Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Over-The-Counter Medications Among Undergraduate Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anna S. Dawson

Honors Theses

This study examines and compares knowledge and attitudes towards over-the-counter (OTC) medications among undergraduate college students at the University of Mississippi. OTCs are purchased and administered without a prescription, making them an efficient, safe, and affordable method of healthcare. It is important to determine the attitudes college students have towards these drugs and if they are able to safely and correctly use them. Information gathered from this study can be used to guide future education on medication literacy and to gain insight into how college students use OTCs to medicate themselves. A Qualtrics survey was sent out to a random …

Investigating The Effects Of Cannabichromene On Different Modalities Of Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain, Anna F. Weimer

Honors Theses

Chemotherapy is the predominant treatment for a variety of cancers, but throughout its history of use, many side effects have been reported. One of the most common side effects is chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This side effect subjects an estimated 60% of patients to pain for months to years following chemotherapy. This symptomology is due tothe upregulation of ion channels such as TRPV1, which leads to the release of TNF-α, causing inflammation. These changes manifest in the intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENF), in which chemotherapy damages nociceptors, leading to an overall reduction in density. Current therapeutics, historically limited to opioids or …

"First, Do No Harm": Ethical Failures And Preventive Solutions In The United States Pharmaceutical System - A Narrative Review, Rebekah R. Bailey

Honors Theses

The United States pharmaceutical system is highly advanced but faces growing ethical concerns related to drug development and marketing, overprescription, and high drug costs. This thesis examines how pharmaceutical marketing, regulatory practices, and prescribing behaviors may conflict with the ethical principle of “first, do no harm.”

Using a narrative review of interdisciplinary literature in public health, medical ethics, and applied ethics, this thesis analyzes patterns in drug development, marketing strategies, and regulatory oversight. The findings suggest that ethical issues are systemic, driven by commercial incentives, inconsistent regulatory standards, and an increasing reliance on pharmaceutical solutions. These factors contribute to overmedicalization, …

Quantifying Black Carbon Concentrations In Georgia And Analyzing Associated Public Health Risks, Khloe R. Osborne

Honors Theses

Quantifying Black Carbon Concentrations in Georgia and Analyzing Associated Public Health Risks

One of the most daunting challenges of the industrial world is air pollution. Within this broad spectrum, there is an inhalable particle group named PM2.5, which contains black carbon. Black carbon has evidence that supports the generation and worsening of adverse health impacts, which may include birth complications, cognitive deficits in children, pulmonary aggravation, asthma, cardiovascular issues, neurological degenerative patterns, and cancer risk. This is especially seen in vulnerable populations, like children, elderly, and those who already suffer from weakened health, many of which reside in the southern …

The Impact Of Patient Navigation On The Hepatitis C Care Continuum In Underserved Populations: A Scoping Review, Deauntaye Jones

Honors Theses

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a significant public health concern and is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation when left untreated. Although direct-acting antiviral therapies have made HCV curable for most patients, many underserved populations continue to experience barriers to diagnosis, linkage-to-care, treatment completion, and sustained virologic response (SVR). This study evaluated how patient navigation programs influence progression through the HCV care continuum among underserved populations. Relevant studies published between 2014 and 2025 were identified through searches of PubMed and Embase using terms related to HCV, patient navigation, linkage-to-care, underserved populations, and treatment outcomes. Following title, …

Tale Of Two Pharmacies, Katie R. Jadin

Honors Theses

Community pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare providers in the United States and play an increasingly important role in improving patient outcomes. This study observes whether geographical distance and demographic differences influence patient healthcare needs within community pharmacy settings. Communities in Wisconsin and Mississippi, approximately 800 miles apart, were compared due to differences in population demographics, socioeconomic factors, and disease burden.

A survey was distributed to community pharmacy employees, including pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians, to assess common disease states, medication patterns, pharmacy workload, and patients' barriers to care. Twelve responses were collected from pharmacy employees.

