Faculty Research Interests
Updated August 2009
- Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology (ECP)
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry (MedC)
- Department of Pharmaceutics (Phmc)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems (PCHS)
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences (PPPS) – Duluth
Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Angela K. Birnbaum, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Current research involves clinical neuropharmacology in the area of epilepsy with a specific emphasis on population pharmacokinetics in special populations. Projects have included a focus on the elderly and the elderly nursing home population, in particular, as well as the pediatric population. My research group employs pharmacometric methods to describe and predict concentration and responses in individuals from population modeling in order to individualize therapy.
Richard C. Brundage, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Director, Graduate Program Track in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; population pharmacokinetics; clinical trials simulation; HIV therapeutics.
Scott A. Chapman, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Critical Care and Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, Department of Pharmacy Services, North Memorial Medical Center
Director, Pharmacy Practice Residency Program at North Memorial Medical Center
Past experience includes fellowship training in Cardiothoracic Transplantation. Teaching responsibilities include several cardiovascular therapeutics lectures (Phar 6122) and Anemia of Critical Illness (Phar 6270H: Seminars in Critical Care). Preceptor for Acute Care rotation at North Memorial Medical Center. Practice site located at North Memorial Medical Center. Research interests include pharmacotherapy in critically ill patients, with special interest in medication utilization and safety, patient care outcomes, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. If you are interested in critical care and would like to discuss potential project ideas, contact me by email at chapm004@umn.edu.
James C. Cloyd, Pharm.D., FCCP
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor
Weaver Endowed Chair in Orphan Drug Development
Director, Center for Orphan Drug Research
Research interests focus on the clinical pharmacology of drugs used to treat rare neurological disorders and epilepsy.
Jeannine M. Conway, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Director of Didactic Pharmacy Education
Current research involves using interventions to help students integrate disciplines as they become pharmacists; novel uses of technology to enhance education and evaluation of sterile product preparation; neuropharmacology and pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic medications.
Cynthia R. Gross, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Cynthia R. Gross, Ph.D. is a Professor at the University of Minnesota, in the College of Pharmacy with a joint appointment in the School of Nursing. Her research focuses on interventions to enhance the quality of life of patients with chronic conditions. Her current study, the Wellness Interventions After Transplant (WIAT), is a 5-year NIH funded clinical trial of a program of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in organ transplant recipients. She is also conducting studies to demonstrate the impact of non-pharmacologic therapies on insomnia. Dr. Gross received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Tufts University, and her doctorate in Biostatistics from Yale University. Before joining the faculty at Minnesota, she worked at NIH.
David R. Guay, Pharm.D., FCP, FCCP, FASCP
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Geriatrics, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, infectious diseases, psychogeriatrics.
Pamala A. Jacobson, Pharm.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology of immunosuppressants and antineoplastics in transplant and cancer patients.
L’Aurelle A. Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Primary research interest is in pediatric pharmacology. Specifically, identifying factors that alter drug metabolism in the pediatric cancer population.
Mark N. Kirstein, Pharm.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology and Cancer Center
To improve the treatment of patients with cancer through innovative use of chemotherapeutic agents, drug regimens, and administration sequence; utilizing the principles of drug pharmacokinetics in both clinical trials and pre-clinical models to understand optimal approaches to drug treatment for FDA-approved and investigational antitumor agents. Evaluation of the pharmacogenetics of anticancer agents.
Michael Kotlyar, Pharm.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Research interests are examining: a) how various pharmacotherapies affect smoking behavior, b) the relationship between smoking and the physiological response to stress, and c) the effect of psychiatric pharmacotherapy on the physiologic response to mental stress.
Thomas E. Lackner, Pharm.D., CGP, FASCP
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical geriatrics research in interprofessional patient care, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, and urology. Teaching: Interprofessional education and research (Advanced Pharmacy Practice Eperience) and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy classroom course.
Jatinder Lamba, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Pharmacogenetics of cytochromes P450, drug transporters and nuclear hormone receptors. Pharmacogenetics of genes involved in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic pathways of nucleoside analogs primarily used as anticancer agents.
Ilo E. Leppik, M.D.
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
PI of NIH Program Project entitled Epilepsy in the Elderly. This 5 year multicenter grant is studying the pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics. and pharmacoepidemiology of antiepileptic drugs in elderly. A new venture is the study of canine epilepsy.
