SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 Issue 1

Spring Newsletter Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2019

DEPARTMENT PICNIC FALL 2018 THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US!

Welcome to our 2019 Department remains at the chemistry and drug delivery, Newsletter! We are thrilled forefront of research in drug and to provide excellent to update you on all the delivery and targeted educational opportunities for exciting research and biologics (polymeric all students that they teach. achievements in our conjugates, antibody‐drug We remain on the forefront Department in the College of conjugates, genes, peptides, of innovative drug delivery Pharmacy in the Skaggs proteins, and more). strategies and novel Pharmacy Institute, a state‐ therapeutics for the 21st All faculty support and are of‐the‐art research facility century. involved with which opened in 2013. interdisciplinary science. We Currently, our faculty offer the opportunity for Interim Chair, Dr. Carol Lim members include Assistant students to carry out cutting‐ Welcome to our Department Professors Mingnan Chen edge research with world‐ Newsletter, and best wishes for a (soon to be Associate) and class scientists in a highly productive and successful 2019! Shawn Owen; Associate collaborative, interdisciplin‐ Professor Jim Herron; ary training environment. Professors You Han Bae, Students work in exceptional Jindrich Kopecek, Hamid facilities and have access to Ghandehari, David Grainger, outstanding core services.

Sung Wan Kim, and Carol The departmental missions Lim; and Dean Emeritus are to advance research in Professor John Mauger. Our the areas of pharmaceutical SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 2 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Both of Dr. Chen’s graduate students Peng Zhao and Peng Wang, have been the recipients of the UU Assistant Professor Mingnan Graduate School Fellowship (in 2017 Chen and 2018, respectively).

Chen Lab for Immunotherapeutics, 2019

In January 2019, Dr. Mingnan Congratulations to Peng Zhao. Peng has graduated from the Chen’s Lab for Chen lab with four first‐authored research articles including Immunotherapeutics received NIH one in Biomedical Engineering. He is now a R01 grant support ($2.7 million postdoctoral associate at the UT Health Science Center at Houston. Best wishes to his future career! total costs) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to develop a precision immune cell‐ablation therapy for autoimmune diseases. The ablation therapy, when translated to the clinic, is expected to be more effective than current therapies due to its broad coverage of pathogenic cells. This new therapy will also likely avoid immunodeficiency that often Dr. Mingnan Chen has passed through the tenure process at the plagues current therapies. This Department and College levels, and is awaiting notification from the five‐year project, together with University for the award of tenure sometime this spring/summer. We the multidisciplinary research congratulate Dr. Chen in advance of this significant milestone! team led by Dr. Chen, will provide th research and training On March 4 , 2019, Dr. Mingnan Chen’s recently developed, broadly applicable therapy for autoimmune disease therapy was published on opportunities to graduate students Nature Biomedical Engineering, a top‐notch journal in Biomedical of our department at the interface Engineering (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41551‐019‐0360‐0). Dr. Chen of protein engineering, is now diligently working on the clinical translation of the therapy. immunology, and pharmaceutics. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 3 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Shawn Owen was one of six University of Utah researchers that won a University Technology Acceleration Grant (UTAG) in 2017, a program that provides crucial funds to accelerate university‐developed technologies from the idea stage to the market. This grant was funded by the Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative. Dr. Owen has been awarded ~$650,000 direct costs of funding from USTAR, HCI, Agilent Technologies University Collaboration Grant, TVC Engine Funds, and ARUP Labs Jessica McCombs received a Collaborative Funding. United Negro College Assistant Professor Shawn Owen Foundation/Merck Science Dr. Owen was the recipient of the 2016 ”As biomedical scientists, we Initiative Fellowship. Jessica was Distinguished Teaching Award for the one of ten recipients to receive are motivated by the belief that College of Pharmacy, usually an honor there are significant the prestigious fellowship that bestowed to more senior faculty. We wish therapeutic and diagnostic him continued success in his academic started in 2015. Jessica was also challenges and that we have a endeavors! the recipient of a UU Emerging leading role in solving them.” Diversity Scholars Award. Dr. Owen’s other affiliations include Adjunct Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Keith Arlotta, BioE PhD student Biomedical Engineering, and Adjunct in the Owen lab, received the Assistant Professor, Medicinal Chemistry. 2019 Graduate Research Selected Publications: Fellowship. 1. Biophysical Properties and Heating‐ Induced Aggregation of Lysine‐ Conjugated Antibody‐Drug Conjugates AV Gandhi, KJ Arlotta, HN Chen, SC Owen, JF Carpenter, J Pharm Sci. (2018) Jul;107(7):1858‐1869. Dr. Owen’s first graduate 2. In‐Depth Comparison of Lysine‐Based student, Sun Jin Kim, recently Antibody‐Drug Conjugates Prepared on defended her thesis entitled Solid Support Versus in Solution, KJ “Biomolecular Interactions in Arlotta, AV Gandhi, HN Chen, CS Nervig, Breast Cancers: Development JF Carpenter, SC Owen, Antibodies 2018, of Strategies and Platforms to 7 (1), 6. Understand Biointerfaces.” 3. A Tri‐part Protein Complementation During her time in the lab, she System Using Antibody‐Small Peptide Christine Nervig received a NSF was also the recipient of one of Fusions Enables Homogeneous Fellowship (2015), and a Skaggs the College’s Skaggs Research Immunoassays. Dixon AS, Kim SJ, Research Fellowship (2018). In Fellowship Awards and also Baumgartner BK, Krippner S, Owen SC 2019, she also received a P.E.O. (2017) Sci Rep, 7(1), 8186 won the Department’s Fox (Philanthropic Educational Award for outstanding service Organization) Scholar Award for and scholarship. 2019. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 4 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

