University of Florida College of Pharmacy
2025 IMPACT REPORT
DEAN’S MESSAGE
ENHANCING THE LIVES OF OTHERS
Peter W. Swaan Ph.D., M.Pharm. Dean and Professor UF College of Pharmacy
At the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, our mission statement begins with a simple, yet powerful message — we enhance the lives of others. Those six words define who we are and inspire all we do: educating future pharmacists and scientists, advancing discoveries that improve health, providing patient care that strengthens communities across Florida and beyond and offering lifelong learning opportunities that empower pharmacists and health professionals to excel in their practice.
Over the past 15 months, that mission guided the development of our 2025-30 strategic plan, a collaborative effort uniting the ideas and expertise of our faculty, staff, students and alumni. The plan charts a bold course for the next five years, positioning our college to lead pharmacy education, research and patient care into the next era. Modeled after the State University System of Florida’s framework, it aligns our goals with the broader mission of higher education in our state and our shared commitment to improving the health and well-being of Floridians.
This forward-looking vision is grounded in an extraordinary year of achievement. In 2025, we celebrated the nation’s top PGY1 residency class, welcomed the largest graduate student cohort in our history and achieved research funding levels that ranked among the top three pharmacy colleges nationally. Our faculty published nearly 450 papers, advancing pharmaceutical science worldwide, and Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., earned recognition from Nature for authoring the second most-cited paper of the century.
Our success also extended beyond academics. The Crisafi Challenge raised more than $115,000 for student scholarships, and our philanthropy efforts nearly doubled the fundraising total from the previous year. Our faculty’s scientific contributions also made national headlines, influencing the FDA’s decisions to safeguard public health.
As we launch the next strategic plan, we do so with confidence and momentum. The foundation built this year will carry us forward — to educate, discover and care in ways that continually enhance the lives of others.
THE COLLEGE
For more than a century, the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has trained pharmacists and scientists to lead, innovate and improve health care.
Led the nation in total residency matches eight of the last 10 years
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The college continues its upward momentum as one of the top pharmacy schools in the U.S.
As ranked by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
As ranked by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT RANKINGS
CAMPUSES
Campuses in Gainesville, Jacksonville and Orlando anchor a statewide mission to advance education, research and pharmacy practice. GAINESVILLE
PHARM.D. EDUCATION
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. curriculum empowers students to become caring, patientcentered medication therapy experts and health care leaders. Through an integrated, evidence-based approach, students gain the knowledge, skills and professional values needed to deliver optimal care across diverse pharmacy practice settings.
TRAINING TOMORROW’S
HEALTH CARE LEADERS
Because of their strong foundation in knowledge, practice and professionalism, University of Florida College of Pharmacy graduates are consistently sought after by top residencies, fellowships and employers.
EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAMS
2,854 PRECEPTORS
863 ROTATION SITES
29 STATES AND PUERTO RICO HAVE ACTIVE SITES
11
INTERNATIONAL ROTATION SITES:
Australia
Bahamas
Finland
Germany (3)
Japan
Malta
Spain
Thailand
United Kingdom
2025 RESIDENCY MATCH
FIRST-ATTEMPT PASS RATES
“I was so excited to match with Tampa General Hospital, my top choice. A lot of my classmates also enjoyed similar experiences, as it was great to see how successful the class of 2025 was in matching with residency programs.”
— Francis Ameng, ’25, PGY1 resident at Tampa General Hospital
GRADUATE EDUCATION
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s graduate programs stand among the best in the nation, combining rigorous research training with mentorship from world-renowned faculty.
Graduate students and trainees shared their research at the college’s 38th Annual Research Showcase in February.
Enrollment in the graduate program reached a record high in fall 2025.
108% increase in applications over 5 YEARS
NATIONAL AWARDS
• Samantha Ali | Best Poster Award, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
• Shyam Ramesh, Samia Shabnaz and Cameron Thomas | ASCPT Presidential Trainee Awards
• Maryam Al Saeed | American College of Clinical Pharmacy Foundation Futures Grant
• Asinamai Ndai | Quality Improvement Champion, American Society of Hematology
STUDENT EARNS
TOP GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
Campbell Eckhardt, a second-year graduate student in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, was awarded a 2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The prestigious fellowship supports outstanding graduate students in STEM disciplines and provides a $37,000 annual stipend for three years. Eckhardt’s research explores the evolutionary and regulatory mechanisms of natural products, compounds with diverse ecological functions and significant biomedical potential.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOW
RESEARCH
With every discovery, University of Florida College of Pharmacy researchers bring the promise of better health to life.
RESEARCH STATS *
Nationally in Total Research Funding ($34.5M)
Grant-Funded Faculty Research Proposals Submitted
*According to data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, federal fiscal year 2023-24.