Leonard Lichtblau, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology and School of Nursing
Susan E. Marino, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
William S. Oetting, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy and Institute of Human Genetics, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, Medical School
Major focus is on the affects of genetic variation in complex diseases. Research interests include pharmacogenomics, genetic and proteomic analysis of solid organ transplantation outcomes, and the genetics of behavior.
Marnie L. Peterson, Pharm.D., Ph.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology (joint appointment with the Department of Microbiology, Medical School; collaborations with Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the Center for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Translational Research, Medical School)
Research: Infectious diseases (translational research). Focus Interests: Characterization of interactions between Staphylococcus aureus (virulence factors) and mucosal surfaces for the development of novel anti-infective therapies including topical microbicides and mucosal vaccination strategies. Ongoing clinical studies pertaining to the application of vaginal microbicides for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis. Teaching: Lectures in Infectious Diseases (Phar 6124), Medicinal Agents III (Phar 6156), and Microbiology and Immunology for Medical Students. Directed Studies (Phar 7732) and Elective Research Clerkship (Phar 7770) in Infectious Diseases Research.
John C. Rotschafer, Pharm.D., FCCP
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Head of the Antibiotic Pharmacodynamic Research Institute at the University of Minnesota. He has authored over 100 publications and book contributions involving antibiotic pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. His primary professional interests are in the areas of antibiotic pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and infectious diseases. (Spends some time off campus at Regions Hospital.)
Leo J. Sioris, Pharm.D.
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical toxicology; forensic toxicology; drugs of abuse; caustics; epidemiology of household and occupational exposures; and development of emergency medical response/adverse reaction reporting models for industry. (Located off campus at SafetyCall International.)
Debra J. Skaar, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Member, Center for Excellence in Critical Care
Focus on optimizing pharmacological management of critically ill patients to improve outcomes. Current research in novel delivery systems and methods of improving sedation in mechanically ventilated patients and evaluating the role of chromium supplementation to improve glycemic control in hyperglycemic, critically ill patients.
Robert J. Straka, Pharm.D., FCCP
Professor, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Our research interests are focused on optimizing the use of therapeutic agents used for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease by investigating the pharmacogenetic, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic basis of variability in response. Although primarily interested in Cardiovascular Therapeutics, our investigations have included environmental sources of variability in response as well as drugs used to treat other therapeutic problems. Knowledge of sources of variability in drug response may prove helpful in optimizing the achievement of therapeutic targets – a goal common to all those interested in optimizing outcomes.
Timothy S. Tracy, Ph.D.
Professor and Head, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Evaluation of human drug metabolism, drug-drug interactions, and predicting in vivo pharmacokinetics from in vitro data.
Heather E. Vezina, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Departments of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology and Laboratory Medicine & Pathology
Research Interests: Antiviral clinical pharmacology with an emphasis on drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS and human herpes virus infections; pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antiviral agents. Teaching Responsibilities: Lecturer in Medicinal Agents III and Pharmacotherapy IV (Infectious Diseases section); preceptor for an elective research rotation in antiviral clinical pharmacology.
Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Yusuf J. Abul-Hajj, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Design and synthesis of steroidal anti-estrogens and aromatase inhibitors. Mechanism(s) of estrogen carcinogenesis.
Elizabeth A. Amin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
The Amin laboratory focuses on the design and optimization of metalloprotein-targeted antimicrobial therapeutics, specifically those that target agents used in chemical and biological warfare, incorporating computer-aided drug design, high-throughput screening, synthesis, combinatorial chemistry, and lead optimization. We are particularly interested in modeling and targeting the anthrax toxin lethal factor (LF), a Zn metalloprotease critical for anthrax pathogenesis. We aim to develop new, potent LF inhibitors to block LF-mediated cytotoxicity and to be administered concurrently with antibiotic therapy. We apply a broad array of experimental and computational techniques to systems of interest, from in vitro/cell-based assays and selectivity profiling to quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling, docking and scoring, pharmacophore mapping, and ADME/Tox prediction. In addition, we develop new software tools to model transition metals in unusual coordination states and/or charge environments, in order to facilitate the drug design process targeting large metal-bearing biomolecules.
Peter I. Dosa, Ph.D.
