GATOR TRACKS
Guiding Gator pharmacists toward career success
FROM THE DEAN
The Gators’ thrilling run to the 2025 NCAA Men’s College Basketball National Championship brought great joy and enthusiasm from Gainesville to every corner of the Gator Nation. It was the clutch shooting of Walter Clayton Jr., and the game planning of Coach Todd Golden that drew national attention, but the true strength of this team was built long before March Madness. Hours of film study, demanding practices and the unwavering trust among teammates, coaches and support staff laid the groundwork for a championship run.
Just like the Gator basketball team showed us, success starts long before game day.
At the UF College of Pharmacy, we build career preparation into many phases of our Pharm.D. program. From the first day of pharmacy school, our students are immersed in a curriculum that pairs high-quality clinical training with personal and professional development. With a strong focus on career exploration, professionalism and soft skills, our graduates enter the workforce with confidence and a competitive edge.
In this edition of GATORx, we are highlighting some of the people and programs that give our Pharm.D. students the Gator Advantage as they explore different pharmacy careers and prepare for their first professional roles. From the Pathways to Pharmacy Careers event that sparks new ideas to career coaches who provide one-on-one guidance, our support network is far-reaching. Faculty also play a key role — offering individual advising, hosting CV workshops, helping students navigate the competitive residency match process and more. With over 15,800 alumni worldwide, our students are also connected to a powerful community from day one.
Behind every UF pharmacy student is someone like you — a mentor, preceptor or friend — who helps them reach their goals. With over 900 students in the four-year Pharm.D. program, there is always a need for more volunteers. Young alumni and experienced professionals are invited to pair with a pharmacy student and provide mentorship as a career coach. Just a few hours of your time each year can make a lasting difference in a student’s future — and the future of pharmacy.
As the Gators’ men’s basketball team demonstrated, greatness is achieved through careful preparation and teamwork. Together, we too can continue to build a strong foundation for our pharmacy students, and your support can make a meaningful impact as they embark on their professional journeys.
Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm. Dean and Professor, UF College of Pharmacy
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy publishes the GATORx magazine annually to share its news and achievements in education, research and pharmacy practice.
OFFICE OF THE DEAN
Dean
Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm.
Executive Associate Dean
John Gums, Pharm.D., FCCP
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Teresa Cavanaugh, Pharm.D., M.S., BCPS, FASHP
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education
Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Associate Dean for Faculty Development
Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D., FAAPS
Associate Dean for the Orlando Campus
Lisa Miller, Pharm.D., M.A., BCPS, MSCP
Associate Dean for the Jacksonville Campus
Carol Motycka, Pharm.D., BCACP
Associate Dean for Professional Advancement and Assessment
Karen Whalen, Pharm.D., BCPS, FAPhA
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Director of Communications
Matt Splett, msplett@cop.ufl.edu
DESIGN
Julie Esbjorn, JS Design Studio
Brady Budke
WRITERS
Tyler Francischine
Matt Splett
PHOTOGRAPHY
Brady Budke
Nate Guidry
Suzy Rodriguez Matt Splett
OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS
Senior Director of Development & Alumni Affairs
Christie Priddy
Send address changes and correspondence to: UF College of Pharmacy P.O. Box 103570, Gainesville, FL 32610 352-273-6605 • alumni@cop.ufl.edu
Road Ahead
Inside UF’s approach to producing confident, capable and career-ready pharmacists.
Residency Revealed
Match Day brought moments of anxiety, joy and reflection for UF College of Pharmacy students pursuing their next step in residency training. 10 8 6
12 A Legacy of Invention
How the UF College of Pharmacy fostered two titans of the pharmaceutical industry: Nicholas S. Bodor, Ph.D., and Robert Bell, Ph.D., ’88
14 Annual Report
A review of the college’s activities in 2024-25
2 Cover illustration by Ella Esbjorn-Cotter
Career Coaches
The UF College of Pharmacy Career Coach program provides professional mentorship to every Pharm.D. student.
Helping His Hometown
David Mendoza Soto, Pharm.D., ’22, opened his hometown’s first independent pharmacy in Puerto Rico.
20 Remembering Dr. Bob
Remembering Robert Crisafi, Ph.D., ’56, and the powerful legacy he created with the Crisafi Challenge
28 New Department Chairs
Meet three of the new department chairs leading the UF College of Pharmacy
Ready for the ROAD AHEAD
Inside UF’s approach to producing confident, capable and career-ready pharmacists
Careers in pharmacy are evolving — and so are the ways students prepare for them. At the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, multiple programs have been established to prepare students for career success. In a competitive job market, standing out requires more than strong academics, which is why UF is giving students the tools, experience and confidence they need to excel as pharmacists.
CAREER READINESS
Each semester in the UF College of Pharmacy, students are doing more than attending active-learning sessions and skills labs — they are preparing for life after graduation. From working with faculty advisors and career coaches to attending CV workshops, career panels and residency application workshops, UF pharmacy students have numerous opportunities to prepare for their careers with the support of a dedicated team of faculty and staff.
“With the competitive job market in pharmacy, we are putting more emphasis on helping students prepare for their careers,” said Karen Whalen, Pharm.D., ’94, BCPS, FAPhA, a clinical professor and associate dean for professional advancement and assessment in the UF College of Pharmacy.
“We want to provide resources to help students gain a competitive edge, think about how they can differentiate themselves along the way and develop leadership skills through participation in student organizations.”
According to Whalen, the college has become more focused on career preparation in recent years. The introduction of the team-based learning curriculum in 2015 was paired with the launch of the innovative Career Coach program, which connects UF pharmacy students with alumni or working professionals in the field (see page 6). This unique program leverages the expertise and dedication of UF pharmacy alumni to guide current students through their academic journey and into their professional careers.
In 2019, the college convened a task force to study pathways for career advancement. Several of the task force’s recommendations, including CV workshops, career panels and a careers website, were implemented, significantly expanding the career preparation offerings in the college. The career panels are held every semester and aim to introduce students to a wide range of pharmacy careers, from
community and hospital roles to more specialized fields like veterinary pharmacy and poison control.
Although career fairs have long been a tradition in the UF College of Pharmacy, the college elevated the experience in recent years with the launch of the Pathways to Pharmacy Careers event. The gathering brings together about 650 students from the Gainesville, Jacksonville and Orlando campuses for a day dedicated to career exploration and personal growth. Throughout the day, pharmacy professionals representing clinical, industry and other sectors speak about their career journeys and lessons learned. The event offers students an opportunity to build connections, ask questions and envision the many possibilities available within the pharmacy profession.
“A lot of thought goes into selecting the speakers who can help students grow in their soft skills and leadership abilities,” Whalen said. “Major corporations participate and share advice on how to navigate job interviews successfully. Hearing the message from the professionals doing the interviewing leaves a lasting impression. And the energy of having students from all three campuses together makes the experience even more meaningful.”
These experiences complement a curriculum that already focuses on developing well-rounded pharmacy professionals. Each semester, students complete five hours of co-curricular activities and two hours of community engagement. Along the way, they learn about different career options, build networks with pharmacy professionals and develop the cultural humility needed to serve a wide range of patient populations.
THE GATOR ADVANTAGE
As students engage in clinical rotations and extracurricular opportunities, their professional interests and career paths come into focus. Whether it’s entering the workforce right out of pharmacy school or seeking postgraduate training, UF students find themselves competing with peers from the nation’s 140 other pharmacy colleges, especially for top positions (see page 8).
“UF helped me understand the many impactful roles pharmacists play across health care, which inspired me to explore a career as an MSL.”
Ashmita Jadubans, Pharm.D., M.S., a 2022 graduate of the UF College of Pharmacy, secured a highly coveted position with the Rutgers Pharmaceutical Industry Fellowship Program at Johnson and Johnson in New Jersey. During her two years working with a field medical excellence team in cardiovascular therapeutics, she gained valuable insight into managing field organizations and positioned herself to pursue a role as a medical science liaison, or MSL. She credits UF’s rigorous curriculum and rich student experiences for preparing her to succeed, both in securing the fellowship and landing her first industry position at Novo Nordisk.
