Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Pharmacy Access Is Out Of Reach For One In Six South Carolinians, Bryan L. Love Pharm.D., Tessa J. Hastings Phd, Abby Davies

CORE Research Briefs

A cross-sectional geospatial analysis mapped active South Carolina community pharmacies and used 2020 Census tract data to estimate the population residing within and beyond five-mile pharmacy service areas. About one in six South Carolinians lives more than five miles from an active community pharmacy, with limited access disproportionately affecting rural communities.

From Advisory To Action: The Case For Preserving Paccarb In The Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance, Leila S. Hojat, Muhammad Dhanani, Amy Y. Kang, Salome O. Chitavi, Robert A. Weinstein, Edward Stenehjem

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) was established to advise the government on strategies to mitigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its increasing threat to public health and national security. Its members included experts from diverse disciplines such as healthcare, veterinary medicine, industry, public health, and agriculture who were positioned to interface with key stakeholders and the public in an aspirational multidisciplinary approach to combating AMR. The council was successful in elevating AMR as a national priority and played a crucial role in watershed events for antimicrobial stewardship (AS) such as the development of the second National Action …

Copper Nanoparticles And Their Future In Drug Delivery And Anticancer Therapy, Keykavous Parang, Rajesh Vadlapatla, Cassia Charles, Kimberly Tang, Trang Nguyen, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Ajoy Koomer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have attracted growing attention in nanomedicine owing to their distinctive physicochemical, optical, and biological properties. Their large surface area, tunable size, ease of surface modification, and low cost make them attractive candidates for drug delivery, where they can both improve delivery efficiency and enable stimuli-responsive release. CuNPs also possess intrinsic antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and photothermal activities, further broadening their biomedical utility. In this review, we synthesize recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, surface functionalization, and biomedical application of CuNPs, comparing chemical, physical, and green synthetic routes and their effects on stability, biocompatibility, and therapeutic efficacy. We examine …

September 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Introducing Hilltop Health: Connecting Campus, Community & Care

This fall marks an exciting new chapter for SWOSU Hilltop Health as services and partnerships continue to grow within the Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center. Designed to create a more connected approach to health and wellness, Hilltop Health brings together healthcare access, prevention, education, and community resources while creating new opportunities for collaboration across SWOSU and western Oklahoma.

Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg Due to Potential Cross Contamination …

Nicotine Pouches: Harm Reduction Or Initiation Pathway? A Pharmacy-Focused Review, Emmanuel Fashesin Souza, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Nicotine pouches (NPs) are a rapidly growing category of tobacco-free oral nicotine products increasingly available in the community, including pharmacies. Whether NPs primarily function as harm-reduction tools for existing tobacco users or as a novel initiation pathway into nicotine and tobacco use, particularly among youth, remains a critical and unresolved clinical and public health question.

Objectives

To synthesize current evidence on the pharmacology, harm-reduction potential, and initiation risk of NPs; to compare NPs with U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved nicotine replacement therapy and combustible cigarettes; and to identify implications and counseling priorities for pharmacy practice.

Methods

A narrative evidence …

Promoting Scientific Impact At The Nih, Fred D. Ledley M.D.

CISI Publication

We are honored to offer our comments on Promoting Scientific Impact at the NIH in response to NOT-OD-26-087: Request for Information on Measuring and Rewarding Scientific Impact.

These comments are informed by my professional experience as the founding director of the Center for Integration of Science and Industry at Bentley University, which has a mission to “advance the translation of scientific discoveries for public value by engaging science, business, and policy in transdisciplinary dialogue, scholarship, and education.” Our approach is to bring together the perspectives of natural science, business, analytics, economics, law, and policy to better understand, and advance, the …

Comments Re: Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program And Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Fred D. Ledley M.D., Edward Zhou Pharm. D.

