As a long-standing leader in the advancement of global health equity, pharmacy education and patient care, Altiere held numerous leadership positions with FIP, the International Pharmaceutical Federation. Recognized as a fellow of FIP in 2016, Altiere recently established an Industrial Pharmacy Education Working Group to develop guidance for establishing pharmacy education programs to support the workforce in countries developing their own pharmaceutical industry. In honor of his longstanding commitment to global health equity, FIP recognized Altiere as the first recipient of the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s Award for Exceptional Leadership at the 2024 FIP World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa.
Keeping Pace and Moving Forward
Altiere is keeping pace and surpassing expectations, not just with his professional career but also in his personal pursuit as a lifelong runner. For the last 21 years, he has participated in the Bolder Boulder 10K race. His best finishes to date were in his last four races when he finished third in his age group. His stellar finish belied the fact that he had contracted COVID the week before the 2024 race and was unable to properly train for the event. But, in true Altiere fashion, he laced up his shoes, suppressed his COVID cough, and took to the racecourse finishing third in his age category.
Buoyed by a stellar career, and a character steeped in steadfastness and determination, those who know Altiere fully expect him to not miss a beat as he returns to the faculty to continue his distinguished academic career.
Scan to see the full story with Dean Altiere's timeline of accomplishments:
THE SKAGGS SCHOOL OF PHARMACY ESTABLISHES ITS FIRST-EVER ENDOWED FACULTY CHAIR
Prestigious award made possible with a generous $2M gift from alumna Debra Devereaux
Christina Aquilante, PharmD, Director of Pharmacogenomics for the Colorado Center for Personalized Medicine and Professor at CU Pharmacy, is the first Debra S. Devereaux Endowed Chair in Translational Pharmaceutical Sciences at CU Pharmacy. This is a new position, created to support research around translational pharmaceutical sciences - the discovery, development, and use of therapeutics - with a specific focus on personalized medicine and to advance the discovery of practical applications and advancements in the field.
“It is an incredible honor and deeply humbling to be named the first endowed chair at the School of Pharmacy,” Aquilante said.
“This recognition not only acknowledges the work that I, along with many talented colleagues, fellows, and students, have put into advancing the field of personalized medicine but also represents a commitment to the future of translational pharmaceutical sciences here at CU.”
A Gift to Inspire
The future of translational sciences was exactly what CU Pharmacy alumna Debra Devereaux, RPh, MBA, had in mind when she gifted the school $2 million to create this position.
“My pharmacy degree from CU Pharmacy has enabled me to excel and provide leadership in very diverse areas of healthcare,” Devereaux said. “I am thankful for all the opportunities that have come my way, and I wanted to support the research underway now to learn which medications can be utilized based on an individual’s genetic makeup-achieving maximum effectiveness with minimal adverse events.”
Thoughts for the Future
“In this new role, I hope to implement programs that are at the leading edge of translating research findings to the clinical setting,” said Aquilante. “A big part of this is going to be exploring the intersection of personalized medicine and artificial intelligence, and how we use these tools in judicious and meaningful ways to improve patient care.”
Dean Altiere and Dean Emeritus Louis Diamond unveil the signage officially designating the school as the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Dean Altiere participates in the Bolder Boulder 10K race in 2023.
Christina Aquilante, PharmD
and trainees along their pathways in this arena. Since its inception, the office has hosted seminars by entrepreneurs exploring novel targeted immune therapeutics, automated patient medical record retrieval, remote monitoring and AI to improve the way in which health care is delivered. Joy works closely with CU Innovations and faculty innovators across the Anschutz Medical Campus to enhance drug, device and diagnostic development efforts and potential strategic partnerships that support the commercialization of new technologies.
As part of these initiatives, Joy launched the school’s first Innovation & Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition this spring. The call-to-competition event encouraged pharmacy faculty to brainstorm ideas, initiatives, or vexing problems that they have always wanted to develop. Six teams pitched their ideas ranging from gene therapy projects to data visualization efforts and beyond. Key score-driving elements included novelty, stakeholder considerations, competitor products, value proposition and short and long-term vision and goals. Funding to support the winning projects will be announced in the near future.
Research Takes Quantum Leaps
Some of the School’s most advanced and high-tech scientific innovation and research infrastructure lives in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, so it’s no surprise that these researchers have a high comfort level with new technologies and machinelearning software.
In 2021, the CU Anschutz Center for Drug Discovery was established with a mission to accelerate the development of innovative therapies through advanced drug screening, cutting-edge research, and strategic collaborations. By combining state-of-the-art robotic automation with multidisciplinary expertise, the Center bridges the gap between scientific discovery and clinical application.
Expanding its innovation efforts, the Center is now exploring quantum technology’s potential in drug discovery. Dan LaBarbera, PhD, is part of a CU-based research group working to harness
quantum computing for human health applications. This effort is fueled by Elevate Quantum (EQ), one of only two federally designated and funded technology hubs in the U.S., leading a statewide initiative to establish Colorado as a quantum technology ecosystem. EQ is building the infrastructure to apply quantum computing and sensing across fields from cybersecurity to medicine.
In drug discovery, quantum simulations could rapidly identify drug candidates, optimize molecular design, and predict complex biological interactions, significantly accelerating the development of new treatments. To advance this approach, Dr. LaBarbera has assembled a multidisciplinary team of researchers from CU Anschutz, CU Boulder, and leading quantum computing companies.
New Horizons Call for New Skills
For the last two decades, pharmacy careers have been expanding into new areas, chief of those being the tech sector. In addition to providing direct patient care, today our graduates work in pharmacy informatics, telepharmacy, robotics, and more.
One example of this is Whitley Yi, PharmD. Dr. Yi graduated from CU Pharmacy in 2017 and went on to specialize in healthcare technology. She is co-founder of the AI Collective, an organization designed to empower pharmacists to be an active contributor in shaping AI. Yi is also the Director of Pharmacy and Member Services at Well.co, an app-driven digital platform that serves as a tech-enabled health care concierge.
Bill Quinn, futurist with Tata Consultancy, was the keynote speaker at the campus-wide AI Symposium and closed out his presentation with a quote from Alvin Toffler: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
As CU Pharmacy continues to explore the ambiguity and opportunity of the digital future, faculty, staff, researchers and students will be engaged in the continual process of reimagining new ways to improve education, research and patient care through ever-evolving modalities.
Drs. Melanie Joy and Robert Page welcome participants to the Innovation and Commercialization Pitch Competition.
Dr. Dan LaBarbera and Senior Research Assistant Qiong Zhou are pictured in the Center for Drug Discovery.
Whitley Yi, PharmD, AI Collective co-founder, speaks to students after delivering the Dean’s Leadership Convocation.
LEADING GLOBAL CHANGE IN MEDICATION USE AND POLICY
Most of the public might view a pharmacist or pharmaceutical scientist as someone behind the counter, filling medications and providing front line care, or in a lab, compounding medications. After all, they are medication experts. But what about all aspects of medications, from prescribing to safe use to cost analysis? Pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists are leading change in those areas, and CU Pharmacy teams are across the state, and globe, setting examples for others to follow.
In Colorado, CU Pharmacy’s Colorado Evidence-Based Drug Utilization Review (CO-DUR) Program is helping to save Colorado taxpayers with its work with Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program). Between 2012 and 2022, Colorado’s Medicaid program has reported an estimated cumulative medication-related cost savings of millions of dollars.