INDUSTRY RELATIONS Larson taught a short course on David W. Grainger Drug Product Development. Eric J. Mack Hamidreza S. Ghandhari Special thanks to Daan Jaesung Kim Crommelin (Professor James N. Herron Emeritus, Department of Jian Chen Pharmaceutics at Utrecht Jindrich Kopecek University) for his efforts in Jiyuan Yang Kevin Scott Warner teaching a liposome short We are grateful for on‐site course to our students in the Libin Zhang Michael A. Zupon interviews and visits from department for over a decade! Robert D. Tien Celgene and Gilead in recent Sandra M. Sims years. Special thanks to Drs. Sung Wan Kim Ho‐Wah Hui, Shyam Karki, and William I. Higuchi Kung‐I Feng from Celgene William J. Lambert Corp, and Drs. Monica Tijerina Yixin Fang and Scott Mitchell from Gilead Yoo‐Koo Kang for coming to visit and Yoshikazu Umashiro providing our students with Corporate donors, insights into industry and the Dr. Daan Crommelin, speaking interviewing process. alphabetical: on the fate of nanomedicines as American Association of our guest speaker in our Pharmaceutical Scientists department in 2018. Arcturus Therapeutics Elute Inc. Many thanks also to Research Galloway & Associates Professor Darrell Galloway for Kowa Company LSK Biopartners teaching a short course on immunology/vaccinology in Pfizer Foundation Pharmicell Co. 2016. ALUMNI AND FRIENDS SCM Lifescience Theratarget Inc. We are indebted to former We express our heartfelt thanks alumni Drs. Nate Larson (now and gratitude to our numerous at Deseret Laboratories, Inc., donors who have contributed Chief Scientific Officer; Adjunct to our department over the Assistant Professor in our years: department) and Kevin Warner Individual donor list, alphabetical (now at Alucent Medical, Senior order by first name: Director, Pharmaceutical Anil Chhettry Development; Adjunct Benjamin S. Maxey Assistant Professor in our Carol S. Lim Alumna Monica Tijerina (Gilead) department) for their teaching Carolyn H. Asbury giving a presentation to our graduate efforts/seminars over the years. Dalynn Berglund students on drug formulation processes (2017). Most recently, in 2018, Nate Darrell Galloway David E. Dong SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 5 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT novel adjuvants formulated with

two separate plague vaccines (the U.S. plague vaccine and the U.K.

plague vaccine).