CISI Publication

Thank you for the opportunity to provide written comments in response to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program proposed rule published on June 16, 2026 in the Federal Register. [1] We are answering as academic researchers with experience in medicine, pharmacy, biomedical research, and the biopharmaceutical industry. Our perspective is informed by extensive, published research on the economics and finance of pharmaceutical innovation, the value created by new medicines, and the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

We applaud the accomplishment of the IRA in establishing the precedent for the government to negotiate “fair market prices” for drugs on …

Comments Re: Commonsense Policy Options To Lower Drug Prices For Patients, Fred D. Ledley M.D., Edward Zhou Pharm. D.

CISI Publication

Thank you for the opportunity to provide written comment in response to the Senate Finance Committee Minority Staff’s “Request for Information: Commonsense Policy Options to Lower Drug Prices for Patients.” We are answering as academic researchers with experience in medicine and the biopharmaceutical industry. This comment will focus on sections I and III of the RFI.

We applaud the accomplishment of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in establishing the precedent for the government to negotiate “fair market” prices for drugs on terms that address both patients’ needs for affordability and industry’s need for a reasonable return on investment. Our analysis …

August 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

It's been an exciting season at the SWOSU Rural Health Center!

We are thrilled to share that SWOSU Rural Health has been awarded a second grant through Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), building on the momentum of our Community-Led Wellness Microgrant. This week, we also have the privilege of welcoming representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation Program to SWOSU as they visit our Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center to highlight the innovative work happening across our region.

• Feds push back HIPAA security rule …

Antiviral Activity Of The Polyene Macrolide Roseofungin Against Influenza A Virus: In Vitro, In Ovo, And Preliminary In Vivo Evaluation, Ahdrey P. Bogoyavlenskiy, Vladimir Berezin, Pavel Alexyuk, Madina Alexyuk, Irina Zaitseva, Aidar Mukhametkaliyev, Yergali Moldakhanov, Elmira I. Anarkulova, Timur Kerimov, Vyacheslav Dushenkov

Publications and Research

Roseofungin, a polyene macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces roseoflavus, was evaluated for antiviral activity against Influenza A virus using complementary in vitro, in ovo, and preliminary in vivo toxicity models, supported by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The compound exhibited antiviral activity against multiple influenza A virus subtypes, including an oseltamivir-resistant H1N1 strain, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 2.0 to 2.5 μg/mL and selectivity indices of 20–25. Functional assays demonstrated that roseofungin interfered with early stages of the viral life cycle by reducing viral adsorption and partially inhibiting neuraminidase activity. In virucidal assays, treatment with roseofungin resulted …

Ecorxchoice.Com— An Sidp-Funded Calculator Integrating Environmental Metrics With Antimicrobial Stewardship, Pamela S. Lee, Hugh Gordon, Theresa Ferguson, Tien Dinh, Misty Vu, Marina Nguyen, Chaynor Hsiao, Gary Fong

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Healthcare sustainability is a multidisciplinary field that seeks to mitigate healthcare’s environmental consequences. Antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare sustainability both aim to reduce wasteful resource use while maximizing patient safety. However, a strong partnership between antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare sustainability has yet to develop. To facilitate environmentally sustainable decision-making in antimicrobial prescribing, we developed a web-based calculator (EcoRxChoice (www.ecorxchoice.com)) where users can enter different antimicrobial regimens and compare how much plastic waste each regimen creates. This work was supported in part by the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), reflecting SIDP’s commitment to strengthening sustainability as a practical extension of antimicrobial …

July 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Health Center

As we prepare to kick off our first semester in the new Jerry & Margaret Hodge College of Pharmacy and Rural Health Center, there is a lot to be excited about! It has been incredible to watch this vision become a reality, and we can't wait to welcome students, faculty, healthcare partners, and community members into a space designed to strengthen rural healthcare across western Oklahoma. The opportunities for collaboration, education, and innovation are endless, and we are especially looking forward to creating more hands-on learning experiences for our students while continuing to build strong partnerships that …