Since 2012, CU Pharmacy has been a trusted partner with the state of Colorado to provide research analytics and clinical pharmacy expertise. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) contracts with the CU Pharmacy DUR team to maximize value and ensure appropriate medication use that ultimately benefits all Coloradans. The contract is unique – it's one of the few professional collaborations with an academic institution among Medicaid programs across the United States.
“The primary goals of the CO-DUR program are to ensure that medications are used safely and appropriately, to ensure member access to medications they need, to apply the available evidence to optimize clinical outcomes, to minimize drug-related adverse events, and to reduce disparities in care,” said Julia Rawlings, PharmD, Program Director for HCPF Contracts and Partnerships and Clinical Lead for the CO-DUR Program. Dr. Rawlings is also an exofficio member of the Colorado DUR Board.
“About twenty-five percent of Colorado residents are covered by Health First Colorado, compared to twenty-three percent covered by private insurers,” explained Rawlings. “The collective effort of the CO- DUR Program, the Colorado DUR Board, and the State of Colorado have a significant impact on drug utilization patterns in our state.”
Also working in Colorado, and having global impact, is the Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CePOR), whose vision is to foster and grow education and research in three primary areas: pharmacoepidemiology (how medications affect large groups of people. It looks at how drugs work in the real world, their side effects, and how they are used in different populations), pharmacoeconomics (how medicines impact the economy. It looks at the cost of drugs and
treatments, and compares their costs to the benefits they provide) and pharmaceutical and drug related policy (rules and guidelines that govern how medicines are made, sold, prescribed, and used).
There is some overlap between the two groups, and some members of the CO-DUR team are also part of CePOR. Both are driving change in healthcare. This year alone, CePOR’s work has influenced opioid response with establishing recovery friendly workplaces through the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse and Prevention; Kavita Nair, PhD, hosted panel discussions on neurological drug access; Kelly E. Anderson, PhD, lead groundbreaking studies on pharmacy closures and medication access; and Brett McQueen, PhD, continued the CU Pharmacy relationship with HCPF to negotiate and track value-based contracts – agreements which help improve patient health outcomes and drive affordability by delivering savings to taxpayers, state and federal budgets in the form of manufacturer discounts.
For McQueen, the work is more than just a job. It’s a mission to make healthcare accessible and affordable, no matter the political environment. As he explained, current restrictions on governmentbased insurance, such as Medicaid and Medicare, make it hard to use existing methods and there is some unfounded concern that these treatments might limit access. He also points out that this concern is not supported by research. So, he and his colleagues are digging in and working harder.
“Our team has moved to generate alternatives to help policy makers with difficult decisions on high-cost personalized medicine coverage decisions,” he said.
Their approach, meeting challenges with innovation and collaboration, is a hallmark of CU Pharmacy’s vision to improve the health and well-being of society. And they’re not doing it in isolation. With partnerships that stretch from state agencies to global research networks, CU Pharmacy is training the next generation of leaders in medication safety, access, and policy, equipping them with the tools to ask tough questions and deliver smarter solutions.
Members of the CO-DUR team stand on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. L-R: Dr. Julia Rawlings, Garth Wright, MPH, Drs. Heather Anderson, Robert Page, Mouna Dardouri, and Gina Moore.
Dr. Brett McQueen speaks at the annual Research in Progress event.
Anchordoquy,
FUELED BY CURIOSITY, CU PHARMACY RESEARCHERS DRIVE BREAKTHROUGHS IN SCIENCE AND PATIENT CARE
As CU Pharmacy professor Tom Anchordoquy, PhD, sees it, to be a researcher, you always have to be curious.
"That's what it takes to be a scientist," Dr. Anchordoquy said. "You have to be curious; you have to look at something and say, 'I wonder why that is,' and then be willing to put in the work to find out. That’s how discoveries happen."
Anchordoquy is not alone in his sentiment. Over the past year, scientists at CU Pharmacy have continued to ask ‘why,’ leading to breakthroughs in treatment and care.
First of Its Kind Study
Manisha Patel, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, published with PharmD/PhD student Anna G. Figueora in the journal Epilepsia. The pair were the first to identify defects related to metabolism (how the body processes and uses energy) in lymphoblast cell lines (LCLs) derived from blood samples of children with Dravet syndrome. Dravet syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy, usually diagnosed in infancy, that is associated with developmental delays and severe seizures. It has long been recognized for its neurological symptoms, but its underlying metabolic issues, especially at the cellular level (specifically mitochondrial function), have not been extensively explored until this study.
“It’s been proven that some children with Dravet syndrome respond to ketogenic diets, which suggests that energy metabolism is somehow involved in the condition. Our goal was to explore this connection further to gain a deeper understanding of its role in managing the syndrome,” said Dr. Patel.
Their work suggests that mitochondrial defects play a role in the metabolic dysfunction observed in Dravet syndrome. These metabolic alterations could help explain the neurological symptoms of Dravet syndrome, like seizures and developmental delays, which require large amounts of energy in the brain. It also paves the way for future treatment options, welcome news for children and their families struggling with a disease that often does not respond to traditional treatments.
Understanding Complex Protein Interactions
Other work paving the way for future treatments came from Krishna Mallela, PhD. His team led a groundbreaking study which shed light on the complex interactions between dystrophin, a protein
Tom
PhD, and Madison Ricco, PharmD, work together on chemotherapy research.
Manisha Patel, PhD, and PharmD/PhD student Anna G. Figueora in the lab.
Scan for video
critical to muscle stability, and its partner protein, dystrobrevin. Their work offers new pathways for understanding and treating Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a severe genetic disorder that causes muscle weakness and shortens lifespans, arises from mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin. While current treatments can extend patients’ lifespans, their high cost and limited efficacy underscore the urgent need for broader therapeutic approaches.
“This research highlights the intricate dynamics of dystrophin and dystrobrevin interactions, providing critical insights that could inform future treatment development,” said Dr. Mallela “By understanding how these proteins function differently in various tissues, we’re one step closer to designing treatments that target the root causes of DMD.”
New, Effective, Cancer Therapy
Daniel LaBarbera's, PhD latest advance was accelerated by an unexpected gift. Dr. LaBarbera is the founding director of the Center for Drug Discovery at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, housed within the School of Pharmacy. The Center focuses on translating academic innovation into new drug therapies and to date has supported more than 60 investigators across four CU campuses and CSU. It has also partnered with 10 companies and supported 18+ NIH and DoD funded research projects and contributed to more than 30 peerreviewed publications, advancing therapies for cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, fibrosis, and other conditions.
As LaBarbera explained, the Center was built and supported by the University and its partners, but to advance a drug to a stage that is attractive for clinical translation, it also depends on private donors and investors. In January, the Center received its first private gift to accelerate development of new drugs targeting CHD1L, an oncogene that drives cancer progression, metastasis, and resistance in liver, breast, lung, and colon cancer. The donor, Community Chest a group of breast cancer survivors, was particularly interested in this partnership between the School of Pharmacy and the Cancer Center.