One of the studies is being funded by the NIH and is being conducted through one of their contractors with Galloway as the principal for

the study. The study is currently

underway and will involve an Dr. Darrell Galloway, aerosol challenge component. Research Professor The second study will be

conducted at the University of Utah and will be an extension of the NIH study in that it will involve a more complete analysis of the immune responses generated by the novel adjuvant formulations. Associate Professor James The study is being funded through Herron a corporate sponsor. Darrell Galloway, Research Professor In addition to his role as faculty in our Department, presenting on plague vaccines (2018). member in our department, Dr. Herron is the Executive Associate

Dean for Professional Education, College Of Pharmacy as well as Adjunct Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Herron’s research interests and expertise are in the areas of Vaccines, Therapeutic

Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies, Targeted Drug Delivery Systems, Molecular Immunology and Structure, High‐

Throughput Screening, Function and Dynamics of Antigen‐ Antibody Interactions, Diagnostics Assays, and Biosensors. Dr. Herron in his role as Executive Associate Dean for Dr. Herron currently collaborates Professional Education, presiding over the annual PharmD with Research Professor Darrell White Coat Ceremony in 2018. First‐year students are sworn in as professional students, and sign the Pledge of Professionalism Galloway. Dr. Galloway is that will spur them on during their academic careers. involved in two plague vaccine

studies designed to evaluate two SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 6 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

47% bioavailability of diverse social sciences from around the FACULTY SPOTLIGHT classes of injectable APIs in animal world. The 2018 list contains 6,078 studies. Ileo is taking this leap in Highly Cited Researchers, 4,058 in drug delivery technology to the 21 fields of the sciences and social world through internal sciences and 2,020 Highly Cited development and out‐licensing Researchers identified as having partnerships. The startup is exceptional performance across actively communicating with several fields. Six faculty members multiple major pharmaceutical from the University of Utah are companies for collaborative listed in HCR 2018. development.

Dr. Bae has been appointed as a Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The Professor You Han Bae title of Distinguished Professor is a rare and prestigious honor You Han Bae founded Ileo Science granted by the University of Utah Inc (a startup company) in early to faculty who meet the highest 2018. Bae research group standards of scholarship, Bae Lab and friends discovered a revolutionary oral international stature, and enjoying dinner and delivery nanotechnology which dedication to teaching and camaraderie at the 2018 was recently published in ACS service. You Han embodies these Departmental Holiday Nano. The topic was press‐ attributes and is highly deserving Party. released by ACS and Chemistry & of this honor because of the Engineering News. Ileo Science impact his scholarship has had on Inc. has exclusively licensed the the field of Pharmaceutics. technology in from the University. Across the entire University, only The technology (called nObaTM) 68 active professors hold the title For a look at Dr. Bae’s high profile enables successful oral of Distinguished Professor. formulations of peptides, paper, see “Oral Nanoparticles Exhibit Specific High‐Efficiency proteins, vaccines and small Intestinal Uptake and Lymphatic molecules, a goal that has stymied Dr. Bae has also been recognized Transport,” by Kyoung Sub Kim, researchers for over 100 years. By as one of Highly Cited Researchers Kenichi Suzuki, Hana Cho, Yu Seok precisely layering natural bile by Claris for 5 consecutive years Youn, and You Han Bae, ACS Nano acids around pharmaceutical (since 2014). He is one of 161 top 2018 12 (9), 8893‐8900. nanoparticles, nOba shields the talents in the field of drug through the gastrointestinal Pharmacology and Toxicology tract until it is absorbed in the which covers Pharmaceutics and ileum during bile acid recycling. listed in Highly Cited Researchers The drug is delivered to the (HCR) 2018 by Clarivate Analytics. intestinal lymphatic system and HCR from Clarivate Analytics is an systemic circulation. Using only annual list recognizing influential green ingredients, nOba researchers in the sciences and consistently demonstrates 22‐ SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 7 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

