WINTER SPRING 2019 Pharmacy P E R S P E C T I V E S

Global Health & Pharmacy With globalization, pharmacy will play an increasingly important role in tackling the world’s health chal- lenges. Here’s how CU Pharmacy is helping its students here and abroad prepare for a changing world. See pages 2-7.

Personalized Medicine Skaggs faculty and researchers take different approaches to iden- tify tailored therapies toward the individual patient. See pages 10-12.

The Inspired Student The power of life-prolonging drugs inspired John Song, third- year student, to pursue pharmacy. See page 9.

In This Issue

2-3 13 CU Pharmacy pValue Around the World 14-15 4-6 2018 Consortium SNOW Symposium Opioid Update

7 18-19 CU Peru Dave Elm Scholarship for Veterans 8-9 Pharmacist for 22-23 a Day 2018-19 Scholars Global Connections

its expertise in pharmacy education head of the University Twinning and and promote its reputation. Networking (UniTwin) program, “When people (around the launched by FIP and the United world) ask for our help, they say, Nations to advance pharmaceutical ‘How can we teach our students education. For IPSF, based in the to be more like yours?’” said Kari United Kingdom, Dr. Altiere is the Franson, PharmD, PhD, CU immediate past president of the Pharmacy associate dean for pro- academic section and is its liaison fessional education. “Whether it’s to IPSF. in Qatar or Singapore or Egypt, Dr. Altiere’s involvement in these they’re curious about educating organizations has created opportu- their pharmacists as we do in the nities for CU Pharmacy students United States.” and faculty. Behind CU Pharmacy’s interna- “It’s also a great learning experience tional programs stands a dean who for us,” he said. “We can ask: ‘How do strongly supports sending students you do it in your country?’ It really and faculty abroad and bringing opens up more doors and more un- overseas visitors to the Anschutz derstanding and greater realization of Medical Campus. Ralph Altiere, what the global issues are.” PhD, is quick to point out that CU Pharmacy, like many U.S. international programs involving pharmacy programs, offers fourth- CU Pharmacy students and faculty year students opportunities to pre-date his becoming dean in elect an international rotation. Dr. 2006. Still, Dr. Altiere has worked Franson estimates that 10 to 20 per- to expand and formalize the school’s cent of students take advantage of partnerships and programs and has overseas opportunities. Students can enlisted other faculty ambassadors travel to sites where CU Pharmacy such as Dr. Franson and Jodie has existing relationships or create Malhotra, PharmD, international their own rotations. affairs coordinator. The school has connections for “My interest was in looking at student opportunities in Australia, whether there was something we New Zealand, United Kingdom, could do on a programmatic level, Netherlands, Guatemala and Costa and allow us to take the know-how Rica, among other countries. and expertise we have and work Dr. Franson, who as a pharmacy with others around the world,” Dr. student spent two summers working > CU PHARMACY AROUND THE WORLD: Altiere said. in Switzerland, finds that interna- In the past decade, Dr. Altiere tional programs often allow students has become increasingly active in to put classroom lessons to practical OPENING DOORS international pharmacy-related orga- use – perhaps surprising themselves. nizations including the International “As students in pharmacy, we go TO UNDERSTANDING Pharmaceutical Federation, known as through the curriculum as a cohort, FIP for its French name, Fédération always looking to the next scheduled AND SHARING Internationale Pharmaceutique, and class, the next exam. We don’t always BY SANDY GRAHAM the International Pharmaceutical appreciate what we’re learning,” she Students’ Federation (IPSF). said. “A lot of students (going abroad) FIP, based in the Netherlands, recognize there are fewer barriers to strives to improve global health making a difference in the world than by advancing pharmacy practice they thought.” eru. Qatar. Singapore. Nigeria. Egypt. Guatemala. and science. After serving on FIP’s If funding were available, Dr. Netherlands. Ireland. New Zealand. Academic Pharmacy Section for Altiere would send all pharmacy Students and faculty from the Skaggs School several years, he became the section students overseas. of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are president in 2011, a post he held for “I’d love to send every student making a difference in these countries as well as six years. Dr. Altiere also serves on on an international experience,” said others around the world. CU Pharmacy’s many the FIP Program Committee and the Dr. Altiere. “You come back with international connections not only open stu- Academic Institutional Membership a different perspective on life, an dents’ eyes to the impact they can make in global Deans Forum Advisory Group. awareness of the needs, and maybe P health challenges, but allow the school to share At the end of 2017, he became more resilience, too.”

2 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

CU PHARMACY’S INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS ENCOMPASS • A memorandum of understanding with the National University of Singapore Four years of participation in the • for student and faculty exchanges. For Pharmabridge® initiative, launched by the example, in 2018, six NUS PharmD, International Pharmaceutical Federation, students came to Colorado for clinical which strengthens pharmacy education rotations. Several faculty members have and services by having pharmacists, gone to Singapore to speak. pharmaceutical scientists, and pharmacy educators from all corners of the globe Helping the University of Ibadan in share experiences and skills. One visitor Nigeria develop its clinical pharmacy to CU was India’s Kiran Nagaraju, PhD. training. This agreement came about (See story, page 6) after a Pharmabridge participant from IN THIS ISSUE of Pharmacy Perspectives, we bring you Ibadan visited CU Pharmacy for a month. articles about a wide range of topics such as ground- More recently, rotations for fourth-year breaking faculty research and changes in Colorado CU Pharmacy students have become pharmacy practice that CU Pharmacy has promoted. available there. We also explore global health issues and the role the pharmacy profession can play in solving them. • Hosting the Pharmacy Strategies I attended our school’s second Pharmacy Strategies for New Opportunities Worldwide for New Opportunities Worldwide (SNOW) Symposium (SNOW) Symposium every other in Breckenridge recently, and it surpassed all my year to bring together U.S. and expectations. My thanks to Jodie Malhotra, PharmD, international experts in pharmacy and her planning committee for two days of excellent and global health. (See story, page 4) presentations by experts from around the world. Helping the Children’s Cancer Hospital Two words resonated with me after the symposium: Egypt in Cairo launch a pharmacy globalization and globalism. Many people use these doctoral program several years ago. words interchangeably, but I see distinct differences. Several faculty members have since gone Globalization began when homo sapiens got up on to Egypt to train PharmD students and two legs and began moving across continents; global- work with pharmacists throughout Egypt. ization connects the world. Globalism is less tangible – a philosophy, if you will, to address difficult global • Support for a primary care clinic issues through shared visions, values and goals. in rural Guatemala, launched by the I believe the pharmacy profession embraces Center for Global Health at the CU globalism, striving for a world in which we improve the School of Public Health in a public/ practice of pharmacy and provide better healthcare private partnership with Children’s for our communities. The many partnerships that CU Hospital Colorado and AgroAmerica, a A special relationship with the Pharmacy has around the world, some highlighted in family-owned producer of bananas and state of Qatar, thanks to CU’s this issue, make all of you part of that global vision. vegetable oil. Pharmacy faculty train clinic groundbreaking International-Trained staff and fourth-year pharmacy students PharmD (ITPD) program, which Sincerely, can take six-week rotations there. combines online and on-campus courses. The Arabian Peninsula nation • Reviewing the Chinese University has sent more pharmacists to the ITPD of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) curricula for program than any other country. Those Ralph J. Altiere, PhD BS and MS degrees in pharmacy. Dr. pharmacists’ experiences have led Dean, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Franson visited Hong Kong for 10 days to CU Pharmacy consulting with the Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and spent two years reviewing curricula. country’s hospitals and government. Fourth-year CU Pharmacy students “We’ve made a significant impact,” @CUpharmacy | @cupharmacy also have visited Hong Kong for their said Kari Franson, PharmD, PhD, rotations and soon CUHK students will CU Pharmacy associate dean for /15098479 | @cupharmacy complete rotations in Colorado. professional education. UCDSchoolofPharmacy

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 3 Global Connections > Snow Symposium

novel pharmacy approaches to global health issues. SNOW is the first of four similarly named 2019 conferences to address pharmacy education and practice to address global health: “Sun,” Pharmacists on Monash University’s symposium, will meet in Italy in July; “Wind,” the American Association of Colleges the Front Line of of Pharmacy’s annual meeting, will blow into Chicago later in July; and Global Health “Sea,” FIP’s World Congress, is set for Abu Dhabi in September. Each con- BY SANDY GRAHAM ference will address, at least in part, pharmacy’s increasingly important role in global health. “We are making an impact and harmacists will – and must – play key roles being part of the solution,” said Dr. in tackling the world’s health challenges, Duggan, whose organization is known Catherine Duggan, PhD, chief executive as FIP for its French name Fédération “The number of officer of the International Pharmaceutical Internationale Pharmaceutique. “The Federation, told attendees of the Skaggs opportunities are huge.” pharmacists per School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical So are the challenges. Dr. Sciences SNOW Symposium in Breckenridge. Duggan outlined the World Health 100,000 people is PDr. Duggan was the keynote speaker at SNOW, which stands Organization’s 2019 threats to global more than eight times for Strategies for New Opportunities Worldwide. The two-day health, a list that includes air pollution conference in late January brought together 45 people to share and climate change, the potential for higher in Europe than in Africa. The pharmacy field must look ahead and decide how many and where pharmacists are needed.”