Collaboration Leads to Better Treatment
Teamwork is the driver behind success. Professor Dmitri Simberg, PhD, Co-Director of the Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety, collaborated with researchers across the CU Anschutz medical campus to design a potential cure for recurrent urinary tract infections, a common phenomenon impacting 30-44% of women, according to Urogynecoloy, the official journal of the American Urogynecologic Society.
Simberg’s expertise is in nanoparticles and drug delivery, and his lab was able to study and characterize the peptide used in the research.
The multidisciplinary team studied a new method to deliver antibiotics, specifically gentamicin, directly into the bladder tissue to better treat UTIs. They did this by creating nanogels combined with a special peptide (a small protein) that helps the drug get inside the cells where the bacteria are hiding. A nanogel is a tiny, jelly-like particle that's so small you can't see it without a microscope. It's made to carry medicine inside the body. Because it's so small and soft, it can travel through the body easily and release the medicine exactly where it's needed, which helps make treatments more effective and causes fewer side effects.
The results, published in Nanomedicine, demonstrate that this approach proved highly effective when tested in animal models with UTIs, eliminating over 90% of the bacteria from the bladder.
The researchers discovered that nanogel technology can carry more than enough gentamicin to be effective - about 36% more gentamicin inside cells compared to standard antibiotic delivery methods. Additionally, it exhibits low toxicity, causing minimal harm to cells. They also found that nanogels release the drug quickly, which helps kill bacteria in the bladder faster.
Engaging Future Scientists
And Anchordoquy, who encourages curiosity, reached a new generation of future scientists when he worked with an international publication outside of his normal realm of academic journals. When Futurum Careers, a free online resource and magazine aimed at encouraging 14 to19-year-olds worldwide to pursue careers in science, tech, engineering, math, and medicine (STEM), reached out to him about his work, he decided to do the interview, focused on his previous work about reducing the side effects of chemotherapy, like losing hair, nausea, and lack of appetite.
“This gift came at the right time, when we needed a boost in our research. It allowed us to keep working and proceed to the next phase of drug development,” LaBarbera said.
His team had previously demonstrated strong drug synergy in combination with frontline chemotherapy in mouse models of colon cancer that grow human tumors. Now, they’re testing CHD1L lead drugs in breast cancer models to see if results hold up in living systems. If they do, these therapies could pave the way for a new treatment approach—one that also helps existing drugs work better and gives patients with aggressive cancers new hope.
High school students are not his normal audience. He's an awardwinning researcher recognized for his innovative approach to drug delivery. Getting younger students interested in science? He felt that was a worthy goal and a way to pay it forward. In Anchordoquy's rapidly changing field, he hopes that young scientists will eventually take his research further, inspire new work, and create new products for patients struggling with often deadly diseases. As Anchordoquy explained to Futurum, there will always be disease and there will always be a need for pharmaceutical scientists.
From high-tech nanogels to genetic targets in cancer therapy, from understanding metabolic disorders to unlocking the mysteries of muscle proteins, CU Pharmacy researchers are not only pushing science forward—they're bringing that science closer to the patients who need it most.
Krishna Mallela, PhD
Daniel LaBarbera, PhD
Dmitri Simberg, PhD
Scan for the full story
Innovations in Student Experience:
BOLD STRATEGIES TO REACH
TOMORROW'S PHARMACY
STUDENTS
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the need for dynamic and adaptable pharmacists grows. To attract the next generation of pharmacists, CU Pharmacy decided to embrace bold, innovative outreach and education strategies that go beyond traditional methods. By leveraging national partnerships, creating space for others, and building undergraduate pathways, CU Pharmacy's outreach and education teams are reaching future pharmacists and bringing current students along for their own educational experience. These forward-thinking approaches not only capture the attention of the next generation of pharmacy leaders but also position CU Pharmacy as an innovator in pharmacy education.
Leaning Into Collaboration
Every year more than 2,000 high school students from across Colorado convene in downtown Denver for the annual HOSA State Leadership Conference. HOSA, the Health Occupations Students of America, is a global student-led organization that helps its members learn about healthcare careers while still in high school. For CU Pharmacy, it is a golden opportunity to collaborate and reach a new population of future pharmacists.
For the second year in a row, CU Pharmacy was the conference’s Platinum Sponsor and is responsible for making pharmacy part of the health occupations event. Long before the conference takes place, CU Pharmacy faculty and students help high school students across the state prep for the pharmacy competitions by leading in-person practice sessions and providing educational resource materials.
“The partnership between HOSA and CU Pharmacy underscores our commitment to supporting aspiring pre-health students,” said Chandler Follett, PharmD, clinical instructor and pharmacy outreach specialist.
CU’s commitment is school-wide, with everyone from students to faculty and alumni joining the effort. This year’s pharmacy competitors benefited from the comprehensive support of Compounding Instructor and Research Pharmacist Susan Finstrom and second-year PharmD student Maddie Overlie. Judges in the HOSA pharmacy competitions also included CU faculty Drs. Sunny Linnebur and Jacci Bainbridge. Alumna Madison Ricco, PharmD, a post-doctoral academic fellow, presented a symposium session on the research opportunities available to PharmD students at CU. Dr. Follett organized two student panels led by second-year pharmacy students Overlie, Anastasia Zhivotov, Thomas Riley, and Genevieve Frye.
“The impact of CU Pharmacy’s original collaboration with HOSA has been astounding!” said Julia Rawlings, PharmD, one of the original CU Pharmacy team members to build a relationship
with HOSA “Through the HOSA Pharmacy Science competitive event, high school and undergraduate students across the U.S. and other countries (including China, Canada, American Samoa, Korea, Puerto Rico, and Mexico) develop confidence and leadership skills in addition to learning more about the profession of pharmacy.”
Developing New Programs
She didn’t attend HOSA as a high schooler, and as a child in a north Denver suburb, Angelica Garcia did not realize that a healthcare career could be in her future.
“I am first-generation, and I did not know anyone in the medical field,” she said. In high school, Garcia was accepted into a summer pre-health program through the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. It was there that she was introduced to pharmacy.
Now a new PharmD graduate, Garcia is on a mission to create space for students like her. One year ago, she approached Follett with an idea. Garcia wanted to build a pharmacy high school outreach program to encourage students such as herself to think about pharmacy.
Follett was the person for the job. A dedicated hospital pharmacist and outreach coordinator, Follett works across Colorado to raise awareness of the pharmacy profession and its opportunities. She partners with institutions to create pharmacy pathway programs that collaboratively support students on their journey to pharmacy school, and she was excited to be part of this innovative initiative.
“She listened to me, and she understood why this was so important,” Garcia said. “She said ‘Okay, we need to do this, we can make it happen.”
Next, Follett needed a liaison, someone respected in the Latino community, and a powerful source of energy. That person would be responsible for building relationships with school systems, encouraging students to get excited about a healthcare career, and their biggest cheerleader.
Enter Julissa Soto. For over two decades, Soto has been a force for change, leading the charge for Latino immigrant equality, inclusion, and health equity not just in Colorado, but across the entire nation. Soto, the perfect collaborator for the Pharmacy Outreach Program (POP) immediately set to work. Within
Chandler Follett, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy students work with local high school students to explore areas of pharmacy and encourage interest in the field.
months she and Follett had seven Denver metro high schools on board, fourteen pharmacy students to run the outreach, and a curriculum built.