Despite the …

Charity Pharmacies: An Integrative Overview Of Operations: A Continuing Education Program For Pharmacists, Stella Bertram

Honors Theses

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The goal of this activity is to educate pharmacists about Charity Pharmacies by creating an integrative overview of their purpose, laws and regulations, processes and procedures, eligibility, and opportunities for involvement. This course will ensure pharmacists are competent in the operations involved in volunteering or working within a charitable pharmacy.

Additionally, the information provided supports pharmacists in understanding their roles as well as roles of volunteers. They will understand the importance of their role in the community and the depth of their service within Charity Pharmacies.

Score Data 2026, M. Barnard, T. Johnson, A. Ford-Wade, M. Godfrey, C. Compretta, E. Dehon, B. Wade

Faculty and Student Publications

This data file includes data for four years of Project SCORE implementation.

Assessing Current Telehealth Mobile Applications In The United States: Accessibility, Privacy, And Care Delivery, Rosemary K. Frugé

Honors Theses

Telehealth has improved patient access by reducing barriers to convenient, cost-effective, and quality health care. Telehealth mobile applications allow individuals to remotely access services through smartphone-based platforms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate leading telehealth applications available in the United States, analyzing key factors that influence platform selection, including cost, prescribing and diagnostic capabilities, user feedback, and data privacy practices. Applications were identified through keyword-based searches of major app stores using the term “telehealth,” and each app was systematically evaluated using predefined criteria. Findings highlight variability across platforms in pricing transparency, service offerings, and privacy disclosures, despite generally …

Project Score Program Manual, M. Barnard, T. Johnson, A. Ford-Wade, M. Godfrey, C. Compretta, E. Dehon, S. Nasruddin, B. Wade, W. Sparkmon, M. Presley, A. Jones-White, W. Qualen

Faculty and Student Publications

Project SCORE (student-centered outcomes research experience) is an NIH-funded year-long informal public health education program and mentored research experience utilizing a youth participatory action research (YPAR) approach and near-peer mentors (NPMs) to increase science engagement, interest in college participation, and contribute to a diverse and community-engaged health sciences pipeline.

Current Active U.S. Patents Held By Sop Inventors - Updated 3/19/26, Soumyajit Majumdar

U. S. Patents, School of Pharmacy

List of current active U.S. Patents held by the School of Pharmacy Inventors - updated 3/19/26

Research News, Publications, 2026, Volume 2, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of April 1 - June 30, 2026.

Research News, Publications, 2026, Volume 1, Soumyajit Majumdar

Publications (2015-)

Publications that appeared during the period of January 1 - March 31, 2026.

Research News, Grants, 2026, Volume 1, Soumyajit Majumdar

Grants (2015-)

Grants and contracts awarded during January - March 2026

Research News, Grants, 2026, Volume 2, Soumyajit Majumdar

Grants (2015-)

Grants and contracts awarded during April - June 2026

Investigating The Cytotoxic Effects Of Amino Acid-Based Ionic Liquids And Peg-Pla Nanoparticles On Mcf10a Human Breast Epithelial Cells For Drug Delivery Applications, Ella C. Mertins

Honors Theses

This study investigates the cytotoxic effects of polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid (PEG-PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) both bare and coated with choline-based ionic liquids (ILs) on MCF10A human breast epithelial cells. The goal was to evaluate how IL-modified NPs influence cell viability at varying concentrations and to assess their potential as drug delivery systems. Three choline-based ILs, Choline-L-Asparagine 1:1, Choline-DL-Isoleucinate 1:1, and Choline-L-Leucinate 1:1, were used as surface coatings for PEG-PLA NPs. Additionally, the ILs were tested independently to establish a baseline for their cytotoxicity. Using a luminescent ATP-based viability assay following the treatment of MCF10A cells, the ILs were found to be …

Anti-Cancer Activity Of Marine-Derived Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates In Ovarian Cancer Cell Spheroid Formation And Notch Signaling Inhibition, Daniella Beiner