Mentorship made all the difference for Jeremy Morales Rivera, Pharm.D., ’23, a PGY2 ambulatory care pharmacy resident at Yale New Haven Hospital. When his career coach, Kyle Thorner, Pharm.D., a cardiologyfocused ambulatory care pharmacist, allowed him to shadow during a workday, the experience solidified Morales Rivera’s passion for patient-centered care.
“ My time at UF allowed me to build upon the strong foundation needed to succeed in residency.”
— Jeremy
— Ashmita Jadubans, Pharm.D., M.S., ’22
“UF gave me an edge by challenging me academically and pushing me to think critically and clinically,” Jadubans said. “I had the opportunity to work with diverse patient populations, which broadened my perspective and communication skills. Most importantly, UF helped me understand the many impactful roles pharmacists play across health care, which inspired me to explore a career as an MSL.”
“Since that day, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in ambulatory care, where I could build rapport with my patients while optimizing their pharmacotherapy to minimize future rehospitalization,” Morales Rivera said. “The UF College of Pharmacy continues to be innovative and forward-thinking, and this is apparent in the students they train. My time at UF allowed me to build upon the strong foundation needed to succeed in residency.”
Although Morales Rivera found the curriculum challenging, he appreciated the faculty’s approachable nature and their ability to tie real-world experiences into classroom learning. These connections helped him better understand complex concepts. Combined with leadership experience in student organizations and mentorship from his career coach, the strong foundation he built at UF ultimately gave him a competitive edge in matching with one of his top choices for residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.
’23
Morales Rivera, Pharm.D.,
NATIONALLY RANKED, UNIVERSALLY RESPECTED
The growing scope of pharmacists’ responsibilities has opened new and diverse career possibilities for graduates of the UF College of Pharmacy. Nearly half of the graduating class of 2024 opted for residency or fellowship training, preparing them for key roles in patient care or the pharmaceutical industry. With a strong track record in residency preparation, the college has led the nation in total residency matches eight of the last 10 years.
Community pharmacy continues to be a popular career choice for UF pharmacy graduates, with approximately 40% entering the field. Many students gain early exposure through jobs at local pharmacies and practical experience during their rotations. For those aspiring to own a pharmacy, the college hosts the Pharmacy Ownership Forum — a biennial event that attracts speakers from across the country to share practical advice and personal stories about the path to ownership.
No matter what career path graduates want to follow, the UF College of Pharmacy gives them a powerful head start, backed by a strong national reputation and over 15,800 alumni living in all 50 states and more than 45 countries.
“The UF College of Pharmacy’s No. 4 national ranking [from U.S. News & World Report] and our expansive alumni network give our graduates a competitive edge in the job market,” said Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm., dean and professor in the UF College of Pharmacy. “Employers, who are alumni themselves, know firsthand the caliber of our program.”
For many employers, hiring a Gator pharmacist is a decision backed by experience and trust.
“I have hired dozens of pharmacists in my career, and when I look at a resume, UF goes to the top of my list,” said Randy Ealy, R.Ph., ’90, executive director for infusion therapy at Baptist Health in Jacksonville and a guest speaker at the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacy Gainesville chapter meeting this spring. “UF pharmacy graduates consistently show they are wellprepared for the demands of the profession with their general knowledge, professionalism and effective problem-solving and communication skills.”
The RAP team pairs fourth-year pharmacy students with faculty volunteers to prepare students for the rigors of the residency application process.
With personalized feedback and AI assistance, these CV workshops help prepare pharmacy students to present their best selves to future employers.
Pharmacists from various specialties engage with students every semester to broaden their understanding of career options in the field.
Career coaches meet with UF pharmacy students every semester to mentor and develop the skills to secure their first job.
The annual event is dedicated to providing students with career insights, connections and professional growth.
A Trusted Voice
The UF College of Pharmacy Career Coach program provides professional mentorship to every Pharm.D.
student
When a tough decision arises for fourth-year University of Florida College of Pharmacy student
Kierra Weber, there’s one person she can always turn to for knowledgeable advice: her career coach, Grace Simpson, Pharm.D., ’17. As part of the college’s Career Coach program, the pair meets regularly to discuss Weber’s studies and academic and professional goals.
“Grace and I have built a pretty good relationship. I feel comfortable going to her with basically anything related to school, work, the field of pharmacy or my future goals,” said Weber, who studies at the Jacksonville campus. “She’s been great at listening to me and helping me set and track goals for myself at each meeting. She’s really caring, and I feel like she truly wants to help me do well in the future.”
The Career Coach program was established by the UF College of Pharmacy to provide career development guidance to every student enrolled in the Pharm.D. program. Students spend at least one hour each semester with their coach, usually through Zoom or in-person meetings. Priti Patel, Pharm.D., a clinical associate professor of pharmacy education and practice in the UF College of Pharmacy, leads the program, which comprises more than 400 coaches hailing from every corner of the country. She said the Career Coach program provides valuable opportunities for students to gain insights into the diverse possibilities of a career in pharmacy while receiving continuous mentorship from a professional in the field.
“Early exposure to a practicing pharmacist helps students understand what it means to be a pharmacist beyond the ideas they may have when they enter training. It’s really helpful in opening their eyes to what they could maybe do one day,” Patel said. “By staying with the same coach for all four years of the program, students can develop a relationship marked by rapport and trust. As the relationship between a student and coach matures, students have this consistent touchstone in their career preparation that they develop over the years.”
Weber said that receiving Simpson’s guidance each semester ensures that she’s keeping her gaze set toward the future despite the daily challenges and rigor of pharmacy training.
“As students, we can get stuck in our little bubble of pharmacy school, experiencing tunnel vision when it comes to doing well on the next exam or in our classes. When we’re
distracted by what’s in front of us, it’s easy to forget about the long-term,” Weber said. “It’s important to have mentorship from a practicing pharmacist, because they can remind us why we are trying to do well now. What are we working toward in the future?”
A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST AND COUNSEL
According to Simpson, a Jacksonville-based medical science liaison for Johnson & Johnson who formerly worked as a senior diabetes educator at Novo Nordisk, there are two critical components to coaching the next generation of pharmacists: goal-setting and mutual respect.
“I treat the students as if they’re already pharmacists. My goal is to provide mentorship, but I also want to provide them with respect. I treat them like valuable members of the pharmacy profession, because they will be in such a short time,” Simpson said. “I always meet with my students faceto-face, whether that’s in person or virtual. I review all their personal development portfolios and CVs. I look at their short- and long-term goals, and I take notes, so that I can hold students accountable for things that they said they wanted to achieve. I also tell students that I’m available between meetings if they need anything at all.”
Simpson said she joined the Career Coach program after making a professional pivot from pharmacy education to the pharmaceutical industry, a transition that helped her realize the benefits of mentorship for both students and her own career.
“It meant a lot to me to mentor students when I was a professor and see them grow from feeling unsure what they were doing in pharmacy to confidently stepping into their careers. Becoming a career coach is a really easy way to give back to your alma mater and leave an impact on pharmacy students by sharing valuable life experiences that they can glean insights from,” said Simpson, who previously served as an assistant professor at South University in Savannah, Georgia. “My own career path wasn’t exactly linear. It was kind of unconventional. I’ve covered a lot of different areas so far within my short career, so I think it’s important for students to have someone to talk to about their professional future paths, whatever that may look like.”
PLANNING FOR TOMORROW, TODAY
According to Weber, Simpson’s compassionate and detail-driven approach to mentorship has guided her in charting her own path to discovering where her passion for pharmacy practice lies. Plus, she said, Simpson’s connections from her networks of clinical pharmacists have already proven invaluable as Weber decides how she will spend the first year after graduation.
“Grace has helped connect me with pharmacists in the area in which I want to pursue residency. She helps me make connections that I potentially would have had to make on my own,” Weber said. “Grace had the residency experience, so she’s told me a lot about things that I might want to look for in a program and things I might want to avoid. She will be such a help when I navigate the residency search process, too.”
UF College of Pharmacy alumni who are licensed or retired in any area of pharmacy practice are encouraged to serve as coaches within this program. In exchange for their service, coaches are granted benefits, including faculty appointments as courtesy clinical assistant professors, discounted rates on continuing education courses offered by the UF Office of Continuing Pharmacy Education and access to the UF Health Science Center Library. For Simpson, the biggest reward in becoming a career coach is watching Weber spread her wings and discover her true path toward professional success.