“The program has two pharmacy students assigned to each school, and includes four visits over the academic year,” Follett explained. “Lectures are taught by CU Pharmacy students. Each visit lasts ninety minutes and features a unique lecture and activity.”
“It’s an honor to work with such talented students,” said Soto. “We must build curriculums that our students can identify with, including cultural validation, into pharmacy education. We will take the field of pharmacy, and the students, a step closer to being at home.”
For Garcia, to see her idea come to fruition is exciting.
“Initiating POP, with the help of Dr. Follett and Julissa Soto, is my way of paving the path for others, showing that with determination and support, we can create opportunities where none existed before."
Expanded Education Pathways
While Garica will continue her work creating opportunities in a PGY1 at Denver Health Medical Center this fall, Follett is still working to expand access to pharmacy education across Colorado. In addition to POP, she developed four new undergraduate pathway programs which lead to both Bachelor of Science and a PharmD. CU Pharmacy students can now start their undergraduate pathway program at either the University of Colorado Denver, The University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Red Rocks Community College, or Pima Medical Institute.
"Pathway programs have shown to be a powerful means of expanding access to higher education and breaking down barriers,” said Dr. Gina Moore, Senior Associate Dean for Operations and Regulatory Affairs and Interim Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs. “We're developing new routes to spark interest in the pharmacy profession and to equip and encourage students as they pursue their academic and career goals."
CU Pharmacy’s Undergraduate Pathway Program works closely with partner institutions to provide students with an advisor at each campus, a $5,000 scholarship to CU Pharmacy, a current pharmacy student mentor, pharmacist shadowing, and visits to the CU Anschutz integrated medical campus for hands-on experiences and professional development workshops.
Many of the programs allow the pathway student to transition to pharmacy school before their traditional four-year undergraduate completion, allowing for a faster timeline to a PharmD. Once at CU Pharmacy, the students are awarded their BS and continue in their PharmD curriculum.
“The future of pharmacy is bright,” said Follett. “These students are brilliant, and continuing to collaborate and grow our partnerships will allow us to empower them with the skills and knowledge needed to drive innovation and excellence in healthcare.”
REMOTE DOCTOR OF PHARMACY PATHWAY FULLY ACCREDITED
Dubbed the 'Rocky Mountain Remote Pathway' the synchronous option offers a distance PharmD degree
The Rocky Mountain Remote PharmD pathway at CU Pharmacy is now fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), three years after its initial launch.
“The remote pathway was created to expand access to our pharmacy program for students who may be unable to relocate to the Denver metro area,” said Dr. Gina Moore. “By offering greater flexibility and removing geographic barriers, we are not only increasing accessibility but also enriching our student body.”
Created in 2021, the Rocky Mountain Remote pathway pharmacy classes are synchronous, meaning they are the same classes as the on-campus program, delivered in real time. Students are placed into a cohort alongside on-campus students to foster relationships with their peers. Twice a semester, students travel to the world-class CU Anschutz Campus for hands-on lab work and training. A major goal of the program development was to ensure that remote pathway students have the same awardwinning education as on-campus students. According to Moore, CU Pharmacy faculty are well versed and highly experienced in teaching in this format, and students will have excellent support from the school throughout their time in the program.
“We hope to continue to attract the best future pharmacists who will make a positive impact on patient care as the next generation of practitioners.”
Second year remote student Sarah Colon resides in Puerto Rico and values the opportunity to stay close to her family and work locally in a clinic.
“It gave me the opportunity to do my experiential hours where I live, with people that I grew up with,” she said. “I think it is beautiful that I can be able to help those that are a little bit more in need... It is very special that I can do this.”
This year’s graduating PharmD class includes 11 remote students. Some are in rural areas of Colorado, while others come from across the United States.
Amanda Ryder, Director of Admissions and Recruitment, at HOSA.
Members of the Remote P2 Cohort gather together during their fall check-in. This Spring, the first remote cohort students earned their PharmDs.
P4 Angelica Garcia, who helped to start the POP program.
Watch the video
Change in Treatments
NAVIGATING THE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE BOOM
For generations, patients have been seeking alternative therapies as a cure-all for their illnesses. With the creation of social media, anyone can and will offer advice online. CU Pharmacy researchers, clinicians, and educators are living the evolution in how they approach so-called alternative treatments.
Natural Not Risk-Free
David Kroll, PhD, is a Professor of Natural Products Pharmacology & Toxicology at CU Pharmacy. Dr. Kroll is also the Director of CU Pharmacy’s Master’s and Certificate programs, which includes an emphasis in cannabis science and medicine. His interest in alternative therapies began when he was younger, and his mother was diagnosed with cancer. “I was fascinated that medicinal properties can be found in so many natural things, and I saw her improve with the help of both traditional and nontraditional treatments,” he explained. Kroll has worked alternative therapies into his curriculum with the goal to create better professionals, be it Masters, PharmD, or PhD graduates.
“These therapies are always going to be here, and what we need to do, is teach them. We need to educate our students, and then they can educate their patients,” he said. Kroll first brought herbal medicine to the CU Pharmacy curriculum in 1994, and he keeps up to date on regulations, law changes, and any chatter on new ways to use alternative medications. “Because something might be considered ‘natural’ does not make it risk-free,” he cautions. “Anyone seeking these treatments should do so under the guidance of a provider, and work as a team to find the best option for them.”
Educating the Patient
Assistant Professor Kelsey Schwander, PharmD, also works with alternative treatments. as a clinician in the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, a clinical care and research institute for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health conditions. Schwander is part of their integrated medical team, and many of her patients are seeking alternative treatments. Schwander does a lot of patient education. With a wealth of information available online, much of it not reliable, patients need to know risks, benefits, and side effects of what they choose to use as treatment, “natural” or not. She cautions that these therapies require further study; however, “patients are using them despite current recommendation against their use. Therefore, it is important to provide counseling to ensure patient safety.” “There is a market for these types of treatments,” she said. “And it’s my job to educate both my patients and my students on them. They aren’t going away, and I think the interest is growing.”
Is It Ethical?
For Assistant Professor Michael DiStefano, PhD, a researcher in CU Pharmacy’s Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research, the growing interest also spurs a growing market for distribution, and he questions if all of it is ethical. In his research with collaborators from Johns Hopkins University, he did a deep dive into ketamine advertising. Dr. DiStefano found that in the directto-consumer market, which can include both online pharmacies or specialized “alternative medicine” clinics, sellers often over promised and under delivered on results. “We found that websites for these clinics advertised a variety of potential benefits for ketamine, including treating different mental health conditions, pain, asthma, and even Lyme disease,” he said. DiStefano cautions that using such a powerful drug off-label can have side effects that were not always disclosed on the clinic websites. He also wonders who is making money on consumers’ thirst for alternative treatments. “Ethically,” he said, “I have to wonder if patients are seeing a benefit, if they understand the risks, and who is making money from their need for alternative therapies.”
All three – Kroll, Schwander, and DiStefano – have worked to educate consumers, practitioners, and students on these types of treatments. “People want quick fixes, especially when it comes to chronic conditions or mental health struggles,” Schwander said. “But, the truth is, we don’t always have all the answers, and these treatments need to be part of a larger conversation about care. They can’t be seen as miracle solutions.”
Dr. Kelsey Schwander at her clinical site, the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.
Dr. David Kroll has dedicated much of his career to exploring and educating on alternative and tradition medication.