Honors Theses

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy, with high recurrence rates driven by chemotherapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs). Current therapeutics targeting Notch signaling to inhibit CSC formation have yet to demonstrate clinical benefit and pose risk of gastrointestinal toxicities. Here, we report that treatment with fucosylated chondroitin sulfates (FucCS) inhibited Notch signaling activation and spheroid formation in OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cells. Sulfation and fucosylation were shown to be key structural requirements of this anti-cancer activity. Moreover, this inhibition was synergistic with suppression of Notch glycosylation by Radical Fringe knockout. Preliminary experiments to conjugate FucCS to a maleimide linker in preparation …

Over-The-Counter Cold Medication Usage Self-Efficacy Among Undergraduate Students In The United States, Ray Goodwin

Honors Theses

Background

This study looks at the trends in over-the-counter medication usage and self-efficacy among undergraduate college students in the United States. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications serve as the most easily accessible and commonly purchased medications and can be used as a basis to determine this demographic’s attitudes and behaviors towards self-medication. In addition, undergraduates represent a diverse population for analyzing differences among demographic groups.

Methods

A Qualtrics survey was sent out to undergraduates across the US via a panel, and the team received 403 useable responses. As part of a larger study, the survey presented participants with four different scenarios at …

A Local Assessment Of Glp-1 Use For Weight Loss: An Interview Study, Maci Bradley

Honors Theses

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are a novel class of medications used primarily for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as well as for chronic weight management. The first GLP-1 medication, exenatide, was FDA-approved in April of 2005 for glycemic control, however, it was not until December of 2014 when liraglutide became the first GLP-1 FDA-approved for weight loss. There are now eight FDA-approved GLP-1s, only two of which are approved for weight loss. GLP-1 use has become increasingly popular in recent years, even extending to the college-aged population. The purpose of this study is to examine the trends in …

Determining The Bioaccumulation Of Minor Cannabinoids In Zebrafish Larvae, Kamdyn A. Holt

Honors Theses

Due to the increasing prevalence of cannabis product availability and usage in the modern United States, particularly among pregnant individuals, evaluating the bioaccumulation of minor cannabinoids to further understand the adverse effects of cannabinoids during early development is critical. This study quantitated the uptake of eight minor cannabinoids ((∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC), ∆9-THC, ∆10-THC, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and hexahydrocannabinol (HHC)) in zebrafish larvae following water-borne 2 µM exposures from 6 to 96 hours post fertilization (hpf). Larvae were homogenized at 96 hpf and analyzed using a gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method developed in this study. Bioconcentration …

Dimethylthiourea As A Quencher In Hydroxyl Radical Protein Footprinting Experiments, Anter A. Shami, Sandeep K. Misra, Lisa M. Jones, Joshua S. Sharp

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Hydroxyl radical protein footprinting (HRPF) is a mass spectrometry-based technique for measuring the surface of a protein or protein complex. This method relies on the use of hydroxyl radicals to irreversibly label exposed amino acid side chains in proteins. Although catalase is commonly employed to quench secondary oxidation by catalytic conversion of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water, it possesses certain drawbacks. The inclusion of a relatively high concentration of catalase produces interfering peptides after proteolytic digestion, thereby limiting the method's sensitivity due to dynamic range issues and signal suppression. These drawbacks are most noticeable when dealing with more complex …

The Association Of Opioid Prescribing Continuity And The Risk Of Opioid Use Disorder Among Older Adults, Prachi Prajapati, Shadi Bazzazzadehgan, Yi Yang, Kaustuv Bhattacharya, Shishir Maharjan, John P. Bentley, Sujith Ramachandran

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Study objective: To evaluate the association between opioid prescribing continuity and risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) among older Medicare beneficiaries on long term opioid therapy (LTOT).