445 publications in academic year 2024-25
HIGH-IMPACT JOURNALS
With impact factors higher than 20
• Chemical Review (55.8)
• Lancet Infectious Diseases (36.4)
• Molecular Cancer (27.7)
• Blood (23.1)
• JAMA Neurology (20.9)
• JAMA Oncology (20.1)
TOTAL RESEARCH DOLLARS (IN MILLIONS)
MOST-CITED PAPERS
Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., chair of pharmaceutics, pictured left, coauthored a paper in 2001 that is the second-most cited paper this century, according to Nature. The paper introduced a widely used approach for gene expression analysis and has garnered nearly 150,000 citations in the Web of Science database.
SECONDMOST CITED PAPER THIS CENTURY
KRATOM
Scientists in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy are recognized among the world’s leading experts on kratom, a plant-based supplement used for energy, mood and pain management and to ease opioid withdrawal. Derived from the speciosa tree in Southeast Asia, kratom remains controversial due to ongoing safety concerns and limited scientific understanding.
One of its compounds, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, has drawn particular scrutiny for its opioid effects. It binds to the same receptors as morphine and is believed to be more potent than mitragynine, kratom’s main alkaloid. In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended scheduling certain 7-OH products under the Controlled Substances Act, citing studies led by researchers in the UF College of Pharmacy.
UF Medicinal Chemistry Professor Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D., was one of the first scientists to uncover the dangers of 7-OH, demonstrating in a 2017 study that it behaves as a pure opioid in the body. Today, McCurdy and Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D., a clinical professor of medicinal chemistry, are among the nation’s most trusted experts on the topic, using research and public engagement to inform policymakers and raise awareness about kratom safety.
Dr. Christopher McCurdy is regarded as one of the world’s leading scientists in studying kratom.
MEDIA INTEREST IN 2025 55+
media interview requests, including:
In July, Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D., appeared on the Huberman Lab Podcast to share his expertise on kratom. The show, which boasts more than seven million YouTube subscribers, ranks among the top 10 podcasts worldwide.
MUSCLE LOSS IN SPACE
Astronauts traveling to Mars will face many challenges, but one of the most serious is muscle loss during long space missions. A new study led by University of Florida researcher Siobhan Malany, Ph.D., sheds light on how human biology changes in microgravity and could help protect astronaut health while also offering hope for patients with muscle-wasting diseases on Earth.
Malany, an associate professor in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, a member of UF’s Astraeus Space Institute, and director of the In-Space Biomanufacturing Innovation Hub recently published findings showing how muscle cells adapt in space. Her team studied bioengineered three-dimensional muscle tissues derived from biopsy cells from both younger and older individuals and observed how they responded to electrical stimulation in microgravity.
These micro-scale tissues, called “tissue chips,” were given nutrients and electric pulses autonomously in a miniature laboratory the size of a shoe box, called a CubeLab.x. A camera system inside the box recorded the rate of muscle contraction.
“This research is about more than just space,” Malany said. “By understanding how muscle tissue deteriorates much faster in microgravity, we can uncover new strategies to address muscle loss that occurs naturally with aging and with age-related diseases here on Earth.”
The study found that younger muscle tissue showed more pronounced changes in mitochondrial pathways — cellular systems that produce energy — than older tissue did when exposed to microgravity. Researchers also discovered that, on Earth, older muscle tissue responds less to electrical stimulation than younger tissue. But in space, the younger tissue showed a noticeable drop in its ability to contract, suggesting that younger muscle may experience a greater change when exposed to the space environment.
These insights may help researchers design new treatments to protect muscles in astronauts during long missions, as well as develop therapies for people experiencing age-related muscle loss on Earth.
The project was part of UF’s broader efforts to advance space biology. Through the Astraeus Space Institute, UF brings together experts across disciplines, from medicine and pharmacy to engineering and plant science, to address the unique challenges of space exploration.
“UF researchers are helping lay the groundwork for humanity’s next giant leap,” Malany said. “It’s exciting to see our work contribute to both the health of astronauts and the lives of patients back home.”
UF’s leadership in space biology is strengthened through collaboration with its partners, including the Kennedy Space
Center and the Center of Science, Technology and Advanced Research in Space. Both initiatives bring together universities in Florida’s high-tech corridor, government agencies and industry leaders. Malany’s work also builds on long-term collaborations with AdventHealth, using donated tissue samples to model age-related muscle changes in space. Her team also works with SpaceTango, a NASA-certified aerospace company, to design the CubeLab that flew to the International Space Station on multiple SpaceX missions.
Looking ahead, Malany and her team are developing new ways to study astronaut-derived cells, including both skeletal and heart muscle, generated from blood samples. These “avatars” could help researchers track changes before, during and after space missions, providing an unprecedented window into how microgravity affects the human body.
