Partners Land Tech Transfer PrizePage 28

PharmacymattersUniversity of Mississippi school of pharMacy

Taylor Works on International ConferencePage 18

Student Selected for National LeadershipPage 13

Introducing Our New DepartmentPage 25

SPrINg2014

packing

loveStory Page 4

Throughout this edition of Pharmacy Matters, you will see various stories that feature a leadership theme. That’s because leadership is a core value of our School of Pharmacy’s faculty, staff, students and alumni. It is our pleasure to honor a few of these outstanding individuals in our magazine.

Our cover highlights one of our student leaders, Mary-Haston Leary. This year, Mary-Haston was given the university’s highest service award for her work with Lovepacks and other organizations (see page 4). She is an outstanding student who always thinks of others before herself and strives to give back through every aspect of her life.

Faculty and staff are exemplifying leadership in a number of ways. They are winning awards, organizing international conferences and conducting cutting-edge research. It makes me proud to have such accomplished colleagues, and it gives me great plea-sure to give you a glimpse of their many accomplishments in the following pages.

Many of our alumni are leaders as well. We were very pleased to honor Dr. Syed Abidi as our Distinguished Alumnus of the Year (see page 27). Dr. Abidi is president and CEO of Pharmaceutics International Inc., one of the highest quality pharmaceu-tical development companies in the world. We honored Dr. Abidi in April at our an-nual Pharmacy Alumni Weekend, a wonderful event that reunites former classmates.

Be sure to mark your calendars for our next alumni weekend, which will be held April 17-18, 2015. Next year, we are expanding the celebration by adding reunions for six additional graduating classes, bringing the total to 13. I am excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to see even more of our alumni members at this event!

Thank you for reading Pharmacy Matters and keeping up with the School of Phar-macy. Don’t forget that we want to hear from you, too! Feel free to email our wonder-ful editor, Erin Garrett, at enparson@olemiss.edu with any comments or questions.

Hotty Toddy!

David D. Allen, R.Ph., Ph.D., Dean

DeaN'S meSSage

July 18, 2014 | 5-6 p.m. | Natchez Alumni and Friends Reception MississippiSocietyofHealth-SystemPharmacistsAnnualMeeting

Oct. 4, 2014 Ole Miss vs. Alabama Tailgate Sponsored by Walgreens

Oct. 18, 2014 Ole Miss vs. Tennessee Tailgate Sponsored by Cardinal Health

Dec. 8, 2014 | Anaheim, California Alumni and Friends Reception AmericanSocietyofHealth-SystemPharmacistsMidyearClinicalMeeting

For more information on alumni events, contact Scott Thompson at 662-915-1878 or thompson@olemiss.edu.

Attention all alumni: Save these dates!

PhArmAcy Alumni WeekendAPril 17-18, 2015 • OxfordCelebrating reunions for the classes of 2010, 2005, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980, 1975, 1970, 1965, 1960, 1955 and 1950.

Pharmacymatters

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contents Dr.DavidD.AllenDean and Executive Director of the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dr.AliciaBouldinAssociate Dean of Outcomes Assessment and Learning Advancement

Dr.DavidF.GregoryAssociate Dean for Academic Affairs

Dr.CharlesD.HuffordAssociate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs

Dr.LeighAnnRossAssociate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Chair of Pharmacy Practice

Ms.ChelseaBennettAssistant Dean for Student Services – Oxford

Ms.BeverlyM.ButtsAssistant Dean of Administration

Dr.KatieMcClendonAssistant Dean for Student Services – Jackson

Dr.StephenJ.CutlerChair of BioMolecular Sciences

Dr.MichaelA.RepkaChair of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery

Dr.DonnaS.West-StrumChair of Pharmacy Administration

INSTITUTES&CENTERS

Dr.BenjaminF.BanahanIIIDirector of Center for Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management

Dr.MichaelA.RepkaDirector of Pii Center for Pharmaceutical Technology

Dr.LarryA.WalkerDirector of National Center for Natural Products Research

Stay in touch with the School of Pharmacy! Update your contact information using this QR code:

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Mary-Haston Leary, student winner of the 2014 Algernon Sydney Sullivan AwardPhoto by Nathan Latil

oN the coVer

AGrandGesture

DoubleHonors

27 TopofHisGame Schoolhonors

distinguishedalumnus

4 ASelflessSpirit Pharmacystudentreceives

UM’shighestserviceaward BY ERIN GARRETT

8 RaisingtheBar Chiefresearchofficer

championsexcellence,competitiveness

BY BARBARA LAGO

16 OneStepAhead Lawpaveswayforepilepsy

treatmentfromcannabis BY ERIN GARRETT

22ALastingLegacy Ewingscholarship

benefitsstudents,honorsbelovedclassmate

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Onecouldusetheword“stunned”whendescribinghowMary-HastonLeary,asecond-yearprofessionalpharmacystudentfromOxford, feltupon learning that shehadwon theUniversityofMississippi’shighestserviceaward.

“IwassoshockedandhumbledwhenIfoundout,”Learysaid.“Iamblessedto live inOxfordandtobeapartofauniversitywheretherearesomanypeoplethatcareaboutothers.Thisawarddeservestobesplit100-foldwith

By Erin Garrett

Mary-HastonLearydemonstrateswhatitmeanstohave

A Selfless Spirit

Pharmacymatters

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allofthosewhodedicatetheirtimeandenergytoimproveourcommunity.”

Leary was honored as the university’s first student re-cipientoftheAlgernonSydneySullivanAwardat itsCel-ebrationofServiceceremony inApril.Theawardhonorsindividualswhoexhibitnobilityofcharacter,exemplifiedbyselflessservicetoothersandthecommunity.

TheMcLeanInstituteforPublicServiceandCommunityEngagementpresentedtheawardinpartnershipwiththeOfficeofVolunteerServices.

“The McLean Institute is honored to recognize thosewhopracticeexemplaryservicetootherswiththeAlger-non Sydney Sullivan Award,” said Albert Nylander, direc-torof the institute. “This is theuniversity’shighesthonorforcommunityservice,andtheawardseekstorecognizethosewhoserveotherswithnoexpectationofrecognition.ThefactthatMary-Hastonwassosurprisedtoreceivethisawardconfirmsthatsheisadeservingrecipient.”

Establishedin1980,theawardispresentedtoindividu-als inmore than60collegesanduniversitiesnationwide.Its criteria emphasize “placing service to others and thecommunitybeforeoneself,whileembodyingthequalitiesofhonesty,morality,ethics, integrity,responsibility,deter-mination,courageandcompassion.”

ServiceisingrainedinallaspectsofLeary’slife.Sheisin-volvedinserviceprojectswithherchurchandthepharma-cyschool,andduringherpersonaltime.OneofthemostnotableisLovepacks.

Co-founded by Leary’s mother in 2010, Lovepacks is anonprofitthatprovidesfoodtoschoolchildren inneed intheOxfordcommunity.

“When my mom told me the story of how a child wassneakinghalf-emptymilkcontainersinhisbackpacktotakehome,IknewIhadtobeinvolved,”Learysaid.“Ibecamesecretaryof theirnewly foundedorganizationandwouldtypeminutesastheybrainstormedwaystohelp.Thedeci-siontojointhefoundingteamofLovepackstriggeredmydesiretogivebacktoourcommunity.”

Today,theorganizationhasprovidedmorethan10,000packs of food to school-aged children in Oxfordand Lafayette County. Leary often involvesherpeersattheuniversityintheeffort.

“Working as an officer with the Na-tionalSocietyofCollegiateScholars,wewereabletowinagrantforLovepackswhileinvolvingmembersinregularprojectsand food dona-tions,”shesaid.

A Selfless Spirit Leary and classmates delivered mini first-

aid kits to school-aged children.

Supported by many volunteers, Lovepacks provides food to children in need in the Oxford community.

Continued on page 6

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“Recently, I worked with pharmacy studentsEmilyDraperandGabeHinojosatohavetheAmerican Society of Health-System Pharma-cistsandtheAcademyofManagedCarePhar-macyjoinforcestomakeminifirst-aidkitstosendhomewiththechildren.”

LearyalsoisanactivememberofSt.John’sCatholicCampusMinistry,whichhasprovidedherwithopportunitiestovolunteerwithMoreThanaMeal,GracelandCareCenterandtheMississippiStateVeteransHomeofOxford.

Sincereachinglegalage,Learyhasbeendo-natingbloodregularly.Thisyearshewasrec-ognizedasan“OfftheFieldHero”atoneoftheOleMissfootballgamesforbeingoneofthecampus’topblooddonors.

“Mygrandfatherpassedawayfrommultiplemyeloma,abloodcancer,andIrealizehowimportantitisforhospitalstohaveaccesstoblood,”shesaid.

Service was even an important factor in Leary’s careerchoice.Sheknewthatherlife’sworkhadtomakeadiffer-enceinthelivesofothers.

“Irealizedthepotentialforpositiveimpactthroughwork-ing in health care in Mississippi, where the prevalence ofchronicdiseasesandhighinfantmortalityrateleavemuchroomforimprovement,”shesaid.

Asapharmacystudent,Learyhasalreadyenjoyedput-tingherprofessiontoworkbyvolunteeringwithclassmatesattheDeSotoHealthandWellnessClinicandassistingwiththe flu immunization drive on the Oxford campus. Whenshebecomesapharmacist,LearyhopestogoonmedicalmissiontripsandprovidedrugeducationinMississippi.

Leary’sservicealreadyreachesfarbeyondOxford.Lastsummer, she had a “life-changing” experience in Pokhara,Nepal,whereshelivedandworkedasavolunteerpharma-cyinterninMayandJune.Duringthattime,sheworkedinanimpoverishedhospitalandservedcriticallyillpatients.

“AfterexperiencingandlivinginaThirdWorldcountry,ItrulyappreciateeverythingwehaveintheU.S.andrealizehowfortunateweare,”shesaid.“Thisexperiencemadeser-vicecometolife;Icouldseefirsthandthepositiveimpactofgivingback.”

John Bentley, professor of pharmacy administration,nominatedLearyfortheaward.

“Mary-Haston is a scholar, a leader, a selfless servant,compassionate, and a person of high integrity and moralstandards,” Bentley said. “The profession of pharmacyneedspeoplelikeherwhoarewillingtoplacetheinterestsoftheirpatients,thepeoplewepharmacistsserve,abovetheirown.Indeed,itistheonlywaytheprofessionwillsur-viveandflourish.Aspharmacyprofessionals,wearefortu-natetocallMary-Hastononeofourown.”

DavidD.Allen,deanofthepharmacyschool,applaudedLeary’scommitmenttoservingothers.

“Mary-Haston’sservicetrulycomesfromtheheart—sheneverseeksrecognitionforherefforts,”Allensaid.“IhavegreatlyenjoyedgettingtoknowherandamproudthatsheisapartoftheSchoolofPharmacyfamily.”