- Catherine Duggan, PhD

an influenza pandemic, antimicro- bial drug resistance, and high-threat pathogens such as Ebola, as well as the challenge of weak primary healthcare globally. The pharmacy workforce aligned against these and other health threats consists of just over four million li- censed or registered pharmacists in 74 countries that are home to 5.6 billion people, she said. Three-quarters work in community pharmacies. Needs, numbers and delivery don’t always correlate, however. The number Catherine Duggan, PhD, chief executive officer of the International Pharmaceutical Federation of pharmacists per 100,000 people is

4 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Global Connections > Snow Symposium WINTER SPRING 2019

more than eight times higher in Europe than in Africa. The pharmacy field BLIZZARD OF IDEAS: KENYA FIGHTING FAKES must look ahead and decide how many > HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SYMPOSIUM and where pharmacists are needed, to Fake or substandard medicines and vaccines assist with intelligence-led predictive are a huge global health problem, especially models of workforce development and bout 25 healthcare and pharmacy experts in sub-Saharan Africa. Laboratory testing workplace transformation. from around the world shared their exper- of suspicious products can be expensive, Pharmacy ranks in the “big five” tise in talks and roundtables at the SNOW time-consuming and impractical. of health professions, she said, along Symposium. Here are some highlights, Marya Lieberman, PhD, professor of Afrom near and far: chemistry and biochemistry at the University with medicine, nursing, dentistry and physical therapy. Pharmacists of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, has are the most frequently visited CAPE ELIZABETH developed a simple and inexpensive paper health professionals and can ensure TRUCKIN’ IN CARE analytical device (PAD) that can be used to safe and high-quality primary care screen suspicious products. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University services in pharmacies. Each PAD is about two by three inches and transformed a 13-ton truck into Zanempilo Dr. Duggan sees “three pillars contains dried reagents in columns across its Mobile Clinic to cover a 250-square-kilometer of opportunity” for pharmacists to face. Reagents can vary according to what’s area around its hometown of Cape Elizabeth, improve global health: caring for being tested. A suspicious product is smeared people with non-communicable dis- across the columns and the card set in water. eases such as heart disease, chronic In three minutes, the card absorbs the water; obstructive pulmonary disease and certain color changes indicate potential diabetes, enhancing preventive care problems. Dr. Lieberman said a field test in through vaccinations, antimicrobial Tanzania trained 20 drug inspectors, who stewardship, immunizations and then screened 3,000 blind samples with a 93 health promotion, and helping ensure percent accuracy rate. PADs also are being the safe use of medicines. tested in Kenya through the pharmacovig- Later this year, FIP will release a ilance unit of Academic Model Providing reference paper supporting expanded Access to Healthcare (AMPATH), a U.S.-Kenyan roles for pharmacists in non-com- partnership. municable disease management, she Dr. Lieberman is now making PADs in her said. It will encourage pharmacists laboratory, but hopes to commercialize the around the world to act – by getting process. involved in prevention and screening activities, including patient referral to NAMIBIA additional healthcare when needed, PHARMACY, MEDICAL STUDENTS BOND and managing patients’ treatment From the beginning of its pharmacy program to enhance outcomes. Pharmacists more than a decade ago, the University of are “an essential asset” in fighting Namibia focused on integrating pharmacy and non-communicable diseases, she said. medical students in experiential and classroom Dr. Duggan urged the pharmacy South Africa, said Sue Burton, PhD, a pharmacy learning, said Mwangana Mubita, PhD, who profession to embrace technolog- faculty member. With two examining rooms, a directs the university’s Pharmacy Internship ical change, welcome innovative consulting room and a dispensary, Zanempilo Support Program. approaches to healthcare, work to (“bringing health to the people” in the Xhosa More than that, the program’s doctors- and optimize the existing workforce, language) served up to 40 people a day who pharmacists-to-be “lived together, cooked train young people for future needs, often had no way to visit fixed health clinics. together, studied together, honed friendships,” and examine the care and services “We even had people brought in by wheel- said Vuliki Nangombe, who graduated in the pharmacists provide. FIP is leading barrow,” Dr. Burton said. Students in pharmacy first pharmacy class in 2011. and working with other health-related and other health professions assisted the Ms. Nangombe, now a part-time lecturer organizations and gathering and pro- clinic’s nurse-manager. “It was an incredible and pharmacist at Windhoek Central Hospital viding data on these issues, she said. experience (for students), seeing and meeting in Namibia, said the program’s emphasis on “Pharmacy is absolutely front and the needs of some of the patients,” she added. interprofessional education and collaborative center in all these challenges,” she said. The clinic is on temporary hiatus for rebrand- practice has made her and fellow pharmacy Jodie Malhotra, PharmD, interna- ing and refocusing, but will be out on the road tional affairs coordinator and assistant again soon. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE professor at CU Pharmacy, chaired the 2019 SNOW Symposium. The school plans to hold a third SNOW Symposium for 2021.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 5 Global Connections > Snow Symposium

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE COLORADO graduates “different. We questioned. LEARNING ABOUT CANNABIS We broke barriers and stereotypes.” The With a growing number of states legalizing Namibia pharmacy program receives the medical and recreational use of marijuana, support from Lauren Jonkman, PharmD, assistant professor of the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, who visits the school every other year.

LONDON GREEN MEANS GO INDIAN PHARMACIST The employees of Green Light Pharmacies in London own the business and it shows ENCOUNTERS in the attention and care they give customers, said Sharon Hart, a Green SNOW AND SNOW Light employee/owner. John Foreman, the pharmacist who founded Green Light or Kiran Nagaraju, PhD, CU Pharmacy’s in 1999, wanted “to put ‘community’ back SNOW Symposium was a chance to in pharmacy,” Ms. Hart said. “Our business learn about pharmacy research and model is around service provision. … It practice around the world – and his isn’t about how many prescriptions we’re first time to see actual snow! dispensing.” Green Light has a 2 percent FDr. Nagaraju is a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center in Bangalore, India. He was a sponsored attendee pharmacists need to understand the phar- of the Strategies for New Opportunities macokinetics of cannabis, said Kari Franson, Worldwide (SNOW) Symposium, presented in PharmD, PhD, and Laura Borgelt, PharmD. Breckenridge Jan. 24 and 25. Dr. Nagaraju also “When we look at people going to the visited CU Pharmacy last summer as part of the hospital (because of marijuana use), it’s (peo- International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) ple who use) oral products,” Dr. Franson said. Pharmabridge® exchange program. Edibles such as candies and cookies have less A highlight of the symposium for Dr. Nagaraju predictable effects than smoking marijuana was the keynote by FIP’s chief executive officer, because they take time to be digested–and Catherine Duggan, PhD (See page 4). that time can vary person to person. Often, “She was very motivational,” Dr. Nagaraju a person thinks one candy or cookie isn’t said. “She showed me a bit of light” as to how effective and eats more. pharmacy can play a larger role in providing Medical marijuana is most often prescribed and improving patient care. India is not as ad- for pain, Dr. Borgelt said. Reported adverse vanced in patient-focused pharmacy practice effects are typically not serious, but cannabis as some countries, he said. has been shown to increase adolescents’ risk of Another highlight was a presentation developing schizophrenia. Cannabis may also about the University of Namibia’s Pharmacy react with other psychiatric drugs or impair Department, which thoroughly intertwines users’ cognition and memory. the training and on-campus accommodations employee turnover rate. Its pharmacies Pharmacists counseling patients who of pharmacy and medical students. (See are in multi-cultural and socio-economi- use cannabis should ask open-ended and Sidebar, Page 5) cally deprived communities, and its staff non-judgmental questions, the pair said, “That was very impressive,” Dr. Nagaraju reflects that diversity. about why and how they use cannabis, what said. “The University of Namibia inculcated Ms. Hart leads Green Light’s new ven- other drugs they are taking and what benefi- integrated learning from day one. In typical ture, GP Connect, which recruits pharma- cial or adverse effects they expect. Pharmacists schools, training is so diversified. Each profes- cists to work in general medical practices. should also explain that users should seek sion’s path is set.” He would like to see his own Its vision is to have pharmacists integrate medical help if they have paranoia or school consider such integrated classes. and collaborate across sectors and help panic, develop cyclic vomiting or have While he found the symposium inspiring, Dr. deliver multi-discipline primary care. withdrawal symptoms. Nagaraju was less inspired by Breckenridge’s temperatures in the teens and a thick coat of snow, neither of which Bangalore has. “It’s cold!” he said.