“Now we can study cells from individual astronauts and see how they respond over time,” Malany said. “This helps us understand the risks of long-term spaceflight and also gives us a platform for testing potential treatments for muscle-wasting conditions on Earth.”
By using tissue chips, small, bioengineered devices that mimic the structure and function of human organs, scientists in space can gather data more quickly and accurately than with traditional animal studies, potentially accelerating the discovery of therapies for aging-related muscle loss.
Written by Emily Hinds
“UF researchers are helping lay the groundwork for humanity’s next giant leap. It’s exciting to see our work contribute to both the health of astronauts and the lives of patients back home.”
— Siobhan Malany, Ph.D.
MED CHEM LAB RENOVATIONS
A $10 million renovation transformed space in the Basic Science Building into the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s new 14,500-square-foot medicinal chemistry lab — among the largest of its kind on campus. Designed to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, the facility includes state-of-the-art wet and dry lab areas, faculty and student spaces and a large conference room.
38 student and trainee spaces
9 faculty offices
BY THE NUMBERS
$10m renovation
18 chemical hoods
14.5k square feet
FACULTY EXCELLENCE
University of Florida College of Pharmacy faculty are the innovators who bridge science, education and patient care to enhance the lives of others.
NEW FACULTY HIRES
(since Oct. 1, 2024)
Ahmed Awad, Ph.D., M.Sc.Pharm. Research Assistant Professor
Marco Bortolato, M.D., Ph.D. Professor
Caterina Branca, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Tyler Bui, Pharm.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Anutosh Chakraborty, Ph.D., M.Sc. Professor
Kathryn DeSear, Pharm.D. Clinical Associate Professor
Tatiana Iakovleva, Pharm.D., M.S. Research Assistant Professor
Zhonglin Liu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Joint faculty hire with The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute
Shailina Keshwani, Ph.D., M.S. Research Assistant Professor
Catherine Marcinkiewcz, Ph.D., M.S. Associate Professor
Janny Pineiro, Ph.D., M.S. Research Assistant Professor
Munaza Riaz, Ph.D., Pharm.D., M.Phil. Research Assistant Professor
Nirma Khatri Vadlamudi, Ph.D., M.P.H. Assistant Professor
Haiyang Xu, Ph.D., M.S. Research Assistant Professor
Pei Zhuang, Ph.D., M.Eng. Research Assistant Professor
Nirma Khatri Vadlamudi, Ph.D., M.P.H., joined the UF College of Pharmacy as an assistant professor in December 2024.
NATIONAL AWARDS
Kaitlin Alexander, Pharm.D.
• Drs. Joseph and Rae Brown Award
Council of the Society of Critical Care Medicine
• Emerging Teaching Scholar Award
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Lindsey Childs-Kean, Pharm.D., M.P.H.
• Elected Fellow
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Emily Cicali, Pharm.D.
• STRIPE Double Helix Award
American Society of Pharmacovigilance
Stacey Curtis, Pharm.D.
• Selected to Academic Leaders Fellow Program
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Michelle Farland, Pharm.D.
• Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
• Education and Training PRN Best Paper Award
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Carinda Feild, Pharm.D.
• Award for Excellence in Assessment
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D.
• Elected Fellow
American Academy of Toxicology
Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D.
• AAPS Distinguished Service Award
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
Stephan Schmidt, Ph.D.
• ISoP Leadership Award
International Society of Pharmacometrics
Bethany Shoulders, Pharm.D.
• Critical Care PRN Clinical Practitioner Award
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Veena Venugopalan, Pharm.D.
• Elected Fellow & Infectious Diseases
PRN Clinical Practice Award
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
Karen Whalen, Pharm.D.
• Award for Excellence in Assessment
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
CLINICAL PRACTICE FOOTPRINT
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s network of campuses and clinical alliances extends expert, compassionate pharmacy care to communities across Florida.
GAINESVILLE
25 CLINICAL FACULTY
• Cardiology
• Community Practice
• Critical Care
• Endocrinology
• Family Medicine
• Infectious Disease
• Informatics
• Internal Medicine
• Oncology
• Pediatrics
• Precision Medicine
ORLANDO
7 CLINICAL FACULTY
• Critical Care
• Telehealth (Geriatrics)
JACKSONVILLE
8 CLINICAL FACULTY
• Community Practice
• Family Medicine
• Infectious Disease
• Investigational Drug Pharmacy
• Pain Management
• Precision Medicine
UTILIZING
PHARMACISTS
TO IMPROVE CARE (UPTIC)
Launched in November 2023, the UPTIC program added seven new clinical pharmacists across UF Health hospitals in Gainesville, Jacksonville and Central Florida to focus on general and internal medicine patients. By increasing touchpoints between pharmacists and patients, the program has already shown positive impacts on patient care and quality measures. Additionally, UPTIC supports a layered learning model, where pharmacists mentor pharmacy residents and students, significantly expanding their efforts.
