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2011 News Archive

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University of Rhode Island residency programs help pharmacists focus on specialties

KINGSTON — December 13, 2011 -- The learning never stops at the University of Rhode Island, not even after graduation.

URI’s College of Pharmacy sees to that with its sponsorship of several post-graduate residencies, including its newest one, the pharmacy/oncology residency at Rhode Island Hospital.

Open to graduates nationwide, the residency allows licensed pharmacists who have completed a post-graduate year 1 residency — such as the university’s ambulatory care program, administered in partnership with Coastal Medical — to receive training in a hospital and ambulatory care setting focusing on the treatment of cancer patients. The resident also gets experience in an academic setting, partnering with the University to help teach current pharmacy students.

“They get much more focused exposure to a specialty area,” said Kristina Ward, associate professor of clinical pharmacy at URI. “It qualifies someone to go in and join the faculty at an institution, or it allows them to be a clinical pharmacist in an oncology setting.”

Entire pharmacy class of 2011 passes licensing exam

KINGSTON — December 5, 2011 -- The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy set an ambitious goal for itself a few years ago – to make sure every graduating student passes his or her licensing exam following commencement.

Last year’s graduating class achieved that goal for the first time in the school’s history.

All 89 students in the class of 2011 earned passing grades on the National Association Pharmacy Licensing Exam and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam during the testing period from May 1 to Aug. 31.

Norma Owens, chairwoman of the College of Pharmacy assessment committee, said typically 94 to 96 percent of URI graduates pass the licensing exams.

“One of the goals we had set as a college was to achieve a 100 percent passage rate, which was a bit of a controversial goal,” Owens said. “Some thought it should be 99 percent because you can’t expect perfection, but some felt that if you pass the classes in the program, you should be able to pass the exam. This was the first year we achieved it.” Full Story

 

URI pharmacy students enter national contest to promote medication adherence

KINGSTON, R.I. -- October 12, 2011 – The University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy is taking part in a national competition titled Script Your Future Medication Adherence Advocacy Challenge for the month of October. Students will be competing to find the best methods for advocating medication adherence to the public, especially those with chronic diseases.

Last July, URI became the first university to declare interest in the national adherence campaign. The fact that URI has the only pharmacy program in Rhode Island has given these students an advantage by eliminating in-state competition. Also, the small size of the state will make it easier to reach out to everyone and ensure that a difference is made.

“The Rhode Island Pharmacy Association is geared toward helping us; all of our resources are pooled together rather than being divided between separate colleges [of pharmacy],” said Marian Gaviola, a URI College of Pharmacy student. Full Story

 

URI College of Pharmacy receives grant to help reduce hospital readmissions

Technology-enabled pharmacists to make house calls

KINGSTON, R.I., July 21, 2011 - The University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy is pairing home visits from pharmacists with the latest technology, providing instant access to a patient’s medical history and medications, all in an effort to reduce hospital readmissions.

The Center for Technology and Aging has awarded a Tech4Impact Diffusion Grant to the College of Pharmacy to work collaboratively with the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs to gain more experience with and to evaluate the benefits of technologies that improve patients’ transitions from hospitals to their homes. The one-year, $98,000 grant will make it possible for a pharmacist to visit the homes of patients who have been discharged from the hospital, double check medications prescribed in the hospital against those prescribed by the patient’s regular doctors, and help the patient create their own electronic personal health record.

“The pharmacist can add tremendous value and help avert problems,” said URI Pharmacy Associate Professor Stephen Kogut, who will oversee the grant. “Too many patients end up back in hospitals, especially elderly patients.” Full Story

 

Pharmacy professor receives award for innovative educational endeavors

KINGSTON, R.I. – June 24, 2011 – Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Erica Estus was recently awarded the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Leadership in Education Award for her work with pharmacy students and older adults.

Estus – who received the award at the society’s conference in Las Vegas in May – titled her project “Students and Older Adults Learning from One Another: Intergenerational Activities Between URI College of Pharmacy and South Bay Retirement Living” and submitted it to the society in a portfolio.

