access to specialty pharmacy services, and they may have difficulty accessing drugs that are less profitable for larger retailers.

Carepoint’s mission, aided by Dr. Patel’s experience working in a variety of pharmacy environments, was about solving these problems for patients, and Dr. Patel started by working with providers. They contacted offices and said they could meet the needs of their patients. Providers started pointing patients in Carepoint’s direction.

A unique partnership Dr. Patel says things changed after a meeting with a drug sales representative and a resulting collaboration with a drug manufacturer.

“The manufacturer wanted to sell their branded drug to patients, but chain pharmacies were automatically filling patients’ scripts with generic drugs,” Dr. Patel said. “We agreed to fill scripts with the brand-name drug.”

Dr. Patel said this meant more work for the Carepoint team because they had to spend added time negotiating with insurance providers to ensure patients were not paying above their co-pay, but they felt they were ultimately supporting a win for patients – who are happy with a brand-name drug – and a win for the manufacturer.

It was also a win for Carepoint.

“We went from 50 prescriptions a day to a couple thousand a day, seemingly overnight,” Dr. Patel said.

“Things changed for us after that.” Dr. Patel says the partnership mattered more than the drug itself.

Carepoint now has more than 45 similar partnerships.

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SPRING 2019

130

employees

A customer service-driven focus on technology innovation “The majority of our customers are young, about 18 to 24 years old, and they love texting,” Dr. Patel said. “So we developed a texting infrastructure and smart phone application. For our patients, it’s as simple as responding to a text that asks ‘Do you need a refill?’”

This is only one example of the many technology-driven solutions in which Carepoint has invested over the years.

“We started to grow fast, almost too fast, and we had to build up our infrastructure to match – we needed a central server, phone technology, processing systems, more employees and the ability to train those employees,” Dr. Patel said.

As a result, Dr. Patel says it’s possible he talks to his software developer more than anyone else. “Maybe even my own family,” he said, although it just so happens that Carepoint is a family business. Dr. Patel’s wife, Priti, and her cousin, Pritesh, are Carepoint’s chief information officer and chief operating officer, respectively.

Dr. Patel and his team have an online tool for everything.

They have software that helps them document sterile compounding step-by-step, they have a dashboard that monitors the time a patient waits on the phone before speaking with a technician, and the list goes on.

delivers prescriptions by mail to “Everything was built customized to Carepoint’s needs,” Dr. Patel said. “Our systems and processes were developed to address inefficiencies as they were revealed.

“It’s rare for an independent pharmacy to do all the things we do, from retail prescriptions to compounding, home infusion and mail order,” Dr. Patel said. He says Carepoint tracks everything so they can find ways to improve the experience of their patients.

Tracking is also vital for Carepoint’s accreditations from the Joint Commission, URAC – as both a specialty pharmacy and a mail service pharmacy – and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

A commitment to the future Today, Carepoint operates on a “hub and spoke” model. It has about 130 employees, most of whom are based in Schaumburg, and it delivers prescriptions by mail to 41 states.

41

states

As Dr. Patel looks to the future, he wants to expand Carepoint’s mail-order network to reach patients in all 50 states.

“Pharmacy has always been, for me, the means to an entrepreneurial end,” Dr. Patel said. He was drawn to the industry because of its service to others and because he envisioned a future in which he could practice patient care while building his own business.

Dr. Patel looks back on his time at the College of Pharmacy and most significantly remembers the academic challenges and working with fellow students. It was inspiring, he said, to collaborate with his peers who were like-minded and driven.

“The best advice I can offer others is to take things one step at a time and to follow your dreams,” Dr. Patel said. “I have the perfect story of the American Dream – it wasn’t easy or without risk in the beginning, it’s not exactly easy now, but it’s worth it.” 

Dr. Patel says he runs his business by listening.

“The ideas come from the team,” Dr. Patel said. “If we get 10 phone calls with complaints, I want to know what I can do to solve the problem and make it so that next time we only get seven calls.”

| The Pharmacist | 19

UIC College of Pharmacy Class of 1983 Endowed Scholarship UIC College of Pharmacy is proud to announce the creation of a new endowed scholarship fund, the UIC College of Pharmacy Class of 1983 Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship, established by alumnus Dan Yousif, will provide valuable need-based financial support to assist and inspire future students.

Yousif believes the Class of 1983 is, “an exceptional and accomplished group,” and is asking his classmates to join in the scholarship fund.

Classmates and friends who share the vision to invest in current students may make additional contributions that will multiply the impact of the Class of 1983 in years ahead.