UPTIC pharmacist Jonathan St. Onge, Pharm.D., and UF College of Pharmacy student Nicole Hew review a patient’s medical record.
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN PATIENT AND PHARMACIST
DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS
Philanthropy drives innovation and discovery in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy by funding scholarships, supporting faculty excellence and expanding opportunities for student success.
DONATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025
$6.8m total gifts
456 total donors
14 gifts over $100,000
THE CLASS OF 1975 AND THEIR SPOUSES ATTENDED THE 37TH ANNUAL ALUMNI BBQ IN OCTOBER.
ALUMNI & FRIENDS AWARDS
2025 WINNERS
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy established the Alumni & Friends Awards to recognize individuals who have significantly impacted the college and the pharmacy profession.
College of Pharmacy Impact Award
Posthumous
THOMPSON, ’54 College of Pharmacy Impact Award
Distinguished Service to the Pharmacy Profession Award
ROBERT CRISAFI, ’56
ANITA
CRISAFI CHALLENGE
Since its founding in 2015, the Crisafi Challenge has become a cornerstone of the UF College of Pharmacy’s commitment to attracting the best and brightest future pharmacists. Established by the late Robert Crisafi, Ph.D., ’56, the annual recruitment scholarship campaign embodies his lifelong dedication to education and the UF College of Pharmacy. Over the past decade, alumni and friends have embraced his vision, contributing more than $1.3 million to support scholarships that make a UF pharmacy education more accessible for outstanding students.
In October 2025, the Gator pharmacy community once again rallied behind the cause, raising $115,000 during the 11th annual Crisafi Challenge — surpassing the college’s $50,000 goal and unlocking an additional $50,000 legacy estate gift from Dr. Bob.
A total of 18 students were awarded Crisafi Scholarships in the fall of 2025.
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS IN 2024-25
$823K student scholarships
$206K newly admitted student scholarships
162 total scholarships awarded
LIFELONG LEARNING
Designed for today’s working professionals, the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s lifelong learning programs provide convenient opportunities to pursue advanced degrees, earn continuing education credits and stay up to date with the latest advances in pharmacy practice.
CONTINUING PHARMACY EDUCATION*
8,754 course completions
47,933 credit hours
2,700 pharmacists completed the CE course related to minor, nonchronic health conditions
*Accreditation year (June 1, 2024-May 31, 2025)
DEGREE PROGRAMS
(M.S. and certificate options)
Clinical Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine
Clinical Toxicology
Forensic Science
Model-Informed
Drug Development
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy
Now offering a pharmacy-based, eight-hour Test and Treat Certificate
Training program conducted in collaboration with the American Pharmacists Association.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS
FORENSIC SCIENCE ONLINE
MASTER’S PROGRAM
When the UF College of Pharmacy launched its forensic science online graduate program in 2000, few could have imagined the global impact it would achieve. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, the program has won multiple national awards and graduated over 1,500 students from more than 70 nations.
“Our classes are designed to give students a strong foundation in the theoretical knowledge behind the analytical techniques used in forensics. They are learning the how and why encompassing many different disciplines of forensic science, as well as important skills used in the field.”
— Nancy Toffolo, M.S.
director of the forensic science online graduate program
STRATEGIC PLAN
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s 2025–30 Strategic Plan sets a bold course for the future — one rooted in a shared mission to enhance lives through innovation and excellence in pharmacy education, research and practice. Guided by a vision to lead the profession in optimizing health and wellness for individuals and communities, this five-year roadmap outlines key priorities that will shape the college’s continued growth and impact.
15-month process
7 working groups across 3 campuses
81 total members (63 faculty and 18 staff)
100% endorsement by college leadership
(Faculty Governance Council, Executive Council, Department Chairs, Staff Leaders)
Excel as a toptier institution in developing future leaders in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences through innovation, collaboration and a commitment to academic excellence.
Discover new knowledge to improve the lives of others through high-impact research.
Lead transformative pharmacy innovation through research, comprehensive training and collaborative practice models to enhance patient outcomes and health care efficiency.
OUR MISSION
We enhance the lives of others through our expertise and innovation in pharmacy education, research and practice, fostering discovery, supporting lifelong learning and developing future pharmacy leaders.
Champion ACCESS: – Advocacy, Community, Connection, Engagement, Support, Success
Foster a culture dedicated to talent development, stewardship and engaging alumni and friends.
OUR VISION
Be the leader in pharmacy education, research and practice to optimize the health and wellness of individuals and communities.
P.O. Box 103570
Gainesville, FL 32610
“ We’re not just pharmacists; we’re unstoppable forces, rising stronger with every stumble, armed with compassion and ready to support wellness and lift spirits.”
— Abimael Velez, Pharm.D. 2025 graduate and commencement ceremony speaker