The society review committee members said that the Wakefield resident’s work was beneficial for the students and senior citizens. Estus focuses on geriatrics in her career, emphasizing the importance of bridging generational gaps. She hopes that her Intergenerational Activities program, which attracted many freshmen this year, will help her students create and sustain an interest in cultivating personal relationships with patients. Full Story

 

URI partners with Pittsburgh conservatory to enhance pharmaceutical research, education

Pittsburgh conservatoryURI College of Pharmacy now has a green side


KINGSTON, R.I. – April 12, 2011 – The University of Rhode Island has entered a partnership with Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pa., one of the world’s most energy-efficient and sustainable conservatories.


The five-year partnership will help to provide information on a proposed energy-efficient conservatory at URI and enhance URI’s and Phipps Conservatory’s educational programs. Full Story

 

Discovery@URI Award Winners

College of Pharmacy students received top awards at the first Discovery@URI event, held on April 13, 2011. This event showcased the breadth and wealth of research, scholarship and innovative endeavors being undertaken at URI. Over 100 stellar students and groups presented their fascinating work at this event. First place honors were awarded to Simon Sarkisian, a MS student in the College of Pharmacy, and join third place honors when to Joseph Schrader, a BS Student in the college. Full Story

 

Pharmacy graduate to be featured at Diversity Awards

Paul HastingsPaul Hastings first member of gay community to be honored

KINGSTON, R.I. March 31, 2011 – As president and chief executive officer of California-based OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Paul Hastings has helped improve the lives of people around the world through his work in the biotechnology industry.

As the first member of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community to receive the University of Rhode Island’s Diversity Award for Lifetime Achievement, Hastings is hoping to change the culture on campus. Full Story

 

 

Dr. Erica Estus to be awarded by the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists

Dr. Estus will be presented with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists Leadership in Education Award at their National Meeting in May. Her endeavor "Students and Older Adults Learning from One Another: Intergenerational Activities Between URI College of Pharmacy and South Bay Manor" was lauded by members of the review committee as being of great benefit to both the students and the seniors you serve.

To quote one member, "I'm impressed with her passion and drive and that is what we need in this upcoming generation of pharmacists. Not only to have the necessary clinical knowledge, but the communication skills, and compassion and caring for older adults to engage them in the process. So often, I see that spark of passion and drive to connect with older adults missing..."

 

URI scientist discovers 54 beneficial compounds in pure maple syrup

Navinda SeeramFive have never been seen in nature before

KINGSTON, R.I. – March 30, 2011 – University of Rhode Island researcher Navindra Seeram has discovered 34 new beneficial compounds in pure maple syrup and confirmed that 20 compounds discovered last year in preliminary research play a key role in human health.

Today at the 241st American Chemical Society’s National Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. the URI assistant pharmacy professor is telling scientists from around the world that his URI team has now isolated and identified 54 beneficial compounds in pure maple syrup from Quebec, five of which have never been seen in nature. Full Story

 

New printer to make 3D models at URI College of Pharmacy

KINGSTON, R.I. – February 28, 2011 – Professor Bongsup Cho sat at his desk discussing a new 3-dimensional printer that will soon be a part of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy.
Bongsup Cho
As he explained how the printer will make touchable, textural and colorful models of drug molecules, cancer molecules or bacteria, a visitor to his office was incredulous. “Will the printer make 3D paper images in an origami-like fashion?” Cho was asked. “Will it make these images out of cardboard?”

Then Cho, a biomedical scientist who specializes in DNA damage and mutations as they relate to the development of cancer, pulled out a 3D “print” of a drug molecule. It was 8 inches long, 6 inches high, weighed about 2-and-a-half pounds and was colored gray, red, purple and yellow. It took about seven hours to print a model of this size. Smaller models can take as little as 30 minutes to print. Full Story

 

URI cancer researcher now aiming sights on Lyme disease

KINGSTON, R.I. – February 1, 2011 – As part of her research into breast cancer, University of Rhode Island scientist Roberta King has for years been studying the role of an enzyme in regulating estrogen activity.

King is specifically interested a type of enzyme, called sulfotransferases, which contribute to balancing and regulating numerous biologically active compounds such as estrogen and dopamine.

Now the associate professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Pharmacy is targeting dopamine sulfotransferase and its potential role in the transmission of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. In a partnership with Thomas Mather, professor of entomology and director of the URI Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, King and her research team are looking at how tick dopamine sulfotransferase affects tick salivation and ultimately the feeding process that leads to Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Full Story