“Kierra is really great. She’s passionate, driven, organized and excited about her career. I want to be a champion for her and whatever goals she may have,” Simpson said. “Students like Kierra energize me. I am regularly inspired by this next generation of students, and I love to be connected to them and the future of pharmacy.”
Career coaches mentor students at all three of our campuses (Gainesville, Jacksonville, Orlando)
Career coaches advise students for all 4 years of pharmacy school (Meet once in the spring & fall)
Join our network of career coaches
Career coach Grace Simpson, Pharm.D., ’17, pictured left, meets every semester with her UF pharmacy students, including fourth-year student Kierra Weber.
Career coaches can live anywhere in the United States
Match Day brought moments of anxiety, joy and reflection for UF College of Pharmacy students pursuing their next step in residency training.
The night before Match Day was a sleepless one for University of Florida College of Pharmacy student Francis Ameng. After four years of pharmacy training, a few months preparing his residency applications and countless hours spent studying, the new dawn would finally bring Ameng one step closer to his dreams of becoming a professional pharmacist.
Though the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, or ASHP, wasn’t expected to release the results of the match process until the afternoon, Ameng had a feeling the results may be posted sooner. He traded in tossing and turning in his bed for a morning spent feverishly refreshing his email inbox. His eagerness was rewarded at 9:24 a.m. on March 19, a moment he remembers with great clarity.
“I’m so excited to go to this specific program because I worked alongside the Tampa General team as an intern for the past three years,” Ameng said. “I saw what type of pharmacists they produce and how skilled they become after they graduate from their residency. It’s extremely humbling, and I’m grateful that I have this opportunity to grow.”
ASHP’s match program places student pharmacists in a variety of pharmacy practice settings for their residencies, including at hospitals, academic health care centers and community pharmacies. Nearly 6,000 residency positions were filled nationwide in this year’s match.
Kathleen Rish, Francis Ameng and Makenzee Smith
“I saw the notification pop up on my phone, and my heart sunk. I wondered, should I open it now? I called one of my good friends who was also going through the match process to check on her. After she looked at her results and found out she matched, I opened mine. I matched at Tampa General Hospital for postgraduate year one — my top choice,” recalled Ameng, who graduated with his Pharm.D. in May. “It was such a surreal moment, because all the work I’ve done for the past four years culminated in this one email. It felt like a breath of relief. A lot of people in my class felt similarly, and it was great seeing how successful the class of 2025 was in matching with residency programs.”
Ameng is one of 130 UF College of Pharmacy students or graduates who successfully matched into residency programs within the 2025 ASHP match process. 100 UF pharmacy students matched with first postgraduate year, or PGY1, programs, while another 30 graduates matched with second postgraduate year, or PGY2, programs. Gator pharmacists matched with programs in 23 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.
For Makenzee Smith, a 2025 Pharm.D. graduate from the Orlando campus, matching at Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, Florida, offers the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. She greeted the news of this new chapter in her life by strolling along her favorite stretch of beach and reflecting on what will come next.
“I’m looking forward to meeting a new community of pharmacists who are going to help guide me along my journey, including my co-residents, preceptors and advisors,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to get to know everyone and find my place down in South Florida. I am happy to be at a medium-sized hospital with a smaller residency class to support my transition from student to pharmacist.”
Though the match process comes with its fair share of stress and doubt, Kathleen Rish looks back on it fondly, naming selfbelief as the value that got her through any hurdles. The 2025 UF College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. graduate from the Jacksonville campus matched at the University of North Carolina Medical Center in Chapel Hill.
“I feel so fortunate to not only match, but match with my top program. It’s such an honor to know that the effort I put into training was recognized by a program that I really admire, and a place that aligns with my goals and values. The match process
PGY1 (100 matches)
PGY2 (30 matches)
reinforces the fact that I made the right choice by trusting myself throughout the process,” Rish said. “It’s really easy to compare yourself to others and their career trajectories. We may have moments where we ask ourselves, ’Am I good enough?’
“The match process taught me that as long as you’re always listening to yourself, trusting your gut, aiming to better yourself
That’s a RAP
The Residency Application Preparation Team readies students for the pharmacy match
Led by Robin Moorman Li, Pharm.D., a clinical associate professor of pharmacy education and practice and the assistant director of the UF College of Pharmacy Jacksonville campus, the Residency Application Preparation Team, or RAP, pairs rising fourth-year pharmacy students with faculty members to best prepare students for the rigors of residencies, fellowships and employment.
The RAP team’s faculty volunteers assist students by reviewing and providing feedback on CVs and letters of intent, conducting mock interviews and offering general expertise culled from their own journeys. Moorman Li said the RAP team provides invaluable guidance to students during a labor-intensive and stressful period in their professional training.
and pushing yourself to get out of your comfort zone, you’ll never do yourself a disservice. Know that you’ve reached this point for a reason, thanks to the help of great mentors, family and friends. You’re going to end up exactly where you’re supposed to be,” she said.
A Family Affair
Helping his hometown, a UF grad opens an independent pharmacy in Puerto Rico
Nestled on the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, the Lagunas sector of the Aguada community has always lacked something essential — a local independent pharmacy. For years, residents traveled 10 miles to a nearby town for medications, a major hurdle for those without reliable transportation.
That changed when David Mendoza Soto, Pharm.D., a 2022 graduate of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, opened Aguada’s first independent pharmacy last fall. Now, medications and even vaccinations are available in the pharmacy or delivered to residents’ doors, improving access to care and transforming community health.
“Aguada is where I was born and raised, and it’s been my parents’ home for over 50 years,” Mendoza Soto said. “Many of our patients have known me since I was a baby and watched me grow up here. Opening this pharmacy and giving back to the community that raised me is very special.”
FAMILY BONDS IN PHARMACY
Pharmacy is not just a profession for Mendoza Soto; it is part of his family’s legacy. His father worked for more than 30 years as a pharmacy technician in a neighboring town and, by age 16, Mendoza Soto joined him at the same pharmacy, alongside his two sisters. Watching his father care for patients and earn the community’s trust left a lasting impression. Though his father never had the means to attend college, he saw potential in his son and encouraged him to dream big.
“He told me, ‘You have the opportunity to create something bigger than this,’” Mendoza Soto said. “He wanted me to attend the best college of pharmacy and get a great education, and that is what led me to the UF College of Pharmacy.”
Mendoza Soto began his pharmacy studies in the fall of 2018, making him the first in his family to attend college. Being away from family for the first time brought moments of homesickness, but he soon found comfort in friendships with faculty and classmates in Gainesville, including four Puerto Rican students who joined his cohort. Together, the students established the Organización Latina de Estudiantes de Farmacia, or OLEF, a student organization committed to supporting and representing the Hispanic community.
Pursuing a pharmacy degree was just the beginning of Mendoza Soto’s journey toward his larger dreams. His ultimate goal was always to return to Puerto Rico and open his own pharmacy, where he could work alongside his father. He credits an elective course, Advanced Topics in Community Pharmacy Practice, taught by Stacey Curtis, Pharm.D., a clinical associate professor and assistant dean for experiential education at the UF College of Pharmacy, for sparking his vision and putting him on the path to pharmacy ownership.
“UF opened my mind to more than what I could see in front of me,” Mendoza Soto said. “With my education came new opportunities to pursue a career in pharmacy.”
After graduating in 2022, Mendoza Soto moved back to Puerto Rico and began working at the pharmacy where his father had spent much of his career. While it was a key milestone in realizing his dream of working with his father, Mendoza Soto always kept his greater goal of owning a pharmacy in mind. For the next two years, he balanced a full-time role with weekend shifts at other pharmacies. His dedication eventually paid off in the form of a down payment on a building for his future pharmacy.
FARMACIA HOGAR
Perched atop a hill with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, a historic four-story dance hall now houses Mendoza Soto’s dream. He and his family have transformed the space into Farmacia Hogar, a full-service pharmacy that opened on Thanksgiving weekend last year. The pharmacy offers vaccinations, prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, along with skin care and personal health products.