Dr. Michael DiStefano studies ethics in medication use and advertising.
Change in Climate
LEARNING HOW TO MAKE CHANGE IN A CHANGING CLIMATE
Globally, healthcare accounts for 5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The Commonwealth Fund reports that in the United State alone, healthcare is responsible for 8.5 percent of emissions, this includes things like hospital care, the production and transportation of medical goods, and the countless syringes that are disposed of each day.
So, it’s not surprising that healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, are recognizing the part they can play in mitigating the negative health outcomes associated with a warming climate and increased toxins.
Two years ago, CU Pharmacy offered their first Human Health and Climate Change elective which contributed data to the Planetary Health Report Card - a metric-based tool for evaluating and improving planetary health content in health professional schools around the globe.
This year, CU Pharmacy co-hosted the first Climate and Planetary Health Summit which sought to build upon the previous momentum to address environmental issues and help create solutions.
PharmD Professors Joe Saseen and Robert Page helped coordinate the virtual and in-person Summit in partnership with the School of Pharmacy at the University of Nottingham, England.
prescribing can mitigate harm on planetary health and help improve the water environment.
During interactive discussions, CU Pharmacy students heard how the University of Nottingham was implementing change into their everyday life to try and curb the effects of climate change, like charging a fee for plastic and non-reusable coffee cups on campus and integrating sustainability into their curriculum and research projects.
CU is proactively working towards sustainability as well, offering climate change courses, supporting interdisciplinary research, and working with community organizations to encourage faculty and staff to participate in projects to reduce environmental impacts.
According to Dr. Saseen, global partnerships like this one are important when teaching students worldwide issues. “Their mission (University of Nottingham) is similar to ours,” Saseen said. “We had previously collaborated for student exchanges, and we decided to expand into other areas like research, clinical practice and educating our students about climate change.”
The Summit included experts from other universities, like Associate Professor Hailey Blackburn, PharmD, from the University of Montana, who is known nationally for her work to combat climate change. Dr. Blackburn focused on the impacts of the pharmacy profession on extreme heat and air quality and told students not to be afraid to implement their pharmacy knowledge.
“Remember, you are in a privileged position in terms of addressing these issues, being a health professional, being a pharmacist, being somebody that people really trust, you are a leader in your community,” said Blackburn. “You might not think that you are a climate expert, but you know a lot about elements that can be applied to climate change.”
Other experts, like Associate Professor Naoka Arakawa, PhD, from the University of Nottingham focused on how the impacts of sustainable
The biggest take way from the Summit for students; how much plastic waste comes from pharmacy healthcare. Medical supply packaging, medical devices (single-use syringes, IV bags), personal protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, and the coatings on certain medications and containers all have an impact on the environment. According to Sarah Mack, a second year PharmD student at CU, after attending the summit she’s more aware of the challenging issues she faces as a future pharmacist. “It’s something that’s not really talked about or we are introduced to,” she said. “Having this knowledge moving forward is really important.”
Looking ahead, CU remains focused on improving sustainability. One major upcoming change; transferring an entire water heating system on campus into a more environmentally friendly process. By implementing new heat pumps and updated technology, the chilled water, heat, and steam circulating through the hospitals and buildings on campus can be reused and transferred, making the system more sustainable.
One thing is for certain, there is an upcoming generation of pharmacists, fueled by passionate faculty both here at CU, and globally, who want to be a part of the change to make a lasting impact on the environment.
“My hope is that we are empowering our student pharmacists,” said Dr. Page “not only here, but on both sides of the Atlantic.”
CU Pharmacy students gather for the Climate Change Summit. Dean Ralph Altiere, center, sits among the attendees.
Pharmacists play a critical role in creating systems to combat climate change.
SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PHARMACY
Four years ago, when the PharmD Class of 2025 walked through the doors at CU Pharmacy, we called them the gogetters. The ones who did not let a pandemic derail their plans. The ones who arrived ready to be flexible, to do what it takes, and to thrive. We weren't wrong.
Discovering Her Passion
Kyla Jantz arrived ready to dive in. A selfdescribed introvert, she found herself very involved once she got to pharmacy school. Throughout her time at CU Pharmacy, she received multiple scholarships, awards, student leadership recognitions, and even helped to bring the annual Fall Ball, once a CU Pharmacy student staple, back to life.
Jantz took every opportunity to thrive.
When Dr. Gina Moore
recommend Jantz for a trip to Washington, DC, to advocate for PBM reform and pharmacist provider status, she hopped a plane and joined students from all over the country to meet with United States legislators. Jantz explained the roles pharmacists play in healthcare and why pharmacists are frontline providers.
Jantz didn’t always plan on pharmacy as her career.
“My junior year in high school, I went on a medical mission trip to Belize,” she said. “And I found that I really liked being at the station that gave out the medications at the end, explaining to people what they were for, what they could expect. When I got back, I looked into pharmacy.”
Jantz’s last rotation at UC Health Hospital had the most impact on her future career trajectory.
“I was in an oncology rotation, and I think that is something I want to look into. All of oncology is fascinating,” she said. “The best thing about pharmacy is that you can explore new interests.”
After graduation, Jantz is headed to Connecticut to a PGY1 residency – and hopes to eventually go into a PGY2 specializing in oncology. For right now, she is excited to be done with school so she can revisit some interests, such as reading, rock climbing, rappelling, and spending time outside. Some habits picked up in Colorado might not ever go away.
Building His Community
Batton Acree knows Colorado. The Grand Junction native is a CU Boulder alumnus, intern at Sam’s Club Pharmacy, and current wildland firefighter for Mesa County Sheriff 's Office – something he referred to as his “summer job” during college, which he continues to do today when he isn’t finishing his pharmacy degree or working at Sam’s Club. Four years ago, he joined the first cohort of remote PharmD students at CU Pharmacy.
“I knew CU’s level of education, and I expected this program to be exactly what I needed,” he said of joining the pilot remote PharmD pathway. “My wife’s job is here [Grand Junction], my family is here, and I’m really only four hours from Denver so anytime I needed to be on campus, I could do that.”
Acree has a passion for building relationships with his patients. He enjoys building trust in his community and takes the time to do patient education.
“Grand Junction is a smaller town, so I see many of my patients frequently, and I enjoy getting to spend that time with them, helping them understand their health,” he said. As in most small towns, his patients also know him, and if not him, they know his parents, his childhood best friend, or know of his family. And his family is his support system.
“My wife, my parents have been awesome,” he said. As a remote student, Acree attended classes delivered in real time via video conferencing technology. He was placed into a cohort alongside on-campus students to foster relationships with his peers, and twice a semester, he traveled to Denver for hands-on lab work and training. He was able to do most of his rotations in rural hospitals, which varied from 12 to 320 beds. The drastic change in sizes allowed him to experience different models and methods of care, but he had one constant.
“Even in hospitals here, I really enjoy being able to interact with who I am treating,” he said. In his spare time (between pharmacy and fighting fires, that is) he is a true outdoor-loving Coloradan.
“I like to ski, I like to hike, I just like being outside,” he said. After graduation, he will continue to do what he enjoys most – patient education and building relationships as a community pharmacist at Sam’s.
Kyla Jantz and her partner, Spencer, during a rock-climbing trip.
Batton Acree and his wife, Angela, with their dog on a hike in western Colorado.