Personalizable Metabolic Models To Enable Immune Characterization And Drug Discovery, Joshua Loecker

Department of Biochemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Cellular metabolism is reshaped by disease and physiological state, and genome-scale metabolic networks (GSMNs) offer a systematic way to interrogate this biology and identify therapeutic targets. Building a GSMN from expression data, however, requires a sequence of stages including read processing, normalization and gene-activity classification, multi-omic integration, model reconstruction, simulation, and biological interpretation. These are typically handled by disconnected tools spanning multiple programming languages, file formats, and databases. The resulting reliance on heterogeneous interfaces and manual steps threatens reproducibility. This work develops an ecosystem of computational tools that carry an analysis from raw sequencing reads to mechanistic biological interpretation. First, …

Prmt5 As A Key Driver Of Stemness And Metastatic Potential In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Jae Jin Jeong, Mauli Maniar, Shahrzad Ghane, Sakshi Deshpande, Claire Ellis, Ashakumary Lakshmikuttyamma

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) mediates arginine methylation of a wide range of proteins and plays context-dependent oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles. In cancer, PRMT5 represses several tumor suppressor genes, including E-cadherin, TP53BP1, ST7, PTEN, and RB (retinoblastoma). Elevated PRMT5 expression has been reported across multiple cancer types, notably triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In TNBC, high PRMT5 levels are associated with enhanced cancer stem cell self-renewal, increased tumor growth and metastasis, and reduced patient survival. Mechanistically, PRMT5 promotes breast cancer stem cell maintenance and proliferation through stabilization of the transcription factors KLF4 and KLF5. Disruption of the PRMT5-KLF4 axis results in …

Sirt1 And Ifi16 Cooperatively Regulate Hbv Replication Via Epigenetic Modulation And Innate Immune Activation, Zahra Zahid Piracha, Umar Saeed, Neelam Abid, Syed Shahan Gilani, Hafiz Ahmad Bilal Akhtar Chughtai, Areesha Wasti, Muhammad Waseem, Dilber Uzun Ozsahin, Andromeda M. Nauli, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) establishes persistent infection through the formation of a covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) minichromosome, which enables immune evasion and sustained viral replication. While SIRT1, IFI16, and STING are known to modulate antiviral pathways, their cooperative role in regulating HBV transcription and host immunity remains poorly defined.

Methods

We investigated the functional interplay between SIRT1, IFI16, and STING using confocal microscopy, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), gene silencing, and quantitative PCR in HBV-replicating cell models. Interactions with HBV cccDNA and effects on viral transcription and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression were analyzed. Northern blotting and RT-qPCR were used to …

Antimicrobial Resistance In Pediatric Infections: Current Status, Challenges, And Future Directions, Clare Dinh, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance in pediatric infections presents a worsening global public health challenge, with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) accounting for more than one million deaths annually and disproportionately affecting children younger than 5 years of age. Neonates and critically ill children face heightened risk owing to immature immunity, frequent healthcare exposures, and limited therapeutic options. This review synthesizes evidence on the epidemiology, mechanisms of resistance, clinical outcomes, and management of AMR across the full pediatric age range. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched for literature from 2014 to 2026 using terms covering antibiotic resistance, pediatric populations, and key …

Integrating Structural Analysis In The Pre-Appe Curriculum: Experiences From Three Institutions, Jennifer Ko, Sharon E. Connor, Emily K. Frederick, Katherine Foley, Emiline Snook, Ava Romah, Katie F. Leslie

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Educational activity

Evaluation findings

Impact Of Dolutegravir-Based Regimens On Patient Satisfaction And Quality Of Life Among People Living With Hiv: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mustapha Muhammed Abubakar, Christabel Ogechukwu Okoye, Ruth Jeminiwa, Ifeanyi Kanayo Ifeorah, Lotanna Ezeja, Yusuf Dauran, Sahabi Musa, Silas Usen Joel, Abdurrahman Murtala Bello, Amauche Pearl Ngige, Gabriel Ezenri, Abdulmuminu Isah, Ifunanya Ikhile, Blessing Onyinye Ukoha-Kalu

