Skip to main content Skip to navigation
Washington State University
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences October newsletter

WSU awarded distinguished NIH grant to study natural product-drug interactions

The botanical dietary supplement that you’re taking may be natural, but is it safe? It was 2006 when Dr. Mary Paine, a professor at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, first published her clinical research study on the interaction between grapefruit juice and felodipine, a medication used to treat high blood pressure. Her work builds on the foundation laid by Dr. David Bailey from the University of Western Ontario, who discovered the “grapefruit juice effect” approximately 30 years ago. Through years of research, multiple investigators, including Dr. Paine and her post-doc mentor Dr. Paul Watkins, both while at the University of North Carolina … » More …

October 2020 Updates

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Publications

United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR) Assistant Professor Maia Avtandilashvili, USTUR Director and Professor Sergei Tolmachev, and three co-authors published, “Long-term retention of plutonium in the respiratory tracts of two acutely-exposed workers: estimation of bound fraction,” in Health Physics in August 2020.

Pharmaceutical Sciences Associate Professor Bhagwat Prasad, Pharmaceutical Sciences Assistant Professor Abdul Basit and ten co-authors published, “Characterization of differential tissue abundance of major non-CYP enzymes in human,” in Molecular Pharmaceutics in September 2020.

Bhagwat Prasad, Pharmaceutical Sciences Scientific Assistant Matthew Karasu and nine co-authors published, “P-glycoprotein substrate assessment in drug discovery: application of modeling to bridge … » More …

Precepting the next generation

For the 1,440 hours spent on rotation during the fourth year of a pharmacy student’s degree, 240 hours are spent with any one preceptor over 6 weeks. In those 240 hours, pharmacy students are taken under a preceptor’s wing to learn first-hand what it means to be a pharmacist. Through teaching and mentorship, preceptors guide pharmacy students as they work with patients in a variety of health care settings. These experiences are pivotal in determining a pharmacy student’s future career. » More ...

HealthChats: Managing diabetes through lifestyle changes

In the United States over 34 million people live with diabetes. Of those 34 million, somewhere in the range of 90-95% have type 2 diabetes while the remaining 5-10% have type 1 diabetes. “For some patients who maybe have been living a really busy lifestyle with lots of stress going on and maybe haven't been paying as much attention to their health as some other aspects of their life, getting the diagnosis of diabetes can be a real wake-up call to re-evaluate their priorities and maybe their lifestyle and might be kind of that extra push that they need to get them on a healthier path,” explained Pharmacotherapy Assistant Professor Cheyenne Newsome at last month’s HealthChats seminar. » More ...

Student pharmacists on COVID-19 testing in Pullman

When Misty Lefler and Shayne Fontes got the urgent call from Associate Dean of Professional Education Jennifer Robinson that volunteers were needed for COVID-19 testing at WSU’s main campus in Pullman, the third-year pharmacy students scrambled to organize their peers over one weekend. Only one week into the fall semester, and Pullman was already experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases despite going to virtual learning for the semester. “I get really excited saying ‘I get to help out with this and I get to help our community,’” said Lefler. “As health care providers all we want to do is educate, immunize, and help provide those services.” » More ...

Flu season is here: Time to get vaccinated

In no other year has a flu shot been more important. Immunization experts at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences warn that the addition of another respiratory illness such as the flu on top of COVID-19 could overburden health care systems, strain local testing capacity and increase the risk of complications from either disease. » More ...

Far from home: student pharmacist visits from UK

This summer Cardiff University pharmacy student Joseph Thomson spent five weeks more than 4,000 miles away from home.

Thompson visited Spokane from July 1 through August 4 to participate in specialty pharmacy experiences hosted by the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPPS). Back home, he attends the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Cardiff University in Wales, one of the top-rated pharmacy programs in the U.K.

Just as CPPS Doctor of Pharmacy students are able to apply to participate … » More …

October Updates

FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP

Publications

Pharmacotherapy Clinical Associate Professor Kimberly McKeirnan, Allen I. White Distinguished Associate Professor Joshua Neumiller and Research Associate Andrew Yabusaki published the poster, “Extending the learning tree:  4th year APPE students learning through teaching during their academic rotation,” exhibited July 14 at the 2019 American Association of Colleges Pharmacy (AACP 2019) Pharmacy Education meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

Kim McKeirnan, Pharmacotherapy Clinical Associate Professor Megan Willson, Pharmacotherapy Clinical Associate Professor Julie Akers, Pharmacotherapy Clinical Associate Professor Jennifer Robinson and Pharmacotherapy Clinical Associate Professor (Yakima) Christina Buchman published the poster, “Implementation of a suicide prevention training program,” exhibited July 15 at AACP 2019.

Kim McKeirnan, … » More …

Research day rewards

On August 19, 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.

“I’m so proud of these students,” said Associate Dean for Faculty and Student Development Kathryn Meier. “The energy and enthusiasm that they put into their scientific discoveries is a joy to their mentors, and helps to move research projects forward in new directions.”

The day began with keynote … » More …

Filling gaps in primary care takes creativity

By Addy Hatch, WSU News

A need to fill gaps in primary care is driving new approaches to health care workforce development in Washington, including at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Panelists discussed their organizations’ strategies at Inland Northwest State of Reform, an annual health policy conference.

Julie Akers, clinical associate professor at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, said the college is preparing students for a future that may look quite different from traditional pharmacy roles.

State law in Washington allows pharmacists to provide direct patient care for uncomplicated illnesses or conditions. Akers said pharmacists are already providing that … » More …