I’M VERY, VERY PROUD
BE A
Expanding Her Field
Topanga Aradanas is also here to build community. The president of Phil Lambda Sigma (PLS), the pharmacy leadership society, Aradanas has spent the last four years reaching communities who have been historically underserved. She’s also the only P4 to be an active student organization president through her rotations.
“I would not have been able to do that without my peers on the board,” she said.
TO
LEADER OF LEADERS
Under Aradanas, PLS intentionally changed its bylaws to be more inclusive and recruited students to represent varied backgrounds, all so more voices can be heard, more leaders can be developed, and future pharmacists can have experience providing patientcentered care. For their efforts, PLS was given a national leadership award.
“I’m very, very proud of all of the things we were able to do, and I’m very, very proud to be a leader of leaders,” she said. Aradanas mission to bring all voices to the table stems from her own experience. Growing up, her family was in the military, and she moved a lot. She saw and experienced different cultures, communities, and ways of life. All are important, all are valued, and all need to be considered in healthcare.
Originally, Aradanas wanted to go to medical school and specialize in anesthesiology. In her senior year of high school, her grandmother got sick, and Aradanas had questions about her medications.
“Our house quickly became a pharmacy, and I would ask ‘why is she on all these medications? Why this dose? Are these actually healthy?’” she explained. She found the field of pharmacy more patient facing than others and decided to change her goals. She choose CU Pharmacy because her family moved to Denver – and she fell in love with the CU Pharmacy faculty.
“They are more like family, than mentors, and even at a graduate level you feel like you can depend on them,” she said. “I’ve had some amazing connections through my years in this program.”
A Lifelong Learner
Anna G. Figueroa made a faculty connection that led to a breakthrough in epilepsy research, and to Figueroa staying at CU post-PharmD graduation to finish her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
“I am a non-traditional student,” Figueroa explained, “I started my undergraduate degree later, and I was looking into pursuing an MD. To make myself more of a competitive candidate I got a summer research fellowship in macular degeneration... from there I felt my calling in life to do translational research. I became curious about medication that might help someone with this disease, and I started to shift my interests to pharmacy school.”
As she tells it, at first the plan was a PharmD with a research project. Figueroa immediately started research during her PharmD program at CU, and met Manisha Patel, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, who welcomed Figueroa to her lab with open arms. Soon, her plan changed to include a PhD as well.
“The work that I have been doing has been on energy metabolism,” Figueroa explained. “I have been trying to identify if there are defects in specific cells in children who have a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome.”
She wants to try to understand if there is a connection between energy metabolism and neuronal excitability in these children and plans to write her PhD thesis on this work. Figueroa is off to a great start. In March of this year, she was first author on a paper published in Epilepsia with Dr. Patel. Their first of its kind study positively identified metabolic defects in patients with Dravet Syndrome, paving the way for future new treatment options for children with the disease.
Her goal, once all her education is complete, is to have her own lab at a research institution and to be able to mentor students such as herself.
“I think that is what drives me,” she said. “The ability to add more sentences of new knowledge in this world.”
Her best advice for future students?
“It’s going to be a challenge, but don't be scared or frightened of the challenge,” she said. “It is absolutely doable if you’re passionate about finding answers to the unknown. Be a curious person. You’re leading the path forward. Don’t be scared about the challenge. It is worth it in the end.”
Topanga Aradanas explores Iceland during a school break.
Anna Figueroa works in the Patel lab.
Compounding Medications for Animal Patients
Many of us grow up hearing the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” For Mae Ochoa, the answer seemed straightforward; she wanted to be a pharmacist. After graduating from Virgina Commonwealth University with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy, she headed into the world of community pharmacy. She worked as a community pharmacist at a local grocery store pharmacy for 25 years. When that location shut its doors, she continued to float between remaining pharmacies within the company until their ultimate closure in 2018.
When that happened, Mae found herself thinking back to the question “What do you want to do when you grow up?” The answer was to step out of the world of community pharmacy, and into something brand new. However, she found that difficult without a PharmD. Prior to the year 2000, pharmacists needed a Bachelor of Pharmacy and license to practice. However, after 2000 a PharmD became required. So, Mae found herself going back to school, attending CU Pharmacy's North American-Trained PharmD program from her home in Virginia - “The Distance Degree Program at CU had an excellent reputation and fit my needs perfectly,” Ochoa said.
While working on getting her PharmD from CU, Mae had another love: animals. She has two English bulldogs at home and in that breed one of the main health concerns is severe respiratory problems. With that in mind, she decided to switch from kibble to a homemade raw diet to help improve immune systems, energy and overall life span.
“Having to make food two weeks at a time reminded me of compounding medication in pharmacy school. I had to weigh him and calculate the appropriate amount of bone, muscle meat, organs and supplements then adjust accordingly,” she said. That’s when she realized she could combine two of her passions, compounding medications and animals. “While researching APPE rotation sites I discovered veterinary pharmacy. After 26 plus years of working with people, I was drawn to the animal world of pharmacy,” she said.
She pursued that passion and ended up doing a rotation at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. There, Ochoa worked with numerous animals at multiple locations.
“I woke up each
morning excited to go to work,” she said. “I went on veterinary rounds with oncology, internal medicine, cardiology and critical care.”
She went to the Murphy Center for Hope, where they help pets of people experiencing homelessness. She worked in the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where they provided care to orphaned, injured and sick wildlife. She went to the Raptor center, where they care for and save birds of prey and worked with animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “I didn’t compound much in my retail job, so this rotation solidified my passion for compounding medications,” she said. “The variations in animal size and species make compounding a necessity in veterinary medicine. I found working with animal patients very rewarding.”
Now set to graduate with her PharmD, she plans to step into the world of clinical pharmacy, while still hoping to find a role in veterinary pharmacy, a specialty niche where opportunities are very limited. However, she’s not giving up. “It’s especially difficult outside of a veterinary teaching hospital. So, my long-term goal is to pursue a career in veterinary medicine,” she said.
One thing is for certain, Mae’s future is bright. She plans to bring her knowledge into the animal world, and work alongside people who share her similar passion. The drive that started, with her two English bulldogs. “I will continue to do research and learn as much as I can about compounding and veterinary medicine. I would love to provide veterinarians with high quality compounds for their patients and perhaps open a local veterinary pharmacy,” she said.
It's never too late to go back to school, to further your education and to find your drive in life. For Mae, this is just the beginning of a bigger step to achieve her dreams. “After 26 plus years at retail pharmacy, I was burnt out. My experience at CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital renewed my passion for pharmacy. I know what I want to do when I grow up.”
Mae Ochoa with a mastiff at Murphy Center for Hope
A baby raccoon at Greenwood Rehab Center
A Grandfather’s Disease Fuels Passion for Discovery
Mary Rouse's journey has been marked by dedication and a deep sense of purpose. After earning dual degrees in chemistry and natural resources and environmental management from Ball State University, she began her professional career as a nuclear chemist. While working as a nuclear chemist, her passion for research was sparked. Building on her foundation, she embarked on a new academic path taking a bold step toward achieving her goals.
