Category: Featured News
From advertising to advocacy: Meet the first MPS graduate
December 16, 2024Written by Safa Tonuzi Unlike many of her peers, Christine Kwon, who on December 15 became the first student to graduate from the Master of Professional Science in Regulatory Science (MPS) program at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, didn’t spend her undergraduate years around beakers, flasks, and pipettes. As a former advertising major and automotive sales analyst, Kwon’s unconventional journey to regulatory science was shaped by personal challenges and a determination to bridge gaps in health care communication. Kwon’s life shifted after the birth of her child. Experiencing postpartum depression, she faced a health crisis that culminated in a … Read more
School helps rural students dream big for the future
December 11, 2024Written by Sabrina Shaw Through an immersive visit, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy faculty and alumni are working to give young students from rural North Carolina a chance to visualize a future they may have never imagined. In collaboration with the School, Chapel of the Cross, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, and the Ackland Art Museum, six students from the Conetoe Family Life Center, and their parents, spent a day exploring the University in an effort to experience new educational opportunities. It was part of the Conetoe Family Life Center Future Leadership Program. Double Tar Heel Jenny Mabie, ‘76, … Read more
UNC researchers awarded up to $10M to leverage data science to accelerate cancer diagnosis and optimize delivery of precision oncology
December 5, 2024Written by Bill Schaller A team of UNC-Chapel Hill researchers has been awarded up to $10 million in Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) funding to develop the Cancer Identification and Precision Oncology Center (CIPOC). The project is designed to improve cancer diagnosis and support personalized treatments by quickly aggregating and analyzing a wide range of health data, including electronic health records, histopathological and radiological images, insurance claims and geographic information. Specifically, CIPOC will facilitate the development of an oncology health learning system that utilizes AI-ready data to generate real-time identification of new cancer cases, support patient recruitment for … Read more
School delegation attends global event in Denmark
November 27, 2024Written by Professor Kim Brouwer, PharmD, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education A UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy delegation, including PhD students, Mattie Hartauer, Nicole Rose Lukesh, and Caden Kussatz, and two faculty members, Kim Brouwer and Yevgeny Brudno, PhD, participated in the Globalization of Pharmaceutics Education Network (GPEN) conference hosted by the University of Copenhagen earlier this year. GPEN 2024 provided an exceptional forum for our PhD students and faculty to connect with other graduate students, faculty, and industry professionals from Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, North America, and South America. Scientific poster and podium presentations were outstanding … Read more
Pharmacy administration and leadership short course launched in Ethiopia
November 26, 2024The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, in partnership with Addis Ababa University and the co-director of the UNC-Ethiopia Alliance, Benyam Muluneh, PharmD, has inaugurated its Pharmacy Administration and Leadership Short Course Training Program in Ethiopia. This pioneering initiative, led by faculty members Michael Stepanovic, PharmD, MS, Kathryn Morbitzer, PharmD, MS, and Stephen F. Eckel, PharmD, MHA, is designed to enhance pharmacy administration and leadership skills within Ethiopia’s dynamic health care sector. “After a recent visit from pharmacy students, and a discussion with Dr. Muluneh, we realized hospitals are underutilizing trained clinical pharmacists,” said Eckel. “In an effort to counter … Read more
A passion for serving rural patients
November 21, 2024Written by Caroline Daly Growing up in Whitsett, a small town in Guilford County, Cassidy White saw firsthand how rural residents often lack access to high quality health care or affordable healthy foods. Now, as a second-year student at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, White is learning how health care disparities like these lead to a prevalence of conditions like diabetes, HIV and obesity in rural areas. “It fuels a fire in me to be a voice for this population and to be able to advocate for these patients,” said White. When White graduated from the University of North … Read more
School unites in hurricane relief efforts
November 19, 2024Story written by Caroline Daly The dual campus model of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy proved its strength when Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina in late September. With thousands of residents displaced, the pharmacy school communities on the Chapel Hill and Asheville campuses sprang into action to host donation drives, distribute medication and work with relief agencies and clinics. With members from both campuses aiding relief efforts, one message rings true — although the school is split between two campuses, it’s one united community. “Asheville is home and that campus is incredibly special to me,” said Laura Bratsch, … Read more
Juliane Nguyen inducted into AAPS College of Fellows
November 13, 2024Professor Juliane Nguyen, PhD, was one of eight people recently inducted into the prestigious American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) College of Fellows. Established in 1986, AAPS is a professional and scientific organization with around 7,000 members from academia, industry, government, and various pharmaceutical science research institutes globally. AAPS aims to enhance the ability of pharmaceutical scientists to create products and therapies that promote global health. Fellows are selected due to their professional excellence and positive impact on global health and the AAPS community. Nguyen was selected by her colleagues for her pioneering efforts in developing products and therapies … Read more
NASA dream becomes a reality for one student
November 6, 2024Fourth-year pharmacy student Emma Ives has been broadening her horizons in the NASA/Johnson Space Center Aerospace Medicine Clerkship program in Houston, Texas. Over her clerkship, Ives met with NASA astronauts, scientists, and engineers, toured the facilities and the campus of the space center, and worked on a research project. Being able to experience NASA has been a lifelong dream for Ives. “I grew up playing in the cardboard ISS module my dad made for me in our living room, so to then go to the actual module and run around in it was a super fun and very surreal.” Aerospace medicine focuses … Read more
Faculty pioneering changes in hospital pharmacy best practices
October 30, 2024At the 82nd International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Cape Town, South Africa, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy faculty members Michael Stepanovic, PharmD, MS, and Stephen F. Eckel, PharmD, MHA, took center stage in advancing hospital pharmacy practices globally. Their contributions at the conference demonstrated a dedication to refining and implementing high standards in hospital pharmacy practice. Stepanovic, assistant professor, and Eckel, associate professor and associate dean for global engagement, led a pivotal workshop titled “Supply Chain Excellence in Africa and Beyond: Unpacking the Procurement Theme of the FIP Basel Statements.” This session was … Read more