Category: Research
Kashuba Awarded “Paper of the Year” by SIDP
December 14, 2005A manuscript by associate professor Angela Kashuba has been selected by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists as “Paper of the Year.” The manuscript is entitled “Combining fosamprenavir with lopinavir/ritonavir substantially reduces amprenavir and lopinavir exposure: ACTG protocol A5143 results”. The Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists is an association of health professionals dedicated to promoting the appropriate use of antimicrobials. SIDP provides education, advocacy and leadership in all aspects of the treatment of infectious diseases.
Study: Second-Generation Antidepressants Very Similar
December 14, 2005Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found evidence that many second-generation antidepressants, despite differences in drug classification and cost, offer patients very similar benefits and only minimal differences in risks. Second-generation antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other drugs that selectively affect the activity of neurotransmitters. A paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, led by Richard A. Hansen, PhD, assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy , examined the effects of ten commonly prescribed second-generation antidepressants, including Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin , and Paxil . The study examined the role of these … Read more
School of Pharmacy Top Twenty in NIH Grants
December 14, 2005School of Pharmacy Ranks Seventeenth in NIH Funding In fiscal year 2004, the School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received $5.2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, ranking seventeenth among the nation’s pharmacy schools. The School ranked twenty-second in fiscal year 2003. “The NIH funding we receive is a measure of the excellence of our faculty, of the promise of their ideas, and of their commitment to innovation,” said Dean Robert A. Blouin. “I am extremely proud of these people who are able to so expertly tackle the challenges of both … Read more
Sleath Awarded ECHO Grant
December 14, 2005The UNC Program on Ethnicity, Culture and Health Outcomes has awarded associate professor Betsy Sleath a grant to study racial and ethnic health disparities in North Carolina. Sleath’s project, “Improving Pharmacy Services for Latinos in North Carolina” will be conducted over the course of 18 months. The purpose of the project is to describe Latino patients’ medication use, understand Latino patients’ perceptions of the role of U.S. pharmacies and how they differ from pharmacies in their home countries, describe how Latino patients believe that U.S. pharmacies can improve services for them, and understand what community pharmacists believe can be done … Read more
Pneumococcal Vaccination Project Selected for Funding by the National Immunization Program
December 14, 2005Stefanie Ferreri, clinical assistant professor in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics, has received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunization Program. Ferreri will receive $149,000 for a one-year project, “Enhancing Pneumococcal Vaccine Rates Through Community Pharmacist Involvement,” which will be carried out in conjunction with Kroger pharmacies. Only one award is made nationally. Pneumococcal infection causes an estimated 40,000 deaths annually in the United States, accounting for more deaths than any other vaccine-preventable bacterial disease. The long-term objective of Ferreri’s study is to increase pneumococcal vaccination rates among high-risk adults by utilizing community … Read more
New SOP Service Provides Hepatocytes to UNC Researchers
December 14, 2005The Cellular Metabolism and Transport Core in the School of Pharmacy has begun operations. This service center has been developed to provide fresh mouse, rat, and human hepatocytes to campus investigators at cost-recovery rates much less than commercial vendors. Other procedures, such as microsome preparation and isolated liver perfusions, are also available. If you would like to use the services of this core, or for more information, please contact: Angela Kashuba, PharmD Associate Professor of Pharmacy 3318 Kerr Hall School of Pharmacy, CB# 7360 Chapel Hill NC , 27599 Email: akashuba@unc.edu Phone: 919-966-9998
National Agency Selects UNC to Participate in Health Outcomes Research
December 14, 2005The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has selected the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to conduct studies testing what treatments work best for particular health conditions with the goal of promoting better patient outcomes. The agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, named 13 centers nationwide as part of its new Effective Health Care Program. Dr. Suzanne L. West, associate director of the UNC-GSK Center of Excellence in Pharmacoepidemiology and Public Health and director of research development for UNC’s Center for Women’s Health Research, will lead UNC’s effort. West is also … Read more
School of Pharmacy Researchers Awarded Three NIH Roadmap Grants
December 14, 2005Three researchers in the School of Pharmacy’s Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products have received National Institutes of Health Roadmap Grants. Kenan Professor K.H. Lee, PhD, will receive $1.28 million over three years for his project, “Chemical Diversity Libraries from Medicinal Plants. Professor and interim chair Alex Tropsha, PhD, will receive $762,000 over two years for his project, “Carolina Exploratory Center for Cheminformatics Research, and assistant professor Michael Jarstfer, PhD, will receive $73,000 over one year for his project, “A High Throughput Screen for Telomerase Assembly.” In addition, assistant professor Rihe Liu, PhD, is a key member of a … Read more
HIV Drug Developed by School of Pharmacy Professor K.H. Lee Generates National Attention
September 5, 2005HIV drug created at UNC generates buzz From the September 9, 2005, print edition of Triangle Business Journal.
Sleath Awarded $1.6 Million for Asthma Study
August 24, 2005The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recently awarded associate professor Betsy Sleath, PhD, a $1.6 million grant for a four-year project, “Children and Asthma: Communication and Outcomes.” The project will study the relationship between provider-child-caregiver communication during pediatric asthma visits and child outcomes. As part of the project, 360 children between eight and 15 years of age who have mild, moderate or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers will be enrolled at eight private pediatric practices across the state. The children’s medical visits will be audio-tape recorded and home visits will be conducted one month after their medical visits. … Read more