Assistant Program Director, Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development (ITDD), College of Pharmacy
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Earl W. Dunham, Ph.D., FAHA
Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry (College of Pharmacy) and
Department of Pharmacology (Medical School)
UROP Coordinator (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program)
Cardiovascular pharmacology: Mechanism of action and factors affecting synthesis of endogenous vasoactive substances in kidney and blood vessels in normotensive, hypertensive and diabetic states. Inflammatory mechanisms and diabetes-induced renal damage. Vascular pharmacology of adenosine and nitroxyl.
Robert A. Fecik, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Director of Graduate Studies, Medicinal Chemistry
Synthetic medicinal chemistry, anticancer/antibacterial drug design, and natural product biosynthesis.
David M. Ferguson, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Fellow, Supercomputing Institute for Digital Simulation and Advanced Computation
Co-Director, Center for Opioid Research and Development
My lab is interested in the design and discovery of new therapeutics using both traditional structure-based drug design methods and high throughput screening techniques. For more than a decade, we have been leaders in the development and application of structural models of opioid receptors to understand the molecular basis to ligand binding, selectivity, and receptor activation. We have also become quite active in the design and synthesis of focused chemical libraries for screening against antiviral and anticancer targets as well as the design and development of high throughput screens (HTS). Our lab has developed a chemical library with diverse biological activities against West Nile Virus (and related flaviviruses), herpes, HIV, and reductions in cell proliferation in a variety of cancers.
Barry C. Finzel, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Research: We investigate the three-dimensional molecular structure of proteins and protein-ligand complexes by X-ray crystallography to enable structure based design of new chemical entities, biohemical probes or candidate drugs. Our long-term goal is to accelerate the delivery and impact of structural data through the development of new experimental and computational approaches. Teaching: Phar 6152 - Biochemistry of Medicinals II.
Gunda I. Georg, Ph.D.
Professor and Head, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Director, Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development (ITDD)
Design, synthesis, and evaluation of synthetic and natural product-derived medicinal agents; drug discovery by HTS; new synthetic methods; combinatorial chemistry. Therapeutic areas: cancer, male contraception, Alzheimer's disease.
Vadim J. Gurvich, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Associate Program Director, Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development (ITDD), College of Pharmacy
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Synthetic medicinal and organic chemistry.
Patrick E. Hanna, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Chemical aspects of the metabolic activation and deactivation of carcinogens and other toxic agents. Characterization of N-acetyltransferases. Design and synthesis of enzyme inhibitors. Drug metabolism.
Daniel A. Harki, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Synthesis, biophysical characterization, and biological efficacy evaluation of novel small molecules that influence cellular function. Applications for these molecules range from anticancer drug discovery to new tools for modern biotechnology research.
Derek J. Hook, Ph.D.
Director, High Throughput Screening Core Facility
Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development (ITDD)
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Support of chemical probe and drug lead discovery through high throughput and high content screening. Natural products as a source of drug leads and biochemical probes. Development and implementation of novel technologies for target screening including applications of microfluidics and nanotechnology. Biosynthesis of natural products.
Rodney L. Johnson, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Modulation of G-protein coupled receptors, particularly dopamine receptors. Design and synthesis of peptide mimics and conformationally-constrained analogues of peptides and amino acids. Use of photoaffinity labeling agents and mass spectrometry to identify the allosteric regulatory site on the dopamine receptor. Design and synthesis of peptidomimetics of small peptides as chemosensitizing agents.
Ramaiah Muthyala, Ph.D., FRSC
Associate Program Director for Pre-clinical Drug Development, Center for Orphan Drug Research, Department of Experimental & Clinical Pharmacology
Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Special interest in the discovery of new drugs in the areas of viral, bacterial, and neurodegenerative diseases using mechanism-based drug design (“on purpose design”). Ongoing investigations on selective inhibition of enzymes, receptors, and undesired biochemical processes involve strong synthetic organic chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, and artificial intelligence.
Krzysztof W. Pankiewicz, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Center for Drug Design
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Inhibitors of IMP-dehydrogenase for treatment of leukemias or endothelial cells cancers. Antibiotic studies: new treatments for tuberculosis; designing inhibitors that will block activity of the IMPDH protein in disease-causing organisms without affecting human IMPDH. Antiviral agents: searching for drugs that prevent certain tyupes of viruses from making copies of their genetic material; synthesizing analogs of mycophenolic acid (MPA) as potential antiviral drugs.
Philip S. Portoghese, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Opioid pharmacology. Design and synthesis of selective ligands for opioid receptors. Stereochemical factors in drug action. Modeling of G-protein-coupled receptors. Affinity labels.