In 2018 Dr. Ghandehari served as The Ghandehari lab has been busy FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Chair of Programming Committee over the past year focusing on a of the Controlled Release Society number of drug delivery and Annual Meeting held in New York nanotoxicology projects. In one City, was selected to serve as the project funded by an NIH small Chair of NIH NANO Study Section business Phase II grant (R42 from 2018‐2020, and received a CA168123) his research team is University of Utah College of setting the stage for the Engineering Top Undergraduate commercialization of silk‐ Teacher Award. Hamid continues elastinlike block copolymers as to serve as Editor in Chief of liquid embolics for the treatment Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, of hepatocellular carcinoma. His the leading review journal in drug research group has also received delivery. During his service the NIH funding (1R41 NS100184) for impact factor of this journal has the development of this increased from single digit to technology in treating brain Professor Hamid Ghandehari double digits where it now stands aneurysms. Dr. Ghandehari and at 13.66. his lab members continue to Students on Hamid’s team garnered several local, national investigate the influence of As an alumnus of both the and international awards in 2018. physicochemical properties of professional pharmacy program These include Nithya silica nanoparticles (such as (BS 1989) and pharmaceutics Subrahmanyam who received an shape, surface properties and graduate program (PhD 1996) of NIH‐NRSA fellowship to pursue porosity) on cellular uptake, the University of Utah Hamid is a her work in water‐soluble biodistribution and in vivo staunch advocate of the U and polymers to target the tumor‐ toxicity. This project is the second looks forward to collaborating associated extracellular matrix, competitive renewal of an R01 with our alumni to advance the Martin Jensen who received a NIH grant (R01 ES024681) funded mission of the department, National Science Foundation by the National Institute of college and our university. For Non‐Academic Research Environmental Health Sciences. more information feel free to Internships for Graduate Students Hollow silica nanoparticles contact him at (INTERN) Award, Pouya Hadipour investigated in his lab have gained [email protected] or for being selected for the the attention of a local agricultural visit his group’s website at Kumamoto Award for his company, Aqua Yield, based in www.ghandeharilab.utah.edu. Utah for sustained delivery of excellence in research, Kyle agricultural products. More Isaacson who received 3rd place in recently Dr. Ghandehari and his the Graduate Oral Presentation collaborator Dr. Oottamasathien Competition at the Utah at Massachusetts General Biomedical Engineering Hospital, Department of Urology Conference (UBEC), and Zachary received an NIH grant (R01 Barber, an undergraduate CA227225) to investigate researcher in the Ghandehari lab Ghandehari Research Group ‐ September 2018: who received the 2018 Front row, left to right: Nitish Khurana, Shantell localized delivery of Garrett, Nithya Subrahmanyam, Guoshen Cao glycosaminoglycan ethers for the Outstanding Undergraduate (rotation student). Back row, left to right: Oyvind Student Researcher Award at the Hatlevik, Martin Jensen, Austin Coleman, James treatment of radiation induced Kirklow, Zach Barber, Doug Steinhauff, Hamid proctitis. University of Utah. Ghandehari, Bhuvan Yathavan, Raziye Mohammadpour, Jennifer Carothers, Pouya Hadipour, Anna Deleray (rotation student), Darwin Cheney, Not pictured: Kyle Isaacson and Amy Wei. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 8 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

translational breakthrough is the matrix and surface receptor licensing of antimicrobial bone void proteins. These characteristics play FACULTY SPOTLIGHT filler technology to Elute, Inc. Elute’s an important role in maintaining cell first bone void filler technology was structure and function, and translate granted FDA 510(k) approval to a more effective regeneration (K171190); several Utah patents are potential compared with other cell licensed to Elute for first‐in‐human therapies. CSTEC@Utah is a resorbable antimicrobial bone graft collaboration between the development. University of Utah (Grainger/Okano

lab, in Pharmaceutics, the School of Grainger’s group works closely with Medicine), Tokai University and Prof. Teruo Okano, Director of Tokyo Women's Medical University, CSTEC@Utah (Utah’s Cell Sheet both in Japan. Tissue Engineering Center). Dr.