Leary, who will complete a competitive internship atJohnsHopkinsUniversitythissummer,haslearnedagreatdealabouttheimpactofserviceovertheyears.

“DuringmytimeinNepal,IrealizedthatinservingothersIamtheonewhobenefitsmost,”shesaid.“I learnedandgainedmorefromthepatientsthere,withtheirpositiveat-titudesandextraordinarygratitude, thananything I couldhaveprovidedtotheminreturn.Thatiswhatservicemeanstome.It isnotaone-waystreet,wherewesimplydonateourtimeandservices.Rather,ifweallowittobeso,itisamutualisticprocess.Whether itbestrangersontheothersideoftheworld,membersofourowncommunityorournext-doorneighbors,everyonestandstogainwhenwehelponeanother.”

Pharmacymatters

Mary-Haston Leary (second from left) stands with Stephan McDavid, president of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation, Chancellor Dan Jones and Albert Nylander after receiving the award.

“Mary-Haston is a scholar, a leader, a selfless servant, compassionate, and a person of high integrity and moral standards.

—John Bentley”Pharmacymatters

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Two Doctor of Pharmacygraduates, Geremy Carpenter ofJackson and Michael “Andy” Ken-nedyofQuitman,wereinductedintotheSchoolofPharmacyHallofFameduring spring commencement cer-emonies.Bothwereselectedbytheirclassmatesfortheirscholasticandpro-fessionalcontributionstotheschool.

Carpenterwaspresidentoftheuni-versity’sgraduatingPharm.D.classforthepastthreeyears.

“Geremyisoneofthemostselflesspeople I have ever met,” said KaraSchaller,aclassmate fromRidgeland.“He has worked tirelessly as class

presidenttomakesurethatourclassneedsweremet.Hewilldoanythingforanyoneandconsistentlysacrificeshimselfforthewell-beingofothers.”

Kennedy is the recipient of sev-eralawardsforoutstandingacademicachievement.

“Andyhasprovenhimselftobeoneofthemostintelligentmembersofourclass,” Carpenter said. “He is alwayssincereandwilling toexplain lecturematerialtouswithoutexpectingany-thinginreturn.OurclasshassomuchrespectforAndythatduringacademi-callychallengingtimes,weconfidedinhimtofindasenseofrelief.”

Aftergraduation,Carpenterbegana residency at Lenox Hill Hospital inNewYorkCity,andKennedywenttowork as an information technologypharmacistatSouthCentralRegionalMedicalCenterinLaurel.

Class Champions

Two students inducted into hall of Fame

common causeStephen Lirette was selected to attend the 2014 National Association of Chain Drug Stores RxImpact program in Washington, D.C. Lirette, a fourth-year professional pharmacy student at the University of Mississippi, was one of 300 advocates from around the country to meet with lawmakers and other pharmacy professionals to discuss issues and legislation important to advancing the profession. Here, Lirette visits with U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s legislative assistant, Constance Payne (PharmD 10).

More than 60 University of Mississippi pharmacy students participated in “Pharmacist Day at the Capitol” in Jackson to help raise awareness of their chosen profession. The Jan. 30 event enabled them to meet with Mississippi legislators, provide health screenings and flu shots to legislators and tourists, and see the Capitol building. They also were recognized in the House of Representatives, making the day even more special to the young pharmacy advocates. At left, Dylan Lindsay (PharmD 14) checks Mississippi Rep. Forrest Hamilton’s blood pressure.

Carpenter Kennedy

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Pharmacymatters

BeforebecomingtheUni-versityofMississippi’svicechancellorforresearchandsponsoredprograms,AliceClarkspent22yearsworkinginthe university’s School of Pharmacy,whereshehelpedestablishoneofthelongest continually funded antifungalresearch programs in the history oftheNationalInstitutesofHealth(Seestory,page30).Shealsoachievedsev-eralprofessorial,researchandadmin-istrativemilestones,becomingoneofUM’seliteFrederickA.P.BarnardDis-tinguishedProfessorsanddirectoroftheNationalCenterforNaturalProd-uctsResearch.

AfterbecomingUM’schiefresearchofficer, Clark began using what shelearnedwhileworkinginthepharma-cyschooltobenefittheentireuniver-sityandiscreditedwithexpandingitsresearch infrastructure and competi-tiveness, and reputation as a playerin addressing issues confronting ourstate,nationandworld.

“Wearefortunatetohaveapersonof her ability, commitment, characterandnationalstatureinscienceleadingresearchatouruniversity,”ChancellorDanJonessaid.

One key to Clark’s success is hercommitment to what she envisionedherjobtobewhenfirstbecomingtheuniversity’sCROin2001:serveasthechiefadvocateforallresearchersoncampus, no matter what their disci-pline, rank or status. That steadfast-nesshasresultedinafaculty-focusedOffice of Research and SponsoredPrograms (ORSP), a campuswidetechnology transfer program, a 10-acreresearchparkwithanInnovationHub and a far greater awareness ofUM’sresearchenterpriseintheState-house,onCapitolHillandelsewhere.

Championing UM’s diverse pool ofresearchersharkensbacktotheearlydays of Clark’s career, when UM’sGraduate School dean and associatevicechancellor for research, the late

JosephSam,supportedhereffortstoobtaincompetitivefundingforherre-search,despitethenotionthatinves-tigators fromsmallerschoolssuchasOleMisscouldn’tcompetewiththosefromthenation’slargeruniversities.

“HebelievedinmeandwhatIcoulddo,” Clark said. “Back then, I was anovice,andIhadthenaivetétoapplyforacontractfromtheNationalInsti-tutesofHealthtoscreencompoundsforactivityagainstopportunisticinfec-tions common among AIDS patients.JoeSamputresourcesbehindmeandthrewinsomeneededcostshares.”

So Clark, then an assistant profes-sor of pharmacognosy, and CharlesHufford, professor of pharmacog-nosy and co-principal investigator,submitted an application in 1984that received nearly $500,000 fromNIH’s National Institute of Allergyand Infectious Diseases. Because ofprogress made with that first NIAIDaward, Clark and Hufford received a

Raising the BarBy Barbara Lago

Chief research officer champions excellence, competitiveness

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$1millioncontractrenewalin1987anda$372,000grantfromNIAIDin1989.WithClarkasitsprincipalinvestigator,thatcompetitivegrant(RO1-AI-27094)has been renewed four times, push-ingtotalfundingfortheantifungalre-searchprogramto$7.4million.

AsCRO,Clarksaid,“Iwanttohelpother researchers, so they can enjoythesamekindofexperience.”

HerfirststeptowardthatgoalwasstaffingandorganizingORSP intodi-visionsresponsibleforsuchelementsas sponsored programs administra-tion, integrity and compliance, tech-nology management, and research

and economic development. In addi-tiontoroutinelyalertingfaculty,staffandstudentstointernalandexternalfunding opportunities, Clark and herstaff help investigators develop, pol-ish and submit their proposals; man-age fiscal and other aspects of theirawards; and ensure that all their ac-tivitiesareconductedresponsiblyandwiththeutmostintegrity.

Theyalsohelpinvestigatorsprotectand transfer intellectual propertytheydeveloptotheprivatesectorbyhelpingthemlicensesuchinnovationsto companies or start businessesbasedonthem.Andtheyhavedone

so with aplomb (See related story,page28).

“From the moment she steppedinto the ORSP, Dr. Clark has com-mitted herself to expanding the cul-tureofscholarshipofallkindsattheuniversity and stimulating the state’seconomy,” said former pharmacyschool dean Barbara G. Wells, whoworkedwithClark to secure fundingfor several of the school’s major re-searchandconstructionprojects.

BesidessettinguptheORSPto“de-liverwhatthefacultyneeds,”Clarkhas

“From the moment she stepped into the ORSP, Dr. Clark has committed herself to expanding the culture of scholarship of all kinds at the university and stimulating the state’s economy.

—Barbara G. Wells ”

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Alice Clark prepares for a laboratory experiment (circa 1995).

“[Dr. Clark] has developed strong relationships with leaders throughout the state and region, and those relationships have very much benefited the university.”

—Larry Walker

beenworkingwiththeMississippiLegis-latureandInstitutionsofHigherLearn-ing“toaccomplishgoodthings”forthestate, said ORSP technology manage-mentdirectorWalterG.Chambliss.

“She led the state’s four researchuniversities in their involvement inBlueprint Mississippi (an extensiveone-year research project focusingon how public and private sectorscanstrengthenandexpandthestate’seconomyandcompetitiveness)and,aschairoftheMississippiResearchCon-sortiumin2010,ledtheirresponsetotheDeepwaterHorizonoilspill.”

After the Deepwater Horizon ex-plosion spewed millions of gallonsof crude into the Gulf of Mexico, amulti-institutional National InstituteofUnderseaScienceandTechnologyteamwasthefirstacademicgrouptoconductsamplingmissionsinthearea,which helped scientists and govern-ment officials understand the spill’sextent and severity. That helped ce-ment NIUST’s leadership in this typeofresearchandresultedayearlaterina$20millionawardtoaUM-ledcon-sortiumforstudyingthespill’s linger-ingeffects.

“This project demonstrates theUniversity of Mississippi’s leadershiproleinaddressingchallengesaffectingour state and nation and in bringingtogether the best possible minds toaddressthosechallenges,”Clarksaid.

Insight Park, UM’s new researchpark,and its62,000-square-foot Inno-vationHubweredesigned,constructedand programmed to ensure that thecreative products of such researchersserveasaneconomiccatalyst.

“The purpose of Insight Park is toensure that the outcomes of world-classresearchersareput intoaction,transformingwhatweknowandhowwedothings,”Clarksaid.“It’saplacewheretechnologyandresearch-basedcompanies can benefit from beingclosetotheuniversityandworkwithitsfaculty,staffandstudents.”

Such achievements may surpriseobservers elsewhere but not thosefamiliarwithClark’shistoryofgettingthejobdone.

EarlyinherOleMisscareer,sheandHufford found and patented severalcompounds that killed or inhibitedCandida albicans, the culprit behindanopportunisticinfectionthreatening

the lives of AIDS patients. They alsodeveloped a microbial model forpredicting the human metabolites ofprimaquine, an antimalarial drug thatproduces hemolytic anemia in somepeople and to which some parasiteshavebecomeimmune.Clarkalsobe-ganservingonscientificreviewpanelsthatevaluateNIHandothergrantap-plications to help the agencies fundthemostpromisingresearch.

Because of those and other ac-complishments, in 1993, the univer-sity named Clark one of its BarnardDistinguished Professors, an honoritbestowsonlyon internationally re-nowned faculty members. Two yearslater, the pharmacy school neededsomeonetoserveasinterimdirectorof its then-new National Center forNaturalProductsResearch.Clarkwasitschoice,asshewasayearlater,whenshebecamethecenter’sdirector.

