Category: Research
Structural Genomics Consortium receives $1.5 million grant to help find possible new treatment options for patients with ALS
May 10, 2023The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Alison Axtman, Ph.D. in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC-UNC) a two-year grant totaling $1.5 million. The grant will go toward research that could one day lead to new medications and new treatment options for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. ALS is a neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Most cases are sporadic, meaning the disease seems to occur at random with no connection to family history or other risk factors. Primary investigator Alison … Read more
Jeff Aubé receives prestigious AACP Volwiler Research Achievement Award
May 1, 2023The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) announced UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Professor Jeff Aubé as the recipient of the AACP Volwiler Research Achievement Award. The Volwiler Research Achievement Award is intended to recognize a person within the ranks of pharmacy who is a leading researcher in an area of the pharmaceutical and clinical sciences, pharmacy practice and the social and administrative sciences and for outstanding contributions to the respective disciplines. “It’s a very nice recognition for a lot of work done by a lot of people—science is a community effort,” said Aubé, Eshelman Distinguished Professor in the … Read more
Faculty receive grant funding for project studying access to childhood vaccines through community pharmacies in rural communities
April 26, 2023The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation awarded the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy a $250,000 research grant. The grant will help fund the research project entitled, “Evaluating Access to Childhood Vaccines Through Rural Community Pharmacies.” Through this project, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy researchers will work with pharmacy partners to help ensure children in rural North Carolina communities have access to vaccinations. “We were seeking forward-thinking, community-centered projects that would explore creative solutions to some of the most pressing public health problems facing diverse and underserved communities across the U.S.,” said NACDS Foundation President Sara Roszak. … Read more
Students share research findings at poster presentation
April 24, 2023Third year Pharm.D. students in the Research and Scholarship in Pharmacy (RASP) pathway presented their research findings to peers, faculty and staff members of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy on April 19. RASP is a longitudinal, selective pathway within the Doctor of Pharmacy elective curriculum built around a mentored, in-depth, scholarly project. Each student frames an answerable question with a faculty mentor, generates and interprets relevant data and communicates their findings. “RASP was one of the reasons why I applied to the Eshelman School of Pharmacy,” said Paula Paseiro, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2024 and student senate vice president. … Read more
Attracting Expertise
April 3, 2023Written by Angela Harwood Before joining the faculty at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Owen Fenton studied under one of the world’s leading mRNA delivery researchers: Robert Langer, cofounder of Moderna. Getting Fenton from Massachusetts to Chapel HIll was a big win for the University. Fenton sees coming to Carolina as a win for his research interests, as well. “I view the future of medicine as being very interdisciplinary, which was one of the biggest attractions in coming to UNC, where we benefit from being able to partner with amazing faculty and collaborate through groups like the Lineberger Comprehensive … Read more
More work must be done to reduce acetaminophen hepatotoxicity
March 20, 2023Acetaminophen is the most commonly used pain reliever in the world, and in the U.S., more than 52 million people use it on a weekly basis. It has a great safety record when consumed in recommended amounts, but it can cause serious and even fatal liver toxicity when recommended doses are exceeded. Pills that contain both acetaminophen and opiates are a particular concern since pain patients and opioid abusers may be more likely to exceed recommended doses of acetaminophen seeking the opioid effects. To address this risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) mandated in 2011 that … Read more
Researchers find pharmacists are willing to provide potentially lifesaving fentanyl test strips
February 20, 2023As fentanyl-related overdose deaths are on the rise in North Carolina and across the country, a new survey by UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy-affiliated and community-based researchers found North Carolina pharmacists are willing to sell fentanyl test strips (FTS) to help reduce the risk of overdoses. FTS have been shown to reduce overdose deaths and are a recommended harm reduction tool. The survey, conducted by Grace Marley, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Pharm.D. candidate, Bayla Ostrach, Ph.D., M.A., C.I.P., a community-based applied researcher and UNC Research Affiliate in the UNC School of Medicine, and Delesha Carpenter, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., associate professor … Read more
First in Venture Studio Takes Aim at the Opioid Crisis
February 20, 2023An eight-month collaboration to bring digital health solutions to market reaches a milestone with Pitch Day Rob Kimball, a Director with High Alpha Innovation, sums up what the company does in one sentence: “We co-create advantaged startups that solve compelling problems.” He goes on, “This is the hardest, most compelling problem that we’ve ever had to point our toolset at.” Rob is referring to the opioid crisis. Each year in the United States, opioid use disorder (OUD) costs the country over $140 billion in hospitalizations, medical costs, criminal justice costs, and loss of productivity. This is on top of the … Read more
‘Highly cited researchers’ list names UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy faculty members Leaf Huang and Bryan Roth
February 2, 2023UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Professor Leaf Huang, Ph.D., and Bryan Roth, M.D., Ph.D., have been named as Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers for 2022. The list recognizes researchers across the globe who demonstrated significant influence in their chosen field or fields over the last decade. Huang, a Fred Eshelman Distinguished Professor in the Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, has focused his research in the area of gene therapy and targeted drug delivery. His current work centers on nanoparticle vectors for gene transfer in tumors and the liver. “I am grateful for the excellent research environment that the School has provided over … Read more
UNC-Chapel Hill Pharmacy Professor receives $1.8M grant for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy project
November 28, 2022The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Professor Delesha Carpenter Ph.D., MSPH, funding for her project “Addressing COVID 19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Rural Community Pharmacies Reducing Disparities Through an Implementation Science Approach.” The NIH is providing three years of funding towards this project for a total of 1.8 million dollars. Carpenter is an associate professor and interim chair of the Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy. Her research focuses on developing trainings to improve patient-provider communication about sensitive issues, like suicide and substance abuse use disorders. She is especially interested in improving access … Read more