Biomolecular Science, University Of Mississippi. Biomolecular Sciences

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Our mission is to drive innovation through combined excellence in the disciplines of Pharmacognosy, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Environmental Toxicology in order to understand and improve human and environmental health. We provide positive impacts to our school, the state of Mississippi, and the world, via education and mentored research at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, and through our leadership in interdisciplinary chemical and biological sciences.

From Lab To Public Policy: Pioneering Excellence At Ncccre, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

The National Center for Cannabis Research and Education (NCCRE) focuses the School of Pharmacy’s strengths, history, and capabilities to offer educational opportunities, conduct medical cannabis research, and provide outreach that will benefit Mississippi and the nation.

Trifluoromethyl Carbohydrate Footprinting For Probing Protein Binding Components Of Oligosaccharides Mixture, Quadrat Yusuph, Sandeep K. Misra, Joshua S. Sharp

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Biomolecular footprinting is well-established for nucleic acids and proteins but lacks a method for carbohydrates. Glycan footprinting could enhance understanding of glycan interactions via mass spectrometry. We verified that CF3 labeled the model trisaccharide NAG3 across the oligosaccharide. We developed a quenching and reduction protocol for improved post-labeling analysis and the first radical covalent footprinting method for complex carbohydrates.

Impact Of Pausinystalia Johimbe On Cytochrome P450: A Potential Risk For Polypharmacy, Pankul Kotwal, Islam Husain, Olivia R. Dale, Suresh Chandra V. A. R. Annam, Amar G. Chittiboyina, Ikhlas A. Khan, Shabana I. Khan

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Pausinystalia johimbe, a tree native to West Africa, contains yohimbine as its primary active compound which was traditionally used as an aphrodisiac, has gained attention for its diverse pharmacological effects such as weight loss promotion, athletic performance enhancement, mood improvement, potential anxiety reduction and cognitive function enhancement. Recent studies have revealed that the primary mechanism of action of yohimbine is as an α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, affecting fat metabolism, vasodilation, and sympathetic nervous system activity. PXR and AhR are xenobiotic receptors that regulate the expression of drugmetabolizing Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) and transporters like Pglycoprotien (P-gp). Concomitant consumption of phytochemicals …

The Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Appropriate Antibiotic Use Among Women With Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection, Nga-Weng (Ivy) Leong, Shishir Maharjan, Yi Yang

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Women with low socioeconomic status (SES) were more likely to develop urinary tract infections. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to treatment failure and future multidrugresistant infections. However, the relationship between SES and inappropriate treatment has yet to be established.

The study aims to assess the relationship between SES and guidelines-concordance antibiotic use among women with uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI).

Comparative Risk Of Venous Thromboembolism Of Advanced Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Among Older Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Shadi Bazzazzadehgan, Shishir Maharjan, John P. Bentley, Yi Yang, Yinan Huang

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Objective: To evaluate the association between different types of biological (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) diseasemodifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), or b/tsDMARDs, including tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), non-TNFi bDMARDs, and tsDMARDs and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among older adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Glycore Phase 2, University Of Mississippi. Biomolecular Sciences

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

Poster outlines the four cores of the Glycoscience Center of Research Excellence at the University of Mississippi: administrative, analytical and biophysical research, imaging researching, computational chemistry and bioinformatics research. Research award opportunities are also outlined.

Building Foundations For Graduate Success: The Direct Program’S Summer Bridge Initiative For Graduate Students, Melissa King, Marie Barnard, Shawnboda Mead, Soumyajit Majumdar

Annual Poster Session 2024-2025

The DIRECT (Driving Interdisciplinary Research Expertise through Community Building and Training) Program's first cohort of graduate students successfully completed a three-week summer bridge program designed to enhance their academic preparedness, facilitate their transition into graduate-level study and demystify the “hidden curriculum” of academia. Held prior to the start of their first fall semester, the program aimed to enhance students’ preparedness for graduate studies, foster a sense of community, and equip students with critical skills and knowledge of campus resources necessary for academic success. An evaluation of the program's impact revealed gains in students' understanding of graduate school expectations, their awareness …