“Because the scholarship is endowed, it will keep generating revenue,” Downing said, “but if more people donate to the fund it will earn more interest and allow us to grant larger scholarships.”

If you would be interested in contributing to the Class of 1983 Endowed Scholarship at this time, please contact Nate Downing at (812) 343-1283 or ndowni2@uic.edu.

“ Scholarship funds like this are a way to make a lasting impact. The principal is invested and every year the interest is given out in scholarship awards.”

NATE DOWNING, Associate Director of Development

20 | pharmacy.uic.edu

WINTER 2018

RESEARCH DAY

Research Day 2019 The 10th Annual Research day, held February 8, was a tremendous success. The event featured 80 plus posters presented, a fantastic keynote seminar by Dr. Julie Johnson, Dean of Florida College of Pharmacy, the awarding of the Hans Vahlteich Award to Dr. Jennie Jarret, and terrific participation from our alumni and colleagues from industry. We would like to thank our corporate sponsors: Astellas, AbbVie, Genentech, Horizon, and Lundbeck for making this day possible.

More pictures and a list of winners can be found here: https://pharmacy.uic.edu/research/research-day î ľ

| The Pharmacist | 21

ALUMNI PROFILE DR

AI . CH

From Asia to UIC and Back Again: Chaitanya Aggarwal Keeps the Adventure Going

A AGGARWAL TANY

’14

After growing up in India and coming to theUIC College of Pharmacy to pursue a PhD, Dr. Chaitanya Aggarwal moved all the way back to Asia to build business teams for Merck KGaA (of Darmstadt, Germany) — making for a true adventure of a pharmaceutical career.

And the confidence he now has in taking on those challenges first blossomed thanks to a tremendously supportive UIC Ph.D. advisor, said Aggarwal, PhD ’14. “[Dr.] Michael Federle — in the true sense of the word really coached and mentored me,” Aggarwal said. Working in Federle’s then-new lab in 2009, Aggarwal had the freedom to grow as a researcher. His advisor encouraged Aggarwal to pursue independent research projects, present at major conferences and take a valuable internship at Genentech in San Francisco.

“The kind of freedom and autonomy he allowed me to have over my research projects and the way he encouraged me to go to different international conferences and present my findings — that was a huge confidence-booster and helped me grow as a professional,” Aggarwal said.

Today, Aggarwal builds on that confidence working to create two new in-houseconsulting teams for Merck KGaA, in Singapore and Shanghai. It’s a big project, said Aggarwal, who moved to Singapore in June 2018 as head of Inhouse Consulting-Asia Pacific (APAC) for the company.

“Basically, I’m building new teams from scratch to provide consulting services to Merck KGaA’s businesses across all APAC [Asia-Pacific] countries,” he said.

These teams “support internal clients in the successful conceptualization and implementation of international strategy, growth and optimization projects across all Merck business sectors,” he said.

Aggarwal got his first taste of pharmaceutical consulting while at UIC, volunteering at EnterpriseWorks Chicago (EWC), which incubates UIC professors’ startups. Consulting on an antibiotic drug launch, Aggarwal paired market-research and competitor analysis with the scientific knowledge he’d gained from his own

22 | pharmacy.uic.edu

SPRING 2019

antibiotic Ph.D. studies. The experience gave him a broader sense of his own career possibilities, he said.

“ I realized I don’t have to stick with research — I can have a career which leverages my scientific understanding and drives a pharma business.”

DR. CHAITANYA AGGARWAL

After UIC, Aggarwal pursed that business side actively, first joining Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Chicago, then moving to Boston to join Merck KGaA’s U.S. in-house consulting team. He worked there until the opportunity in Singapore arose.

In returning to Asia, Aggarwal found himself dealing, ironically, with the culture shock of West meets East. Studying and working in the United States, he had grown accustomed to the Western business world.

“Now, I’m back in Asia, but I still feel the cultural shock,” he said. “There’s a steep learning curve, a lot of cultural nuances and unique business challenges.”

Those include tremendous business growth rates compared to the West.

“All the countries are going through this explosion of growth,” he said.

Looking back on his career, Aggarwal advises UIC students to reach out to the school’s alumni network to explore different career paths. “We have really broad alumni network. If students engage with alumni, that’s actually very helpful.” 