With a modern design featuring wooden paneling and black and silver colors, the building’s aesthetics contrast with the traditional look of an American pharmacy. Windows at the back of the pharmacy overlook the distant ocean, creating an immaculate view for patients waiting for prescriptions or staff members who spend their days inside.
“Pharmacy technicians can have demanding and stressful jobs,” Mendoza Soto said. “The pharmacy was designed with windows overlooking the ocean so natural light pours into the building. When there are those stressful moments, you can look outside and be reminded how beautiful the world can be.”
For Mendoza Soto, the true beauty of his work lies in sharing it with family. Farmacia Hogar, meaning “home pharmacy” in English, is exactly that — a place where he fulfills his dream of working alongside his parents and two sisters.
“Home is where you feel safe and comfortable,” Mendoza Soto said. “Working 10-hour shifts with my parents has brought us closer than ever. While most kids spend less time with their parents as they grow older, I get to share every day with mine. That’s truly special.”
Within three months of opening, Farmacia Hogar had served more than 400 patients and filled around 80 prescriptions a day. Mendoza Soto remains deeply connected to the community that raised him. Many patients have his cell phone number, and he often takes after-hours calls or delivers medications on weekends.
Beyond running the business, Mendoza Soto uses social media to share vital health and medication information with
his community. For him, it’s more than marketing; it’s an extension of community health. Looking ahead, he wants to transform the top floor of his building into a yoga studio, offering a space for exercise and mental well-being.
As Mendoza Soto looks around Farmacia Hogar, he sees more than shelves of medicine — he sees his family’s hard work, his community’s trust and his dream realized. But for him, the true reward isn’t just owning a pharmacy; it’s making a difference every day with the ones you love.
“This pharmacy will be our home for the foreseeable future,” Mendoza Soto said. “This will be the place where my family will all be together, and that’s the beauty of home.”
“This pharmacy will be our home for the foreseeable future. This will be the place where my family will all be together, and that’s the beauty of home.”
— David Mendoza Soto, Pharm.D., ’22
Farmacia Hogar brings family and community together for David Mendoza Soto, Pharm.D., ’22, pictured alongside his parents, sisters, nieces and a co-worker.
A Legacy of Invention
How the UF College of Pharmacy fostered two titans of the pharmaceutical industry: Nicholas S. Bodor, Ph.D., and Robert Bell, Ph.D., ’88
With a pair of recent inventions, two of today’s leaders in drug design and development prove ingenuity is the best solution to previously unmet health needs, and an inventive spirit is part and parcel of an education obtained from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.
In June 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved SofdraTM , a topical gel used to treat excessive sweating that was designed by Nicholas S. Bodor, Ph.D., a graduate research professor emeritus in the UF College of Pharmacy. Only two months later, the FDA approved neffy®, the first nasal spray treatment for anaphylaxis and the brainchild of Robert Bell, Ph.D., a 1988 graduate of the college.
A CASE STUDY IN INNOVATION
Bodor joined the College of Pharmacy faculty in 1979 as a professor and chair of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and he was soon promoted to graduate research professor. In 1986, he established and served as executive director for the college’s Center for Drug Discovery. During his time at UF, Bodor refined the conceptual framework upon which he’s produced several patents, novel drugs and therapies to treat dermatological, ophthalmologic and respiratory diseases.
Sofdra was launched by Botanix Pharmaceuticals, a licensee of Bodor Laboratories Inc., Bodor’s Miami-based pharmaceutical research and development company founded in 2006. The drug was created using Bodor’s unique, retrometabolic drug design and delivery methods. By building this soft drug with a chemical structure that allows predictable metabolism after exerting its desired therapeutic effects, Bodor aims to provide relief for the 10-15 million Americans who suffer with hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating.
“There was no drug that treated this issue. Other anticholinergics are effective, but they have multiple side effects which prevent their safe use, so Sofdra was designed to allow for predictable, fast deactivation after it’s absorbed in the circulatory system,” Bodor said.
Obtaining FDA approval for Sofdra was no simple task. Bodor said his team underwent strict regulatory processes that involved animal studies, clinical trials and toxicology studies to prove the drug’s safety and efficacy.
“My compound received its original patent in 2008. I licensed it in 2012, and development has been in play since then. I have the drug covered by 17 U.S. patents and over 120 international patents, which cover not only the molecule itself, but how and where to use it and how to formulate it,” Bodor said. “All in all, developing a drug takes about 15-18 years and costs on average $1.5 billion.”
At 86 years old, Bodor arrives at his office every morning at 7:30 a.m., energized by the possibilities of another day filled with discovery. It’s this indefatigable drive for innovation that Bodor aimed to impart to his students at the UF College of Pharmacy.
“I taught the doctoral-level courses on drug discovery and design, and I had students in pharmacy, medicine and chemistry. That was a very interesting experience, and I had good, motivated students,” Bodor said. “Some professors assign group projects, but I didn’t believe in this. I insisted each of my students have their own project, which covered all aspects of drug discovery and development. I wanted them to learn how to do research and how to invent. Most importantly, I wanted them to learn how to focus on what they want to achieve.”
“SUCCESS STARTS WITH A GERM OF AN IDEA”
Chief Science Officer for ARS Pharma Robert Bell was guided by a few core principles as he developed neffy, the only FDAapproved, needle-free, epinephrine nasal spray used to treat anaphylaxis: originality, inventiveness and compassion for patients.
“One in 20 Americans has experienced anaphylaxis, and 225 people die from it each year. Prompt epinephrine treatment at the first sign of symptoms is critical to stop disease progression, but the primary reason that people with serious allergies and their caregivers delay or avoid administration of epinephrine is fear of needles,” said Bell, who created neffy with his fellow ARS Pharma Co-Founder Richard Lowenthal. “Use of a nasal spray rather than a needle is the preferred route of administration for many people, since those fears are eliminated.”
neffy is the latest in a long line of drug therapies that Bell has helped develop and patent in the 35 years since he received a Ph.D. from the UF College of Pharmacy. The UF adjunct professor of pharmaceutics and recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the UF College of Pharmacy has 13 patents issued so far — for products like Narcan, Seasonique and the oral vaccine for Adenovirus types 4 and 7, with several more patents pending.
“I’ve been fortunate to have been part of some great teams that developed some wonderful, novel products for unmet medical needs, and like Professor Bodor, I want to continue as long as I can toward the development and approval of such drugs, devices and biologics,” he said.
Robert Bell, Ph.D., left, and Nicholas S. Bodor, Ph.D., have made significant contributions to the pharmaceutical industry with recent drug approvals from the FDA. The pair have known each other for years and were pictured here during Bodor’s 80th birthday celebration in Miami.
Bell said he developed the tenacity and skills necessary to launch and maintain his successful career from UF College of Pharmacy faculty members like Bodor, whose illustrious legacy proved to a young Bell what was possible, if he rose to the occasion.
“I would not be here if it wasn’t for the tutelage of Professor Stephen Schulman, who was my advisor and mentor. I was also close with Professor Hartmut Derendorf and Professor Bodor. I enjoyed the faculty and graduate student camaraderie during that time. We developed lifelong relationships,” he said.
of an idea, which you must take forward. First, you make it patentable. Next, it needs to be safe, as well as effective, so you ask yourself, what does it take to get this product through? At the end of the day, you must want to do the work.”
UF COLLEGE OF PHARMACY 2024-25
ANNUAL REPORT & STATISTICS
PHARM.D.
CLASS OF 2028 PROFILE
249 STUDENTS
205 Florida Students
41 Out-of-State Students 74% B.S. or B.A. degree
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 205 2
3 International Students Puer to Rico
25
NEW COLLEGE RECORD!
NEW PH.D. STUDENTS (ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25)
54 Graduate students
15 Countries represented
FACULTY HONORS
EMILY CICALI, Pharm.D., BCPS
The American Society of Pharmacovigilance selected Emily Cicali, Pharm.D., BCPS, a clinical associate professor, as an inaugural winner of a STRIPE Double Helix Award. She earned the award in the Outstanding Achievement in Pharmacogenomics category, which highlights individuals whose groundbreaking contributions in research, innovation, education, clinical implementation or advocacy have profoundly impacted the field.
JATINDER LAMBA,
Ph.D., M.Sc.
Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D., M.Sc., associate dean for research and graduate education and a professor of pharmacotherapy and translational research, was elected a council member of the Section on Pharmaceutical Sciences for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS. Over the course of her four-year term, she will play a key role in overseeing the AAAS fellows process, supporting its multidisciplinary working groups and guiding the section’s business affairs and best practices.
CHARLES PELOQUIN, Pharm.D.
Charles Peloquin, Pharm.D., the Jack C. Massey Endowed Professor and associate chair of the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, has been honored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology with the Roger Jelliffe Individualized Therapy Award. This annual award recognizes an individual who has significantly advanced the field of personalized medicine by improving the use of drugs or biologics in patients.
JANEL SOUCIE, Pharm.D.
Janel Soucie, Pharm.D., an instructional associate professor and Orlando regional coordinator for the University of Florida College of Pharmacy Office of Experiential Programs, was named a University-Level Superior Accomplishment Award winner. She was honored at a ceremony on April 3 at the Reitz Union in Gainesville, joining an elite group of 20 employees selected from across the university.
PETER W. SWAAN,
Ph.D., M.Pharm.
Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm., dean and professor, has been named chair-elect for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, or AACP, Council of Deans. Elected by his peers, Swaan’s appointment began in July, and he will become chair of the council in the summer of 2026. He will also represent the council on AACP’s Board of Directors.
2024-25 TEACHER OF THE YEAR
DR. BRAD PHILLIPS AIMS TO EMPOWER AND ENGAGE STUDENTS
Brad Phillips, Pharm.D., BCACP, understands that when students are active participants in their own education, the sky’s the limit for what they can achieve. The clinical assistant professor of pharmacy education and practice has earned the prestigious title of the UF College of Pharmacy’s 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, thanks to his interactive and creative teaching style, as well as his commitment to mentoring students in the classroom and beyond.
“My goal is to empower students to reach their full potential and feel confident in their abilities,” said Phillips, a faculty member at the college’s Orlando campus. “This recognition not only validates my efforts but also inspires me to continue striving for excellence. When I graduated from this prestigious university, I could not have envisioned a career path that would lead to such an achievement. Being recognized by the faculty, staff, and students — who I hold in the highest regard — is one of the greatest honors of my career.”
In teaching courses like patient care 3, skills lab, the ambulatory care elective and the mind/body elective, Phillips incorporates interactive elements such as multimedia presentations, gamified learning experiences and real-world problemsolving scenarios to foster a learning environment that’s both inviting and entertaining.
“To impart information to my students in novel and creative ways, I focus on fostering engagement and active participation,” Phillips said. “By using simulated experiences and online collaborative tools, I create immersive and dynamic learning environments. This approach not only makes learning more enjoyable but also helps students retain information better and develop critical thinking skills.”
Phillips’ commitment to his students extends far beyond classroom instruction and even beyond office hours. In addition to serving as a faculty advisor for Kappa Psi, the American Pharmacist Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists, and the National Hispanic Pharmacists Association –Organización Latina de Estudiantes de Farmacia, he volunteers
“ B EING RECOGNIZED BY THE FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS — WHO I HOLD IN THE HIGHEST REGARD — IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS OF MY CAREER.”
— BRAD PHILLIPS, PHARM.D., BCACP, ’18
with students and patients through on-campus organizations and Orlando-based community programs. The 2018 graduate of the UF College of Pharmacy also spearheaded a near-peer teaching assistant program on the Orlando campus to promote student learning.
“Dr. Phillips exemplifies the very best of what it means to be an educator, mentor and innovator in pharmacy education,” said Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm., dean and professor in the UF College of Pharmacy. “His ability to engage and inspire students in the classroom has been widely recognized, and his commitment to their professional growth makes him a well-deserving recipient of the 2024-25 UF College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year award.”
Phillips is the second faculty member from the Orlando campus to win the UF College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year award. Shannon Miller, Pharm.D., ’96, won the award in 2018.
FROM THE DIRECTOR
CHRISTIE PRIDDY Senior Director of Development and Alumni Affairs
christiepriddy@ufl.edu
352-273-6605
Dear alumni and friends,
This past year has filled me with a sense of pride and gratitude for the incredible support from our alumni, donors and friends. It has been my privilege to meet new alumni and strengthen existing relationships to help advance the college’s mission.
Last year, we established a new Alumni & Friends Awards Program to recognize individuals who have significantly impacted the college and the pharmacy profession. Carl Allison, ’76, was named the College of Pharmacy Impact Award winner, while Mitchel C. Rothholz, ’84, was selected for the Distinguished Service to Pharmacy Profession Award. We will honor our next award winners in October.
I am excited to introduce our newest team member, Maddie Helming. Maddie graduated from UF this year and will serve as the donor relations and alumni affairs coordinator. Please join me in welcoming Maddie to the Pharmily!
We can’t wait for you to join us for our annual Alumni BBQ event on October 4, 2025, as the Gators take on the Texas Longhorns. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow graduates, network with current students and celebrate the spirit of our college.
Finally, I would like to honor Dr. Bob Crisafi, ’56, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Dr. Bob was a beloved member of our college family and supported over 125 students with scholarships. Many of you support the Crisafi Challenge each year, and we hope you will continue to do so in his memory this fall. His legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon — and Go Gators!
DEAN’S CIRCLE
The Dean’s Circle recognizes our alumni and friends who support the college with an annual gift of $1,000 or more. Thanks to their generous support, the UF College of Pharmacy can adapt to the ever-changing academic and health care environments while remaining one of the nation’s topranked pharmacy colleges. We appreciate and thank all our generous supporters.
PHARMACY ALUMNUS
DR. BRIAN GILBERT
RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF UF’S 40 GATORS UNDER 40
University of Florida College of Pharmacy graduate BRIAN GILBERT, Pharm.D., ’15, was selected to UF’s 40 Gators Under 40 class of 2025.
Gilbert serves as an emergency medicine clinical pharmacy specialist at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. During his time in the profession, he has worked as an innovator in advancing clinical pharmacy practice with a focus on developing and implementing thromboelastography-based treatment algorithms. Notably, his approaches to managing coagulopathies in critically ill patients have been widely adopted and have improved patient outcomes while setting new standards in clinical care.
Along with his professional work, Gilbert holds a passion for serving as an educator and mentor. He carries experience in helping train and develop pharmacy residents and students while also serving in leadership roles in professional organizations, which include a current position as chair-elect of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Emergency Medicine Practice and Research Network and a former role as president and director of education for the Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacy.
ALUMNI & FRIENDS AWARDS
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy recognizes individuals who elevate the college and advance the pharmacy profession through its Alumni & Friends Awards. This year’s honorees included CARL ALLISON, ’76, for the Impact Award, and MITCHEL C. ROTHHOLZ, ’84, for the Distinguished Service to Pharmacy Profession Award. Both were honored at the college’s Evening of Excellence event on Nov. 15.
Lake City pharmacy owner Carl Allison and his wife, Joan, have been loyal supporters of the UF College of Pharmacy for more than four decades. They opened Baya Pharmacy in 1986, and the pharmacy has become a staple of the Lake City community, serving patients and customers with the same care and dedication as family. As the business grew and thrived, Allison supported various programs within the UF College of Pharmacy, including scholarships, endowments, building funds and entrepreneurial initiatives. He has been UF’s voice in the community and a champion for encouraging pharmacy students to explore independent pharmacy ownership.
Rothholz, R.Ph., M.B.A., FAPhA, is a nationally recognized expert on pharmacy-based immunization delivery with more than four decades of organization, advocacy and practice management experience. Much of his distinguished career was spent with the American Pharmacists Association, or APhA, where he served as chief of staff and chief strategy officer, as well as executive director of the APhA Foundation. He has strongly advocated for expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice and strengthening their presence in health care teams.
Dean Peter W. Swaan with Mitchel C. Rothholz, pictured left, and Carl Allison.
REMEMBERING DR. BOB CRISAFI 1931–2025
The UF College of Pharmacy mourns the passing of longtime supporter Dr. Robert Crisafi
Few alumni have embodied the spirit of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy quite like Robert Crisafi, Ph.D., ’56. He passed away on April 8 at age 93, leaving behind a legacy of pharmaceutical innovation and a deep, enduring bond with the institution that shaped his life and career.