Okano pioneered cell sheet engineering technology by developing unique temperature‐ Professor David Grainger responsive polymer‐coated culture Dr. Grainger is now Distinguished surfaces necessary for creating and Professor and Chair of the harvesting living cell sheets. Okano Department of Biomedical has brought this technology to the Engineering. He maintains a partial U.S. with Utah as exclusive

appointment in our department. He operating partner in tandem with a is also an Adjunct Professor in both Japanese consortium that has Orthopedics and Chemistry. already placed cell sheets in humans Dr. Teruo Okano is a Distinguished in 7 different applications. Adjunct Professor in the In 2018, Dr. Grainger was granted Department of Pharmaceutics the Daniels Fund “Ethics Initiative CSTEC@Utah develops cell sheets and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Leadership in Education Award” for tissue regenerative therapies. UU, and is the co‐Director of from Denver‐based Daniels Cell sheets harvested via CSTEC@Utah. He is also Foundation. In 2016, he was a temperature responsive dishes Emeritus Professor at Tokyo Fulbright Senior Scholar (Univ. retain their native extracellular Women’s Medical University Otago, New Zealand). (TWMU) in Tokyo, Japan.

The Grainger Group at the University of Utah currently pursues research in combination device development in antimicrobial implants, medical diagnostics, drug

screening for nephrotoxicity, nanotoxicology, and cell‐based therapies. His interdisciplinary Dr. Kyungsook Kim, Research approach uses materials chemistry CSTEC@Utah scientists Sophia Bou‐ Assistant Professor in the and controlled release strategies in Ghannam and Hallie Thorp (BioE Department of Pharmaceutics combinations to improve current grad students), and Kyungsook Kim and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. medical device performance (Research Assistant Professor). through local drug release. A recent

SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 9 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Dr. Sung Wan Kim is currently a DR. KIM HAS BEEN ELECTED TO Distinguished Professor of TWO U.S. NATIONAL ACADEMIES: Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE Chemistry and a Distinguished (1999) AND THE NATIONAL Professor of Bioengineering. He is a ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING (2003) Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator and a member of the . Experimental Therapeutics program. Dr. Kim is a pioneer in drug delivery research and has engaged in his research since 1974 in the areas of hydrogels, biodegradable drug conjugates, self‐regulating drug The National Academy of delivery and stimuli sensitive Medicine (formerly the Institute of polymers to selectively target cancer Medicine) was established in 1970

cells. He also worked extensively in under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the medical polymers, especially blood Professor Sung Wan Kim compatible polymers. nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by Dr. Kim’s present research includes their peers for distinguished design of novel polymers for the contributions to medicine and delivery of protein drugs, cells and In 2006, Dr. Kim received an health. genes in anticancer therapy. honorary doctorate degree from the The National Academy of Dr. Kim has received numerous University of Twente. From 2004 to Engineering was established in awards; among them are the present, Dr. Kim is a Distinguished 1964 under the charter of the Research Achievement Award‐ Professor at Hanyang University. National Academy of Sciences to Pharmaceutical Sciences World Dr. Kim has published over 500 bring the practices of engineering Congress (2004), Rosenblatt Prize papers and owns 29 U.S. Patents. He to advising the nation. Members (2003), Ho‐Am Prize (2003), AACP has trained over 130 scientists from are elected by their peers for Volwiler Award (2002), American 10 countries. extraordinary contributions to Association of Pharmaceutical engineering. Scientists (AAPS) Dale Wurster Award (1998), the Controlled

Release Society (CRS) Founders Award (1995), and the Clemson Basic Biomaterials Award (1987). These awards are the highest scientific

awards from their respective

societies.

SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 10 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

• In collaboration with HCI investigators the activity of drug‐ FACULTY SPOTLIGHT free macromolecular therapeutics on patient cells with various B cell malignancies was proven.

• New design of antibody‐drug conjugates for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

• Combination of anti‐PD1

immunotherapy with Dr. Jiyuan (Jane) Yang is a macromolecular chemotherapy Research Professor in the for the treatment of breast cancer. Kopeček Lab. She received

her Ph.D. in Biomedical Scientists from other countries Polymer Science from Peking continue their interest to participate University in 2001. She in our lab research. Recent Visiting joined the lab in 2003 Scholars include: following a postdoctoral • Susumu Hama, Ph.D., Assoc. fellowship at the Professor Jindrich Kopeček Prof., Kyoto Pharmaceutical Department of Physical Dr. Kopeček is a Distinguished University, Japan, sabbatical 2017‐ Chemistry, Institute Curie in

Professor of Pharmaceutics and 2018 Paris, France. Pharmaceutical Chemistry and • Zhou Zhou, Ph.D., Assoc. Distinguished Professor of Prof. Sichuan University, China, Bioengineering. He was elected to sabbatical, China Scholarship the National Academy of Council Fellow, 10/2018‐10/2019 Engineering in 2011. • Yachao Li, Ph.D. student, In 2014, J. Kopeček received an Sichuan University, China, China honorary doctorate degree from Scholarship Council Fellow, 10/2018‐ The University of Helsinki, Finland. 10/2019 In 2018, J. Kopeček received the T. • Sirima Soodvilai, M.Pharm., & A. Higuchi Memorial Lectureship Ph.D. student, Silpakorn University, Award from the Academy of Thailand, Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Science and program, 10/2017‐05/2018 Technology, Japan and was elected Fellow, US National • Kehinde Salako, M.Sc.,

Academy of Inventors. Lecturer II, University of Lagos, Nigeria, Fulbright Fellow, 08/2019‐ Kopeček lab enjoying The latest research topics in the 04/2020 in and medicine. festivities at the 2018 Kopecek Lab include: Departmental Holiday Party. • Christian Bode, Pharmacy • Treatment of brain student, GPEN Program, University malignancies. A drug delivery of Marburg 11/2018‐5/2019. system able to cross the blood‐ 99 brain barrier was designed and is

being evaluated. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 11 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