Her passion for research coupled with a deeply personal motivation—her grandfather’s battle with dementia—led her to CU Pharmacy, where she began to shape her future. Watching someone she loved struggle with disease fueled her desire to pursue the Drug Discovery track of the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Rouse found CU Pharmacy to be the perfect fit for her aspirations. Colorado’s beauty, CU’s stellar reputation for global reach, and her passion for Alzheimer’s research and nanomedicine drew her in but it was her interview with David Kroll, PhD, Director of Master’s and Certificate Program, that sealed the deal. Dr. Kroll’s ability to convey the program’s vision sparked her enthusiasm to return to academia and begin her mission-driven work.
Kroll continued working with Rouse alongside Philip Reigan, PhD, as they jointly served on Rouse’s advising and examination committee where they provided her with experimental suggestions and general career mentoring. Through Dr. Reigan’s connections on the world-class CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Rouse was able to work under the mentorship of Kimberley Bruce, PhD, at the CU School of Medicine.
“Dr. Reigan was part of my committee and has been a huge help in my journey,” Rouse said. These collaborations made possible by CU Pharmacy faculty have given her and other master’s students invaluable training advantages. Access to cutting-edge facilities and interdisciplinary resources have helped
Rouse enhance her skills and widen the scope of her research. Rouse started her thesis journey under the mentorship of Dr. Bruce. Together, they worked on making the endogenous lipoprotein lipase activator, ApoC-II, druggable—a critical step in addressing underlying factors in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. Bruce described working with Rouse as an absolute pleasure. “She works extremely hard, thinks carefully about her science, and truly cares about her project,” Bruce said. “It has been exciting to watch Mary grow into a scientist who independently designs and carries out experiments in such a short space of time.”
For Rouse, Bruce has been an extraordinary mentor. “Her thoughtful feedback and constant encouragement have been instrumental in helping me grow as a researcher,” Rouse said. “She’s taught me to think critically and always plan one step ahead. I’m forever grateful for her guidance.”
Rouse’s exceptional work ethic and determination are reflected in the breadth of her achievements. Through her thesis, she is working on publishing research and an invention disclosure, which means she and those she is working with discovered something new. “What I’ve learned from Mary is to never set limits on what can be achieved during a master’s program,” Bruce remarked. “Her ability to balance these responsibilities while working part-time and supporting herself is a testament to her dedication.”
Looking ahead, Rouse aspires to a career in research, whether in industry, academia, or government. Inspired by her grandfather and equipped with extraordinary training at CU Pharmacy, Rouse is poised to make a lasting impact on the world.
Mary Rouse and her mentor, Dr. Kimberley Bruce.
Scan for video
Research, Resilience, and Real-World Impact
Research is an integral part of pharmacy, and CU Pharmacy is not only a Top 15 school producing clinical pharmacists, but also a top funded school by the National Institutes of Health for its research. The school boasts three robust PhD programs; pharmaceutical sciences, pharmaceutical outcomes research and molecular toxicology. This year’s graduates of each program have dedicated years to their academic journey and spent countless hours in the lab, pouring over data, and diving into some of the world’s biggest challenges all in the name of science.
Challenging and Rewarding
Pharmaceutical sciences graduate Yue Li didn’t originally plan on getting her PhD. She was accepted into CU Pharmacy’s Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences program and decided to stay to complete her PhD as well.
“I was already familiar with the campus and the lab environment, eliminating the need for major adjustments,” she said. Li’s research interests aligned with Dmitri Simberg, PhD, Professor and Co-Director of the Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety. Both Li and Dr. Simberg study immune response to nanomedicine, or the use of tiny particles to help diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. These tiny particles can travel through the body to deliver medicine directly where it's needed, making treatments more precise, more effective, and with fewer side effects.
“Dr. Simberg’s lab is incredibly supportive and productive, offering me ample opportunities to learn and contribute meaningfully, which has significantly enhanced my academic output,” Li said. Over her time at CU Pharmacy, she authored 15 papers, ten of which she was first author. She explained that Simberg’s lab aligns perfectly with her research interests, providing her with a unique opportunity to explore the interaction between nanoparticles and the immune system.
“One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned, and what has impressed me most, is the emphasis on critical thinking, which is quite different from my education in China,” she explained. “In China, we were often taught to listen and absorb information, rather than question and critically analyze it.”
Li’s time at CU Pharmacy was also full of life changes. During her PhD program, she got married and had her first child.
“When I found out about the pregnancy, I was both surprised and anxious,” she said. “I had completed most of my experiments by then, though I had to delay my expected graduation date. Every time I see my baby’s smile, I feel incredibly fulfilled and grateful to be his mother.”
She cites both her mom and her husband as her support system, which helped her to manage the program and become a new parent – and she remains incredibly logical about maintaining a work-life balance.
“Balancing school and life haven’t been difficult for me,” she said. “It's all about managing my time effectively... The PhD journey is challenging, but not without its rewards.”
Data-Driven Science
Monica Bianchini agrees with her sentiment. The PhD graduate in Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research encourages future students to “Do it!”
“But really, I'd encourage people to think hard about what they want to take out of a PhD, such as innovative methods, new coding or modelling skills, subject area expertise, and then communicate that with your mentors early and take advantage of all the available resources to get the most out of your experience,” she said.
Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research is a different type of animal than many scientific degrees. It isn’t in a lab, and it deals with a lot of data – it's the study of what happens after people take medicine. It looks at how well the medicine works, how much it costs, how it affects people’s health and quality of life, and whether it’s worth the
Yue Li with a poster presentation of her work in nanomedicine.
KRISTINA BROOKS, PharmD, Assistant Professor, received the Faculty of Distinction Award, which recognizes a full-time CU Pharmacy faculty member who demonstrates distinctive traits that make them an outstanding role model for peers and students. Dr. Brooks is a leading go-to pharmacologist for the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) network and has contributed to studies that led to new pediatric indications.
DMITRY KUNIN, PharmD, MBA, was awarded the Excellence in Pharmacy Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, have advanced the profession of pharmacy, and improved the health and welfare of society. Dr. Kunin serves as the Senior Program Director for the Colorado State Board of Pharmacy and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) at the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations.
ROBERT MACLAREN, PharmD, Professor, received the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award. The President’s Excellence in Teaching Award is an acknowledgement of a faculty member’s outstanding, innovative, and inspirational contributions to the students’ professional development.
R. BRETT MCQUEEN, PhD, Associate Professor, has been selected to represent both the United States and his field of Pharmaceutical Sciences in a new health economics initiative, the Health Economics Methods Advisory (HEMA). The goal of the group is to critically and independently research some of the most pressing topics in global health economics and health technology assessment methods.
PHIL REIGAN, PhD, Professor, received the Innovations in Science award, which celebrates innovative discovery in basic and/or clinical sciences.
Dr. Reigan’s research is primarily concerned with the design, synthesis, and development of novel small molecule heterocycles as candidate chemotherapeutic agents.
MEGHAN JEFFRES, PharmD, Associate Professor, was named the Gita Patel Best Practice Award Winner from the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists for her outstanding work in the field.
GINA MOORE, PharmD, MBA, Senior Associate Dean for Operations and Regulatory Affairs, has been named President of the American Society for Pharmacy Law (ASPL). Founded in 1974 by a small group of pharmacistlawyers meeting in Chicago, ASPL exists to further knowledge in the law related to pharmacists, pharmacies, the provision of pharmacist care services, the manufacturing and distribution of drugs, and other food, drug, and medical device policy issues.