ALUMNI PROFILE

Scott Conry Has Kept Learning, Ever Since UIC UIC Taught Scott Conry to Never Stop Learning At UIC, Dr. Scott Conry, PharmD ’93, learned to stretch his limits, always striving to learn more, he said. That growth mentality gave him a big advantage, Conry said, as he adapted to and mastered the business side of pharmacy. Combined with the clinical-pharmacy knowledge he gained at UIC, that’s made for a long, successful career leading everything from medical-liaison training to drug-launch meetings.

Today, Conry heads the hematology field-medical team for Novartis Oncology, managing four executive directors across the country, who in turn lead about 40 field medical liaisons. Those liaisons are “responsible for medical research in the field of both malignant and benign hematology,” he said.

“Our teams work in the field with researchers and physicians helping to not only bring research or ideas into the organization, but also working with them on research that’s company-sponsored,” Conry said. That includes working with researchers on leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell disease, as well as benign hematology.

Conry’s current position caps 20 years of work in the pharmaceutical industry, with the last three at Novartis, where he initially served as executive director of the rare-disease medical-liaison team. His first job in the industry came at SanofiAventis, with Conry working seven years, first as a medical liaison, then as a director of medical training. After Sanofi, Conry spent five years at Schering-Plough, managing cardiovascular medical liaisons and research nurses, then another five years at Novo Nordisk, where he directed hematology medical liaisons.

“One thing that I learned at UIC was really the concept of continual learning. And I’ve always continued that mindset of the next opportunity that comes my way, I want to hop right into it and learn it, whether I have those skills today or not.”

’93

DR. SCO TT C

ON

RY

DR. SCOTT CONRY

And in his most recent move, to Novartis Oncology, Conry has now paired those hard-earned skills with a more personally meaningful mission. Cancer has touched many people in Conry’s family, as he lost his mother to lung cancer, who’d lost all three of her sisters to lung or breast cancer. Conry’s father lost a brother to lung cancer and a sister to breast cancer, and has another brother with leukemia.

Conry’s sister survived thyroid cancer.

“So, needless to say, there’s been so much cancer in our family,” he said, “I wanted to really make a difference in that therapeutic area.”

With a long, and personally rewarding, career, Conry said he’s thankful for the advantages the UIC College of Pharmacy initially gave him — particularly the school’s professors.

“When I look back at the professors who taught us, at that time, they were truly the who’s who of professors in the pharmacy profession,” Conry said. 

Before moving into the pharmaceutical industry, Conry worked in retail pharmacy for about four years, before spending two years in managed care at CareMark.

In moving from his clinical pharmacy degree, and his work in the retail and managed-care worlds, into the pharmaceutical industry, Conry said he’s constantly mastered new skills. And this affinity for perpetual improvement began at UIC, he said.

| The Pharmacist | 23

ALUMNI NEWS

Ask an Alumnus Bill Fitzsimmons BS ’83, MS, PharmD Executive VP, Regulatory Affairs, Clinical and Research Quality Assurance Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc. Dr. William E. Fitzsimmons was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Oak Lawn, Illinois. After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Illinois, he attended the School of Pharmacy at the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and obtained a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree in 1985. Also, he holds a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan. Dr. Fitzsimmons is a registered pharmacist in the State of Illinois. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. He is a member of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), American Society of Transplantation (AST), on the Board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).

Before joining Fujisawa/Astellas, Dr. Fitzsimmons was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Rush Medical College in Chicago; Clinical Pharmacokinetics Specialist at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago; and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois College of Pharmacy, Chicago.

Dr. Fitzsimmons joined Fujisawa in March 1990. Since beginning as the Project Manager in R&D responsible for the development of Prograf® in transplantation, he has steadily assumed roles of increasing responsibility in R&D, Drug Development Project Management, and Business Development. In his current position of Executive Vice President, he is responsible for global regulatory interactions for development and marketed products in the Americas, Europe, and Japan/Asia. Additionally, he is responsible for quality assurance for compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).

Q

As a Pharmacist, how can I best prepare to adapt to the inevitable changes ahead in the next 20 years?

A

Continuous learning and adapting is essential.

Stay abreast of the political, legislative, scientific, and technical trends as the world will likely change at an increasing pace. We need to define the role of the pharmacist in the future, or it will be defined for us. Don’t be a passive observer. Be involved.

Q A

What excites you about the profession of pharmacy?

Our ability to fill so many roles in the continuum of healthcare. Opportunities expand beyond more traditional retail and hospital settings. We have the training and pharmaceutical care knowledge to fill many varied roles.

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SPRING 2019

Q A

What are you working on right now and what have you learned from it?