As director, she helped securemorethan$8milliontobuildthecen-ter’s new home, the Thad CochranResearchCenter.Shealsohelpedne-gotiatethecenter’snearly$1.4millioncooperativeresearchagreementwiththe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s

The Innovation Hub at Insight Park, UM’s newest research facility

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Agricultural Research Service, whichmade the Cochran Center home tothe USDA-ARS Natural Products Uti-lizationResearchUnit.Inaddition,shehelpedsecureyetanother$1.8millionfromtheCentersforDiseaseControland Prevention to assess the druginteraction risks of botanical dietarysupplements.

In 2000, Clark testified at a con-gressional hearing examining the na-tionalandglobalproblemofbacterialresistancetoantibiotics.Ayearlater,shebeganservingonaNationalAcad-emy of Sciences’ task force commis-sionedbytheU.S.FoodandDrugAd-ministration to develop a frameworkfor evaluating the safety of dietarysupplements.

By 2001, the year Clark becamevicechancellorforresearchandspon-soredprograms,NCNPRhadbecomethe “go-to-place” for anyone aroundthe world seeking expertise or train-inginnaturalproductsresearchordi-etarysupplements.

As vice chancellor, she has height-ened awareness of UM’s researchenterprisewithinthestateduetoherwork with the Mississippi ResearchConsortium (i.e., CROs from thestate’s eight public universities) andthegovernor’soffice,saidNCNPRdi-rectorLarryWalker.

“She has developed strong rela-tionshipswithleadersthroughoutthestate and region, and those relation-ships have very much benefited theuniversity,”hesaid.

Becauseofherworkwithsuchenti-tiesastheNIH,USDA,FDAandCDC,as well as Mississippi’s congressionaldelegation,Clarkhasbeenjustassuc-cessful raising awareness at the na-tionallevel.

“Sheissowellthoughtofinallthosecircles,” Walker said. “That’s because

she is able to see the entireresearch landscapeandrelateourresearchtotheirmissions.Asaresult,ourworkwiththeseagencies was set on a solidfoundation.”

Nearly 13 years havepassed since Clark becameCROatOleMiss.While fewhere find it surprising that aresearchercouldsosmoothlyand successfully step intosuchahighlyresponsiblead-ministrative position, somepeopleareamazedthatClarkcontinues to work one-on-onewith facultymembers tostrengthen their proposals,counsel students about theiraspirations,maintainastrongresearchprogramofherownand find time for reviewinggrantapplicationsforNIH.

AmongthemisLainyDay,anassoci-ateprofessorofbiologywhosecuredsome $470,000 from the NationalScience Foundation to study the re-lationship between mating displaysandbrainevolutioninafamilyofbirdsfoundinGuyanaandPanama.

“Iwasamazedthatavicechancellorwouldtakethetimetolookmyappli-cationover,”Daysaid.“Shehelpedmereorganizetheproposalandeliminatetypos,andshegavemeaquick turn-aroundtime.”

OtherscreditClarkwithraisingtheglass ceiling for women in academiaandbiomedicalresearch.

“Sheisawonderfulrolemodelandmentor,” said Ameeta Agarwal, a se-niorscientist inNCNPRandcollabo-rator on Clark’s antifungal researchproject.“Whenfacedwithaproblem,mycolleaguesandIoftenask, ‘WhatwouldDr.Clarkdo?’She isa thinkerand handles the big picture. She

listens, strategizesandoffers sugges-tions,andshedoessowithoutbeingcondescending.”

Agarwal, who first began workingon Clark’s project as a postdoctoralresearch associate, said that manytimesduringtheir13-yearassociation,shehaswatchedClarkencourageandadvancewomen.

“She has sparked several women’sinterest in biomedical research,” shesaid. “She isabletoseepeople’spo-tential and provide the support theyneedtoadvancetheircareers.”

“Dr.Clarkisanexemplaryandcom-pletefacultymember,leaderandpub-lic servant,” Wells said. “Her impacton the university is immeasurable.Hertenurewillberememberedasthetime when the ORSP and researchcultureatOleMisscametomaturity,and as a time when a stable founda-tionwaslaidtounderpintheremark-ablesuccesstheuniversitywillhaveincomingdecades.”

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Toni Scarpa, director of NIH’s Center for Scientific Review, poses with Alice Clark after presenting her with the 2010 Marcy Speer Outstanding Review-er Award for her 20-year commitment to reviewing NIH grant proposals.

By Casey Holliday

Three University of Mis-sissippi School of Pharmacy facultymembers have been honored by theschool’sDistinguishedTeachingSchol-ars Program, which recognizes excel-lence in teaching and dedication tostudentachievement.

Erin Holmes, assistant professorof pharmacy administration; DanielRiche,associateprofessorofpharma-cypracticeandmedicine;andKristieWillett, professor of pharmacology,have been named the school’s newDistinguishedTeachingScholars.

“Wearesopleasedtohonortheseoutstandingfacultymembersfortheircontributionstoteachingexcellence,”saidDavidD.Allen,theschool’sdean.“They are innovative and passionateintheclassroom,andtrulycareaboutthesuccessofourstudents.Ourstu-dentsareourtoppriority,soit is im-portant that we honor those who goaboveandbeyondtoprovidesuperblearningexperiencesforthem.”

Established in 2005, the Distin-guished Teaching Scholars Programis partially funded through proceedsfromtheestateofThelmaH.CernigliaandmembersoftheGalenOrder.Re-cipientsarenominatedfortheawards,andacommitteeevaluatesthenomi-neesandmakesarecommendationtothedean.

Recipients of the awards serve athree-yeartermandreceiveanannualstipend.

Holmes teaches pharmacy law,managementandpersonalfinanceforsecond-year professional pharmacystudents (PY2) and pharmaceutical

and health care policy for graduatestudents.

Shealsochairsthepharmacyschool’sCurriculum Committee, received theschool’s 2013 Faculty Service Awardand was twice selected by PY2 stu-dentsastheirTeacheroftheYear.

RicheteachespharmacotherapyforPY3 and PY4 professional studentsontheUniversityofMississippiMedi-cal Center campus, where he servesasclinicalcoordinatorof theCardio-metabolicClinic.

He was named a Faculty ResearchProgram Fellow by UM in 2008, re-ceivedtheSchoolofPharmacy’sFac-ultyInstructionalInnovationinTeach-ingAwardin2011,andwasselectedbyUM’sgraduatingDoctorofPharmacy

classasitsClinicalScienceTeacheroftheYearin2009.

Willett teaches introductory toxi-cology for undergraduate pharmacystudentsandhonorscoursesforfresh-menintheSallyMcDonnellBarksdaleHonors College. She also teachesgraduate-level general principles ofpharmacologyandtoxicologycourses.

Many students participate in herresearch, which includes NationalInstitutes of Health-funded studiesonthetoxiceffectsofenvironmentalchemicalsindevelopingandadultor-ganisms.SheservesontheSocietyofToxicology’sundergraduateeducationsubcommitteeandisamemberoftheAmerican Association of Colleges ofPharmacy.

Erin Holmes (left), Daniel Riche and Kristie Willett

hearts for StudentsSchool names new Distinguished Teaching Scholars

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The National Community PharmacistsAssociationhasselectedLaurenLyles,athird-yearprofes-sionalpharmacystudentattheUniversityofMississippi,toserveasitsstudentpresident-elect,tofillasummerintern-shipattheorganization’snationalheadquartersinAlexan-dria,Va.,andtoserveonitsStudentLeadershipCouncil.

“Iamtrulyhonoredandhumbledbytheseopportunities,”Lylessaid.“It’sagreatfeeling,andIammostexcitedabouthavingachancetoimpactpharmacyonanationallevel.”

Lyles will serve as the national student president-electforthe2014-15schoolyear.

“This is an amazing accomplishment for Lauren,” saidDavid D. Allen, dean of the pharmacy school. “She is theepitomeofastudentleader,andweareproudthatshewillberepresentingtheOleMissSchoolofPharmacyasNCPApresident-elect.”

The Student Leadership Council represents all phar-macystudentmembersofNCPA.Asamember,Lyleswillserve as a regional representative contact for studentchapters.Inaddition,theJacksonnativewillhelpcompileend-of-the-year chapter reports to help determine theChapteroftheYear.Shewillalsotraveltovariousphar-macyschoolstopresentinformationoncommunityphar-macyandNCPA.

Sponsored by the NCPA Foundation, the summer in-ternship is a 10-week commitment designed to provide

theholderwithawarenessof independent pharmacypracticeopportunitiesand

todemonstratetheimportanceofthenationalassociationtotheprofession.

Lyleswastheonlystudentnationwidetobeselectedforthe internship.Similarly, shewasoneofonlyahandfulofstudents designated for the national council. She appliedforthepositionsassecretaryofUM’sNCPAchapter.

“Ihopetooffercreativeandinnovativeideasinbothoftheseroles,”Lylessaid.“Iammostexcitedaboutlearningmoreabout legislativeactions. It ismygoal toencourageandsupportthesignificanceofpoliticaladvocacyamongallstudentmembers.”

DonnaWest-Strum,chairofthepharmacyadministrationdepartmentandNCPAchapteradviser,saidLylesisaper-fectfitforthesepositions.

“Lauren is passionate about community pharmacy andadvocatingfortheprofession,”West-Strumsaid.“Theseex-perienceswillprovidevenuesforhertoshareherideasandmakeadifference.”

Lylesbeganhercouncildutiesinmid-Aprilandherintern-shipinJune.Shesaidthatitis“vital”forstudentstopartici-pateinorganizationssuchasNCPAandthatshewouldliketogetmorestudentsinvolvedincommunitypharmacyandleadershiproles.

“Therearesomanyavenuesandopportunities inphar-macy, and I think we should take advantage of them andcontinuetopaveawayforthepharmacyprofession,”shesaid.“Throughoutthisprocess,Ihopetoenhancemycom-munication skills, planning skills, project implementationskills,leadershipskillsandcommunityservice.”

Opportunity Knocks

Student selected for national leadership, competitive internship

Lyles

“Lauren is passionate about community pharmacy and advocating for the profession. [The internship and council] will provide venues for her to share her ideas and make a difference.

—Donna West-Strum ” Spring2014

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Pharmacymatters

Setting foot on the Univer-sityofMississippicampusbringsbackcountlessmemories forNashvillena-tiveGladysGarrett.

“In the ’40s, Ole Miss was nothinglikeitisnow,andneitherwasOxford,”Garrett said. “We didn’t even have ahotel. When my husband graduated,the neighbors put his family up sotheycouldcometograduation.That’showfarwehavecome.”

Garrettrecentlydonatedaplannedgiftof$100,000totheUMSchoolofPharmacy. She visited the school inDecember to attend a luncheon inherhonor.