While Dr. Bob — as he was affectionately known — established a dozen pharmaceutical companies and helped revolutionize medication safety in hospitals, it was his profound fondness for his family, faith and alma mater that stood above all else.
From 1953 to 1956, Dr. Bob found his path at UF. He and his new bride, Barbara, arrived in Gainesville with modest means, but a scholarship awarded on his first day of pharmacy school opened doors that would shape his future. One of only five graduate students in the industrial pharmacy program at the time, he worked tirelessly in a lab on the fourth floor of Leigh Hall, developing strong relationships with his peers and learning from faculty mentors who left a lifelong impression.
“When I really think about it, my successes in life can be attributed to my education at the University of Florida,” Crisafi said in his later years. “That is an excellent reason why I continue to be connected to my alma mater.”
Dr. Bob and Barbara always felt it was important to give back to the UF College of Pharmacy and repay the scholarship he was
As a graduate student, Dr. Bob spent long hours working in the industrial pharmacy research lab at the College of Pharmacy’s former home in Leigh Hall.
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
Dr. Bob cherished
2018.
given. Their commitment began with their first gift in the 1960s and continued for decades, including several major gifts to fund the construction of a medicinal chemistry research lab and create a chair in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy to study medication safety in hospitals. But it was their most recent philanthropic effort, the Crisafi Challenge, that deepened their ties to the college and university they loved.
When Dr. Bob and Barbara created the Crisafi Challenge in 2015, they set out to build a legacy of support for future Gator pharmacists. Starting with a $10,000 gift and a call to alumni and friends to match it, the first challenge brought in more than $30,000 and funded scholarships for eight incoming students.
The challenge’s overwhelming success inspired an annual tradition. By 2018, the Crisafis increased their matching gift, and the campaign raised over $115,000. A decade later, the Crisafi Challenge has become the college’s most successful recruitment scholarship effort, raising over $1 million and awarding 125 scholarships to students proudly known as Crisafi Scholars.
“Dr. Bob truly believed in the power of our students and the transformative impact of a UF pharmacy education,” said Peter W. Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm., dean and professor in the UF College of Pharmacy. “His passing is a tremendous loss, but his legacy will endure in every Crisafi Scholar who benefits from the generosity and vision he shared with our college.”
UF honored Dr. Bob with its Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2017, a prestigious recognition reserved for graduates who have excelled professionally or served the university with distinction. In 2011, he received the UF College of Pharmacy’s Outstanding Pharmacy Alumnus Award, the college’s top honor for extraordinary lifetime accomplishments.
Dr. Bob’s passing follows Barbara’s death in September 2024. The couple was married for 71 years and is survived by two children, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
REMEMBERED
APRIL 1, 2024 – MARCH 31, 2025
Lois Adams ’62
James Atherton ’77
Annette Box ’08
George Browning ’53
Orestes Cartaya ’66
John Cone ’58
Barbara Crisafi
Kenneth Dean ’72
Suzanne DeLongy ’73
Donald Gerlach ’56
Ray Golden ’61
John Harlowe ’65
Willard Harrison ’66
Hugh Jones ’62
Howard Kichler ’62
Joel Martucci ’75
Andrew Massaro ’61
Charles Osterholt ’54
Tom Pilcher ’71
Jack Polk ’55
Leonard Rosenberg ’80
Thomas Sawdon ’68
Robert Serros ’54
Jerold Slaughter ’57
Vincent Trunzo ’67
meeting the Crisafi Scholars, including Nhi Tran, who received a Crisafi Scholarship in
CRISAFI CHALLENGE
–YEAR IMPACT
2015
• Dr. Bob creates the Crisafi Challenge to recruit the best and brightest pharmacy students to UF.
• The first Crisafi Challenge raises more than $30,000, including a $10,000 match gift from Dr. Bob.
2015
2016
• The first Crisafi scholarships are awarded to eight pharmacy students.
• Dr. Bob increases his match gift to $20,000 and the Crisafi Challenge raises $50,000.
• UF College of Pharmacy moves into the Top 10 of the U.S. News & World Report Rankings.
2017
• Dr. Bob receives the UF Distinguished Alumnus Award.
2017
2017
• GATORx magazine cover features Dr. Bob with the Crisafi Scholars.
• The Crisafi Challenge raises more than $100,000 for the first time, thanks to a $40,000 match gift from Dr. Bob.
2018
2018
• Dr. Bob meets two dozen Crisafi Scholars during a visit to Gainesville.
• Dr. Bob increases his match gift to $50,000, and the challenge raises $115,000.
2019
• The Crisafi Challenge raises a record $160,000.
2020
• UF College of Pharmacy moves into the Top 5 of the U.S. News & World Report Rankings.
2021
• A record 219 gifts are made to the Crisafi Challenge.
2022
• The 100th Crisafi scholarship is awarded.
2023
• The Crisafi Challenge approaches $1 million raised for student scholarships.
2024
• The UF College of Pharmacy celebrates the 10th year of the Crisafi Challenge.
Many bright students in Florida, and across the country, want to study at UF because we are a top-ranked pharmacy college, but some of them do not have the financial means to do so. I wanted the Crisafi Challenge to provide quality students with the opportunity to pursue their dreams of being a Gator.”
— Bob Crisafi, Ph.D., ’56
UF COLLEGE OF PHARMACY 2024-25 SCHOLARSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS
Ahrano Scholarship
Amanda Feliciano Hernandez, Allison Henderson
Cardinal Health Pharmacy Scholarship
Mackenzie Gaitens
Charlotte Liberty Scholarship
Isaac Barroso, Valentina Sopo Borraez, Angelis Miranda Crespo, Julia Delmas, Anh Doan, Megan Duffy, Alyse Gomez, Alexa Luboff, MaKay Neves, Chidera Okafor, Marshall Outland, Jasmine Perez, Cecilia Perla, Jennifer Torres Reyes, Daija Robertson, Jenaya Simmons, Hanna Sotolongo-Miranda, Kierra Weber, Kaylee Whytal
Community Pharmacy Business and Entrepreneurial Endowment
Stacy Clark, Darci Conklin, Kiera Fernandez, Zachary Hamm, Bryana Lopez, Thalia Nieves, Nicole Rios Serrano, Chrystal Vandeventer, Alexandra Vitiello
Crisafi Challenge Admission Scholarship
Madelinde Arthur, William Hodgson, Ashlynn Diaz, Robert Brown, Jordyn Buquicchio, Kaylee Fasano, Hannah Gray, Sarah Johnson, Victoria Moltzan, Amanda Rivera, Mary Zeidan, Zoleimar Figueroa, Ariana Ginard Pacheco, Alanys Luna Ramirez, Mikaylen Svoboda, Vianca Torres Santiago, Marielle Vega Ortiz, Josue Rodriguez Mendez
CVS Health Foundation Scholarship (Spanish Speaking)
Dailene Carrion, Genisse Gonzalez, Makayla Kapalcynski, Jayson Melecio, Angelic Melo
CVS Health Foundation Standard Scholarship
Bradley Livingston, Gerald Aldwin Loyola, Morgan Mitchell
Debbie DeSantis Endowment
Kelly Bishop, Mary Pearl Ojukwu, Darla Khouri, Andre Zibner
Debbie Klapp Memorial Scholarship
So Young Moon
Eckerd Pharmacy Scholarship
Ruth Adeyemi, Braden Beaney, Marianna Calvet, Teocali Diaz, Shelby Ducut, Kevin Fenter, Alfredo Figueroa, Cassidy Graybosch, Sydney Hauth, Julia Hunter, Lilia
Jimenez, Davis John, Monice Nguyen, Mason Kenny, Sydni Lehman, Nuona Li, Kaitlin Mettel, Alan Nieves, Miguel Nieves, Nicole Padro, Kendrick Panoch, Cindy Phan, YinYin Qin, Fabian Quiorga, Marilyn Rish, Adrian Rodriguez, Sameh Samaan, Katie Schnarre, Johnnie Smith, Ashley Stultz, Leen
Sultan, Keith Tinjaca, Anthony Truong, Alexis Williams, Kathryn Woodford
Feild Scholarship Fund
Kaylee Fasano
Francene Trainor Memorial Scholarship
Paige Rhein
Frank A. and Mary S. Dodge Endowed Scholarship
Yazimel Chico
Gay Harlowe Scholarship
Tyler Broady, Shunwen Wu
Hamilton, Harris & Hobbs Student Presidential Award (Florida Pharmacy Association)
Kendrick J Panoch
Jack and Betty Jones Scholarship
Nicolette Gonzalez
Jared C. Allison Memorial Scholarship
Justin Crespo, Matthew Todd
Jeanne Scheibler Scholarship
Alweya Abdulkader Idris, Ermano Menos, Shilynne Parker, Jelitza Piersante, Emidelys Quintana
Valentin, Kira Shore, Lindsay Solano
John and Debbie Murphy Scholarship
Joahn Marwin Okoumba Odjaga
Johnston Scholastic Achievement Scholarship
Devanand Umesh Adhin