6 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Global Connections > CU Peru WINTER SPRING 2019

Third-year CU Pharmacy student Jim Martin educating in a small group session that takes place in the communal maloca, where trainings are conducted. Because the villagers also turn to local healers for care, lessons must be sensitive to traditional practices, Jones added. “We are not telling them what they and their parents and their grandpar- ents are doing is wrong,” she said. “We are teaching community health workers triage skills so they can decide when they need to take someone to the hospital.” Dr. Kemper estimates that nearly 200 student-participants have traveled to Peru for month-long visits in the past decade. Currently, 26 students are CU Peru members, Jones said. After this summer’s trip, roughly half of the membership will have visited Peru. Those who remain in the States help with curriculum development, planning and logistics. CU Peru gives pharmacy students – even first-year students – an immediate chance to help communities in need, Jones added. It’s what drew her to join when she came to CU. She went to Peru in summer 2017. “You can get your feet wet right TEACHING BASIC CARE the organization’s board chair and a away,” she said. “You’re still learning 2013 graduate of CU Pharmacy. It (pharmacy), but you find (in Peru) IN THE AMAZON JUNGLE is student-led. It is a not-for-profit you already have a really solid foun- 501(c)3. While most students are from dation and skills that are a benefit to BY SANDY GRAHAM CU, other schools’ students may join. these communities.” It emphasizes interdisciplinary partici- CU Peru traces its roots to 2008 pation. And it opens participants’ eyes and 2009 when CU students first to a different way of life. traveled to the region to study health- oughly a decade ago, health sciences students from the University Participants often sleep in ham- care resources and barriers to care. The of Colorado laid the groundwork for a student-led nonprofit that mocks, slathered in insect repellent, and first training sessions for community still today trains community health workers in a remote region join host families for simple meals, Dr. health workers were held in 2010 and R of Peru in the Amazon. Kemper said. She first went to Peru in were organized with the help of the 2010 and has been multiple times since. Peru Ministry of Health, Colorado- Twice a year, Comunidades Unidas The students teach volunteer commu- Each trip “provides a cultural context based Centura Health Global Health Peru (CU Peru) sends teams of CU nity health workers about management that really can’t be taught in the class- Initiatives and Peru-based DB Peru. graduate health science students, in- of fever and malaria, diarrhea, first aid, room,” said Dr. Kemper, who owns cluding some from the Skaggs School oral health and other basic skills. Kemper Pharmaceutical Services, based of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical It can be a life-changing trip. in Los Angeles. Sciences, to Iquitos, Peru. The city of “The overall experience of the On one trip to Peru, for example, about 400,000 people is the largest in training exceeded what I’d imag- Dr. Kemper helped teach a class about the world that cannot be reached by ined,” said Jessica Jones, 25, who will taking pulses. In the United States, road. It is accessible only by boat or air. graduate from CU Pharmacy this that might take 15 minutes. There, From there, CU students – studying spring and is the student president she had to first teach health workers medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical of CU Peru. “The jungle was as I’d how to use a watch. Jones noted therapy and public health – travel by thought. … It’s almost like a hands-on that in the program’s oral health small boat along the Amazon and its wilderness training. You see how these lesson, students teach health tributary, the Napo River, to villages that people live in their environment, and workers how to make tooth- can range from 40 to 500 residents. The survive and thrive.” brushes from available materials. communities have no electricity or run- CU Peru is unusual in several ways, There obviously is no local drug ning water – and certainly no doctors. said Shelby Kemper, PharmD, MPH, store in which to buy one.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 7 Student Life: pharMacist foR a DAY Popular Program Fills Skaggs Hallways With Laughter

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TRY OUT “PHARMACIST FOR A DAY” BY ZAYNIB HASSAN AND CAREN HENDERSON

ne chilly January morning, approxi- mately 90 fourth graders descended on the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to try their hand at being a pharmacist for a day. While no actual drugs were dispensed, these 9 and 10-year-olds got their hands Odirty compounding lotions and learned how to tell the difference between a gummy bear and a gummy vitamin. In this case, they learned better safe than sorry when it comes to eating something they aren’t sure is okay to eat. That’s just one of the many take home messages these kids received as participants in the award-winning and ever-popular event called “Pharmacist for a Day.” A spin-off of CU Pharmacy’s Service Learning Program, this program engages youth in health education while providing first- and second-year pharmacy stu- dents with the opportunity to develop their skills as healthcare professionals. Translating pharmacy education into something that is both accessible and meaningful to diverse groups of chil- dren proves to be a valuable exercise in effective communication. Pharmacy student volunteers facilitate three main ac- tivities throughout the day, and each sparks curiosity and excitement among the kids. One part of the day involves a presentation and activity about things like measurements and compounding, while another part of the day focuses on counting and differentiating between candy and medicine. First- and second-year pharmacy students lead activities that introduce the field of pharmacy to visiting youngsters. The day ends with the highly anticipated white coat cere- (Clockwise from the top: Jarrett Bremmer, Tony Duong, Breeanna Sailas, Elizabeth Ko and Angel Trull.) mony where the fourth graders are recognized by name, don white coats, sign a class poster, and take a group photo. if this translates into them pursuing kids in health education, teaching That chilly January morning was the first of three pharmacy as a career, it’s always good them the unique role of pharmacists “Pharmacist for a Day” sessions, which took place Jan. 8 - 11. to increase awareness of pharmacy as in healthcare,” said Meyer. “It also In total, about 280 fourth graders and their teachers from a health profession.” gives our PharmD students experi- nearby Laredo, Montview and Park Lane elementary schools Operating since 1999, the ence in educating around important participated in the program. “This is a great opportunity to program is a win-win for both the topics like the dangers of common introduce kids and elementary school teachers alike to the kids and the pharmacy student household products and what to do field of pharmacy in a fun, safe environment,” said Patricia volunteers. “‘Pharmacist for a Day’ if a little brother or sister swallows a Meyer, IPPE student coordinator. “The kids really enjoy serves many purposes including sweet-smelling spray cleaner or in- digging into the science activities and while we don’t know community outreach, engaging the gests a colorful dishwasher tablet.”

8 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

Zaynib Hassan, a second-year pharmacy POWER OF LIFE PROLONGING DRUGS INSPIRED student, has volunteered for this event two years in a row. “My favorite moments are when THIRD-YEAR STUDENT TO PURSUE PHARMACY I get to see the students’ excitement about what they are actually capable of doing. Whether it’s BY DEBBIE FRAZIER practicing how to compound lotion, memoriz- ing the number of the Poison Control Center, ohn Song is nearby when they bought As part of his third-year or learning how they can better keep their a third-year a house. The families were program at CU Pharmacy, younger siblings safe, the students walk away student at the close, sharing holidays, Song worked at Estes Park empowered and interested in the possibility of Skaggs School birthday parties, dinners, Health in Estes Park, Colorado growing up to be a pharmacist!” Hassan said. of Pharmacy and and other activities. as part of his Advanced Meena Mattamana, also a second-year JPharmaceutical Sciences “When she was diag- Introductory Pharmacy pharmacy student, agrees. “I participated last because chemotherapy nosed, I signed up for a 150- Practice Experience (aIPPE). gave his beloved cousin, mile bike ride from Houston During his in-patient hospital Stephanie Maurer, extra to Austin to raise money for rotation, Song occasionally time to live before she Parkinson’s disease patients delivered chemotherapy infu- “Whether it’s practicing died of cancer at 34. in her name and to support sion bags to the cancer treat- “She was diagnosed her in treatment even ment center. “I was able to talk how to compound lotion, with lymphatic cancer and though it wasn’t for the same with cancer patients being was expected to survive cause,” says Song. He’d never treated with chemotherapy memorizing the number of three months,” recalls Song. ridden a bike that far before about my experience and “Because of the chemo- and sent Maurer videos of encourage them. It helped the Poison Control Center, therapy she received, she the ride. “My training videos them feel like they were not in lived for a full year and perked her up and that was it alone. They appreciated me or learning how they can was able to experience the worthwhile enough.” sharing my story.” birth of her niece, hold her, better keep their younger and play with her.” When his cousin was di- “I want to be able to extend children’s lives siblings safe, the students agnosed, Song had a degree in business management and cure children so they can have more walk away empowered and was interviewing for time and more meaningful moments jobs. Her life-prolonging treatment inspired him to and interested in the with their parents.”- John Song, P3 pharmacy student look at a career in healthcare possibility of growing up and take the prerequisites for pharmacy school. “Before Song is also a CU Pharmacy to be a pharmacist!” this, I’d never received a student ambassador. “I tell prescription before. After she prospective students about - Zaynib Hassan, second-year pharmacy student died, I applied to pharmacy why they should come here. schools,” says Song. I tell them that the school is Song and his family had great because of the faculty moved to Arizona from and professors,” he says. “The South Korea when he was professors care about what a child. At first, they lived you get out of the education year and it was such a fun experience to watch with Maurer and remained and I can sense the passion children get so excited about compounding,” that they have. They are at the said Mattamana. “Seeing pharmacy through top of their fields, so I know I their eyes really made me take a step back and am getting the best and most have a new appreciation for the field. I feel so current information.” lucky to be a part of a university that allows Song’s career goal is to children to have these unique experiences to become an inpatient hospital allow their young minds to grow and give pharmacist and work with them the opportunity to know that they can children. “I want to be able do anything they put their minds to.” to extend children’s lives and cure children so they can have more time and more (clockwise from top) Song celebrates 150-mile bike ride in honor of his cousin, Stephanie Maurer; meaningful moments with Maurer with her niece; Song with his cousin, second from left. their parents.”

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 9 Research:

Yee Ming Lee, PharmD, with a pharmacogenetics testing kit.

its like a glove,” the for a number of diseases including cancer, saying goes. diabetes and heart disease. THE PERSONAL “ While the maxim Nationally, the field received more typically applies to scrutiny after former President Barack a handmade gown Obama launched the Precision Medicine TOUCH or a bespoke suit, it Initiative (PMI) in 2015, funded with also isF pertinent to a burgeoning field of $215 million. PMI’s goal is to move science known as “precision” or “person- treatment from the conventional “one MEDICINES TAILORED FOR YOU alized” medicine. size fits all” approach for the “average” Personalized medicine uses an individu- patient to something that takes into ac- BY SANDY GRAHAM al’s unique genetic information or a disease’s count differences in genes, environments biologic markers to better tailor treatment and lifestyles.