We are working on advancing unique therapies that include antibody-drug conjugates, gene and cellular therapies, and personalized medicines that are coupled with a companion diagnostic. Drug therapy will advance beyond small molecule and antibody therapies, to more specialized treatments that will 1) require specialized delivery systems, 2) target small patient populations with rare diseases or with specific genetic mutations, 3) value assessments to support the premium pricing.

Q A

How does your pharmacy degree inform your leadership style?

Pharmacists are servant leaders. It is essential to be willing to lead by example, roll up your sleeves and be involved. Also, pharmacists are listeners and learners. It is key for leaders to listen and learn first, then lead.

Q A

What words of wisdom would you share with current students?

Be flexible and willing to try different jobs, in different locations. You won’t truly know what fits you best until you have varied experiences. Cultivate your multiple dimensions and interests. Be unique and differentiate yourself. The pharmacy world can be fairly small.

Network and leverage relationships.

Q A

What does it mean to you to be an alumnus of the UIC College of Pharmacy?

It is a sense of pride to have a solid educational foundation from one of the leading Colleges of Pharmacy in the Country and World. It provides lifelong relationships with faculty, staff and fellow students.

Q A

What motivates you to support the College?

It is important to give back in particular as it helps the next generation of pharmacists. The tradition of excellence in education, clinical practice and research should be maintained.

 Kudos

Beatrice Drambarean, PharmD ’07, Paula Bielnicka, PharmD ’18, and Ali Alobaidi, PharmD ’18, were published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Volume 76, Issue 1.

Sara Alosaimy, PharmD ’16, joined Wayne State University in Detroit as an infectious diseases fellow.

Sara has completed her PGY1 and PGY2 residencies at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and recently became a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS).

Adam Bress, PharmD, MS, residency and fellowship alum, received the ACCP New Investigator Award.

Ed Cohen, BS ’75, visited Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, where he discussed the future of pharmacy practice with tomorrow’s pharmacists.

Jessica DaPisa, PharmD ’16, started a new position as PACT Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center.

Kendall (Buchmiller) Dunlap, PharmD ’16, was promoted to Assistant Scientific Director - US Medical Affairs, Rheumatology at AbbVie.

Ernest Law, PhD ’18, started a new position as Senior Manager, Global HEOR at Pfizer.

Nick Liu, PharmD ’16, started a new position as Associate Manager, Medical Information at Seattle Genetics.

Ioannis Manolopoulos, PharmD ’17, started a new position as Pharmacist at CVS Health.

Albert Mei, PharmD ’17, is now a Clinical Pharmacist in Medicare Client Benefits at Express Scripts.

Miriam Mobley Smith, PharmD ’95, was honored with the 2018 Alumni Service Award in Pharmacy by the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. This award recognizes graduates of the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy who have made significant contributions to the profession of pharmacy.

Anna Nowobilski-Vasilios, BS ’79, is now a Board Certified Nutrition Support Pharmacist.

Bolu Oladini, PharmD ’18, is a Contributing Author at Millennial Pharma Leader.

Lauren Endriukaitis, PharmD ’17, is now a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.

Caroline Park, PharmD ’05, was promoted to Senior Scientific Director, US Medical Affairs, HCV at AbbVie.

Christina Fleming, PhD ’96, recently had a book published, “Corporate Faith How to Survive Corporate America and Still Be a Good, Faith-Based, and Moral Person.”

Shivani Salvi, PharmD ’17, started a new position as Scientific Manager at ECIR Medical Communications in Chicago.

Frank Alex Hamill, PhD ’01, and his team at MRIGlobal have been working in West Africa since 2014 as the Department of Defense’s Ebola outbreak response.

They remain in four nations of West Africa providing training to local national laboratorians, transitioning custom mobile diagnostic laboratories to the national Ministries, and aiding in capacity improvements for biosurveillance.

Carl Geberbauer, BS ’74, retired October 1 as the Vice President, Business Development with Excelera.

Carl and his wife Barbara will be relocating to Arizona sometime in 2019.

Alvin Godina, PharmD ’16, is now a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS).

Jay Highland, PharmD ’15, is now the Residency Coordinator at Jewel-Osco. In addition he is the Director of Pharmacy Services at Family Health Partnership Clinic.

Kelsey E. Johnson, PharmD ’14, started a new position as Registry Pharmacist at MetroSouth Medical Center.

Alex Kantorovich, PharmD ’12, started a new position as Medical Science Liaison – Pulmonary Hypertension at United Therapeutics.