Dr. Lim served as Acting Chair of the Memorial Scholarship (2018) and the department in spring of 2016, and FACULTY SPOTLIGHT AFPE Pre‐Doctoral Fellowship was selected as Interim Chair and (2019); Phong Lu was the recipient has served in this role since January of the Kuramoto (College of 2017. Dr. Lim’s main research Pharmacy) Scholarship (2017), the interests are in Skaggs Research Fellowship (2018), derived cancer therapeutics, with a and the UU Graduate Research current focus on ovarian cancer, liver Fellowship (2019). cancer, and chronic myeloid leukemia. Both Katherine and Erica’s research entails collaborations Dr. Lim was one of three campus‐ with researchers at the Huntsman wide recipients of the 2018 Catalyst Cancer Institute. Katherine Grants, funded by The Center for collaborates with Dr. Kimberly Genomic Innovation and the College Evason, M.D., PhD to conduct her of Pharmacy, UU. Catalyst Grants mitochondrially targeted p53‐BH3 awardees study disease mechanisms gene therapy research for and validate new therapeutic targets hepatocellular carcinoma using a to treat many diseases, like cancer, Professor Carol S. Lim, Interim zebrafish model. Erica leukodystrophy, and leukemia. Chair (2016‐present) collaborates with Djordje Catalyst Grants support projects at Dr. Lim’s graduate students have Atanackovic, M.D. and Tim the University of Utah Health that garnered many awards. Katherine Luetkens, M.D. on a cancer focus on the early stages of Redd‐Bowman was the recipient of immunotherapy (CAR‐T cell)/gene therapeutic development. the Portland Chapter of the UU therapy combination therapy for ovarian cancer. Dr. Lim was selected as one of the Alumni Association Scholarship top THREE "Selected Highly (2018), the 2019 Fox Award for In late 2018, we Authors" of Molecular Service and Scholarship in our welcomed Lisa Pharmaceutics: a highly reputable department, and the 2019 College of Ahne from Univ. of journal published by ACS, in 2017. Pharmacy Wolf Prize for Excellence Marburg who is in Teaching. Erica Vander Mause was doing research in Dr. Lim was awarded the P1 College awarded the Ralph & Clara Rutledge our laboratory for 6 of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year, as months. Lisa is a pharmacy well as the Overall Distinguished student participating in the GPEN Teacher of the Year during Program (Globalization of Convocation on May 5th, 2017. She Pharmaceutics Education was also the recipient of The Network). Lisa is one of 5 GPEN Graduate School’s Distinguished students conducting research in Mentor Award at the University of our labs now. Utah. Three faculty per year are selected from all departments at UU. The Lim Lab has trained ~150 This award recognizes faculty who students since 2000 ranging from effectively guide graduate students PhDs, PharmDs, undergrads, and and postdoctoral scholars high school students. We strongly throughout their professional believe our research mission is training in a continuing, closely tied to education and multifaceted partnership sustained Lim lab, 2019. Dr. Lim, Katherine Redd‐Bowman, Erica Vander training the next generation of by mutual respect and concern. Mause, and Phong Lu. scientists.

SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 12 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

4 deans (3 former) of the College of Pharmacy gathered together at the 2018 PharmD White Coat Ceremony: Hal Wolf, John

Mauger, Chris Ireland, and current Dean Randy Peterson.

Professor John Mauger, Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Special Projects

Dr. Mauger served as Dean of the Warm regards to Dr. John Mauger for receiving the Dean Emeritus College of Pharmacy from 1994‐ Award from the university for his years of service and dedication! We 2009 and has been a faculty member have been honored and privileged to have Dr. Mauger as a vital in our department. In 2018 he contributor in our department, and as a former dean of the College of received the Dean Emeritus Award. Pharmacy. He currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Special Projects. ALUMNI AND FRIENDS Research with PharmD students: PharmD Projects and Dr. Mauger’s professional interests P‐SURF Program include: 1) pharmacy education, 2018 “marked the first time in the college’s history that all third‐ and fourth‐year PharmD students engaged in individualized, 2) pharmaceutical research related mentored research projects.” (Randy Peterson, Dean of the to the physico‐chemical College of Pharmacy). Our department faculty have actively characteristics of dosage forms, participated in this program as well as the P‐SURF program (Pharmacy Summer Research Fellowship) which gives PharmD’s 3) service to organizations that interested in research an intensive summer experience in a lab. address the world‐wide need for quality medicines and foods, and

4) contributions of the arts and

sciences to society. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 13 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