College of Pharmacy Faculty Papers

Background: Despite the global scale up of dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimens as the preferred first-line therapy for persons living with HIV (PLHIV), no comprehensive evidence exists on its effect on patient-reported outcomes such as Quality of Life (QoL) and patient satisfaction (PS). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide the first comprehensive quantitative synthesis of the effect of DTG-based regimens on QoL and PS among PLHIV.

Method: We conducted literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane Library databases for peer-reviewed, primary studies published from January 2015 to January 2025. Studies using validated tools to evaluate QoL and PS …

Investigation Of Warfarin–Human Serum Albumin Binding By Ultrafast Affinity Extraction Using Single- And Dual-Column Affinity Microcolumn Systems, Samiul Alim

Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation examined the interaction of warfarin with human serum albumin (HSA) by using affinity chromatography, with particular emphasis on ultrafast affinity extraction (UAE) and affinity microcolumns. HSA affinity supports were prepared by immobilizing HSA onto diol-bonded silica via Schiff base chemistry and used to prepare affinity microcolumns for chromatographic studies under physiological-like conditions at pH 7.4 and 37.0 °C. UAE studies were performed to investigate the effects of residence time, flow rate, and column configuration on the measured apparent free fraction of warfarin and on the calculated apparent binding parameters. The results showed that the measured apparent free fraction …

June 2026, Swosu Rural Health Center

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Rocks

Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Depression

Dr. Debra L. Stevens, Pharm.D., BCPP 

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as depression, affects 1 in 5 individuals in their lifetime.¹ Worldwide approximately 246 to 286 million individuals are afflicted with MDD.² MDD may cause significant morbidity and disability. The World Health Organization estimates that MDD will be one of the leading causes of disease burden by 2030.²

A significant number of patients diagnosed with MDD do not respond adequately despite appropriate treatment with antidepressants.² Treatment resistance may occur in up to one-third of patients …

Comparative Analysis Of Fixed Versus Variable Rate Of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation In Critically Ill Ecmo Patients On Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy, Lisa Hall Zimmerman, Alexander Chen, Felcia Ivascu, Anthony Iacco, Jimmi Mangla, Wesley Barnes, Sean Masters

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background: Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) is the preferred dialysis modality for critically ill patients with hemodynamic instability. Anticoagulation is often necessary to deliver CKRT effectively and prolong the circuit lifespan. The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guideline for acute kidney injury 2012 recommends regional citrate administration during CKRT for patients without contraindications to prevent filter clotting. Citrate works by chelating calcium and interfering with the activation of the coagulation cascade. This study evaluated effectiveness and safety of fixed (FIX) versus variable citrate rate (VAR) in critically ill patients receiving CKRT. Methods: This single-center, retrospective study evaluated …

Lovastatin Potentiates The Function Of Α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Dmytro Isaev, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Murat Oz

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background/Objectives: Statins are currently one of the most commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs. In recent years, in addition to their well-known effects on the cardiovascular system, statins have been shown to exert beneficial effects in the progression of various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: In this study, the effects of lovastatin on the function of α7-nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors expressed in rat hippocampus and Xenopus oocytes were investigated. Results: In whole-cell patch clamp studies in hippocampal neurons, 21-day chronic (20 mg/kg), but not acute (20 min), lovastatin treatment caused significant potentiation of choline (a selective agonist for α7 nACh receptors)-induced currents …