Jennifer Samp, PharmD ’11, MS ’12, PhD ’17, is now Associate Scientific Director, Medical Affairs, Oncology at AbbVie. Neil Schultz, PharmD ’13, started a new position as Associate Director, HEOR at Astellas Pharma.

Neil Schroeder, PharmD ’16, started a new position as Clinical Pharmacist at Northwestern Medicine.

Rina Shah, PharmD ’05, was selected as one of the 40 Under 40 by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Pin-Chih Su, PhD ’15, started a new position as Senior Data Scientist at Marqeta, Inc. Suhair Sunoqrot, PhD ’13, received the PhosAgro/ UNESCO/IUPAC Green Chemistry for Life research grant, Bangkok, Thailand, in September 2018.

Sunhair Sunoqrot, PhD ’13, received the 2018 The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize for Young Scientists from Jordan.

Maria Tanzi-Samaan, PharmD ’01, is now Associate Director, Medical Science Liaison, Oncology at Incyte.

Sara Wormley, PharmD ’11, is now a Clinical Pharmacist at UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin.

Oksana Kucher, PharmD ’16, is now a Clinical Assistant Professor at the UIC College of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy Practice on the Rockford campus.

| The Pharmacist | 25

SEP

02

Suchi Gandhi, PharmD ’12, married Senthil Gunasekaran on September 2, 2018 at Rockwell on the River in Chicago. The newlyweds honeymooned in East Africa.

Heidi Anksorus, PharmD ’07, married Kevin Light on May 18, 2018. The newlyweds honeymooned in St. Lucia.

OCT

Anna Jozefiak, PharmD ’16, married Michael Husek on October 6, 2018. The couple honeymooned in New Zealand.

Joseph Dang, PharmD ’17, got engaged to Hien Pham on December 25, 2018.

Aalok Shah, PharmD ’13, married his wife Amy on September 22. The newlyweds honeymooned in Bali.

Dawn Hyatt, PharmD ’16, and Phil Hodur, PharmD ’16, are engaged and will be getting married on April 27, 2019.

06 SEP

22

Mathew Ajjarapu, PharmD ’07, and Jasmine Shah, PharmD ’15, got engaged on December 16, 2018.

SPRING 2019

15

Steven Shoyer, PharmD ’15, married Mollie Sloot on December 15, 2018. The newlyweds honeymooned in St. Lucia.

MAY

18

26 | pharmacy.uic.edu

DEC

NOV

09

Mike Kenes, PharmD ’13, married Jodie Franzil on November 9, 2018. The newlyweds honeymooned in Italy and was blessed by Pope Francis.

Marilyn Gaske, PharmD ’18, got engaged to Jackson Hill.

Kari Nishikawa, PharmD ’17, got engaged to Kevin Personius on January 6, 2019.

Rene Williams, PharmD ’17, got engaged to Michael Rabaza on December 28, 2018.

OCT

20

Matt Holderly, PharmD ’17, married Salvio (Jayjay) Espino Osmena on October 20, 2018. The newlyweds honeymooned in the Philippines.

Dennis Bryan, BS ’74, received the IPhA

Foundation Lifetime Pharmacy Service Award for his lifetime of loyal and dedicated service to IPhA and the profession of pharmacy during the IPhA Annual Meeting held in Lombard, Illinois. Fellow classmate, Gary Frisch, BS ’74, presented Dennis with his honor.

DEC

01

Shelby Duncan, PharmD ’17, married Kyle Handlen on December 1, 2018 in Freeport, Illinois. The newlyweds honeymooned in Avon, Colorado.

Fred Hershenson, BS ’62, was in town for a reunion and was able to visit the College, see what’s new, and chat with students and faculty.

OCT

13

Maggie Allison, PharmD ’15, married Ted Johnson on October 13, 2018. The newlyweds honeymooned in Hawaii. | The Pharmacist | 27

 Babies  Alina (Meile) Dimas, PharmD ’10, and husband Paco, welcomed their first child earlier than expected. Son Dov Joakimas Dimas (aka DJ) was born October 18, 2018 weighing 5lbs 9oz.

Elnaz Azimzadeh, PharmD ’18, and husband Ali Shojaazt welcomed their first son, Kiyan on July 21.

Khyati (Patel) Kotak, PharmD ’11, and husband Kunal Kotak welcomed their first child. Daughter, Mira Kunal Kotak was born on November 20 at 5:29 p.m. weighing 6 lbs and measuring 18.5 inches long.