“ItwasanabsolutepleasuretomeetMrs. Garrett and to thank her for hercommitment to the pharmacy school,”said David D. Allen, the school’s dean.“Hergiftwillmakeahugedifferenceinthelivesofourstudents,andhergener-osityisdeeplyappreciatedbyallofus.”

Garrett is the widow of alumnusMarvin“Lynn”Garrett(BSPh49),for-merownerofLynnGarrettDrugStoreinNashville.

“Mydadlookedatbeingapharma-cist as a profession, not a job,” saidDouglas Garrett, Lynn and GladysGarrett’sson.“That includedbeingapharmacist, counselor between doc-tor and patient, community leaderandfriend.”

HalfofGarrett’sdonationwill sup-port Faser Hall renovations, whilethe other half will establish a schol-arship endowment bearing the Gar-rettname.TheschoolisupdatingthesecondfloorofFaserHall to includea state-of-the-art skills laboratory. AroominthenewspacewillbenamedaftertheGarrettfamily.

Garrettsaidshewantedtogive tothepharmacyschoolnotonlytohon-or her late husband but also to sup-portaschoolthateducates“someofthebestpharmacistsinthecountry.”

“Ole Miss has so many fine quali-ties,” Garrett said. “We hired manyOleMissalumni.Wheneveryougetagoodeducation,youcanmakeagoodliving.Thatwastheimportanceofthepharmacyschoolinmylife.”

Garrett’sfamily,alongwithAllen,theschool’sleadershipteamandstudents,attendedtheluncheon,whereshewaspresentedwithaframedcertificate.

KeithShelly(BSPh78),ownerofDo-nelsonDrugMartinNashville,alsoat-tendedtheluncheonwithhiswife,Lori.

“IhadthegoodfortuneofknowingLynn Garrett and to relate to him asapharmacist, independentpharmacyowner and proud Ole Miss alum,”Shelly said. “To my lasting benefit, Iwas also afforded the opportunityto befriend his dear wife, Gladys, agenerous, caring and thoughtful lady.It is certainly no surprise to me, oranyone who knows Gladys, that shewould make such a gesture, strivingtoenhanceboth theSchoolofPhar-macyaswellasthelivesofthefuturerecipients of the Garrett scholarshipendowment.”

To those who will receive one ofherscholarships,Garrettsaid,“Alwaysputyourbestfootforward.You’llonlydoasgoodaswhatyouputintoany-thing.”

Gladys Garrett (fourth from right) and her family at a luncheon in her honor at the pharmacy school

A Grand GesturePlanned gift bolsters scholarships, renovation

Pharmacymatters

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Createdtohonortheoutstandingachievementsof a longtime School of Pharmacy professor and adminis-trator, the inaugural Charles D. Hufford Graduate StudentAward was presented this spring to Amanda Waters, whograduatedinMaywithaPh.D.inpharmacognosy.

Waters,anAltus,Oklahoma,native, receivedthehonorfromtheDepartmentofBioMolecularSciencesatitsgradu-atestudentawardceremony.Theaward,whichconsistsofaplaqueand$500,isnamedafterHufford,professorofphar-macognosyandassociatedeanforresearchandgraduateprograms.

“I cannot express what an honor it is to be chosen forthisinauguralaward,”Waterssaid.“Dr.Hufford’scareerhasbeenexceptional,andIhavebeenprivilegedtointeractwithhim. Hisadviceandsupportduringmygraduatestudieshavebeeninvaluabletome. Asascientist,teacherandadminis-trator,heisawonderfulrolemodelforyoungresearchers.”

Recipients of the Hufford Award must give the high-est scoring oral presentation at the annual Mississippi,

Arkansas,Louisiana,TexasandOklahoma(MALTO)Medici-nalChemistryandPharmacognosyMeeting. 

“Amandadeliveredthebestoralpresentationatthemeet-ing,”saidStephenCutler,chairofthebiomolecularsciencesdepartment.“Inaddition,sheisanoutstandingstudentwhoisengagedinmanyactivitieswithinthedepartment,school,universityandthedisciplineofpharmacognosy.”

Cutlercreatedtheawardafterrealizingtherewasagapingraduatestudentrecognition.

“Whilereviewingtheemphasisareasofourdepartment,I noted there were graduate student awards in the areasofmedicinalchemistryandpharmacologybutnotoneforpharmacognosy,”Cutlersaid.“Ifeltweshouldofferanan-nual award to the most meritorious graduate student inpharmacognosy.IamthrilledthattheawardrecognizesthedistinguishedaccomplishmentsofDr.Huffordindevelopingourpharmacognosyprogram.”

Joining theschoolasanassistantprofessorofpharma-cognosy in 1972, Hufford routinely worked with graduatestudentsandsaidtheywereabigpartofhisearlysuccess.

“Certainlyit’sanhonortohavethisawardnamedafterme,particularlybecauseit’sagraduatestudentaward,”Huffordsaid. “Inmyearlydays, I spenta lotof timewithgraduatestudents.Itwasrewardingtoworkwiththemforfour,fiveorsixyearsandgetthemaccustomedtothinkingontheirown.”

Inadditiontohiscurrentdutiesasassociatedean,Huf-ford serves as a teaching assistant for pharmacognosycourses.Inthisrole,hehasgottentoknowWaterswell.

“Amanda isclearlyaverygoodstudentandoneof thebestwe’veeverhadintheprogram,”hesaid.“Shehaswonseveralawardsalreadyandhasbeenrecognizedoutsideoftheschoolforheraccomplishments.”

Inmid-August,WaterswillmovetoFrederick,Maryland,tobeginapostdoctoralpositionwiththeNationalCancerInstituteattheNational InstitutesofHealth.Waters,whoworked under pharmacognosy professor Mark Hamann,creditedhertimeatOleMissforallowinghertolearnmoreaboutnaturalproductsresearch.

“Looking back over the last five years, it has been anamazing learningexperienceinwhichIhavebeenabletogrowasascientistandaperson,”shesaid.

double honorsNew award honors pharmacognosy faculty member, studentBy Erin Garrett

Amanda Waters received the Charles D. Hufford Award from him (right) and Stephen Cutler.

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A bill signed by Gov.PhilBryantwillprovideresearchersattheUniversityofMississippianoppor-tunity to develop a cannabis-derivedtreatmentofseizuresinchildrenwithaformofepilepsy.

HarperGrace’sLawexemptsaspe-cialized cannabis preparation fromthe state’s Controlled SubstancesLaw. The bill is named for HarperGraceDurval,a2-year-oldMississippigirl who suffers from a rare form ofepilepsycalledDravetSyndrome.

Unlike “medical marijuana” thatis legal in somestates, theoil that isthesubjectofHarperGrace’sLaw isextractedfromcannabisandisorallyadministered,notsmoked.Inaddition,thespeciallyprocessedoilcontainsa

verylowamountoftetrahydrocannab-inol,orTHC, theprincipalpsychoac-tiveconstituentofthecannabisplant,andahighamountofcannabidiol,orCBD, a nonpsychoactive constituentoftheplantthatmayhaveanti-seizureactivity.

Sen. Josh Harkins of Flowood wasinstrumental in crafting the bill. Hesaidhehopesitwillpavethewayforphysicians inMississippi toprescribethe preparation to children such asDurval.

Harkins noted the process will in-volve federal-agency approvals toallow the UM National Center forNatural Products Research to growthe required variety of cannabis andprovide the specially processed oil

forapprovedresearchuseinpatients.PhysiciansattheUniversityofMissis-sippi Medical Center would conducttheclinicaltrials.

“Thisisabigsteptowardeventuallyproviding relief for Mississippi chil-drensufferingfromepilepsy,”Harkinssaid. “I appreciate the cooperationofUMexpertsonthiscomplexissue.Theywillhavetoseekfederalapprov-alstomoveahead,butwewanttoloseno time at the state level once thedrugisavailable.”

While creating the language in thebill,HarkinsenlistedtheinputofUMresearchers, particularly MahmoudElSohly, NCNPR research professorand director of the university’s Mari-juanaProject.

OneStepAheadLaw paves way for epilepsy treatment from cannabis

By Erin Garrett

Pharmacymatters

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ElSohly has been working closelywith the National Institute on DrugAbuse for final approvals to grow aspecial low-THC,high-CBDvarietyofcannabis this season. For more than30years,UMhasbeentheonlyfed-erallysanctionedgrowerofmarijuanaforresearchpurposes.

“Provided necessary approvals aregranted by NIDA and the Drug En-forcement Administration, we wouldmove as quickly as possible to pre-paretheextractandworkwithNIDAand the Food and Drug Administra-tion to provide it for investigationunder approved protocols in Missis-sippi,”ElSohlysaid.

Dr.Brad Ingram,pediatricneurolo-gistatUMMCinJackson,treatsmany

children suffering from epilepsy, in-cludingsomewhomightbenefitfromCBDoil.

“ForMississippi,Iwouldsaywetakecareof3,000to6,000patientsayearwithepilepsy,”Ingramsaid.“Thisisgo-ingtodistilldowntoafewhundredofthesepatientsthataregoingtoquali-fyforthis.But[for]thosefewhundred—wedon’thavealotelsetouse.Wearescratchingthebottomofthebar-relandnotnecessarilydoinganythingtomakethembetter.”

Undertheprovisionsofthebill,theoil will be dispensed with a doctor’sprescriptiononlyatUMMC.

This provides another great op-portunity for university research ef-forts to directly improve the lives of

patients, said Larry Walker, NCNPRdirector.

“Formorethan20years,OleMisshaspursuedanumberofavenuestodevelop FDA-approved drug prod-ucts from marijuana,” Walker said.“Wehavetomovebeyondtheideaofdeliveringcriticalmedicinesthroughacrudelyrolledjointoraweedpipe.

“ThisopensthedoorforMississippiresearchers and clinicians to evalu-atethebenefitsofthisspecializedoilfromcannabis forchildren’sseizures,while avoiding the unwanted abusepotential and the inhalation of pos-siblecarcinogensfromsmokingmari-juana.WereallyappreciateSen.Har-kins’ vision and drive to do the rightthingonthis.”

spring2014

Oil from cannabis plants grown at UM would be tested for anti-seizure properties in a clinical trial.

Spring201417

Ifthe14thannualInterna-tional Conference on the Science ofBotanicalsisassuccessfullystagedastheprevious13,itwillbedue,inlargemeasure,totheeffortsofJenniferS.Taylor,programcoordinatorintheNa-tionalCenterforNaturalProductsRe-searchattheUniversityofMississippiSchoolofPharmacy.

Putting the ICSB together “is ahuge undertaking,” said Ikhlas Khan,assistant director of NCNPR and di-rectorofitsFDA(FoodandDrugAd-ministration)CenterforExcellenceinBotanicals.