Rory P. Remmel, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Drug metabolism and disposition. Development of a bioartificial liver. Role of glucuronyl transferases and cytochrome P450 in antiepileptic drug interactions. Metabolism of antiepileptic agents, antiinfectives, and anticancer agents. Preclinical absorption, drug metabolism, and excretion (ADME) studies for drug development. Professional Program Teaching: Medical Microbiology and Immunizations, Medicinal Agents III (Antimicrobial Agents); Drug Metabolism and Disposition (elective); Drugs of Abuse (elective); Pharmacogenomics (elective)..
W. Thomas Shier, Ph.D., FAAAS
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Coordinator, Honors Program
Obesogenic food additives as possible causes of epidemic obesity. Discovery of structural moieties that expand the utility of drugs by altering their pharmacokinetics. Novel transfection reagents of potential use in human gene and siRNA therapy. Control of carcinogenic mycotoxins (aflatoxins, fumonisins, botryodiplodin) in the food supply. Antibiotics from unculturable microorganisms.
Marilyn K. Speedie, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Dean, College of Pharmacy
Biotechnology-derived medicinal agents, drug discovery and development, pharmacogenomics and its application to personalized medicine; interprofessional education; advancement of pharmacy education, research, and practice.
Natalia Y. Tretyakova, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Masonic Cancer Center
Research: chemical carcinogenesis; anticancer drugs; biological mass spectrometry. Teaching: Phar 6151, Phar 6152.
Robert Vince, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Nucleoside analogs. Design of antiviral agents and cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Inhibitors of protein biosynthesis.
Carston R. Wagner, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Novel chemical and biotechnological drug delivery systems, development of therapeutic antiviral and antitumor agents, nanobiotechnology, exploration and design of protein structure and function by recombinant DNA and biophysical techniques.
Michael A. Walters, Ph.D.
Associate Program Director, Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development (ITDD)
Research Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Parallel medicinal chemistry, chemoinformatics, Alzheimer's disease, computational chemistry, organic synthesis, combinatorial chemistry, compound optimization.
Chengguo (Chris) Xing, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Chronic diseases, such as cancer, early detection, prevention, and mechanistic investigations by developing new technologies, new chemical probes, and new therapeutic candidates.
Belinda W. Cheung, Ph.D., R.Ph.
Senior Research Associate and Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Requested that name be listed, but not research interests as she is not ready to accept students for thesis at this time.
William F. Elmquist, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutics
Dr. Elmquist’s laboratory investigates the physiological and biochemical determinants of drug disposition using in vitro cell culture models and in the whole animal. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of membrane associated drug transporters in the distribution of drugs to target tissues, such as the central nervous system. Novel methods, such as intracerebral microdialysis and transgenic animals, are employed to examine the influence these drug transporters have on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of new drug compounds. Long term objectives of Dr. Elmquist's research include examining expression and regulation of transport systems in key tissues that influence drug disposition, and how variability in expression, either genetically or environmentally controlled, may contribute to variability in drug response in the patient.
Carolyn A. Fairbanks, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Development of novel compounds with a pharmacokinetic/dynamic profile ideal for spinal delivery for pain relief. Study of basic spinal neural mechanisms (glutamate-induction and agmatine-control of plasticity) governing induction chronic pain as well as opioid-induced tolerance and addiction.
Jayanth Panyam, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Polymeric nanodevices for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to cancer cells and microbial infections.
Ronald J. Sawchuk, Ph.D., FAAPS, FAAAS
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Basic and applied pharmacokinetics. Studies that assess the kinetics of drug transport across biological membranes. Investigation of the delivery of drugs to the central nervous system in conscious freely moving animals utilizing microdialysis. Investigation of distribution of antibiotics to middle ear fluid in models of otitis media.
Henning Schroeder, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Cardiovascular pharmacology, regulation of antioxidant genes.
Ronald A. Siegel, Sc.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Polymeric and micromachined drug and hormone delivery systems; hydrogels; mathematical modeling.
Changquan (Calvin) Sun, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Pharmaceutical materials science including crystal engineering (solid-state chemistry), particle design (formulation), and powder technology pertaining to manufacturing of solid pharmaceutical dosage forms.
