Category: Grants and Awards
NIH award leads to deeper study of brain malformations
June 24, 2024How seizures, epilepsy and other brain malformations develop from genetic variants is not fully understood, but a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) award will pave the way toward understanding the cause and potentially lead to new therapies. New (non-inherited) genetic variants can arise as cells divide during embryonic development and give rise to mosaicism—sets of cells that are genetically different from one another. Such variants have been shown to cause seizures and brain malformations. The abnormal mosaic brain tissue can sometimes be surgically removed to treat the seizures caused by these genetic variants. This new NIH award of more … Read more
Triangle CERSI projects include advancements in clinical trial design along with addressing gaps toward mitigating consequences of opioid use
May 29, 2024Triangle CERSI has made great progress on the first set of funded research projects, including the impact of xylazine when added to fentanyl, efforts to reduce opioid misuse and how to account for data complexities in clinical trials. Triangle CERSI, awarded to the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, is a joint endeavor that includes the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State University and North Carolina Central University. It was launched in 2023 with an award from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for up to $50 million over five years and receives support … Read more
Research aims to help repurpose approved medications for rare diseases
May 16, 2024The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is using data science and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and validate clinical new uses of existing drugs for rare diseases, also known as drug repurposing. The School and RENCI received a $3.2 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), the first award in which Carolina is named by the agency. Being able to identify and validate new uses of drugs requires a critical initial step of hypothesis generation and computational validation, which … Read more
Dean Angela Kashuba receives Carolina Alumni Faculty Service Award
April 22, 2024UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Dean Angela Kashuba, Pharm.D., was selected for the 2024 Carolina Alumni Faculty Service Award. Established in 1990, the award “honors faculty members who have performed outstanding service for the University or the alumni association.” “This award is a true honor, and I’m humbled to be selected. Behind each of these accomplishments, is a team of people who have supported, challenged, mentored and worked alongside me—I would be remiss if I didn’t thank those who have led me here,” said Kashuba. The award citation outlines her many impressive accomplishments but gives credit to her down-to-earth approachability … Read more
Developing new ways to treat heart attacks without surgery
April 15, 2024According to Professor Juliane Nguyen, Ph.D., although cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death world-wide, the way heart attacks are treated hasn’t changed much in the last 20 years. With a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Project Grant Program (R01), her lab will take the next steps toward developing a new therapy that could impact the way all heart attack patients are treated. “Effective delivery of therapeutics to the heart is quite challenging. When we inject therapeutics, they typically disperse throughout the entire body. However, the heart is small and receives … Read more
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is the No. 1 Pharmacy School in the Nation
April 9, 2024The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is once again the No.1 pharmacy school in the country. This is the third time in a row the School has been ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings are based on a survey of peers from accredited pharmacy schools across the country and are published every four years. “I am so proud to be part of a School that relentlessly pursues excellence in education, research, practice and innovation,” said Angela Kashuba, Dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. “This accomplishment is a testament to the unwavering dedication of … Read more
Roy Zwahlen receives the 2024 Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award
April 8, 2024At first glance, working in strategy may not seem to be directly related to public service, but Roy Zwahlen, J.D., is using his role at Eshelman Innovation and the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to change lives across North Carolina. Zwahlen, Chief Strategy Officer for Eshelman Innovation and Associate Dean for Strategic Partnerships and Risk Management at the School, was selected for the 2024 Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award for his work in translating innovation into real products and services that impact patients in our communities. As someone from a long line of military veterans, including World Wars I … Read more
Juliane Nguyen inducted into the prestigious AIMBE College of Fellows
April 5, 2024The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows inducted UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s Professor Juliane Nguyen, Ph.D., for outstanding contributions focused on the development of complex biologics for cancer and cardiovascular treatments. “As a first-generation college student and scientist, I see this as a remarkable opportunity not only to give back but also to play a pivotal role in shaping and mentoring the next generation,” said Nguyen, vice chair of the Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics (DPMP). The AIMBE Fellows represent the top 2% of medical and biological engineers. They include the most accomplished … Read more
Kim Brouwer receives 2024 ASCPT Rawls-Palmer Progress in Medicine Award
April 3, 2024The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) selected UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s Associate Dean Kim Brouwer, Pharm.D., Ph.D., as the recipient of the 2024 Rawls-Palmer Progress in Medicine Award. “It is a tremendous honor to receive this prestigious award, and I am truly grateful to all the students, postdoctoral scholars and our collaborators who have worked tirelessly to translate our scientific discoveries to advance drug development and improve patient care,” said Brouwer, the William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics. “The wonderful environment that Carolina and the School have provided … Read more
Research shines spotlight on preventing Alzheimer’s disease in women
April 1, 2024According to the Alzheimer’s Association, of the more than 6 million Americans over age 65 with Alzheimer’s disease, almost 4 million are women. Amanda Seyerle, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, is hoping to help change that thanks to a three-year grant from the Alzheimer’s Association. Seyerle plans to use the nearly $200,000 grant to determine the metabolomic and genetic markers a woman needs to utilize hormone replacement therapy (HRT) effectively for the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Medicines that include female hormones, like estrogen, may decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s disease but may increase risk … Read more