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Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences News

Smiles, hugs usher in return of annual Crimson Gala

There’s no feeling quite like that of seeing an old friend after years apart. This October, Cougar pharmacy students and alums greeted one another with hugs and smiles as they came together at the first Crimson Gala since 2019. The annual Crimson Gala is a celebration of pharmacy leaders who shape the profession for future generations as well as all of those who help to pave the way for future Cougar pharmacists through their guidance and leadership. » More ...

Capitalizing on opportunities in pharmacy

As a high school student who immigrated from Russia to Los Angeles, class of 2014 alum Alex Heyfetz never would have imagined that he would become a pharmacist one day. His hobbies at the time included judo and weightlifting; advertising, construction, and personal training were the many jobs he tried on before pursuing his doctor of pharmacy at Washington State University. 15 years later, Heyfetz says that the career choice has been better than what he could have ever imagined.

“The most important thing that you need to do in life is to try different things,” he impressed on an audience of pharmacy students during … » More …

October 2022 Updates

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Publications

J. Roberts and Marcia Fosberg Distinguished Regents Professor of Pharmacotherapy and Director of the Drug Information Center Danial Baker along with multiple other authors contributed to the recently released sixth version of the United States Pharmacopeia COVID-19 Vaccine Handling Toolkit Operational Considerations for Healthcare Practitioners.

Danial Baker and eight co-authors published, “Agreement of medicine and pharmacy students on quality of drug information,” in Pharmacy Education in August 2022.

Danial Baker and five co-authors published, “On the relationship between cardiovascular risk marker calcium phosphate product and health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients,” in Nephro-Urology Monthly in April 2022.

Director for … » More …

Former Interim Dean Linda Garrelts MacLean to receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Crimson Gala

Leader in pharmacy practice Linda Garrelts MacLean, class of 1978, will receive the R. Keith Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPPS) on October 7. The award will be presented at the college’s Crimson Gala in Spokane attended by alums, faculty, students, and supporters of the college.

Garrelts MacLean retired from the college on July 1, 2021, after a 20-year career as a professor, department chair, vice dean, and ultimately serving as interim dean from 2018 through 2020. She is the first female to hold the position of dean at the college.

Garrelts MacLean mentored hundreds … » More …

WSU Pharmacy recruiting students from Tri-Cities for Rural Health Initiative

Access to health care continues to be a challenge for nearly 800,000 Washingtonians, according to data provided by Health Resources and Services Administration. To combat this chronic issue, the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is facilitating the pathway for Tri-City students to pursue their doctor of pharmacy degree with a specialization in rural health. Through a renewed agreement between the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Columbia Basin College, students can earn their doctor of pharmacy degree in as little as six years. Those who choose to specialize in rural health are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in … » More …

Study identifies key protein that drives rheumatoid arthritis damage

By Judith Van Dongen, WSU Health Sciences Spokane Office of Research

SPOKANE, Wash. – Scientists have identified a protein known as sulfatase‑2 that plays a critical role in the damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis. A chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own joint tissues, rheumatoid arthritis affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans.

Published in the journal Cellular & Molecular Immunology, the discovery sheds new light on the molecular processes that drive inflammation seen in rheumatoid arthritis. It could also someday lead to improved treatment of the disease, which currently has no cure.

“Tumor necrosis factor‑alpha — or TNF‑alpha for short … » More …

September 2022 Updates

FACULTY & STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

Publications

Ashley Rittenhouse (PharmD ’23) and J. Roberts and Marcia Fosberg Distinguished Regents Professor of Pharmacotherapy and Director of the Drug Information Center Danial Baker published, “Drug evaluation – vutrisiran (Amvuttra),” in Wolters Kluwer Health’s The Formulary Monograph Service (FMS) in October 2022. Wolters Kluwer Health is a drug and health information publisher, the FMS is a resource used in the formulary decision making process for hospitals and managed care systems on recently released and investigational drugs.

Danial Baker published, “Drug evaluation – Smallpox and monkeypox vaccine, live, non-replicating (Jynneos),” in the FMS in June October 2022.

Danial Baker published, “Drug … » More …

Research Day showcases cutting-edge discoveries in science

On August 12, current and future scientists gathered to show off their work at the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPPS) Research Day. The all-day event is a celebration of the broad range of research that is ongoing in the college, and an opportunity for trainees to obtain valuable presentation experience and feedback on their research.

“This day really shows the breadth of the cutting-edge research that is happening at the college,” said Pharmaceutical Sciences Interim … » More …

Presenting the class of 2026

On August 19, Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences welcomed the incoming class of 2026. The class is comprised of 46 talented, well-rounded, and thoughtful students who come from across Washington state, around the country and world, including California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Idaho, Canada and China. Their ages range from 20 to 44 years old, and they are a diverse group of students in every way.

“When admitting future student pharmacists, our faculty want to see people with a passion for health care, and folks who will become positive forces in the communities they serve. These students have that,” said College of … » More …

WSU pharmacist creates a haven for Ukrainian refugees

Sixth Avenue Pharmacy, located in the heart of Spokane’s health care hub, reflects the monumental development the city has undergone over the last two decades. The former QualMed Plaza, which houses the nearly 60-year-old pharmacy, has laid vacant for 50 years. The medical building is now being renovated into high-rise luxury apartments touting amenities such as a dog spa and a rooftop sky lounge. Yet, Sixth Avenue Pharmacy has stood the test of time since it opened its doors in 1964. The frenzy of construction outside mirrors the frenetic pharmacy inside where roughly a dozen employees busily fill prescriptions, compound tailor-made medicines, and prepare orders … » More …