Raj G. Suryanarayanan, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
William M. and Mildred E. Peters Endowed Chair in Pharmaceutics
Study of the solid-state properties of drugs. Development of novel, non-destructive methods of analysis of pharmaceutical raw materials and dosage forms. Development and evaluation of drug delivery systems.
Timothy S. Wiedmann, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Respiratory drug delivery.
Cheryl L. Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics
Director of Graduate Studies, Pharmaceutics
Preclinical pharmacokinetic studies. Special emphasis is placed on intestinal first-pass metabolism and pulmonary metabolism of tobacco carcinogens.
Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Heath Systems
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Pharmacy Informatics. Clinical decision support for medication utilization and peri-operative medicine. Drug safety and surveillance focused on adverse drug events and clinical evaluation of drug-drug interactions.
S. Bruce Benson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Associate Director, Professional Relations
The pharmacist’s role in death and loss; knowledge, attitude and behavior change in drug abuse education; counseling issues; chronic pain management.
Barbara F. Brandt, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Assistant Vice President for Education, Academic Health Center
Higher education administration. Applied qualitative research methodologies (focus groups, case studies, action research methods). Dr. Brandt will have a number of projects working with her or staff in the Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences and Academic Health Center Office of Education on a number of educational projects. Students who work with Dr. Brandt have an opportunity to have impact on education in the Academic Health Center and University, particularly improving education and teaching and learning, and interprofessional education. She welcomes mentoring students in these projects.
Angeline M. Carlson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Rodney A. Carter, Pharm.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Associate Dean and Director, Division of Professional and External Relations
Teaches PHAR 6112 in the first year, which focuses on patient considerations in pharmaceutical care. Active in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Administrator for the Experiential Education programs. Research interests include: Models of experiential education including use of technology in such models; innovative pharmacy practice models, especially relative to pharmacist training/education for these practices; and assessment of various pedagogies in pharmaceutical education.
Robert J. Cipolle, Pharm.D., FCCP, FASHP
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Director, Peters Institute for Pharmaceutical Care
Pharmaceutical care practice and outcomes research models.
Richard R. Cline, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Professional Program Courses Taught: PHAR 6131: Pharmacy and the U.S. Health Care System. Research Interests: Application of economic and behavioral decision models to two substantive areas within the medication use system: 1) women’s access to and compliance with anti-osteoporosis therapies and 2) older adults’ choices and experiences within the Medicare Part D drug insurance program.
Ronald S. Hadsall, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Study and evaluation of the economic and policy issues surrounding the delivery of pharmaceutical services to the patient. Study of the structures and outcomes of the pharmaceutical care system.
Karen L. Heim-Duthoy, Pharm.D., FCCP
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Evaluation of therapeutic agents in renal transplant recipients. (Located off campus at Hennepin County Medical Center.)
Brian J. Isetts, Ph.D., BCPS, FAPhA
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Responsibility for developing and studying pharmaceutical care practices. Course Director for the Practice of Pharmaceutical Care I and the Pharmaceutical Care Experiential Clinic. Focus includes working with the American Medical Association to establish pharmacists’ billing codes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to secure payment for medication therapy management services (MTMS), and various public and private companies to evaluate the outcomes of incorporating MTMS in health benefit design.
Kristin K. Janke, Ph.D.
Interim Associate Dean for Assessment and Curricular Development
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Interested in educational research. Areas include: 1) curricular design and innovation, 2) assessment of student learning and curricular effectiveness, 3) optimal use of distance and Internet technologies for learning, 4) assessing the outcomes of educational initiatives (e.g., change of practice).
Todd A. Johnson, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Pharmacotherapy in the elderly; long-term-care pharmacy practice; clinical pharmacy services in non-metropolitan areas. Interprofessional assessments to prevent falls in the elderly. (Located off campus in Fergus Falls.)
Christene M. Jolowsky, M.S., FASHP
Interim Executive Director, Experiential Education
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Process and performance improvement, medication use evaluation, patient safety.
Nichole M. Kulinski, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Tom A. Larson, Pharm.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs – Research, Policy, and Operations
Rural Health Care pharmacy workforce, Rural Health Systems, Practice development, reimbursement for pharmacist-provided care, dermatology, and geriatrics.
Jody L. Lounsbery, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Interprofessional/interdisciplinary education. Strategies for family medicine resident physicians to utilize pharmaceutical care services. Barriers to implementing MTM services. Student pharmacists’ perceptions of abilities and attitudes to provide MTM services.