Kazarian Family Scholarship
Anthony Hightower
Lamar and Hilda Massey Scholarship
Joseph Leiner
Laura and Philip Dean Scholarship
Spencer Watson
Maria and Maximino Moreno Pharmacy Scholarship
Jahanvi Patel
Mary Louise Andersen Scholarship from the American Pharmacists Association Foundation
Rachel Pena
McKesson Ownership and Management Endowment Scholarship
Alexandra Chizmar
Michael & Paula Ujhelyi
Industry Career Scholarship
Aliese Dashiell
Michael & Martha Stamitoles Endowment
Ashley Sambenedetto
Morris and William Skor
Family Scholarship
Gabrielle Gorwitz, Callista Hall
Neal Family Scholarship
Miriam Hope, Erwin Lanzas
Oscar Araujo Alumni Scholarship
Devanand Adhin, Gabrielle Cohen, Johanna Del Castillo, Wen Jiang, Lauren Lewis, Nghi Nguyen, Ronald Ramon, Makenzee Smith
Oscar Marina Family Scholarship
Robere Salisman
Peter Field Memorial Scholarship
Isabella Ico
Pharmacy Board of Directors Scholarship
Joshua Levine, Minah Nayeri, Anjli Patel
Publix Charities Scholarship
Madiha Ali, Brenna Brown, Kelli
Corona, Grace Hogan, Ciera Isman, Alberto Jimenez Ybargollin, Hafnsur Mim, Matthew Molk, Juan Ramos-Perez, Brooke Stamey
Randolph Andrew Cone Memorial Scholarship
Christopher Cardello, Chelsey Powell
Robert Littler Scholarship
Ibna Shahalam, Alexis Thomson Richards Memorial Scholarship
YouTing Huang
Ruiz-Castañeda Family Scholarship
Gianfranco Romaelle
Russ and Carol Blaser
Memorial Scholarship
Zalina Delisi
Steve Reeder Legacy Scholarship
Dean Jacobs
Valerie Calkin Griffith Scholarship
Francis Ameng
Victor Micolucci Scholarship
Elise Mills
Vogel Anderson Exceptional Leader Scholarship
Caela Vasquez
Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship
Alejandra Noguiera
Walter Van Munster Scholarship
Jonathan Nocenti
Wejebe Scholarship
Olivia Roberston
William T. and Jackie C. Reid Scholarship
Samantha Schauberger
Yachbes Family Scholarship
Shelby Figueroa
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
Bonnie Avery Advancing Women in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Award
Nina Erwin
Dr. Allen Spiegel Graduate Endowment in Pharmaceutical Research
Bassma Eltanameli, Nina Erwin, Cameron Humerickhouse
DuBow Family Graduate Student Education Fellowship
Tahmid Hussain, Trang Le
Hartmut Derendorf Graduate Student Fellowship Award
Peter Ramdhan
Robert and Stephany Ruffolo Graduate Education & Research Fellowship
Huilin Tang
Ronald J. and Sally G. Brenner Fellowship
Yuzhao Zhang
The University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s 36th Annual Alumni BBQ featured a picture-perfect day full of Gator pride and celebration. Nearly 350 alumni and friends gathered in the HPNP Courtyard on Nov. 16 to enjoy great food, lively conversations and activities for the youngest fans before witnessing the Gators’ thrilling 27-16 win over the LSU Tigers.
Jake and Caitlin Roberts; Mike, Lisa and Casey Jackson; Zack Clough
Alicia Rawls, ’08, and Tiffany Williams, ’08
Dion Herrera, ’89, and Theresa Tolle, ’88
UF pharmacy students
Kristopher Maldonado, Nicholas Aravantinou-Eghinis, ’25, Seejah Stephens and Darian Phidd
Meet our New Department Chairs
Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy
Steve Smith, Pharm.D., M.P.H., was named the new chair of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy in September, after serving as interim chair the previous year.
As the interim chair, he successfully led the department’s transition into the state-of-the-art Malachowsky Hall for Data Science and Information Technology — a move that has transformed artificial intelligence and data science research across UF. His ability to guide the department through this transformative period earned him the trust and respect of his colleagues, particularly for his mentorship of junior faculty. Under his leadership, the department enjoyed a record-setting year for research expenditures in 2023-24, and he helped recruit several new faculty and staff positions. Smith’s priorities as chair include recruiting exceptional faculty to UF while enhancing the department’s expertise in key areas such as pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, health services research and artificial intelligence. Additionally, he is committed to mentoring future scientists and clinicians by strengthening the department’s impact on graduate and professional education.
STEVE Get to Know SMITH
What is your favorite thing about living in Gainesville?
I love the vibrancy, particularly given the size of Gainesville, which is just about perfect. I also love the trees here.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career and why?
My mom’s career as an early childhood teacher and later as a college faculty member impacted my decision to pursue a teaching career. She encouraged curiosity, a love for learning and the courage to question assumptions — values I have tried to instill in my
own kids. I’ve had the privilege of learning from many exceptional mentors in academic pharmacy, but the greatest influence has been my postdoctoral advisor, Dr. John Gums. He taught me many things during the formative years of my academic career and helped steer me toward academia.
If you were not in pharmacy or academia, what career path would you have chosen?
I would have loved to have been a musician. Maybe in retirement.
What is the best advice you were given about leadership?
Trust is hard to build and easy to squander. Make it a priority.
What are your interests outside of work?
Music, traveling and baking. Lately, our family has gotten into tennis, which happens to be quite popular in the Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.
CHARLES J.
Cellular and Systems Pharmacology
Charles J. Frazier, Ph.D., an integral member of the Department of Cellular and Systems Pharmacology (formerly the Department of Pharmacodynamics) in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy for the past two decades, was named the department’s new chair in October.
Since joining the UF College of Pharmacy in 2003, Frazier has led a successful and highly collaborative lab while securing more than $17 million in grant funding. His research explores how cellular and synaptic physiology in the central nervous system influences broader physiological systems and behaviors, particularly in health and disease states. In addition to his research, Frazier served as the department’s graduate coordinator for seven years. He mentored more than a dozen graduate students over this time and was recognized as a UF Term Professor in 2017.
Frazier took the helm of a department comprising 17 faculty members spanning tenure-track, research and instructional roles. His initial goals include recruiting new talent, providing support for current faculty and redesigning the graduate program to better integrate with the research areas of new faculty members. He also seeks to expand research collaborations between department faculty and other experts within UF Health’s academic colleges.
Get to Know FRAZIER
What is your favorite thing about working at UF?
There’s always something interesting going on in my professional world. I am never bored.
Who has been the biggest influence on your career and why?
There are too many people who have made small but important contributions to my career development to list, although my graduate mentor, Dr. Thomas Dunwiddie, stands out as particularly impactful.
What inspired you to pursue pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences as a career?
I was drawn in by the broader goals and mechanics of a career in academic research. My fascination with the questions we could address, combined with the relatively large degree of freedom to pursue them, were major early motivators for this career trajectory.
What is the best advice you were given about leadership?
It’s not about you.
What are your interests outside of work?
Parenting: I love my kids and the time I get to spend with them. Also, cycling is a favorite way to stay active.
MICHELLE Z. FARLAND
Pharmacy Education and Practice
Clinical Professor Michelle Z. Farland, Pharm.D., was appointed as the inaugural chair of the Department of Pharmacy Education and Practice in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in April. In this role, she will lead the college’s largest department, overseeing nearly 40 faculty members across the Gainesville, Jacksonville and Orlando campuses.