“It’s sort of like putting together ajigsawpuzzlewiththousandsofpiec-es,”hesaid.“Jennifermakessurethat,intheend,allthosepiecesfittogetherperfectly to ensure that everythingcomesoffwithoutahitch.”

Theconferencehasdrawnasmanyas 250 participants from around theworld to the Oxford ConferenceCentertodiscusspressingtopicsaf-fecting the botanical dietary supple-ment industry. Taylor’s job is to pre-pare year-round for each upcomingconference.

“Iamthe‘eventcoordinator,’‘travelcoordinator,’ ‘administrative coordi-nator’ and ‘speaker coordinator’ allrolledintoone,”Taylorsaid.

Taylor arranges venues and menusfortheconference’svariousactivitiesand ensures that whoever needs toget paid for them receives payment.Shemanageshotelarrangementsandshuttleservicesforconferencepartic-ipants and even helps some of themsolvetheirflightissues.Shealsohan-dles invitationsandothercorrespon-dencewithconferencespeakersandmanages their itineraries and travel

reimbursements. During the actualevent,shedealswiththeregistration,check-in and other problems that in-variablyarise.

“Her job is like herding stray cats,but somehow she does it very well,”said Larry Walker, NCNPR’s director.“She manages to assist many of ourNCNPR staff as well as many of ourconferenceparticipants.”

Thisyear,Taylor’sworkloadisevenmoreintensebecauseNCNPRalsoishostingtheAmericanSocietyofPhar-macognosy’sannualmeetingAug.2-4.

“Wewillbechallengedthisyearbe-cause the ASP event is much largerthanourICSB,”shesaid.“Itaverages500attendees,butwehaveanamaz-ing group of people at NCNPR, and

The Power of One

Jennifer Taylor works year-round on annual botanicals conference

Attendees enjoy sessions at the 2013 International Conference on the Science of Botanicals.

Jennifer Taylor (sitting) assists guests at the registration table.

MATTERS

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In JapanAs part of an exchange program, Scott Malinowski shared the progressiveness of American pharmacy with pharmacists at Okayama University in Japan, where leaders are working to advance and expand their practice roles. Malinowski, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Ole Miss, discussed the need for pharmacists to work and interact with other health care profes-sionals to enhance patient care and health outcomes.

intellectual engagement

Khan

West-Strum

In South AfricaThe Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa invited Ikhlas Khan to deliver its 2014 Vice-Chancellor’s Seminar, which brings leading international scholars to its campus for intellectual engagement. Khan, assistant director of the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi, discussed traditional medicines and the possibility of developing them into accepted prod-ucts to benefit people around the world.

In a national organizationBecause of her exemplary service and achievement, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Research Science named Donna West-Strum a 2014 APhA fellow. Strum-West, professor and chair of pharmacy administration at Ole Miss, received the once-in-a-lifetime honor in March at APhA’s annual meeting in Orlando, where she also was installed as chair of APhA’s Economic, Social and Administrative Sciences Section.

everyone will pull together to reallymakethisyearahugesuccess.”

The ICSB, which has become themost important regulatory gatheringforthesupplementindustry,fulfills itsmission of putting science behind di-etary supplements, natural productsand traditional forms of medicine byenablingFDA,academic, industryandother representatives to share theirperspectives, experiences and con-cerns.Duringthethree-dayforum,theyconsidersupplementregulation,policyandareasofconcernoropportunity.

The ASP meeting explores natu-ral products and their impact onhuman health, agriculture and theenvironment.

“Participants will review, discussandexploretheconfluenceofnaturalproductsresearch,”Taylorsaid.“Top-icsincludepastachievements,currentstatusandfutureprospectsinnaturalproductsdiscovery.”

Whileinthemidstoffinalizingagen-dasandplansfortheAugustASPmeet-ing and beginning work on the April2015ICSBevent,TayloralsoisservingasKhan’sadministrativeassistant.

“He oversees approximately 30people at any given time, so I assistthem,aswellashim,withanyclericalneeds they have, such as travel, pur-chasing, correspondence, payroll, re-imbursements,etc.,”shesaid.

A Myrtle native, Taylor joined theNCNPRstaff in fall2006asaseniorsecretary,workingforseniorscientistMahmoudElSohlyat theNIDAMari-juanaProject.ShebeganworkingasaprogramcoordinatorforKhaninsum-mer2010.

“Therearesomanywonderfulindi-vidualsthatIgetthepleasureofinter-actingwitheveryday,” shesaid.“Wearelikeanenormousfamily.

“Ihavebeen fortunate towork fortwo amazing bosses, Dr. MahmoudElSohlyandDr.IkhlasKhan.Theybothhave inspired me to be the best atwhatIdo.”

Scott Malinowski (left) visits Okayama University Hospital.

Spring201419

A University ofMississippi pharmacy stu-dent has created an inno-vative policy proposal foranationalorganizationthat

addressestheemergingfieldofpharmacogenomics.CodyClifton,athird-yearprofessionalstudent,created

the proposal for the American Pharmacists Association–AcademyofStudentPharmacists.Heservesaspolicyvicepresidentfortheorganization’slocalchapter.

“Pharmacogenomicstestingistheuseofgeneticinforma-tiontopredictanindividual’sresponsetoadrug,”saidClif-ton,aWalnutnative.“Alldrugsarenotcreatedequal,andpatientswhotakethesedrugsaren’teither.Througheffec-tiveapplicationofpharmacogenomicdata,wecanspecifi-callytailordrugtherapyforpatients.”

ThisisthefirsttimeinrecentyearsthattheUMchapterofAPhA-ASPhassubmittedapolicy.Aspolicyvicepresi-dent,oneofClifton’sdutiesistogathermembers’interestsanddevelopaproposal.

“It is important that our students areawareofpharmacogenomicsin its infancy,recognizing that many medications havea ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to their use,andmanypatientswithavarietyofdiseasestates would benefit from individualizedmedicines for treatment,” said pharmacyadministrationdoctoralstudentJosephA.Dikun,theAPhA-ASPchapter’sco-adviser.“Basedonthedevelopmentofthispolicy,our students clearly are beginning to seetheirroleasthemedicationexpertinava-rietyofclinicalandresearchsettings.”

Thepolicystates:“APhA-ASPsupportspharmacogenomics testing as a clinicalserviceprovidedbypharmacistsandtheinterpretation of the results to the pro-vidersandthepatientsbypharmacists,inordertoprovideindividualizedtreatmentplanstopatients.”

CliftonsaidheusedthebookofAPhA-ASP adopted resolutions to determinewhattopicthepolicyshouldcover.

“Pharmacogenomics and pharmacy was the subject thatwasmissingfromthehandbook,soItookitasagreat oppor-tunitytopursue,”hesaid.“Also,havingamedicinalchemistryclassinpharmacogenomicsopenedmyeyestohowimportantitisformedicationstobeindividualizedforcertainpatients.”

After working with Dikun and pharmacy administrationgraduatestudentAshleyCrumbytotweakthelanguage,Clif-tonpresentedthepolicyattheAPhAMidyearRegionalMeet-ing(akaMRM).Heservedaschapterdelegateatthismeeting.

“Theprocessisverysimilartobillsgoingthroughthedif-ferentmotionstogetpassedatastate/nationallevel,”Clif-tonsaid.“OnthelastdayofMRM,attheclosingbusinessmeeting, chapter delegates in region three voted to passtheresolution,alongwithmanyothers.Thiswasveryexcit-ingforus.”

AfterthepolicypassedatMRM, itwenttotheResolu-tionsPolicyCommitteeandwasvotedonbyeightregionaldelegatesfromacrosstheU.S.Itwaspassed,thusmakingtheproposaloneofthetopthreeinthenation.

Clifton

inspiring innovationStudent-created policy addresses pharmacogenomics

While studying at the University of Mississippi, Ph.D. candidate Tahmineh Tabrizian (right) has maintained a 4.0 GPA, excelled in clinical pharmacology and disease-based research, and been a campus service project leader. Because of that outstanding record, Tabrizian received the Edith Pritchard Pharmacology Award, which includes a plaque and $500. The annual award was established in 1989 to honor longtime pharmacology secretary Edith Pritchard.

For the record

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“All drugs are not created equal, and patients who take these drugs aren’t either. Through effective application of pharmacogenomic data, we can specifically tailor drug therapy for patients.

—Cody Clifton ”

Some 250,000 to 500,000 vitamin A-deficient children worldwide become blind annually, and half of them die within a year. Yet, only two vitamin A capsules per year could provide children under 5 years old with stronger immune systems, lower their risk of disease and improve their survival. More than 4,500 such at-risk children will receive vitamin A, thanks to members of the University of Mississippi chapter of the American Pharmacists As-sociation Academy of Student Pharmacists, who raised $1,126 for Vitamin Angels in November. Here, members collect money for the organization at the Student Union.

Vitamin Angels

For the record

Cliftonisthrilledthatthisproposalgivesstudentphar-macists the “potential to become integral players in per-sonalizedhealthcare.”

“Theoverallpurposeofthispolicyistopromotetheuseofourclinicalexpertisewithinthefieldofpharmacy,”hesaid.“Wecandothisbyencouraginganddirectingthede-velopmentoftechnologysolutionsthatsupportthephar-macist’sroleinpharmacogenomics.”

ThepolicywasagainvotedonatAPhA’sAnnualMeetingandExposition,duringtheAPhA-ASPHouseofDelegates.

Itpassed there, too, andhasbeenadoptedby theorga-nization.Next,theAPhA-ASPPolicyStandingCommitteewillmeettodeterminethemostappropriateactionstobetakenontheresolution,suchasdevelopingaplantocon-tactregulatoryagenciesandothernationalorganizations.

“Aspharmacists,wearethemedicationexperts,andwedowhatisbestforourpatients,”Cliftonsaid.“Therefore,weneedtoencourageandembracethisinevitablechange.Thistopicmayseemfuturistic,butweneedtostayaheadofthegamebyapproachingtheissuenow.”

Spring201421

Nearly 10 years after Uni-versity of Mississippi pharmacy stu-dentAmieEwingwaskilledinatragicaccident, a memorial scholarship ishonoring her legacy by supportingstudents.

TheAmieEwingMemorialScholar-ship Endowment awards $1,000 peracademicyear topharmacystudentsexhibitingtraitssheexemplifiedwhileenrolledinUM’sSchoolofPharmacy.

“Amiewasaremarkableyoungladywho would have been an excellentpharmacist,” said Marvin Wilson, thepharmacy school’s associate deanemeritus of academic and studentaffairs. “The characteristics I remem-bermostwerehersmile,compassion,intellect, drive to excel, competitive-ness,belief thatshecouldovercomeanyobstacleandresiliencewhencon-frontedwithchallenges.”

EwingdiedinSeptember2004,af-terbeingstruckbyacaronHighway6inOxford,followinganightfootballgameatVaught-HemingwayStadium.