Jean Y. Moon, Pharm.D., AE-C, TTS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Interests: Asthma, smoking cessation, immunizations, diabetes, cultural health disparities, depression, and latent TB.
Serguei V. Pakhomov, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Biomedical informatics, natural language processing of elecronic medical records and biomedical literature, automatic detection of adverse drug effects, cognitive effects of medications and neurodegenerative disorders as manifest in spontaneous speech and language.
Chrystian R. Pereira, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems and Assistant Clinical Specialist, Professional Education (Smiley’s Clinic)
Ann M. Philbrick, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Pulmonary diseases (asthma, COPD, and smoking cessation), geriatrics, hypertension, diabetes, and medication therapy management.
Amy L. Pittenger, Pharm.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Associate Director, Office of Educational Development
Associate Director, Office of CyberLearning and Outreach
Doctoral Candidate, College of Education and Human Development, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Learning Technologies
Research interests include educational research, specifically evaluating the use of language via digital and collaborative virtual spaces as a teaching and assessment tool and interprofessional education.
Shannon L. Reidt, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Raquel Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Associate Faculty, SAPh Graduate Program
Associate Faculty, Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH), Academic Health Center
Director, Experiential Education
Cultural competence and impact in performance. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Patient behavior and compliance, ethnic factors. Communication problems: patient/physician and patient/pharmacist. Experiential education impact on students’ perception of pharmacy practice.
Jon C. Schommer, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Director of Graduate Studies, Social, Administrative, & Clinical Pharmacy – Social & Administrative Pharmacy track
(1) Organization, pharmacist, and patient effects on the provision of pharmacist services. (2) Patients’ evaluation of pharmacist services. (3) Patients’ processing of medication information and resultant decision-making. (4) Outcomes from the use of specific drug products and pharmacist services. (5) Use of drug products and pharmacist services in elderly populations. Research findings contribute to: (1) The development, delivery, and promotion of pharmacist services. (2) An understanding of patients’ knowledge, use, and evaluation of pharmacist services. (3) A patient-centered perspective of appropriate drug use. (4) Decision making about the feasibility of drug therapies and pharmacist services for improving patient care outcomes and containing health care costs.
Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, B.S. Pharmacy, M.A. Pub. Adm., Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Century Mortar Club Endowed Chair in Pharmaceutical Management and Economics
Director, PRIME Institute
Health care economics and public policy as they relate to understanding the interface among patients, pharmacists, pharmaceuticals, manufacturers, various health care providers, insurers, financers, and regulators of health care. Research includes: tracking of pharmaceutical economic trend indicators, competition in the pharmaceutical marketplace, affordability of medicines, financing and design of health care benefits including drug therapy benefits, drug coverage under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and evaluations of clinical and economic outcomes from use of pharmaceutical products and services including medication therapy management.
Anne M. Schullo-Feulner, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems and Assistant Clinical Specialist, Professional Education (Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Pharmacy Department)
Doneka R. Scott, Pharm.D., M.A.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Director of Student Development, Professional Education Division
Diversity and cultural issues in pharmacy; cultural competency; health disparities; student success, student access, equity, and retention in higher education; career and professional development.
Todd D. Sorensen, Pharm.D.
Associate Professor and Associate Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Director, Ambulatory Care Residency Program
Co- Director, Leadership Emphasis Program
Scholarly Interests: Leadership development. Delivery of pharmacy services to underserved communities. Pharmaceutical Care practice development. Rural pharmacy practice models and policy issues.
Wendy L. St. Peter, Pharm.D.,BCPS, FASN, FCCP
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems
Dr. St. Peter’s research revolves around the evaluation of medication utilization and medication adherence on medical and economic outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients. (Dr. St. Peter is currently involved in pharmacoepidemiologic research involving Medicare and other large patient databases with the Chronic Disease Research Group and the United States Renal Data System Coordinating Center at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.)
Charles T. Taylor, Pharm.D., BCPS
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Senior Associate Dean for Professional Education
Interested in educational research and community engagement to improve learning environments and health care. Areas include: 1) student and faculty enrichment, 2) curricular design, 3) assessment and evaluation of performance, and 4) health disparities.