10 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

Several practitioners at the Traditionally, cancer researchers have Personalized Medicine (CCPM) are disease. The National Institutes of Skaggs School of Pharmacy and used laboratory cell lines grown, often conducting groundbreaking work to Health (NIH), the U.S. Department Pharmaceutical Sciences are explor- in perpetuity, from patient samples. The incorporate valuable information of Defense, The ALSAM Foundation ing aspects of personalized medicine best-selling book, about individuals’ genetically de- The Immortal Life of and other significant foundations also and its subset, pharmacogenomics, , (2010) tells the story of termined drug response into their Henrietta Lacks fund his research lab. the study of how a person’s genetics HeLa, the first cell line established from UCHealth electronic health record affects their drug response. Lacks’ cervical cancer in 1951 and still (EHR). in use today. DR. AQUILANTE: Dr. Aquilante notes that there • Daniel LaBarbera, PhD, is Dr. LaBarbera’s team has pioneered WAVING GENOMIC RED FLAGS is a lot of pharmacogenomic re- involved in basic science, a method of growing what are called search available, but not all of it is Dr. Aquilante and her team are working researching methods to quickly patient-derived tumor organoids useful in clinical care. The Clinical in the field of pharmacogenomics, the grow 3-D tumor samples from (PDTOs). Using samples from the Pharmacogenetics Implementation study of how genes affect a person’s individual patients and rapidly University of Colorado Cancer Consortium, an international organi- response to particular drugs. This field bulk-test standard-of-care Center’s gastrointestinal tissue bank, zation facilitating use of pharmacog- combines pharmacology (the science therapies and novel cancer drugs the process expands a bit of cancer enetic tests for patient care, provides of drugs) and genomics (the study of on them. tissue to a 3-dimensional organoid guidelines for which gene/drug pairs genes and their functions) to develop • Christina Aquilante, PharmD, is – a sort of mini-tumor. The PDTOs are “actionable,” or clinically useful. effective, safe medications and doses working on a system to identify better represent how tumors behave For example, she explained, the that are tailored to variations in a per- and enter clinically useful in humans compared to the typical CYP2C19 gene encodes an enzyme son’s genes. Already, the Food and Drug information about patients’ single-layer cultures of cells. Dr. that acts on many drugs including Administration lists about 200 med- genetically determined responses LaBarbera’s 3D culturing was unique Plavix (clopidogrel), a commonly ications for which pharmacogenomic to drugs into UCHealth medical when it was developed “and put us in prescribed anti-platelet medication. information is included in labeling. records. a position to innovate,” he said. It’s given to people who have stents Specifically, Dr. Aquilante, David • Yee Ming Lee, PharmD, is bringing Dr. LaBarbera’s team places placed in their coronary arteries. Some Kao, MD, a UCHealth cardiologist, personalized medicine “from the PDTOs in plastic trays with multiple people have variants of CYP2C19 so and an interdisciplinary team at the benchtop to the bedside” through wells (96, 384 or larger). Researchers University of Colorado Center for CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE pharmacogenomic testing and then test drug therapies individually counseling of individuals about or in combination on the wells to see how their genetics influence their how the tumors respond. Specialized response to certain drugs. equipment does the testing and im- aging of the PDTO response, also in Whatever the approach to per- three dimensions. Dr. LaBarbera hopes sonalized medicine, pharmacists to commercialize his high-throughput are at the forefront, in research and process to speed treatment decisions implementation. in clinical settings. “Pharmacists have a great opportu- A major focus of Dr. LaBarbera’s nity to be key drivers in personalized work is to identify novel therapeutics medicine,” Dr. Lee said. that specifically target the mechanisms controlling aberrant epithelial-mes- DR. LABARBERA: enchymal transition (EMT). EMT is MAKING 3D MINI-TUMORS linked to the pathology of the most prominent human diseases, including There is more to cancer than its genetic fibrosis, diabetes, and cancer progres- fingerprints, Dr. LaBarbera said. Each sion and metastasis. tumor cell has a surrounding “mi- Dr. LaBarbera’s research with Dr. LaBarbera and a pancreatic cancer micro tumor cultured outside of the body and stained with fluorescent dyes. croenvironment” of proteins that can PDTOs for personalized medicine influence gene expression inside the cell. receives funding from the Cancer “Genetics is only part of the “Genetics is only part of the story,” League of Colorado, and the Wings of said Dr. LaBarbera. “There are other Hope for Pancreatic Cancer Research, story. There are other parts of parts of tumor biology to consider.” a Colorado foundation founded by But how does one study that in the the former mayor of Castle Pines in tumor biology to consider.” lab and, eventually, provide more indi- honor of her mother and brother vidualized cancer treatment? who died of the presently untreatable - Daniel LaBarbera, PhD

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 11 Research:

Dr. Aquilante is excited about the promise of pharmacogenomics. “Pharmacogenomics is pretty cool!” she said. “I don’t believe it’s a magic bullet, but it’s an exciting tool in our clinical pharmacology tool box.”

DR. LEE: ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING “Pharmacogenomics is a one-time test that provides a lifetime result, because your genetics don’t change,” Dr. Lee said. While most health insurers do not yet cover broad pharmacogenomic testing, patients who want their test done can pay for it out-of-pocket. Dr. Lee, who also works with Dr. Aquilante to implement the UCHealth pilot project, launched her pharmacogenomics clinic last November in collaboration with physicians at the UCHealth Executive Health Clinic. This program provides a fee-for-service comprehensive wellness exam and refers patients interested in phar- macogenomic testing to Dr. Lee. She finds that physicians understand the value of pharmacogenomic testing, but are unsure how to use the information. This is where she can help. Patients who do the pharmacogenomic test range from young and healthy to older adults on multiple drugs; with the common medica- tions inquired being painkillers or mental health-related medications like antidepressants. While insurance companies do not typically pay for these broader, preemptive tests she performs, the tests provide pharmacogenomic results that can be helpful to guide prescribing in the future. (Some Christina Aquilante, PharmD, FCCP insurance companies, however, may cover drug-specific pharmacog- enomic tests in reaction to a specific drug being prescribed.) “I like the preemptive approach,” Dr. Lee said. “Not all the infor- mation is useful now, but it might be in the future.” they do not convert clopidogrel to its “information highway” that would One of Dr. Lee’s patients found no red flags in his test, but “really active form in the body. In those cases, flow genetic information from the appreciated the knowledge,” she said. “He was going to refer his friends she said, it would be important for a Biobank Laboratory to UCHealth’s to the clinic.” Another young female patient discovered pharmacog- provider to know this and potentially EHR. Then, they built automated enomic information pertinent to a surgery she was about to have. prescribe another anti-platelet drug. alerts for providers. Should a con- At the clinic, patients undergo a two-step process with Dr. Lee Dr. Aquilante, Dr. Kao, and the senting patient have an at-risk genetic explaining the pharmacogenomic test process and its purpose at the CCPM team are implementing this make-up and be prescribed clopidogrel initial visit. If patients wish to proceed, a cheek swab is taken. After approach through the University of after a coronary artery stent is placed, their pharmacogenomic results are available, the patient returns for Colorado Biobank Research Study, a their UCHealth cardiologist would a second visit to discuss the implications on their medications. The large-scale initiative supported by the see a warning pop up in their EHR. entire visit, which includes the test, costs below $700. School of Medicine and UCHealth. This type of preemptive approach is In terms of educational opportunities, CU fouth-year PharmD More than 70,000 patients at ideal because genetic information is students can opt to do an elective Advanced Pharmacy Practice UCHealth have agreed to have their available at the time of prescribing, Experience (APPE) with Dr. Lee at her pharmacogenomics clinic. DNA collected and used for Biobank allowing alerts to “fire” to clinicians at Additionally, all CU third-year PharmD students take a two-credit research. Once their samples have the point-of-care. pharmacogenomics course taught by both Drs. Aquilante and Lee. been genotyped for research purposes, “We went live with our pilot im- For those working healthcare professionals who want to learn more patients are then asked to sign releases plementation in October 2018,” Dr. about pharmacogenomics, Dr. Aquilante offers an online pharmacog- to put clinically actionable genetic Aquilante said. “We’re one of first enomics certificate program that is clinically practical. information, such as CYP2C19 gen- academic medical centers in country Like Dr. Aquilante, Dr. Lee sees pharmacogenomics as a valuable otype, back into the EHR. … to be returning pharmacogenomic tool, but not the only tool in guiding prescribers to individualize drug Incorporating such information results from a research Biobank back selection and dosing. into the clinical EHR preemptively to the clinical setting, in conjunction “I tell my patients it’s a puzzle made of many pieces. Genetics is is a gradual process, Dr. Aquilante with state-of-the-art clinical decision only one piece of it. Sometimes it’s a big piece and sometimes it’s a said. First, the team had to build the support alerts for providers.” small piece,” Dr. Lee said.