Establishedin2005,thescholarshipispredominantlyfundedbypharmacylicenseplatesales inMississippi.Ew-ing’sclassmate,BeauCox(PharmD05)wasadrivingforcebehindcre-ating both the tags and thescholarship.Hesaidhecameupwiththeideaafternotic-ing a nursing license plateandwonderingwhypharmacydidn’thaveoneaswell.

“I found out that the tagwouldhavetobeplacedinabilland passed by the Legislature,so I called Rep. Bobby Howell

(Kilmichael,Miss.)andaskedhimifhewouldhelpmewiththeprocess,”Coxsaid. “I learnedthatthespecialtytagwouldcost$31extra,with$24leftoverforfundraising.IthitmethatwecouldsetupascholarshiptobefundedbytagsalesinAmie’smemory.”

Wilson provided guidance to Cox,who then worked with Dean Emeri-tus Barbara Wells, Associate ProvostNoel Wilkin and classmates Su Bun-niran, of Washington, D.C. (PhD 10),Todd Dear of Jackson (PharmD 05)andKyleNullofOxford(PharmD05)togettheprojectofftheground.

“Thatspringof2005,wewereabletoawardtheinauguralscholarshiptoOlivia Strain (PharmD 07, Madison,Miss.),”Coxsaid.“Theawardwaspre-sentedbyAmie’sparents,DonnieandRitaEwing,anditwasoneofthemostmemorablethingsIhaveeverbeenapartofinmylife.”

Strain remains thankful for thescholarship.

“While in pharmacy school, I wasdetermined not only to be the best

student I could be but also a greatfriend to others and be involved inmany extracurricular activities, suchassportsandbeing(pharmacy’s)stu-dentbodypresident,”Strainsaid.“Be-ing well-rounded then continues tohelpmenowasafull-timepharmacymanager, wife and mother of two. Ifeelblessedtohavebeenconsidered

A Lasting LegacyEwing Scholarship benefits students, honors beloved classmate

Amie Ewing

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topossessanyofthemanywonderfulqualitiesthatAmieherselfalsohad.”

EchoingStrain’ssentiments,MattHill,the scholarship’s 2009 recipient, saidthat the scholarship “removed worrywhenitcametoexpensivebooks.”

Bunniran said she is comforted bytheimpactEwingstillhasonthephar-macyschool.

“Amiewasnotonlya roommatetomeincollege,shewasthesisterIneverhad,”shesaid.“Herfun-lovingattitudecombinedwithherindependenceanddrivetobethebestineverythingshedid was an irresistible combinationthat always brought out the best inme.Shewastheconsummatescholar-athlete, excelling in pharmacy schoolwhileproudlyrepresentingtheuniver-sityonthevolleyballteam.

“Reflecting on this 10-year anniver-saryofherpassing,whatIremembermostvividlywasheralmostinfectiousjoy, how she was able to bring to-getheranygroupofpeople.Itiswiththoughtsofhappinessatthetimewewere all able to spend with her thatweshouldtakeintheremindersofhermemorythataresprinkledthroughoutallthecommunities inwhichshewasso involved and continues to bringpeopletogether.”

Since the scholarship was cre-ated, 859 pharmacy license plateshave been sold, with 295 currentlyregistered.

“We have been able to meet andexceed the endowment threshold of

$50,000sothat it isaself-sustainingscholarship,”Coxsaid.“Asaresult,wehavebeenabletogive$7,500inschol-arshipmoney.”

DavidD.Allen,deanofthepharma-cyschool,encouragessupportofthescholarshipthroughcartagpurchases.

“I amproud tohave thepharmacylicenseplateinhonorofourgreatpro-fessionandinmemoryofanextraordi-nary student pharmacist,” Allen said.“WhileIdidn’tknowAmie,I’veheardsomuchaboutwhatatremendousin-dividualshewas.Hermemoryandleg-acy live throughthese licenseplates,and it is my sincere hope that manymorewillbepurchased.”

Cox said purchasing the tag is asimpleactthatwillimpactthelivesofpharmacystudentsandhonorEwing’smemory.

“Myhopeforthelicenseplateisthatmorepharmacistswillpurchasethetagtoshowtheirsupportofourgreatpro-fessionand,bydoingso, increasetheamount of scholarship money we canthengivetoadeservingstudenteachyear,”hesaid.“Thelargerthescholar-ship,themoreitwillbesoughtafterandthemoreAmiewillberemembered.”

PharmacistsinMississippicangototheir county tax collector’s office atanytimeoftheyeartopurchasethelicenseplate.

Pharmacy dean David D. Allen (left) visits with Beau Cox, who led the effort to develop the Amie Ewing Memorial Scholarship Endowment.

“My hope for the license plate is that more pharmacists will purchase the tag to show their support of our great profession and, by doing so, increase the amount of scholarship money we can then give to a deserving student each year.

—Beau Cox”Monetary donations, which are tax-deductible, may also be made to the scholarship. Checks with the fund noted in the memo line can be mailed to the University of Mississippi Foundation, P.O. Box 249, University, MS 38677; or online at www.umfoundation.com/makeagift. For more information, contact Raina McClure, pharmacy’s development director, at 662-915-6967 or rmcclure@olemiss.edu.

Spring201423

Faculty, residentsandstudents at the School of Pharmacyrecently participated in a nationalcompetition to increase medicationadherence.

The Script Your Future Medica-tion Adherence Team Challenge,sponsored by the National Consum-ers League, challenges students inhealth professions to promote medi-cation adherence in their commu-nities through creative campaigns.The School of Pharmacy was nameda finalist in the National Award cat-egory for its2014campaignandwonaChronicConditionOutreachAwardforits2013campaign.

“This year, I wanted a way to haveour students partner with severalother schools at the University ofMississippiMedicalCenterasoneofthechallenge’sfocusesistobeinter-professional,” said Katie McClendon,interim assistant dean for studentservicesontheschool’sJacksoncam-pus.“Giventhealreadyexistingworkat the Jackson Free Clinic and theinterprofessionalatmospherethere, Ithoughtitwouldbeagoodfit.”

The Jackson Free Clinic is run bystudents at UMMC and volunteerphysicians from the local communityand provides nonemergency care toindividuals in Jackson who cannototherwise pay for services. The non-profit’sboardiscomposedofUMMCmedical,dental,physical therapyandoccupational therapy students, alongwithacommunityphysicianandphy-sicianmedicaldirector.Pharmacystu-dentswillsoonjointheboard.

EverySaturdayinFebruary,pharma-cystudentsvolunteeredattheclinic,

workingwithfacultyandresidentstocounselpatientsandincreasemedica-tionadherence.

“For every patient that we coun-seled, we would give a Script YourFuture wallet card that listed all of[his or her] current medications andincluded doses, indications and di-rections,” said Carlos Black, a third-year professional pharmacy studentfromLouisville.“Wekepttrackofthenumber of wallet cards distributedto determine how many patients wecounseled.”

Inadditiontoworkingattheclinic,theschoolparticipatedintheBelhav-en University Health Fair to providecounselingtocollegestudents.

Black served as student coordina-torforthecampaignandsaidthat18

pharmacy students counseled 52 pa-tientsthroughoutthemonthofFebru-aryattheJacksonFreeClinic.AtBel-haven, sevenpharmacystudentssaw106patients.

ThomasWebb,afourth-yearprofes-sional pharmacy student from Phila-delphia, Miss., said that he appreci-ated the opportunity to work in aninterprofessional setting while com-petingintheadherencechallenge.

“The Jackson Free Clinic is reallyunique in that every student walksaway from it gaining something,”Webbsaid.“Havingtheabilitytoworkalongside medical students as theyreviewpatientswithcomplicateddis-easessuchasdiabetesandhyperten-sioncanbeveryrewardingforaphar-macystudent.”

up to the challengeSchool competes in medication adherence challenge

Pharmacy students, faculty and residents volunteered at the Jackson Free Clinic every Saturday in February.

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Aprocesstoevaluateresearch at the University of Missis-sippi School of Pharmacy has comefullcirclewithareorganizationoftheschool’sdepartments.

The school recently changed fromsixdepartmentstofour.

“The School of Pharmacy is con-tinually finding ways in which we canbetter support our world-renownedresearch enterprise,” said David D.Allen, the school’s dean. “We discov-eredthatreorganizingwastheperfectwaytodojustthat.Iapplaudourfac-ultymembersfortheireffortsinmak-ingthisvisionareality.”

The departments of MedicinalChemistry,PharmacognosyandPhar-macology,aswellastheenvironmen-tal toxicologyresearchprogramhavebeen combined to form the Depart-ment of BioMolecular Sciences. De-spite this change, master’s and Ph.D.degrees in the divisions of medicinalchemistry, pharmacognosy, pharma-cology and environmental toxicologymaystillbepursued.

The new department’s core mis-sion is to educate pharmacists andscientists at undergraduate, profes-sional, graduate and postdoctorallevelstodeliverhealthcareandcon-duct research in basic, applied and

translationalpharmaceuticalsciencesinordertoimprovehumanhealth.

In addition, the Department ofPharmaceutics was renamed the De-partmentofPharmaceuticsandDrugDelivery.ThedepartmentsofPharma-cyPracticeandPharmacyAdministra-tionwillremainunchanged.

In2012,theschoolcompletedare-search visioning process to drive re-search collaboration and focus. Theprocessidentifiedfourtargetareasofresearch:cancer,cardiometabolicdis-orders, neuroscience/drugs of abuseandinfectiousdiseases.

Following input from consultantsand faculty members, a need wasidentifiedfordepartmentsthatbettersupportthoseresearchareas.Acom-mitteeofpharmacy facultymembersand administrators was appointed torecommendreorganizationmodels.

“I am so pleased with the commit-tee’s work,” Allen said. “They did agreat job of evaluating our currentstructureandprovidinginputonhowwecouldimprove.”

StephenCutler,chairoftheDepart-ment of BioMolecular Sciences, said,“Thisnewdesignwillallowustomapour professional curriculum begin-ningwithanatomy/physiologythroughpathophysiology,medicinal chemistry

and pharmacology, thus developinga solid foundation for pharmacy stu-dents. The graduate program will bestrengthenedthroughthe integrationofthebasicsciencedisciplines. 

“Our research mission will bestrengthened as we leverage the re-sources among the former depart-mentsintoonecohesiveunit. Wearealreadybeginningtoseenewcollabo-rationswiththisrestructure.”

MikeRepka,chairoftheDepartmentof Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery,saidthenewnamehelpsthepublicun-derstandmoreabouthisfaculty’swork.