Leigh Turner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Center for Bioethics
My programme of research addresses ethical issues related to the emergence of a global marketplace in health services. My current work explores such topics as medical consumerism and international trade in health services; health equity and global migration of pharmacists and other health care providers; cross-border shopping for medications; patient safety and global distribution of counterfeit medications; globalization of clinical trials and safety of human research subjects; and efforts to create biotechnology-driven “bioeconomies” in Singapore, China, and other nations. My research draws upon and contributes to scholarship in bioethics, the sociology of health and illness, and medical anthropology.
Donald L. Uden, Pharm.D., FCCP
Distinguished University Teaching Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Rural health care initiatives. Interprofessional care models. Interprofessional education.
Sarah M. Westberg, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems
Implementing and maintaining pharmaceutical care/MTM practices. Impact of pharmaceutical care/MTM on patient outcomes. Women’s Health. Interprofessional education.
Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Grant W. Anderson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Teaching: Phar 6141, Medical Microbiology and Immunology; Phar 6151, Biochemistry I; Phar 6155, Medicinal Agents II; Phar 6159, Immunology and Biotechnology. Research: My laboratory is engaged in several lines of related study including: transport of drugs across the blood-brain barrier, relationships between drug transporters and drug metabolism, remodeling the blood-brain barrier using genetically engineered stem/progenitor cells, transport of perfluorinated toxicants, and the role of copper and iron deficiency on thyroid hormone action in the developing brain.
Karen M.S. Bastianelli, Pharm.D., R.Ph.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Implementation and competency of pharmaceutical care services leading to improved patient understanding and management of disease states resulting in positive health outcomes.
Bjoern Bauer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research: ● Molecular regulation of drug transporters at the blood-brain barrier. ● Drug metabolism at the blood-brain barrier. ● Blood-brain barrier function in health and disease (e.g. epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, brain cancer). Teaching: ● Physiology.
Haim Einat, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
My lab is engaged in the study of affective disorders, bipolar and major depression, using animal models to translate novel molecular findings to the behavioral arena. Our studies have two goals: to increase our knowledge of the underlying pathology of the disorders; and to develop more efficient drugs to treat the disorders. The lab explores the consequences of specific pharmacological and genetic manipulations on behavior (bottom-up approach); and the underlying biological changes of affective-like behavior (top-down approach). We use a variety of novel pharmaceutical agents and a variety of animal models and tests for affective-like changes, including exploratory behavior, psychostimulant-induced behavior, risk-taking/novelty/approach-withdrawal, social interaction, despair-like behavior, hedonistic properties, anxiety-like behavior, and more.
Angela K. George, M.A., Pharm.D., B.C.P.S.
Instructor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Program Director, Pharmaceutical Care Learning Center
My teaching responsibilities are in the pharm care skills and pharmaceutical calculations courses. I am interested in acute patient care, general pharmacy practice, medical writing, reflection, learning, and parenteral therapy. I serve as a pharmacist in both hospital and community pharmacy practices.
Venkatram R. Mereddy, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Organic syntheses. Development of new anticancer agents. Targeted drug delivery.
Keri H. Naglosky, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Director, University of Minnesota Duluth Medication Therapy Management Clinic
Research Interests: ● The development of financially sustainable Pharmaceutical Care (Medication Therapy Management) Practices. ● The impact of pharmacist MTM services on clinical outcomes and health care costs/savings. ● Preparing students for direct patient care. ● Preparing students for the development and implementation of Pharmaceutical Care/MTM Practices. ● The role and contributions of pharmacists to the interprofessional health care team.
Paul L. Ranelli, B.S. Pharm., Ph.D., FAFPE, FAPhA
Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Medication-use behavior among specific patient groups, including caregiver/care-recipient, children, and people with disabilities; physician-pharmacist relationship; patient/provider communication behavior.
Jon N. Rumbley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research Interests: I. Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of folding mutants in horse heart cytochrome c. II. Modeling the endo- and xeno-biotic (drug and pollutant) substrates transported by organic anion transporting polypeptides (Oatps) across the blood brain barrier. III. Homology modeling and mutational analysis of several members of the Oatp superfamily of transporters IV. Probing the molecular surface determinants of sweet taste between the sweet tasting protein brazzein and its receptor. V. Modeling anticancer agent-proteasome interactions.
Gregory E. Rutkowski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UMD Department of Chemical Engineering with teaching responsibilities in the Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Regional delivery of lipophilic cytotoxic agents. Hyaluronic acid/chitosan based biomaterials for drug delivery, engineered tissue, and three dimensional cell culture systems. Modelling of polyeletrolytic complexes. High density cell culture for biopharmaceutical synthesis. Chemotactic influences on melanoma motility.