Farland’s appointment follows nearly two years in interim leadership roles, during which she helped establish the Department of Pharmacy Education and Practice in May 2024. The restructuring was designed to enhance collaboration among research faculty, clinical pharmacists and pharmacy educators, ultimately strengthening the college’s academic and clinical programs.
As chair, Farland plans to expand the college’s residency and fellowship programs while ensuring faculty have the autonomy to explore innovative educational and clinical initiatives. She believes that by empowering faculty, the department can advance pharmacy education, patient care and advocacy for the profession.
Farland joined the UF College of Pharmacy in 2015 and earned a promotion to clinical professor in 2021. Before stepping into the interim chair role, she led the Division of Community-Based Pharmacotherapy. Her research and scholarly interests focus on the outcomes of team-based learning and alternative grading approaches, earning her numerous teaching accolades, including the prestigious 2025 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Distinguished Teaching Scholar Award. She also completed a two-year term as president of the Team-Based Learning Collaborative from 2019-21.
Get to Know
What is your favorite thing about living in Gainesville?
Gainesville is a family-friendly environment with numerous opportunities to participate in a variety of activities. I enjoy running through the many streets and trails around Gainesville.
What inspired you to pursue a career in academic pharmacy?
During residency training, I recognized that I enjoyed my role as a pharmacist and educator. I also knew early in my career that I enjoyed a challenge, especially ones that no one has previously addressed. Academia seemed to be the best fit for me to continue my
passion as a pharmacist, helping to improve individuals’ health, developing future colleagues through education and exploring innovative ideas to help move the profession forward.
If you were not in pharmacy or academia, what career path would you have chosen?
I would be a Disney travel agent. No questions about that!
What is the best advice you were given about leadership?
Listen. Don’t be afraid to share ideas. Sometimes, for others to open up, you need to go first and model the behavior you want to see in others.
If you could invite three people to a dinner party, who would you choose?
My grandparents (Angie and Emilio Mangione), as there’s never a dull moment with the two of them. If I were to select individuals I have never met who have significantly influenced my leadership development, Brene Brown, Angela Duckworth and Adam Grant would be at the top of the list.
Tom Schmittgen, Ph.D., pictured left, co-authored a paper in 2001 that is the second most-cited paper this century, according to Nature. He is pictured here with his long-time collaborator, Jinmai Jiang, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the UF College of Pharmacy.
UF PHARMACY PROFESSOR’S PAPER RANKS NO. 2 IN CITATIONS THIS CENTURY
A simple yet elegant equation published by a University of Florida professor nearly 25 years ago has earned a place among the most influential scientific works of the century.
The 2001 publication co-authored by Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., chair of pharmaceutics in the UF College of Pharmacy, has garnered nearly 150,000 citations in the Web of Science database, securing its place as the second most-cited research article of the 21st century and the fifth most-cited publication of all time, according to Nature.
The paper introduced a now widely used approach for gene expression analysis and was co-authored by Schmittgen while he was an assistant professor at the Washington State University College of Pharmacy. He collaborated with Kenneth Livak, Ph.D., a pioneer in the field of quantitative polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, to publish the study in the journal Methods.
Quantitative PCR is a widely used technique in life sciences, helping researchers measure how genes are expressed in different samples. Before Schmittgen and Livak’s work, scientists often relied on standard curves, an extra step that made the process more complex. The 2−ΔΔCT (spelled out as “2 minus delta delta C-T”) equation, derived by Livak, simplified the calculations, allowing researchers to quickly compare gene expression levels between samples.
“If you wanted to compare the amount of RNA in a tumor versus normal tissue, you would use quantitative PCR to measure those differences,” Schmittgen said. “The equation lets you
express those results as a fold-change — for example, showing that a tumor has 10 times more mRNA than normal tissue.”
Schmittgen attributes two key factors to the paper’s immense influence. First, quantitative PCR is used across many life sciences, from cancer research to infectious disease studies, making the method relevant to a broad scientific audience. Second, methodology papers tend to be the most cited in history, as researchers frequently reference them when applying established techniques.
“Methodology papers endure because they remain useful over time. Scientists rely on established methods, and the 2−ΔΔCT equation is one of them,” Schmittgen said. “What this paper did was really demystify the calculations so even a high school student doing quantitative PCR would understand it.”
Schmittgen and Livak’s paper had an immediate impact, earning 50 to 60 citations in its first year — far outpacing any of Schmittgen’s prior research. Since then, thousands of scientists worldwide have referenced their work, with many reaching out to Schmittgen for guidance on applying the 2−ΔΔCT method in their studies. It’s gratifying to help, Schmittgen said.
“I could have never predicted almost 25 years later it would have been cited so many times,” he said. “But it’s reassuring to know that Dr. Livak and I have made a lasting contribution to science.”
UF COLLEGE OF PHARMACY LAUNCHES FIRST FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM IN JACKSONVILLE WITH SUPPORT FROM DAIICHI SANKYO
Thanks to a generous $378,000 grant from Daiichi Sankyo, the UF College of Pharmacy has established its first fellowship program at the Jacksonville campus. The Clinical Research in Community Oncology Fellowship launched July 1, in alliance with Cancer Specialists of North Florida.
Daiichi Sankyo’s grant will support two fellows for two years, as they will gain important clinical and research experience in a community oncology setting. The fellows will train under the direction of Jessica Huston, Pharm.D., a clinical assistant professor in the UF College of Pharmacy.
The fellowship will provide advanced training in multiple areas of pharmacy, including clinical practice, independent research and teaching. Working alongside health care professionals at Cancer Specialists of North Florida, the fellows will deliver direct patient care through prescription management, medication counseling and interdisciplinary collaboration. At the UF College of Pharmacy, the fellows will play an active role in education by leading skills lab sessions, participating in the teaching certificate program and co-precepting advanced pharmacy practice experience students.
POPULAR DIABETES MEDICATIONS MAY PROTECT AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, UF RESEARCHERS FIND
Astudy led by researchers in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy has found that a pair of popular glucose-lowering medications may have protective effects against the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
In research published in JAMA Neurology on April 7, UF researchers studied Medicare claims data of older adults with Type 2 diabetes to assess the association among glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1RAs, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, or SGLT2is, and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The research is supported by funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, both part of the National Institutes of Health.
The data showed a statistically significant association between a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and the use of GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is compared with other glucose-lowering medications. According to the researchers, the findings indicated that the two drugs may have neuroprotective effects for people without diabetes and may help slow the rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients.
Serena Jingchuan Guo, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy and the study’s senior author, said these findings may point to new therapeutic uses for drugs commonly used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“It’s exciting that these diabetes medications may offer additional benefits, such as protecting brain health,” Guo said. “Based on our research, there is promising potential for GLP-1RAs and SGLT2is to be considered for Alzheimer’s disease prevention in the future. As use of these drugs continues to expand, it becomes increasingly important to understand their real-world benefits and risks across populations.”
Guo conducted this research in collaboration with William Donahoo, M.D., a clinical professor and chief of the UF Health Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, and Steven T DeKosky, M.D., deputy director of the McKnight Brain Institute and a professor of Alzheimer’s research, neurology and neuroscience in the UF Department of Neurology.
As the study only included patients with Type 2 diabetes, Guo said next steps include evaluating the effects of the two drugs in broader populations by using recent, real-world data that captures their growing use in clinical settings.
Guo
CLASS OF 2025
Roars of applause and animated cheers filled the Stephen C. O’Connell Center as the University of Florida College of Pharmacy class of 2025 was celebrated during a commencement ceremony on May 17. More than 200 Pharm.D. graduates were recognized, along with the college’s online master’s students.
The 2025 UF College of Pharmacy Outstanding Pharmacy Alumnus Award was presented to Matthew Kirchoff, Pharm.D., ’09. Kirchoff, who leads the technical programs branch of the U.S. Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program under the Defense Health Agency, also delivered the commencement address, during which he challenged the graduates to be curious, bold and connected.
The ceremony closed with John Gums, Pharm.D., executive associate dean and a professor in the UF College of Pharmacy, leading the graduates in reciting the American Pharmacists Association’s Oath of a Pharmacist.