“Though pharmaceutics somewhatimpliesdrugdelivery,ourdepartmenthas developed a unique specialty inthat area,” Repka said. “Many of ourfacultymembersareresearchingvari-ous delivery strategies for the skin,eyeandoralmucosa, includingnoveltechnologyassociatedwiththesetar-gets. I’mpleased thatweareable toarticulate that to the public throughournewname.”

interior remodeling Departments reorganized to support renowned research enterprise

Department of Biomolecular ScienceS

Department of pharmaceuticS anD Drug Delivery

Department of pharmacy aDminiStration

Department of pharmacy practice

Spring201425

A retired psychiatricnurse and hospital administrator,Sallye Wilcox first graduated fromthe University of Mississippi with abachelor’s degree in nursing in 1961.After earning a master’s degreein psychiatric and mental healthnursing from Case Western ReserveUniversity in 1967, the Jackson nativesought to diversify her skills. Sheentered the UM’s pharmacy/healthcare administration doctoral programwith the goal of pursuing a careerin hospital administration. Sincegraduating from the program in 1984,Wilcox has served in numerous rolesfromvicepresidentofpatientservicesfor Le Bonheur Children’s MedicalCenter to executive director of theMississippi Hospital for RestorativeCare.Throughouthercareer,shehaschampionedinterprofessionalcare.

Q: As an individual with a nursing background, what did you learn through the pharmacy/health care administration program?

A:Itgavemeapictureofthehealthcaredeliverysystemthatnursingalonedidnotprovide.Ilearnedaboutthedeliverysystemitselfandhowitimpactedthepracticeandprofessionofnursing.Ibegantounderstandhowthecompletesystemworkedandwhyitwasthewaythatitwas.SoitreallychangedmywholecareerintermsofwhatIdidwithmyleadershiproles.

Q: Specifically, what did you learn about pharmacy through the program?

A:Pharmacyhastakensuchaleader-shippositioninhealthcare.WhenIwasintheprogram,MickeySmithwaschairofthedepartment.Mickeywasdoingalotofresearchinthecom-munityandtryingtochangetheroleofthepharmacisttomorethanbeinga“pillpusher,”tobeingacompletehealthcarespecialist.Pharmacistsdomorethanjusthandingoutpills.Mickeydidaspectacularjobinthatarea,anditwasinterestingandfuntoworkwithhim.

Q: how did your career evolve after graduating from the program?

A:EarningmyPh.D.openedalotofdoorsinhospitaladministration,andIservedinmanydifferentpositionsovertheyears.IworkedasdirectorofnursingandlaterbecamevicepresidentforpatientcareservicesatBaptistMedicalCenterinJackson,andalsoworkedasvicepresidentof

patientservicesatLeBonheurChil-dren’sMedicalCenterinMemphis.Ultimately,Iservedasexecutivedi-rectorattheMississippiHospitalforRestorativeCareinJacksonbeforeretiringin2005.

Q: Why is interprofessional care so important to you?

A:IthinkworkingatLeBonheurwasarealeye-openerformeintermsofinterprofessionalpractice.Inachildren’shospital,thewholeconceptisfamilyandteam.Iwantedtocreatethatatmosphereinanadulthospi-tal–thatsametypeofcamaraderie,respectandappreciationforeveryprofessioninthedeliveryofhealthcare.Thevisionwastobuildaregularhospital’sworkforceintoateamfo-cusedonfamily,communicatingwithfamilyandmakingthemapartofthetreatmentteam.

Q: how did the university of mis-sissippi change your perception of health care?

A:WhenIwasinschool,wewouldalwaystalkaboutthewellnessmodel,meaningtheonlywayweweregoingtochangeillnessanddis-easeinthiscountrywastoencour-agepeopletochangetheirlifestyles.Thiswasin’78,’80,andwetalkedabouthowimpossiblethatseemedatthetime.Nowthosechangesarebeginningtohaveaneffect.Youhearpeopletalkingabouthowtheyshouldtakecareofthemselves,howtodiet.ThosestandardsweretaughttomeandchallengedmeyearsagoatOleMiss.

Change Agent

Alumna advocates interprofessional care

Sallye Wilcox

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The School of Pharmacy recently hon-oredSyedAbidi,alumnusandCEOofPharmaceuticsIn-ternationalInc.,forhisoutstandingcareerandservicetotheschool.

Abidi, who graduated in 1980 with a doctoral degreein pharmaceutics, was presented with the DistinguishedAlumnus of the Year award during the school’s annualAlumniWeekendAwardsBanquetonApril5.

“Ithinkthisawardisanhonor,andI’mreallyhumbledbyac-ceptingit,”Abidisaid.“ItshowsthattheuniversitythinksI’vecontributedsomethingtothesciencesandtotheschool.”

After receiving his Ph.D. from Ole Miss, Abidi joinedDuquesne University’s School of Pharmacy as an assistantprofessor of pharmaceutics. He then worked for Schering-PloughasaseniorscientistforsixyearsbeforemovingtoAp-pliedAnalyticalInc.asprincipalscientistfrom1989to1990.

“ItwasalwaysinthebackofmymindthatonedayIwouldhavemyownbusiness,”Abidisaid.“WhenIwenttoAAI,Isawthepresidentofthecompanyhadasimilarbackground.Ithoughtthatifhecoulddoit,socouldI.”

In1994,AbidicreatedPii,whichquicklybecameoneoftheleadingpharmaceuticaldevelopmentcompaniesintheworld.

“Pii is recognizedasone [of the], ifnot themost,high-qualitypharmaceuticaldevelopmentcompaniesoutthere,”said Walt Chambliss, UM director of technology manage-ment.“Ithinkthat’swhatSyedsetouttodo.”

ChamblissfirstmetAbidiwhentheywerebothingradu-ateschoolatOleMiss.Asaseniorgraduatestudent,AbidiservedasamentortoChambliss.

“Ithinkhe’saprototypeofthekindofresearchscientistthatweliketocreateatOleMiss,”Chamblisssaid.“He’sapharmacist,he’sdedicatedtothepharmaceuticalsciences,andhe’sgivenbacktotheuniversityinanumberofways.”

Abidihasremainedactiveintheuniversity’spharmaceu-ticaleducationprogramsovertheyears.Hiscompanysup-portstheuniversity’sDistinguishedResearchandCreativeAchievement Award and sponsors the School of Pharma-cy’sAlumniandFriendsLuncheon,whichisheldinconjunc-tionwiththeannualmeetingoftheAmericanAssociationofPharmaceuticalScientists.

In2012,Abidi’scompanymadeagifttotheschooltosup-portpharmaceuticaleducationforgraduatestudentsandtocreatethePiiCenterforPharmaceuticalTechnology,acenterdevotedtoresearchrelatedtohot-meltextrusionandotherpharmaceutical-processingtechnologies.

David D. Allen, the pharmacy school’s dean, presentedtheawardtoAbidiatthebanquet.

“IwasthrilledtohonorDr.AbidiwithourDistinguishedAlumnus of the Year award,” Allen said. “He is a remark-ableindividualwhohasaccomplishedagreatdealoverthecourseofhiscareer.Wearegratefulforhisdedicationtoourschoolandpharmaceuticsdepartment.”

Top of his GameSchool honors distinguished alumnus

Pharmacy dean David D. Allen (left) and Syed Abidi with his award

“Pii is recognized as one [of the], if not the most, high-quality pharmaceutical development companies out there.”

—Walt Chambliss”

Spring201427

MATTERS

Pharmacymatters

By Mitchell Diggs

A collaboration formed bytheUniversityofMississippi’sDivisionofTechnologyManagement,theUSDAAgriculturalResearchService’sNaturalProductsUtilizationResearchUnitandnatural products company Chroma-DexCorp. haswonanationalawardforexcellenceintechnologytransfer.

The three organizations have wona Federal Laboratory Consortium2014ExcellenceinTechnologyTrans-ferAward for theirwork todevelop,study and bring to market pterostil-bene,acompoundfoundinblueber-ries,grapesandothersmall fruits. Instudies, pterostilbene has demon-strated promise for improving car-diovascularhealth,glucoselevelsandcognitivefunction.

The award was presented in Aprilduring the 2014 Federal LaboratoryConsortiumNationalMeetinginRock-ville, Maryland. Walter G. Chambliss,UM director of technology manage-ment; Agnes M. Rimando, a researchchemistwiththeUSDA-ARS;andTomVarvaro,CFOofChromaDex,wereonhandtoaccepttheaward.

“Thisawardisawonderfulacknowl-edgementoftheworkourresearchers

and theirpartnersatUSDA-ARSandatChromaDexhavedone,”Chamblisssaid.“Thesetypesofmultidisciplinaryprojects allow us to share expertiseand translate laboratory discoveriesinto commercial products with dem-onstratedhealthbenefits.”

ChromaDexlauncheditspTeroPure®dietarysupplementingredientin2010,licensing the technology from the

university. The independent researchcompany Frost & Sullivan awardedthe product its 2010 North AmericanHealth Ingredients Most PromisingIngredient of the Year award. pTero-Pure®isavailableindozensofconsum-erdietarysupplementproducts.

“ChromaDex is honored to haveworked with UM and USDA-ARS onthe research of pterostilbene and

PartnerslandtechnologytransferprizeHealthy Business

“These types of multidisciplinary projects allow us to share expertise and translate laboratory discoveries into commercial products with demonstrated health benefits.

—Walter G. Chambliss”

The 2014 Excellence in Technology Transfer Award was presented during the Federal Laboratory Consortium National Meeting in April. Photo cour-tesy of Pavlos Karalis Photography

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commercialization of pTeroPure®,”said Frank L. Jaksch, founder andCEOofChromaDex.“Thisawardrec-ognizesnotonlytheindividualeffortsofourteammembersbutalsotheim-portantimpactthatresearchandcor-poratecollaborationscanhave.”

Pterostilbene is chemically relatedto resveratrol, a compound that isplentiful in the skins of red grapes.Resveratrol is thought to be at leastpartlyresponsibleforthehealthben-efits attributed to drinking red wine,which include cardiovascular healthandcancerprevention.

Rimando began collaborating withDennis R. Feller, former UM professorandchairofpharmacology,andothersin2003tostudythecompound.ResultsoftheirworkwerepresentedattheAmeri-canChemicalSocietymeeting in2004andattractedwidespreadattention.

FollowingthelaunchofpTeroPure®,researchers at the University ofMississippiMedicalCenterfoundthatpterostilbene seems to help lowerblood pressure in adults. The work,led by Daniel M. Riche, UM associ-ate professor of pharmacy practice,waspresentedattheAmericanHeart

Association’s 2012 Scientific SessionsonHighBloodPressureResearch.

“Thepurposeofresearchistobet-terunderstandourworld,”saidAliceM. Clark, UM vice chancellor for re-searchandsponsoredprograms.“Theprocessofensuringthatourresearchresults have the greatest impact onsocietyisbroadlyknownastechnolo-gytransfer.Thisprestigiousawardval-idates the University of Mississippi’sapproach–pursuingquality researchin a collaborative environment. It isexcitingtoseeourdiscoveriesmakingan impact both here and throughoutthe world, and for our people to berecognized for their contributions isalwaysrewarding.”