LUCAS ORTH, PharmD, Assistant Professor, received this year’s Chancellor’s Teaching Recognition Award. The purpose of the Chancellor's Teaching Recognition Award is to recognize and reward outstanding teaching and commitment to providing students with a high-quality learning experience.
JOSEPH SASEEN, PharmD, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Professor, was selected as the winner of the Phi Lambda Sigma 2025 Mary L. Euler Lifetime Leadership Award. This award is given annually to an individual who has exemplified leadership qualities in support of the pharmacy profession.
SARA WETTERGREEN, PharmD, Assistant Professor, was given the Emerging Teaching Scholar Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Wettergreen was also named the Rho Chi Advisor of the Year. Both awards recognize her dedication to scholarly teaching and mentorship.
Alumni Angle :
Alum’s Patent-Pending Invention Helps Animals
Pharmacists are known for stressing the patient-centered nature of their work. But, what happens when that patient is a swine? Like any good pharmacist, they dedicate the same level of commitment and medication expertise. And, if you happen to be CU Pharmacy alumnus Patrick Smith, PharmD ‘17, you developed a patentpending invention in the process.
But, first things first.
Dr. Smith entered CU Pharmacy in 2012. He recalls feeling an instant connection to the place and the people.
“When I interviewed in 2012, I remember feeling immediately at home at the pharmacy campus. I wanted to be at a place that felt like it was at the forefront of the way pharmacy education was changing,” Smith said. “I left my interview that day knowing there was no other place for me to undergo my training as a future pharmacist.”
According to Smith, those initial feelings were confirmed.
“I felt completely prepared for hospital, retail, or any other area of pharmacy I could end up in following graduation.”
After three years as a community pharmacist in his hometown, Smith was approached by the owner of a veterinary pharmaceutical company to join their team as a compounding pharmacist. Smith jumped at the chance and within two years became the Pharmacist-In-Charge at Veterinary Pharmaceutical Solutions – the nation’s largest compounding pharmacy for food producing animals.
During his first year with the company, Smith experienced a rare achievement.
“Arguably, my greatest moment has come from the patent-pending invention I achieved my first year at my current job,” Smith said. “I developed a novel solubilization of a fully insoluble NSAID that allows it to be delivered via the water to whole herds of animals. I have witnessed the invention go from a small 50ml beaker in the lab to one that has treated hundreds of thousands of animals.”
Smith’s invention not only made administering pain medication to livestock infinitely easier, but it also made it much faster. Instead of giving medication to one animal at a time, the water-soluble medication could now be given to entire herds at once.
And even though Smith’s patent-pending process is new, the development relies on an age-old skill; compounding.
“I feel I am carrying a torch of the lost knowledge or art of compounding. An art that has been practiced by pharmacists in some shape or form for thousands of years,” Smith said. “I have found numerous instances where we have been able to fill a niche area of the animal health market by bringing solutions to veterinarians for product offerings larger companies have no desire to bring forward.”
Smith’s initial invention provided inspiration for the entire company.
“It not only showed me the power proper compounding can bring, but also was the springboard for the multiple patent-pending applications that have followed in the intervening years at the company,” he said. “It is something I never knew I had the capability to do until I was granted the opportunity to take a chance in a new field of expertise.”
According to Smith, taking a chance and taking advantage of opportunities is what got him to where he is today.
“I took every rotation and internship opportunity as a potential job audition for when I graduated. Not because I was looking for a job, but because I wanted to take as much advantage of the knowledge gaining opportunities as possible. For example, my infectious disease rotation at the hospital in my P4 year as my last rotation has provided me invaluable knowledge that I have applied in making some of the breakthroughs at my current job,” Smith recalls. “My main point is to make sure to challenge yourself in these opportunities as you will likely not get to experience many of them again.”
Alumni Highlights
From regional gatherings to Homecoming and more, it was a busy year for CU Pharmacy Alumni.
May 30 Alumni Forum: Innovations Edition
CU Pharmacy alumni, students, and friends gathered at the ViewHouse in Greenwood Village for an Alumni Forum with Gali Baler, PhD, who shared insights on CU Innovations.
June 12 Happy & Healthy Hour
The virtual CU Anschutz Alumni Happy & Healthy Hour featured Monika Nuffer, PharmD ’04, presenting “Aromatherapy: Does it Make Scents?”
As CU Pharmacy Alumni Association Vice President, Dr. Nuffer shared practical insights on aromatherapy for both clinical practice and personal well-being.
Dr. Patrick Smith (L) displays some of the veterinary compounds he develops.
July 1 Gill Joins Alumni Association Board
Jasjit Gill, PharmD ’09, joined the CU Pharmacy Alumni Association Board for a three-year term, bringing fresh perspectives and dynamic leadership.
August 16 White Coat Ceremony
CU Pharmacy alumna Tara Vlasimsky, PharmD '08, delivered an inspiring and hopeful message to the incoming Class of 2028 and served as the primary hooder at the White Coat Ceremony.
September 11 Back-to-School Meet and Greet
The CU Pharmacy Meet and Greet was a lively gathering of alumni, students, faculty, and staff. The event celebrated the end of summer with great conversation and new connections.
September 21 CU Boulder Homecoming
Alumni, faculty, students, and families enjoyed an exciting tailgate event before cheering on the CU Buffs to a thrilling victory over the Baylor Bears. It was a day filled with fun, camaraderie, and unforgettable school spirit!
September 27 Pharmacy Career Expo
The CU Pharmacy Career Expo was a dynamic event where alumni shared expertise and career guidance with students through breakout sessions and exhibitor tables showcasing roles, residencies, and job opportunities.
November 12 Pharmacy Scholarship Reception
CU Pharmacy and the Advancement Office hosted the annual Scholarship Reception, where alumni, donors, and students gathered to recognize award recipients and highlight the impact of philanthropy in shaping future pharmacists.
November 14 Rxperiences Event in Boulder
CU Pharmacy showcased its commitment to community at the Rxperiences event in Boulder, where alumni, students, and faculty connected and gained insights from six alumni presenters.
November 19-21 Alumni Sock Drive
Thanks to the generosity of alumni, students, and supporters, the Alumni Association gathered more than 500 sock donations to benefit the Colorado Community Church, Comitis Crisis Center, Samaritan House, and Sheridan Health Clinic.
December 13 Alumni Awards
The 2024 CU Pharmacy Alumni Awards honored Dave Elm, PhD ’77, with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Christine MacBrayne, PharmD ’14, received the Horizon Award, and William Padula, PhD ’13, was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Awards.
March 13 Rxperiences Colorado Springs
CU Pharmacy’s Rxperiences: Alumni Talks made a return to Colorado Springs. Alumni and prospective students gathered for an evening of connection, learning, and celebration, marking another successful chapter in our regional events.
May 9 Pathways from the Past Luncheon
Alumni who attended pharmacy school at the CU Boulder and CU Health Sciences locations were invited to a special luncheon on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. The day included a welcome and update from Dean Altiere, presentations on pharmacogenomics from the new Endowed Chair and Class of 2025 class president, along with tours of campus and reconnecting with fellow alumni.
SHARE SOME NEWS WITH US
Do you have news of your own? Tell us about it, even if it's just to update your contact information! Use the QR code to keep in touch.