Jerry Bauman, BS ’76, and his wife Judy because first-time grandparents.

Grandson Brady Anthony Gates was born on October 7, weighing 7lbs 13oz, to their daughter Tracy and her husband Brian Gates.

(NOT PICTURED)

Samantha (Keca) Mathews, PharmD ’12, and husband Phil welcomed their first child.

Sophia Antonette was born on December 5, 2018 at 8:49 p.m., weighing 8lbs, 5.5oz and measuring 20 inches long. (NOT PICTURED)

Terril “Terry” Bealmer, BS ’69, passed away November 23, 2018. Terry graduated from Limestone Community High School in 1964, 3rd in his class. He graduated from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy in 1969. He worked in area pharmacies for 42 years, and retired in 2011 from Kroger Pharmacy.

OBITUARIES 28 | pharmacy.uic.edu

Sarah (Matias) Cullen, PharmD ’12, and her husband Mike welcomed their second child. Son Theodore Robert Cullen was born July 24 at 7:20 a.m. and weighed 8lbs, 8oz and was 20” long.

Theodore joins big brother Lucas, age two.

Anton J. “Tony” Hopfinger, former faculty, passed away December 5, 2018. Dr. Hopfinger is credited as a founding father of computational chemistry, which fueled the boom in advanced drug discovery in the late 20th century. After graduating from Lourdes High School in Oshkosh in 1962, he earned bachelor’s degrees in math and physics at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. He went on to earn a doctorate in biophysical chemistry from Case Western Reserve University, where he continued as a research professor in macromolecular science in the 1970s. It was during this time that he began shaping the emerging field of computational chemistry. He was the lead author on more than 280 peer-reviewed publications, many of which explored the methodologies of computer-assisted molecular design. In the early 1980s, Dr. Hopfinger briefly left academia to serve as director of drug design at the thenpharmaceutical company Searle, where he played a key SPRING 2019

Bruce Grider, BS ’74, and Linda Grider, BS ’75, became grandparents for the second time. Oliver Robert Schmitt was born November 21 at 1 a.m.

Oliver joins his big cousin, Henry, age three.

Bethany (Daily) Keys, PharmD ’13, and her husband Chip welcomed their second child, daughter Caroline Mae on September 22. She joins big sister Rosemary, age three. (NOT PICTURED)

Beatrice Drambarean, PharmD ’07, and husband Cristian Cioflanc welcomed twins, Beatrice and Bogdan Cioflanc on July 16, 2018.

Alia Birdwell, PharmD ’14, and husband Alex welcomed their son Louis Christopher Birdwell on December 26, 2018 . He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. and was 20.5 inches long.

Louis joins his big sister Elena. (NOT PICTURED)

role in developing aspartame, the artificial sweetener. In his consulting work, he made significant contributions to a host of pharmaceuticals, including the Alzheimer’s medication Aricept. Starting in 1985, he was a professor of bioengineering, chemistry and medicinal chemistry at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and served as director of the Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design. During his academic career, he took great pleasure in serving as a thesis adviser to more than 50 doctoral students. Upon retirement in 2005, he was named professor emeritus of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at UIC. Terry D. Johnson, BS ’70, passed away January 9, 2019.

Terry graduated from Freeport High in 1965 and earned a degree in pharmacy from the University of IllinoisChicago in 1970. Terry worked as a pharmacist in Freeport for 42 years before retiring in 2012.

Mitchell G. “Mitch” Link, BS ’63, passed away October 15, 2018. Mitch was a retired Pharmacist, having graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. He was also a writer and legal researcher. 

Follow Their Lead “Our experiences at the UIC College of Pharmacy have been instrumental in building a solid foundation for our careers. In addition to our training at UIC and the inspirational stories from alumni, we also cherish a life-time of friendships from peers, these will continue to guide our path as we navigate the future challenges. We particularly value the environment of innovation at the college which together with its world-class faculty, diversity and opportunities for practical experiences via internships, fellowships and professional development programs have laid the cornerstone for our careers. We will forever be grateful for these invaluable experiences and want to ensure that the same great experiences are available to students in the future.”

YASH AND DIMPLE, DONORS

It only takes a minute to make the gift that lasts a lifetime. giving.pharmacy.uic.edu

DIMPLE MODI, PHD ’16

Senior Scientist, Translational Oncology and Precision Medicine AbbVie

YASH JALUNDHWALA, MS ’10, PHD ’16

Director, Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Neuroscience AbbVie

COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

| The Pharmacist | 29

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