Mark E. Schneiderhan, Pharm.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Randall D. Seifert, Pharm.D.
Professor and Head, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Senior Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy-Duluth
Pharmacoeconomics in general; marketing MTM services; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Erin D. Sheets, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research in the Sheets Group focuses on understanding quantitatively how critical molecular events in a variety of essential membrane-involved processes control biological function. Specifically, we study immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor signaling, which initiates the allergic response in mast cells. We are developing new quantitative tools, particularly those exploiting fluorescence, to probe spatial and temporal dynamics of the molecular interactions involved in immunoreceptor signaling. Our multidisciplinary laboratory uses state-of-the-art fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, optical trapping and nanotechnology to manipulate and interrogate single molecules in living cells and biomimetic systems. Questions we are investigating range from the physical chemistry of functional interfacial lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions to the initiation of signal transduction and exocytosis.
Debra C. Sisson, B.S., M.S., Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Rural pharmacy practice. Interprofessional Education.
Timothy P. Stratton, Ph.D., BCPS, FAPhA
Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Issues involving rural pharmacy practice, including workforce issues, economics issues, pharmacist roles, and use of technology to enhance pharmaceutical care in remote communities.
Michael T. Swanoski, Pharm.D., CGP, FASCP
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Teaching Responsibilities: Geriatrics. Research Interests: ● Pharmacis’s role in improving geriatric patient drug therapy; ● Developing and maintaining a viable Medication THerapy Management pharmacy practice; ● Expanding patient care services in a community pharmacy. Pharmaceutical Care Practice: Ambulatory Care Clinical Specialist at St. Mary’s Duluth Clinic (SMDC). Professional Memberships: ACCP, ASCP, MPhA.
Andrew P. Traynor, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Assistant Residency Director, Ambulatory Care Residency Program
Education: Residency, Pharmaceutical Care Leadership, University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, 2006; Pharm.D., University of Minnesota, College of Pharmacy, 2004. Research Interests: Leadership education and leadership development of students and practicing pharmacists; Rural pharmacy practice; and Pharmaceutical Care practice development, evaluation, and education. Selected Teaching Experience: Phar 6175: Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory V, Course Director; Phar 6121: Pharmacotherapy I, Instructor, Phar6208: Community Based Immunization Delivery, Co-Course Director; Phar 6237 and 6238: Leading Change in Pharmacy, Course Director; and Leadership Emphasis Area, Co-Director.
Laura M. Traynor, Pharm.D., BCPS
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Developing pharmacist practices in primary care clinics. Reimbursement for medication therapy management services (MTM). Anticoagulation management. (Joint position with Gateway Family Health Clinic, Moose Lake and Sandstone.)
Megan R. Undeberg, Pharm.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences and Duluth Family Practice Center
Education: Washington State University, B.S. Biology (1996); B.A. Foreign Languages and Literatures-Spanish (1998); Pharm.D. (2001). Current Practice: ● Developing and implementing on-site MTM services for Minnesota Medicaid clinic patients and other appropriately identified patients at the family practice clinic. ● Teaching and learning implementation of pharmacy-related information to 1st through 3rd year family practice residents. ● Joint research with family practice practitioners to implement and track chronic disease state standards of care with appropriate patients. Research Interests: ● Impact and outcome of pharmacist-mediated care in a family practice clinic. ● Role of pharmaceutical care in the prevention, detection, and treatment of diabetes mellitus, cancer, and heart disease. ● Development of pharmacy resources that may be utilized by family practice physicians in rural health care clinics/settings.
Marcia M. Worley, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice & Pharmaceutical Sciences
I investigate various aspects of pharmacist-patient relationships and patient medication use behaviors. Findings from these areas of research can contribute to understanding: (1) how pharmacist-patient relationships are formed and maintained, (2) the effect of health care system dynamics on pharmacist-patient relationships (e.g. managed care, pharmacy benefit plans), (3) the impact of the pharmacist-patient relationship on patient outcomes and health care costs, (4) how patient’s health behaviors can be better understood and predicted, and (5) how patient health behaviors are influenced by the pharmacist-patient relationship. I am interested in investigating these issues in vulnerable and/or underserved patient groups such as older adults, patients in rural areas, and culturally diverse patient groups, as well as patients with certain disease states (e.g., diabetes, osteoporosis).