The collaboration has also provenbeneficialforChromaDex,Varvarosaid.

“ThepartnershipwithUMand theUSDA is an example of private andgovernment collaborations that notonlyworkbutalsobringgreatbenefitsto all the parties involved,” Varvarosaid. “Byworking together to furtherdevelop the licensed technology, wehaveaccomplishedmorethanweeverwould have expected to do workingonourown.”

ChromaDex is a natural productscompany that discovers, acquires,develops and commercializes propri-etary-based ingredient technologies.The company provides science-basedsolutionstothenutritionalsupplement,foodandbeverage,animalhealth,cos-meticandpharmaceuticalindustries.

TheDivisionofTechnologyManage-mentoftheUMOfficeofResearchandSponsoredProgramsprotects,manag-es and transfers intellectual propertyfromtheuniversitytotheprivatesec-torforcommercialization.TheAgricul-turalResearchService is theprincipalintramural scientific research agencyoftheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture.The USDA-ARS Natural Products Uti-lization Research Unit focuses on dis-covery of natural product-based pestmanagementsolutionsandresearchinsupportofminorandnewcrops.

spring2014

ChromaDex CFO Tom Varvaro (left) and Walter Chambliss, UM technology management director, share a moment at the Federal Laboratory Consortium awards dinner. Photo courtesy of Pavlos Karalis Photography

Spring201429

Pterostilbene is found in blueberries, grapes and other small fruits.

By Barbara Lago

What began in 1984 asa contract to screen compounds foractivity against opportunistic infec-tionsthatthreatenthelivesofpeoplewithsuppressedimmunesystemshasbecomeoneofthelongestcontinuallyfunded antifungal research programsinthehistoryoftheNationalInstitutesofHealth.

The program’s principal investiga-tor is the University of Mississippi’svicechancellorforresearchandspon-soredprograms,AliceClark,whofirstreceived funding for the work fromNIH’s National Institute of AllergyandInfectiousDiseases,orNIAID,30yearsago.

Atthetime,ahostofopportunisticinfectionswereravagingthebodiesofpeoplewithsuppressed immunesys-temsduetoAIDS,cancerchemother-apy or immune-suppressing drugs,buttreatmentsweresorelylacking.

With that first NIH-NIAID fund-ing, Clark, co-principal investigatorCharles Hufford and others in UM’sSchoolofPharmacyfocusedonfind-ing new drugs to treat opportunisticinfections such as systemic candidia-sis.CandidiasisiscausedbyCandida albicans, which produces localizedyeastinfections(i.e.,oralthrush,vagi-nitis and diaper rash) that are not aproblem for people with healthy im-munesystems.Butinpeoplewithsup-pressed immune systems, the organ-ism can invade the whole body andattacktheorgans.

During the project’s early years,Clark and her team found and pat-ented several compounds that kill

or inhibit C. albicans, and the com-pounds represented totally new anddifferentclassesofantifungalantibiot-ics.That’sbecause,ratherthansynthe-sizinganalogsofexistingdrugs,whichwerelikelytohavethesametoxicitiesandresistanceproblemsastheparentdrug,theresearchersfocusedon iso-lating compounds from higher plants(i.e.,trees,shrubsandflowers)aswellas microorganisms, the traditionalsourceofantifungalantibiotics.

Because of such progress, Clarkand Hufford received a $1 millioncontractrenewal in 1987(oneofonlythreeawardednationwide)tocontin-uetheirworkforfivemoreyears.Twoyearslater,theyreceivedagrantfromNIAIDforsimilarwork.WithClarkasits principal investigator, that grant(RO1-AI-27094) has been renewedfourtimesandbeenfundedwithnear-ly$5.9millionsince1989.

“I believe this is probably the lon-gest antifungal research program inNIH history,” said Hufford, Clark’sspouseandthepharmacyschool’sas-sociatedeanforresearchandgradu-ateprograms.

“Ithasbeenanhonortobesupport-ed by NIH, and through NIH by mypeersinthescientificcommunity,for30years,”Clarksaid.“Ifeelextremelyfortunatetohavehadsuchalongandsuccessful relationship with them. IamalsogratefultoChrisLambros,myprogramofficeratNIH,whohasbeenextremely engaged, knowledgeable,helpfulandvisionary.Hehasbeenanincredible resource tomygroupandtothewholescientificcommunity.”

Today, drugs such as fluconazoleand caspofungin are frequently usedtotreatinfectionscausedbyCandidaand other fungi (e.g., lung infectionscausedbyAspergillus andmeningitiscaused by the yeast Cryptococcus),but resistant strains of these patho-gensarediminishingthedrugs’utilityand effectiveness. Because of that,Clarkandhercolleaguesarenotonlyevaluating natural products for anti-fungalactivitybutalsotheirabilitytoworkincombinationwithfluconazole

Staying PowerUM search for antifungal antibiotics marks 30th year

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Pharmacognocists Alice Clark and Charles Hufford began UM’s searchfor antifungal antibiotics in 1984.

and caspofungin to restore theireffectiveness.

With the help of pharmacy schoolresearch scientists such as AmeetaAgarwal, Xing-Cong Li and MelissaJacob, Clark’s team has identified asmall number of compounds that dojustthat.Somehelpkeepfluconazoleinsidefungalcells,whereitcandoitswork,whileotherspreventfungalcellsfrom repairing the damage to theirwallsthatcaspofungincauses.

“Over time, microbes and otherpathogensdevelopresistance,soitisimportanttocontinuallydevelopnewdrugs that kill them or that restoretheeffectivenessofexistingdrugs inresistant strains of the pathogens,”Clarksaid.“Weevaluatethousandsofsamplesofplantsandmicroorganismsfromallovertheworldtoseeiftheycandoeitherorbothofthesethings.Wethenisolate,purifyanddeterminethechemicalstructureoftheindivid-ual natural product compound mostresponsible for theeffectanddeter-mineitsmechanismofaction.”

Unravelling just what makes fungalpathogenssusceptible,orresistant,to

drugsisthekeytodevisingnewwaysto kill them and treat the infectionstheycause.

“Fromthatinformation,wecande-signnewbiological tests tohelpdis-cover other new compounds,” Clarksaid.

Fortheseparticularstudies,there-searchersusetheyeastSaccharomy-ces cerevisiae, because of its simplegeneticsandbiochemistry,andahostofsophisticatedgenomic,geneticand

proteomic (analysis of structure andfunctionofproteinsand/orenzymes)technology.

“Weusetechnologythatshowshowanorganism’sgenesrespondafterex-posuretothenaturalproduct,”Clarksaid.“First,weusetranscriptprofilingtechnologytoidentifybiologicalpath-ways that respond to the candidatedrug.Onceatargetpathwayisidenti-fied,weconductfollow-upstudiestopinpointtheprecisedrugtarget.”

Those follow-up studies includetestingtodeterminewhethermutantstrainsofyeastthatlackthosebiologi-calpathwaygenesaremoresensitivetothepotentialdrug,ortosearchforspecificenzymesormetabolitesinthetarget pathways, Clark said. Finally,theresearcherstesttheeffectivenessof the potential drug against fungalpathogens, using similar approachestowhattheyuseinmodelorganisms.

Restoring the potency of existingantifungal drugs presents multipleadvantages, Clark said. “Increasingthe intracellularconcentrationof theprimarydrug,forexample,canleadtoshorterdurationsoftherapy,reduceddosagesandfewersideeffects.”

AlthoughthegoalofClarkandherteam is to improvethequalityof lifeof millions of people with immunedisorders worldwide, their work is acontinualcycleofconcurrentand in-terrelatedstudies.

“Collaborationisthekeytosuccessofthisproject,”Clarksaid.“Theworksimplycouldnotbedonebyanysin-gle investigator, and we benefit fromcollaborations with researchers inother academic institutions, govern-mentlabsandcompanies.

“Ihavehadtheprivilegeofworkingwith many outstanding collaboratorsthroughoutmycareerbutnonemoresothanmyUMcolleaguesonthisproj-ect: Drs. Agarwal, Li and Jacob, wholeadourefforts inmolecularbiology,natural products chemistry and anti-fungalscreening,respectively.”

Spring201431

National Center for Natural Products Research scientists Melissa Jacob (left), Xing-Cong Li and Ameeta Agarwal collaborate with Alice Clark on antifungal research.

SchoolofPharmacyclassesrecognizedtheiroutstanding teachers and preceptors during commence-mentandawardsdayceremoniesthisspring.

Duringcommencement,studentsinthefirstyearoftheprofessional pharmacy program (PY1) honored Soumyajit majumdarastheirTeacheroftheYear,andPY4studentsreceiving Doctor of Pharmacy degrees honored debbie minorastheirAdvancedPharmacyPracticeExperiencePre-ceptoroftheYearandrichard “Buddy” OgletreeastheirIntroductoryPracticeExperiencePreceptoroftheYear.

During awards day, erin r. holmes and Ogletree re-ceivedTeacheroftheYearawardsfromthePY2andPY3classes,respectively.

Majumdar, an associate professor of pharmaceutics,teachesBasicPharmaceuticsIforthePY1class.

“Dr.Jithasalwaysbeenapproachable,passionateaboutteachingandreadytodoanythingwithinhispowertohelpus,”saidPY1classpresidentPaulWhiteofTupelo. 

MinorandOgletreebothprovidePY3andPY4studentswith introductoryandadvancedpharmacypracticeexpe-riences, or rotations, at the University Medical Center inJackson.Minor,anassociateprofessorofpharmacyprac-ticebasedintheHypertensionClinic,providesarequiredandelectiverotation inambulatorycare.Ogletree,anas-sistantprofessorofpharmacypracticebased in theDrugInformationCenter,providesdruginformation,adultmedi-cineandinstitutionalpracticerotations.

“We are so thankful to have Dr. Minor as a preceptor,”saidPharm.D.classpresidentGeremyCarpenterofJack-son,notingthatshehasaknackforpersuadingstudentstocommit their free time to service projects and educatingthemselvesaboutmedicationsandstudieswithwhichtheyaren’tfamiliar.

AboutOgletree,Carpentersaid,“Hefindscreativewaystotieinourlearningexperiences.Hecreatesastimulatinglearningenvironmentwherestudentscangainbothknowl-edgeandconfidence.”

Holmes,anassistantprofessorofpharmacyadministra-tion,teachesapharmacylawcourseforthePY2class.

“She keeps us encouraged through a tough curriculumand isalwayswilling togo theextramile tohelpher stu-dents,”saidPY2classpresidentAlexandrePierreRaymondofSt.Louis.”

NonprofitOrg.U.S.Postage

PAIDPermitNo.6

University,MS

Standout ProfessorsPharmacy students recognize faculty for teaching excellence

School of PharmacyP.O. Box 1848University, MS 38677-1848

Holmes Minor Ogletree Majumdar