12 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

The pValue Team’s new grant will take a deep dive into the science of healthcare assessment. (left to right: Melanie Whittington, PhD; R. Brett McQueen, PhD; and “It’s my opinion that we don’t want a fully automated Jonathan D. Campbell, PhD) process (in deciding what drugs are placed on formu- laries), but we do want a process that is considered fair by multiple stakeholders including patients, providers, payers, and manufacturers.” This initiative was launched with a $500,000 grant from the PhRMA Foundation in Washington, D.C., and a matching $500,000 grant from the Anschutz-based Data Science to Patient Value, or D2V, initiative. pValue faculty are part of the Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “It’s an honor to be selected for this prestigious funding granted by the PhRMA Foundation and matched by the D2V initiative,” Dr. Campbell said. He and his pharmacy colleagues R. Brett McQueen, PhD, and Melanie Whittington, PhD, were awarded the grants in December. The PhRMA Foundation’s grant to pValue is under its Value Assessment Initiative, which supports research projects that encourage patient-centered, value-driven care. The initiative has awarded more than $2.8 mil- lion to date. It seeks transformative, multi-stakehold- er-driven solutions to address challenges in assessing the value of medicines and healthcare services to improve patient outcomes and reduce inefficiency. VALUE: REVISITING WHAT MATTERS FOR “We welcome the novel efforts of pValue to our network of Value Assessment Centers of Excellence,” DRUG INSURANCE BENEFIT DECISIONS said PhRMA Foundation President Eileen Cannon. BY SANDY GRAHAM “Their efforts to put what matters most to patients at the forefront of value assessments will help us move toward a value-driven healthcare system.” D2V, which matched the PhRMA Foundation’s grant to pValue, is a multidisciplinary research he University of Colorado patients and insured populations may be missing initiative that focuses on “Big Data” methods, their Pharmaceutical Value initiative, or assigned inappropriate weights. applications to medicine and healthcare delivery, or pValue, has been established “A number of U.S. insurance benefit decisions and ultimately, the achievement of high-value, to examine novel methods to happen behind closed doors with no clear indi- patient-centered healthcare. It brings together top improve decision-making around cation of what does and does not matter,” Dr. minds in data science, healthcare delivery and health Thow drugs are included in an insurance benefit. Campbell said. “We are advocating for a more services research to work closely with patients and Healthcare systems and U.S. health insurance predictable decision-making process that includes other stakeholders to tackle important problems. “Big plans routinely decide which drugs they will ap- aspects important to patients and insured popu- Data” is an evolving term that describes a large volume prove for coverage, typically using comparative-ef- lations. …With MCDA, we are looking for more of structured, semi-structured and unstructured data fectiveness and sometimes cost-effectiveness transparent, consistent and fair decision-making.” with the potential to be mined for information. analysis. pValue will examine how that process For example, severity of a disease might not “We are excited about the pValue initiative and might be improved by also using multicriteria play into typical cost-effectiveness analysis. But want to congratulate Dr. Campbell and his team. decision analysis, or MCDA. MCDA offers a with MCDA, results might show that “we want The work proposed by pValue will be important promising complement to traditional analyses in to pay more for a drug that impacts the really towards helping us as care providers, health systems assessing multiple and novel value criteria. sick in our population,” Dr. Campbell said. This and investigators to deliver higher value care to our “Now, reimbursement decisions are made and other less-common criteria would be folded patients,” said D2V co-directors Michael Ho, MD, that may be evidence-based but the evidence into MCDA. Jean Kutner, MD, and Lisa Schilling, MD. that drives decisions may not be consistent Dr. Campbell considers the initial three-year D2V is one of five proposals supported through with an understanding of value,” said Jonathan grant period a time for pValue to explore and the Transformational Research Funding initiative in D. Campbell, PhD, who is the director of pValue pilot-test MCDA. the CU School of Medicine Dean’s Office. and an associate professor in CU Pharmacy. A “We don’t expect to be at the end of the road pValue’s vision is to become a national leader committee might weigh a drug’s benefits, harms, in three years but … we do hope to make progress in conducting and advancing the science of U.S. and costs in certain populations, and then delib- so we can continue to develop what I’d call a pharmaceutical value assessment to aid coverage erate and decide. Considerations important to decision aid or tool – not a rule,” he explained. and reimbursement decision-making.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 13 Research:

the committee, which drafted five bills that were enacted in 2018. Collectively, those acts:

• Provide funding for opioid use disorder treatment programs, prevention campaigns, provider education, and the purchase of naloxone, an overdose-reversing medication • Pay for training of community members and law enforcement officers about how to use naloxone • Expand access to medication- assisted treatment • Require the creation of a recovery services strategic plan • Require Medicaid to cover the cost of medication-assisted treatment • Limit the amount of opioids medical providers can prescribe to patients who have not had an opioid prescription in the prior 12 months • Increase the requirements for when prescribers must use the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program • Allocate funds to increase the number of health professionals with substance use disorder Consortium Makes Big expertise AT THE STATEHOUSE The Consortium continues to Gains Toward Addressing The Consortium began focusing on consult with the General Assembly the opioid epidemic in 2012, when during the 2019 legislative session. Opioid Epidemic in 2018 former Gov. John Hickenlooper convened a panel of experts who pro- BY MICHAEL DAVIDSON STATE AND FEDERAL duced the Colorado Plan to Reduce PARTNERSHIPS Prescription Drug Abuse. Since then, the Consortium has been an important Both the federal and state government resource for policy makers. Its activities are involved in fighting the opioid ep- nyone following the news knows opioid include helping lawmakers write and idemic. The Consortium has worked abuse remains a public health crisis that analyze new bills, working with partners with the Colorado Department of devastates lives and communities. Overdose at the federal, state, and local levels, and Human Services Office of Behavioral deaths continue to rise. According to the developing new relationships in the Health (OBH) and the Colorado Colorado Department of Public Health nonprofit community. Consortium Department of Public Health and and Environment, 1,012 people died from members have helped train doctors Environment (CDPHE) on a number drugA overdoses in Colorado in 2017; 560 of those deaths about safe prescribing practices and of important state and federal programs. involved an opioid, including heroin or a pain medication. members of the community about how One highlight of that work is the What you might not know is that the University of to reverse overdoses. Colorado State Targeted Response to Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical In 2017, the Colorado General the Opioid Crisis Grant (STR), which Sciences plays an important role in Colorado’s response to Assembly created the Opioid and is a federal program administered by the the opioid crisis. CU Pharmacy is home to the Colorado Other Substance Use Disorders Interim Substance Abuse and Mental Health Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, which Study Committee. The Consortium Services Administration. Colorado coordinates the state’s response to the opioid crisis. consulted with the lawmakers on received $15.6 million for a two-year

14 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019 grant program managed by the Office of Behavioral LEGISLATORS CONSIDER Health (OBH). Consortium staff connected the program with other initiatives. In just over a year, NEW BILLS TO the program distributed 11,000 naloxone kits, CURB which led to more than 450 overdose reversals and helped 1,400 people gain access to medication-as- THE OPIOID CRISIS sisted treatment. The Consortium and CU Pharmacy faculty worked with CDPHE to create a pilot program he Colorado Legislature is back program that enabled the University of that trains doctors and pharmacists who can dis- in session, and once again Colorado College of Nursing to train and cuss pain management best practices with other faculty from the Skaggs School coach Nurse Practitioners and Physician doctors and pharmacists and inform them about of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Assistants in delivering MAT services in the risks of long-term opioid use and medication Sciences are working closely Pueblo and Routt Counties. This bill intends interactions. The Consortium also provided re- Twith lawmakers to provide their expertise to expand the work to the San Luis Valley sources for the “Take Meds Seriously” and “Take on the opioid crisis. and two additional counties in which need is Meds Back” public awareness campaigns. CU Pharmacy is home to the Colorado demonstrated. The Consortium also published Prescription Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Drug Abuse Prevention: A Colorado Community Prevention, which coordinates Colorado’s SB19-008 SUBSTANCE USE Reference. This project, created with the support and statewide response to the opioid epidemic. DISORDER TREATMENT IN assistance of OBH, collects the resources that have School of Pharmacy professor Robert CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM been created over the past few years into a reference Valuck, PhD, RPh, is the Consortium’s Sponsors: Sen. K. Priola, Sen. B. Pettersen; guide that communities and coalitions can use to executive director, and he has helped law- Rep. C. Kennedy, Rep. J. Singer plan and execute new strategies and programs. makers understand the crisis and provided The bill addresses treatment of indi- them with reliable information for the past viduals with substance use disorders in RAISING AWARENESS several years. the criminal justice system and includes The Legislature convened in early January, recommendations from the Substance While the devastation caused by the opioid crisis and its agenda included bills that would Abuse Trend and Response Task continues to grab headlines, members of the public expand medication-assisted treatment and Force with regard to law enforcement need to be aware of what they can do to protect create new law enforcement programs. “The responses to the opioid crisis. Some themselves, their loved ones, and their community. bills the legislature passed last year and the components include expansion of Law The Consortium continued its Take Meds Seriously ones it will consider this session will make an Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) public awareness campaign, which informs the com- impact to Coloradans dealing with substance and Co-Responder programs as well munity about the importance of safe medication use, use disorder and help the public understand as addressing access to MAT in jails. safe storage, and safe disposal. the risks of opioids,” Valuck said. This is a bill put forward by the Interim This year, the Consortium became involved The Legislature moves fast–the best Study Committee on Opioids and Other in exciting partnerships to continue to spread its way to keep up if you want to follow the Substance Use Disorders. message. It provided Walmart 10,000 educational progress of a bill or the hearing schedule brochures about naloxone and how to use it to reverse is to use the General Assembly’s web page HB19OPIOID-1009 overdoses. The Consortium and CU Pharmacy also for tracking bills. Enter the bill number into SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS hosted “Dreamland in Denver,” an educational event the search field or use keywords such as RECOVERY featuring prominent experts who discussed the origin “opioids” or “substance use” and use the Sponsors: Rep. C. Kennedy, Rep. J. Singer; of the opioid crisis and potential solutions. filters to sort the results. Other bills will be Sen. K. Priola, Sen. B. Pettersen The Consortium also expanded its education announced throughout the session, which This bill is also from the Interim Study program for medical providers. In addition to is scheduled to adjourn on May 3. Committee and focuses on housing holding more than a dozen provider education As of Jan. 15*, those bills include: support for individuals recovering from a events across the state, the Consortium hosted its substance use disorder and licensing of first statewide education symposium about addic- SB19-001 recovery residences. tion medicine and pain management best practices EXPAND MEDICATION-ASSISTED on the Anschutz Medical Campus. More than 100 TREATMENT PILOT PROGRAM *Please note: this might be an incomplete list, practitioners attended. Sponsor: Sen. L. Garcia and additional legislation could be introduced This bill concerns the expansion of the this session. Bills also could be amended. THE WORK CONTINUES medication-assisted treatment (MAT) pilot program and would increase the counties For more information about the While much has been done at the community, state, that may participate in the program; extend Consortium, visit CoRXConsortium.org. and federal levels, the fight against the opioid crisis the duration of the program; and increasing For information safe medication use, storage, continues. The Consortium continues to engage funding for the program. and disposal, visit TakeMedsSeriously.org, community groups, governments, stakeholders, The bill is a continuation and enhance- the website for Colorado’s anti-prescription and concerned individuals. ment of SB17-074, which created a pilot drug misuse public awareness campaign.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 15 Research:

Stefanos Aivazidis, senior toxicology graduate student, hard at work finalizing his PhD on how Down syndrome cells respond to environmental stressors as part of the NIH research.

$1M Down Syndrome Grant Could Unlock the Key to Understanding Other Illnesses BY DEBBIE FRAZIER

here’s a new scientific interest in Down syn- drome and James Roede, PhD and an assistant professor of toxicology at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, re- ceived over $1 million in grant funds from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study with Down syndrome, like congenital Additionally, in 2017, he was selected Tthe unique cellular biochemistry of the disorder. This funding is heart defects, he says. Today, people for a competitive National Institute a big step forward in trying to understand the disorder. with Down syndrome can live for of Environmental Health Sciences’ The lack of knowledge about the biochemistry of Down syn- 50 and 60 years, and can have nearly Outstanding New Environmental drome is what really motivates Dr. Roede. “People with Down normal lives, including jobs, with Health Science (ONES) award. syndrome have been neglected in research. If you are studying can- support from family and others. Another question Dr. Roede would cer or diabetes, there’s a lot of literature out there, but with Down Since the late 1970s, the incidence of like to answer is why the severity of in- syndrome, we don’t have that level of information,” said Dr. Roede. Down syndrome has increased and tellectual disability varies significantly People with Down syndrome have an extra full or partial occurs in about 1 in 700 newborns. among people with Down syndrome. chromosome. The abnormality causes a higher incidence of More than 200,000 Americans have The chromosomal change that causes diabetes, heart defects, Alzheimer’s, cognitive problems, leuke- the condition, according to the NIH. Down syndrome occurs post-fertiliza- mia and other maladies in these individuals, “I want to know Because of the increased incidence tion when the embryo is developing. how the extra chromosome creates a higher risk for these other and life span, Down syndrome advo- “Is there an environmental factor in pathologies,” he said. cates convinced Congress to award the the variability?” asked Dr. Roede. “Down syndrome cells behave differently,” he said. “If we can NIH $59 million to fund Down syn- It’s a question that Stefanos understand what is going on in a cell of a Down syndrome person drome research in 2018. Dr. Roede Aivazidis, senior toxicology graduate and how it contributes to the other pathologies, then researchers received one of those grants which student, is trying to answer. Aivazidis, could use our data to create therapies and medications to help people will fund several studies into Down who works in Dr. Roede’s lab, is with conditions like leukemia, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.” syndrome cells. He has been funded finalizing his PhD on how Down syn- Historically, people with Down syndrome died young and consistently by NIH grants since drome cells respond to environmental weren’t able to live normal lives due to the illnesses associated 2006 when he was a graduate student. stressors as part of the NIH research. Aivazidis’ findings could indicate whether environmental factors – heat, pesticides, antibiotics, and nutrition – “People with Down syndrome have been create that variability. “I believe the research can be like a Trojan Horse to neglected in research. If you are studying discover the mechanisms of diseases like Alzheimer’s and other neurolog- cancer or diabetes, there’s a lot of literature ical disorders,” commented Aivazidis. “Down syndrome cells can tell us out there, but with Down syndrome, we so much and there’s so much more interest. When I go to meetings to don’t have that level of information.” present what we are finding, everyone is so enthusiastic.” said Dr. Roede. - James Roede, PhD And that’s a very good thing.

16 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

could provide under the new law, said Michelle Lynch, a tobacco program supervisor for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Smoking cessation and contraception topped the poll. GET THE PILL AND MORE Tobacco use and unintended pregnancies are both significant health issues, in Colorado and nationally. The Colorado Boards of Medicine, Pharmacy FROM YOUR PHARMACIST and Nursing and the state health department then BY SANDY GRAHAM developed a protocol for each area of service. The protocol allowing pharmacists to pre- scribe oral contraceptives and the contraceptive patch was welcomed by the many groups across oloradans now can get pre- was the prime sponsor of the initial bill in 2016 and a the state that have worked to expand access to scription medications for cosponsor of 2018 legislation that fine-tuned the law. contraception, said Angela Fellers LeMire, Title birth control and smoking “I see pharmacists as a squandered resource. X family planning nurse consultant at the state cessation directly from many They have a lot of skills and abilities and I feel health department. local pharmacists without they can be part of expanding our healthcare “This was an incredible step forward,” she said. seeing a doctor, thanks in part provider network,” said Dr. Aguilar. “There are “Any increase in access (to contraception) is good.” Cto work by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and many people who have good relationships with Allowing pharmacists to prescribe smoking ces- Pharmaceutical Sciences. their pharmacists, and we can capitalize on this sation patches, gum and inhalers “has been a very “This is really about access to care,” said Gina and save time and money.” exciting development,” said Lynch. ”Pharmacists Moore, PharmD, assistant dean for clinical and The legislation does not list what services play a critical role in delivering cessation services professional affairs and associate professor of pharmacists would provide. Instead, the bills and helping to reduce barriers for clients seeking clinical pharmacy at CU Pharmacy. “We are very create the framework for developing statewide help to quit.” Lynch noted that the majority of excited to be able to provide that.” protocols under which pharmacists could pro- smokers want to quit. Dr. Moore and CU Pharmacy colleague Emily vide services, and outline mechanisms under “People are more successful with help from Zadvorny, PharmD, worked for several years with which pharmacists would be paid. medications and counseling,” she added. stakeholders and state lawmakers to pass authorizing A statewide survey of healthcare providers and The smoking protocol is also unique in that legislation. Irene Aguilar, MD, a former state senator, other stakeholders identified services pharmacists pharmacists may prescribe varenicline and bupro- prion, both federally-approved medica- tions to help patients quit smoking. Both protocols try to make the process relatively easy for customers. For birth control pills, women who are 18 and older complete a questionnaire, have their blood pressure taken and consult privately with a pharmacist. Adults who want prescription anti-smoking products provide medical histories (including attempts made to quit) and what other medications they are taking. Pharmacists refer patients to phy- sicians when screening deems it necessary. Between March 2017 when the con- traception protocol launched and January 2019, more than 500 pharmacists state- wide completed the training to prescribe birth control pills, Dr. Moore said. The smoking cessation protocol was launched only in October 2018 so participation is still new, Dr. Moore said. Dr. Moore expects Colorado pharma- cists’ roles in providing care to expand, providing new opportunities for CU Pharmacy graduates. “Schools such as ours are helping ad- vance the profession and creating more Thanks to CU Pharmacy faculty, including Gina Moore, PharmD pictured here, and many others, Coloradans can now get prescription medications for awareness of the role of pharmacists in birth control and smoking cessation directly from a local pharmacists without having to see a doctor. Photo access courtesy of Safeway. healthcare,” she said.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 17 Alumni:

any small town. “We felt we had a to everyone at The Apothecary – be corner drugstore on campus, serving they staff, patients or student trainees. a ‘town’ of over 10,000 faculty and “Stories abound of Dave helping UNMATCHED staff,” Elm said. “Then we had about financially strapped patients get their 25,000 ‘visitors’ who came in for medications without delay and mak- most of the year and then left for the ing after-work deliveries of prescrip- summer – those were the students. tions to the homes of frail patients,” MENTOR “It was just a small-town mentality, Diamond said. DAVE ELM WANTS HIS LEGACY and people love that,” he said. “You get On one occasion, a university em- TO LIVE ON THROUGH VETERANS to know everybody by name.” ployee received an urgent call at work ENTERING THE PROFESSION informing her that her house was on BY CHRIS CASEY ‘STORIES ABOUT DAVE HELPING’ fire. Elm, knowing the circumstances of her family’s medications, refilled Lou Diamond, former dean of the them, drove to the scene of the fire, CU School of Pharmacy, said Elm’s talked his way past the fire perimeter, professionalism, high ethical stan- and delivered the medications to a t’s not a stretch to say that David Elm, dards and warm nature endeared him grateful patient. PhD, who mentored more than a thousand University of Colorado pharmacy students over three decades, has perhaps contributed to the health of more Coloradans than any other I healthcare professional in the state. Elm, now retired, will tell you surprising that Elm has a direct, plain- that his career constituted the best spoken nature. Asked why he stayed pharmacy job in Colorado – with on at The Apothecary – where he also much enjoyment coming from his worked as a graduate student – for his unmatched experience as a mentor. entire career, Elm said, “I liked what Starting in 1978, he became the I was doing. The school liked what I manager of The Apothecary, a was doing. I was asked to stay, and so full-service professional pharmacy I did.” operated by licensed pharmacists, at Now his name and stellar con- CU Boulder’s Wardenburg Health tribution to the Skaggs School Center, serving university students, of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical faculty, staff and alumni. Sciences carry forward in the C. “I probably had more one-to-one David Elm Pharmacy Practice mentoring experience than anyone Scholarship. The school created the else on our faculty,” said Elm, adding scholarship in his honor to commem- that, until the School of Pharmacy orate Elm’s extraordinary impact. moved to Denver in the 1980s, every Elm first earned a pharmacy pharmacy student was required to do degree at the University of a rotation at The Apothecary. Nebraska-Lincoln before ventur- “I can go anywhere in the state ing west to further his education and find someone I know from The at CU. He earned a Master of Apothecary,” Elm said. “That was their Science in Hospital Pharmacy, first clinical exposure to physicians, a Master of Science in Health nurses, patients and prescriptions.” Administration, and a PhD in Pharmacy Administration, all within NEW SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME the University of Colorado system. He modeled The Apothecary Being one of eight children raised on after the typical – and indispens- a dryland farm in Nebraska, it’s not able – corner drugstore found in Dave Elm, PhD, was a fixture in The Apothecary since 1978.

18 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

The Apothecary is operated out of the Warden Health Center on CU Boulder’s campus.

HELP PAVE THE WAY FOR VETERANS ENTRY INTO PHARMACY

upport our veterans Meanwhile, student trainees reserves. Elm’s brother-in-law Lt. deans who gave me a job to do, pro- with a contribution going through The Apothecary Gen. James Gordon Roudebush vided me the resources and authority to the C. David Elm (they still do, but the site is no longer (retired) served as the 19th Surgeon to do my work, and then simply S Pharmacy Practice required), “were absolutely ebullient General of the U.S. Air Force. evaluated me on the results.” Scholarship, which will be in their comments,” Diamond said. “I’ve seen what folks go through Elm also forged strong relation- awarded to an active or honor- “A rotation through The Apothecary when they have a family member ships with CU Athletics because able discharged member of the was something to be prized because who is in the armed services,” Elm The Apothecary provided the U.S. armed forces. students knew the experience would said. “Service members sacrifice, department with medical supplies. Contribute online at http:// open new doors, enrich their per- both financially and emotionally. He became a devoted fan and is bit.ly/2T6aQUD sonal lives and guide them on their When your family is split up, it’s just a 50-year season ticketholder to way to a fulfilling professional career hard on family life. So, if I could ease Buffaloes football – something that Or mail a check made out to the as a pharmacist.” that burden on someone else – say, might surprise his childhood friends CU Foundation to: through a scholarship – I would do it.” in the Cornhusker state. CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy Another aspect of Elm’s personal- Elm now lives in Lafayette, but SCHOLARSHIP HELPS and Pharmaceutical Sciences ity is reflected in the scholarship: He he frequently returns to Nebraska SERVICE MEMBERS ATTN: Jonathan Wanderstock much prefers patient and practitioner to help his siblings farm and raise Mail Stop C238 Elm’s Midwestern upbringing also contact over laboratory work. “I like cattle. He remains a pharmacist at 12850 E. Montview Blvd, Room imbued a deeply-rooted love of the practice part of pharmacy more heart, and is glad to see the stature 4132C Aurora, CO 80045 country and “unabashed patriotism,” so than the research.” of his profession climb over the years. the former dean said. So, Elm asked Again, taking the mindset of the He noted that the move toward Note: In the ‘memo’ portion that his scholarship be awarded to small-town pharmacist, Elm loved integrating all the health-profession of the check, please write “C. an active or honorably discharged the milieu of the academic atmo- students, first on the Health Sciences David Elm Pharmacy Practice member of the U.S. armed forces. The sphere. “We served everyone from A Center campus in Denver, and Scholarship Fund.” overall goal is to raise a minimum of to Z – anthropologists to zoologists,” later at the CU Anschutz Medical $100,000 so his scholarship will be he said. Campus, was a key impetus behind both significant (at least $4,000 per pharmacists becoming valued and year) and last in perpetuity. SPECIAL BOND WITH THE BUFFS contributing members of the health- Elm’s son Jason served in both care team. Gulf Wars and is, along with Elm’s He enjoyed his supervisors as well. “It’s nice that we’ve become rec- grandson, currently serving in the “I was fortunate enough to work for ognized and accepted,” Elm said.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 19 Alumni:

Henry Strauss, Class of ’51, and his wife Joan. In November, the entire library was renamed for Strauss. Strauss has seen both the public’s and health professionals’ interest blos- som in complementary or alternative medicine in the past few decades. His interest evolved somewhat by chance. “I was always interested in China from a political and societal point of view,” Strauss said in an interview in the Englewood house he and Florence moved into in 1962. In the 1970s, shortly after China and the United States reestablished diplomatic rela- tions, Strauss finagled a way to visit the still-inhospitable country. In a Chinese trade publication, he saw an advertisement for a natural cold tablet and told Chinese authorities he wanted to market it in the United States. That opened the door for the first of many visits, although the cold tablet never found a niche in the U.S. market. But it did spark Strauss’ lifelong inter- est in integrative health. “I’m all for Western medicine,” Strauss said. “I use it myself. That doesn’t mean there aren’t people all over the world who have better ways of (treating) specific things. … It’s vital Alum’s Support Helps Inaugurate that these things be studied.” He hopes that his gifts to Anschutz IHM Certificate Program and to CU Pharmacy promote the BY SANDY GRAHAM study of alternative treatments and medicines as well as introduce more students and practitioners to their use. In addition to his gifts to the library and the IHM certificate he Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences recently launched its program, Strauss’s philanthropy has Integrative Health and Medicine (IHM) Graduate Certificate Program, thanks to enabled expansion of the Strauss- a generous financial gift from Henry Strauss, an alumnus and longtime supporter. Wisneski Lecture Series about a Eleven students initially enrolled in the online program, said Dr. David Thompson, variety of integrative medicine top- associate dean for academic affairs. Although the inaugural participants are all phar- ics. Last May, CU awarded him an macists, any healthcare professional can apply for IHM certification. The program honorary doctorate of humane letters teaches the safe and effective use of IHM and exposes students to the wide variety in thanks for his generosity. Tof products available and the evidence-based skills to evaluate and make recommendations about them. Strauss’ financial gift was critical to creating and offering the program, Dr. Thompson said. “Henry has long been a passionate advocate for enhancing healthcare practitioner (and trainee) ed- ucation regarding IHM,” Dr. Thompson added. “It is his enthusiasm and persistent optimism that has driven the development of the certificate.” The certificate offered is in addition to CU Pharmacy’s popular elective course in alternative medicine, said Monika Nuffer, PharmD, academic and experiential program coordinator. The certificate can be earned in as little as two semesters, going full-time, or stretched over four years, she said. Strauss’ donation to create the IHM certificate is one of many he has given over the years to CU. Strauss, who is 91 years old and graduated from CU Pharmacy in 1951, recalled that his first gift was “10 or 12” books about Chinese medicine, which he donated to the health sciences library in the late 1980s. The collection has grown to more than 3,500 volumes about integrative health practices and culturally-based therapies and is named after Strauss’ late wife Florence and his friend Leonard Wisneski. The newly-named Health Sciences Library.