department. Stelios is now a Senior training the next generation of ONE U Medical Science Liaison in Immuno‐ scientists. We participate in “One U.” “If you’ve Oncology at Immunocore, a T‐cell heard President Ruth Watkins speak receptor biotech company Students in our program often since becoming president last April, (Germany), and Karina is a Medical compete in the science fair. Last you’ve probably heard about the Science Liaison in Oncology at year, Erin Garzella (Ghandehari th power of “One U.” What this means, Boehringer Ingelheim in Boston. Lab) won 4 place in Materials and she explains, is that we have the Biomedical Engineering category; opportunity to work together to UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH Natalie Morgan (Owen Lab) won a solve big problems in society and Our department hosts numerous $4000 scholarship to Westminster also optimize our campus undergraduate students who College; Madeline Joklik‐McLeod resources.” (www.utah.edu) perform research in our labs (Lim Lab) won 1st place in Biology through the Undergraduate and , an $80,000 GLOBAL RESEARCH‐ GERMANY Research Opportunities Program scholarship to Westminster, and The GPEN Program (Globalization of (UROP) and the ACCESS Program was one of 6 “Grand Champion” Pharmaceutics Education Network) for freshman women in science. In students (among 721), chosen to allows students to conduct research 2018, Zachary Barber, an represent the State of Utah at the at other member universities. We undergraduate researcher in the International Science and currently have 5 GPEN students Ghandehari lab received the UU Engineering Fair this May in conducting research in our labs now Outstanding Undergraduate Phoenix, AZ. for 6 months. The GPEN research Student Researcher Award. exchange with Univ. of Marburg has been ongoing since 2001. HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM Our department and other departments in the College of Pharmacy are active in training the next generation of scientists and participate in the Juan Diego Catholic High School (JDCHS) Madeline Joklik‐McLeod and Dr. Galey Summer Research Program for high Colosimo, JDCHS Principal school students at JDCHS. Dr. Lim has been the Director of the program on the UU side, with Dr. Christine Celestino as the Director of the program at JDCHS. The JDCHS 2018‐2018 GPEN Students: Linus Summer Program is generously Wolf (Owen Lab), Lisa Ahne (Lim funded by the ALSAM Foundation. Lab), Sophia Uhlhorn (Grainger Lab), 10‐15 students per year participate Laura Unverzagt (Ghandehari Lab), from June‐August culminating with and Christian Bode (Kopecek Lab). a poster session presented in the GPEN students often continue their College of Pharmacy. The JDCHS research careers in science after students meet once a week with Dr. completion of their internships. For Celestino (from JDCHS) and receive 2018 JDCHS Summer Students lab training prior to coming to us. Dr. example, Stelios Florinas (Kim Lab) See a KSL news clip on the program: and Karina Matissek (Lim Lab) Celestino received the Utah https://www.ksl.com/article/35837769 returned to the University of Utah as Governor's Medal for Science and /teens‐inspired‐to‐pursue‐science‐ graduate students in our Technology in 2015 for her efforts in after‐summer‐of‐research‐at‐the‐u. SPRING NEWSLETTER DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICS AND 14 PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY 2019 | Issue 1

Donor Opportunities Spring We welcome contributions to make a difference in our department. Newsletter Please consider donating to the department in the following ways: Department of ‐Graduate Student Emergency Health Fund: Student health insurance is not adequate if students have a major health crisis, such as Pharmaceutics emergency surgery. One of our graduate students, Phong Lu, recently and had emergency surgery, and his out‐of‐pocket costs even with insurance were $4000! We would like to have an emergency reserve Pharmaceutical fund available to students for catastrophic situations such as this. Chemistry ‐ Student Scholarships: Please consider donating towards graduate 2019 student scholarships for exceptional students in our department. ‐Fox Award donations: Each year, we honor the memory of Dr. Jeffrey Fox with this award. The award is intended to recognize an outstanding graduate student based on the recommendation of his or her peers. Award recipients are selected based not only on academic merit, but 30 S. 2000 E. Rm 301 also on service to the Department, the University, and to fellow Salt Lake City, UT 84112-8930 students.

Interim Chair, Carol S. Lim, PhD ‐Department development account: funds to be used at the [email protected] department’s discretion. Administrative Manager, ‐Other donation opportunities: Be creative in helping our department Dalynn Berglund thrive! Please contact us if you have other donation ideas. [email protected]

Accountant FOR MORE INFORMATION Lisa Chandler Please contact us with your feedback! [email protected] Dr. Carol Lim, Interim Chair [email protected] 801‐587‐9711

www.utah.edu