20 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

Sandra Leal

ALUM SANDRA LEAL REALIZES THE ‘AMERICAN DREAM’ BY DEBBIE FRAZIER

hen Sandra Leal was growing up in Nogales, Arizona, her family depended on pharmacists across the border in Mexico for medical care. Today, Dr. Leal, PharmD, MPH, FAPhA, CDE, has devoted most of her career to helping underserved, low-income patients access quality healthcare from pharmacists. “My parents only spoke Spanish. There was a language barrier in Arizona when accessing healthcare providers,” says Dr. Leal. the way through school,” says Dr. Leal, became the first clinical pharmacist in W“The pharmacists in Mexico spoke who graduated from CU Pharmacy Arizona to earn limited prescribing Spanish and always knew what bug was “Pharmacists aren’t as class valedictorian in 1999. “It is rights to help patients with chronic going around. We would walk across always amazing to me that I was able conditions under collaborative prac- the border to Mexico to talk with just dispensing to accomplish what I did.” tice agreements. the pharmacists and walk out with a After graduating, Dr. Leal did “Being a pharmacist has evolved so treatment that we could understand medications. a pharmacy residency at the U.S. much,” says Dr. Leal, who is a candidate and that was affordable,” she says. Department of Veterans Affairs in for president-elect of the American Dr. Leal is the first member of Pharmacists are Tucson, Arizona, and later a fellow- Pharmacists Association. “Pharmacists her family to attend college and ship at the U.S. Department of Health aren’t just dispensing medications. received a scholarship to attend the one of the most and Human Services. In 2001, Dr. Pharmacists are one of the most trusted University of Arizona in Tucson. She Leal joined the El Rio Community positions in medicine. People believe went to CU in Denver for a summer trusted positions in Health Center, which serves the what we say and they can come to us, American Cancer Society research medical and dental needs of more talk with us and get help.” internship and was recruited to medicine. People than 100,000 people. She became In 2015, Dr. Leal joined SinfoníaRx, attend the University of Colorado’s the El Rio’s clinical pharmacy director a healthcare company in Tucson that Skaggs School of Pharmacy and believe what we say and medical director of its Broadway helps patients with chronic illnesses Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Leal was clinic. She works with the center’s manage their health and medications. also awarded a prestigious diversity and they can come providers to help patients manage She was recently promoted to CEO of scholarship from the Skaggs family’s their diabetes, high blood pressure, SinfoníaRx. “Her story is one about the ALSAM Foundation. The philan- to us, talk with us and other chronic illnesses. ‘American Dream’ from childhood to thropist endowed several full-tuition “My favorite type of work was CEO,” says CU Pharmacy Dean Ralph scholarships for students from under- and get help.” when I could talk with people. My Altieri. “Sandra is a true asset to the represented groups. experiences with patients made me field of pharmacy and her story will “I knew I was going to be a phar- - SANDRA LEAL, PharmD, proud of my career choice,” says Dr. inspire others. We were fortunate that th macist in the 11 grade, but it was MPH, FAPhA, CDE Leal. “Patients from my days at El Rio she chose us to help her get started on hard work and I had multiple jobs all still call me to thank me.” Dr. Leal also her remarkable journey.”

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 21 Scholars:

SCHOLARLY NOTES OF GRATITUDE

2018-2019 Skaggs School of Pharmacy and

Pharmaceutical Sciences Scholars DIANNE KITT Class of 2019 JULIA CAHILL | MELANIE JAKOBS RENEE JOHNSON “I am a Native American, | VICTORIA TRUONG JP Opioid Interaction Awareness Alliance non-traditional student, Albertsons/Safeway Scholarships Scholarship mother of three, who came from a childhood of abuse BRIAN MANIGA | JACKSON REED CLARE LIVINGSTON | ANUSHKA TANDON and extreme poverty and Cardinal Health Scholarship Kaiser Permanente Kent M. Nelson Clinical who finally started college Pharmacy Scholarships when my own children did. RYAN SUTHERLAN As a young woman, I would Colorado Pharmacy Foundation Scholarship PULKIT JAIN have never imagined I would Louis & Karen Diamond New American Scholarship one day be working on a VERONICA HERNANDEZ | SARAH RIVARD doctorate and no one could CVS Bilingual Scholarship AMANDA VAN MATRE have predicted I would do it Peggy & Jack Holden Scholarship at the same time my children MARCI STOVALL were getting their educa- Dennis Mantas Memorial Scholarship STEPHANIE EARLY | RILEY HOLMES | JANET tions, as well. Whenever I KIM | JACKSON REED | MARCI STOVALL receive a scholarship, like the DIANNE KITT | SANJANA RAO RxPlus Scholarships Edgar Sibert Scholarship, I Edgar Sibert Scholarships am surprised and then im- NAWEID MATEN mediately grateful because KILEY FULLER | BRIAN NETTLES Sheldon Steinhauser Diversity Scholarship there are so many other great Edward & Karen Skaff Scholarship students at this school who WENDY SERRANO would also qualify. Certainly CLARE LIVINGSTON Teresa McMahan-Shulkin Memorial Scholarship receiving a scholarship Erwin-Vincent Scholarship relieves my financial burdens. LIONEL SIELATCHOM-NOUBISSIE But knowing that someone PAIGE AKIYAMA | CHAZMIN FRANKLIN Walgreens Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award believes in me enough to George Masunaga Memorial Scholarship invest in my future motivates BIANCA SISMAN me to work even harder to MARGARET COOPER Walgreens Multilingual Scholarship reach my goals and to be James L. McDowell Memorial Scholarship deserving of the award.”

e are saddened to report that a great EUGENE friend to our school, Eugene “Gene” McMahan, has passed away. He was 92 MCMAHAN’S W years old. Gene was an extraordinary, generous person. LEGACY LIVES For 25 consecutive years, he donated a full, in- state tuition scholarship to a pharmacy student ON THROUGH in memory of his daughter and CU Pharmacy alumna Teresa McMahan-Shulkin, beginning at SCHOLARSHIP a time when in-state tuition was approximately

22 CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences WINTER SPRING 2019

SCHOLARLY NOTES OF GRATITUDE MARGUERITE C. “PEGGY” HOLDEN DEDICATED SUPPORTER OF STUDENTS

The Holdens provided additional gifts to the school to establish the Holden Point-of-Care CLARE LIVINGSTON WENDY SERRANO Center and a student Class of 2020 Class of 2019 organization community service award. They made “I had the opportunity “Whenever I am granted the first individual major to attend career de- an award or scholarship, gift towards construction velopment workshops I do some self-reflection. of the new pharmacy and receive mentorship The first question I ask building on the Anschutz through the Kent M. myself is ‘what did I do to Medical Campus. Nelson Scholarship, which deserve this recognition?’ “We are enormously allowed me to explore a To be honest, this ques- grateful to Peggy and variety of career oppor- tion is mostly for myself Jack for their generosity tunities. Now, I feel more – to talk myself into and dedication to empowered to apply for believing that I earned supporting our students residency. As I continue it. Scholarships are often U Skaggs School our school in 1946 at and for being such to move forward with unexpected gifts of gen- of Pharmacy and age 20, and practiced good friends to many a career in ambulatory erosity that we may not Pharmaceutical hospital and community of us in the school,” pharmacy in a managed necessarily feel worthy of. Sciences mourns pharmacy in Denver and said Ralph Altiere, care environment, I The next question I ask C the loss of longtime in Loveland, Colorado. Dean of the Skaggs hope that I can help my myself is ‘what can I do to alumna and benefactor Peggy and her late School of Pharmacy and patients achieve their honor this recognition?’ Marguerite C. “Peggy” husband, Jack, were com- Pharmaceutical Sciences. goals in an empathetic, This question is the more Holden (Class of 1946), mitted to supporting our “We will always be thank- personalized manner. I important question who passed away students over many years. ful for their friendship similarly want to improve because it is in small part Saturday, February 2, In 1999, the Holdens and support.” the systemic efficiency for myself – to work on 2019, in Fort Collins, created an endowment Peggy was such a won- of healthcare systems to self-improvement – but Colorado at age 92. to establish the annual derful, generous alumna maximize affordability, it’s mostly for something Born in Limon, lectureship that bears and benefactor. We are value, and sustainability bigger than myself. It’s a Colorado, Peggy gradu- Peggy’s name. Peggy gratified that her legacy of healthcare for all. call to service.” ated high school at age also set up a second en- will live on in our school These scholarships have 16, earned her bachelor’s dowment to support the through the endowments undoubtedly helped me degree in pharmacy at Holden Scholarship. she established. in formulating these goals and gaining the skills nec- essary to achieve them.”

$4,000 and continuing through last year when “What is most remarkable about Gene is that generous support means to us. Scholarships in-state tuition was nearly $31,000. he was not wealthy by the standards of most do more than provide financial relief – they Gene established an endowment to maintain donors who give at this amount,” said Ralph inspire us to do good, and carry forward the Teresa’s scholarship in perpetuity – a monu- Altiere, Dean of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy legacy behind their names,” said Serrano as she mental legacy, the only one of its kind on our and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “To have main- addressed the crowd, including McMahan, at campus. Teresa, who passed away in 1993 after tained this level of giving for a quarter of a cen- last December’s Scholarship Luncheon. a battle with Lupus, graduated from the School tury speaks to how much he valued education.” We are proud to have had Gene as a kind and of Pharmacy in 1976. In addition, Gene also Wendy Serrano is the current recipient of the generous benefactor to our school, and we are funded a full, in-state tuition scholarship at his Teresa McMahan-Shulkin Memorial Scholarship. grateful for his legacy that will live on for our alma mater, the Colorado School of Mines. “Words cannot express how much your students.

www.ucdenver.edu/pharmacy 23 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus PAID School of Pharmacy Denver, CO Mail Stop C238 Permit NO. 831 12850 E. Montview Boulevard Aurora, CO 80045 Address service requested

How to Reach Us Pharmacy Perspectives – Volume 10, Issue 2 – is published twice a year by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus for alumni and friends of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Edited and written by Caren Henderson, Sandy Graham and Debbie Frazier unless otherwise noted throughout. Photography sourced from article sources, pharmacy archives or by Caren Henderson and Jaron Bryant. Art Direction + Graphic Design: Ozzmata.com

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University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences C238 12850 E. Montview Boulevard / Aurora, CO 80045 [email protected] / 303.724.4618

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FLEXIBILITY – online delivery, flexible schedule and the Word choice of courses EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING – Based in the student’s New Master of Science in worksite; Mentored assignments via online portfolio Clinical Pharmacy CAPSTONE THESIS – A major project on a student-chosen Designed to prepare international topic, designed to meet the student’s practice needs, while and US-based working pharmacists learning research and evaluation fundamentals to provide patient-centered pharmacy care. Join us! Enrolling students twice annually in fall and spring semesters, beginning fall 2019. For more information, contact Justin Rowe at justin.rowe@ ucdenver.edu or 303-724-8980. You can also visit http://bit.ly/2JvF6sO.