Expert Recommendations To Strengthen Chikungunya Outbreak Surveillance And Reporting For Traveler Health Protection, Daniel C. Payne, Karoun H. Bagamian, Jeffery Goad, Nathan D. Grubaugh, Michael A. Johansson, Moritz U. G. Kraemer, Eyal Leshem, Francesca F. Norman, Alfonso J. Rodríguez-Morales, Henrik Salje, Stephen Thomas, Scott C. Weaver, Lindsey A. Laytner, Rebecca Sturgis, Suzanne K. Scheele, Davidson H. Hamer

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Chikungunya, a debilitating mosquito-borne disease caused by chikungunya virus, has surged dramatically in the past two decades. Chikungunya outbreaks can intensify rapidly, with infections posing a significant endemic health burden in tropical/subtropical areas and for travelers. Health professionals require timely and accurate outbreak information to adequately protect travelers and assess chikungunya risk. However, detection is often insufficient in the areas most susceptible to outbreaks, leading to diagnostic and reporting delays. Consequently, travelers are often unaware of increased chikungunya infection risk at their destination. We assessed chikungunya surveillance and reporting resources, and we developed expert recommendations for traveler health protection. Because …

Effects Of Normothermic Hepatic Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury On The Hepatic Disposition Of Arachidonic Acid And Its Cytochrome P450-Generated Metabolites In Rats, Vindhya Edpuganti, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

Cytochrome P450 (P450) metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) are potential therapeutic targets in ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury, yet their disposition and actions in hepatic IR are unknown. Cellular AA and its P450 metabolites are primarily bound to lipid membranes, resulting in negligible free concentrations. This study investigates how hepatic IR injury impacts the disposition of free AA and its major P450 metabolites in rats.

Methods

Rats underwent 60 min of partial (70%) ischemia or sham surgery, followed by 5 min, 3 h, or 24 h of reperfusion. The effects of IR injury on free concentrations of AA and its major …

Accelerating Wound Healing Rates With Cucurbita Pepo Leaf Extract Loaded Electrospun Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)/Halloysite/Chitosan/ Caco₃ Composite Nanofibers Through In Vitro And In Vivo Assessments, Samar A. Salim

Nanotechnology Research Centre

Cucurbita pepo leaf extract (CPE) was incorporated into electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate)/ halloysite/chitosan/ CaCO₃ (PMMA/Hal/CS/CaCO₃) composite nanofibers to develop a novel biomaterial for accelerating wound healing rates. The different nanofibrous scaffolds were successfully fabricated and characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM analysis revealed uniform, smooth nanofibers, while FTIR and XRD confirmed the integration of CPE into nanofiber matrix, indicating an amorphous structure and effective dispersion of the extract. In vitro agar well-diffusion and antibiofilm assays revealed that the optimized formulation exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against wound-associated pathogens. The nanofibers composite based on …

Environmental Mercury Alters Immune Pathways Linked To Autoimmune Risk In Mice Mirroring Humans, Maurgan Lee, Paul Stemmer, Randall Gill, Allen Rosenspire, Anil Aranha, Heather Gibson

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background and Purpose: Mercury is a pervasive environmental contaminant, and human epidemiologic studies have linked chronic low-level exposure to increased autoimmune disease-risk. Dysregulated lymphocyte activation and impaired signaling tolerance are central mechanisms in human autoimmunity. Protein phosphorylation governs lymphocyte differentiation and function, alterations in phosphoproteomic networks may represent a signature of immune disruption. This study evaluates how low dose mercury exposure modifies B and T cell abundance and intracellular signaling patterns in BALB/c and Diversity Outbred (DO) mice.

Methods: BALB/c and DO mice were exposed to low dose HgCl2 in their water for two weeks or provided standard water controls. …

In-Use Stability And Device Compatibility Define Clinically Actionable Handling Limits For A Gmp-Produced Attenuated Listeria Monocytogenes Vaccine Expressing Gucy2c, Jagmohan Singh, Taranjot Johar, Vannessa Scully, Scott A. Waldman, Babar Bashir, Adam E. Snook

Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology Faculty Papers

Background: Live-attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) vectors are a clinically validated cancer immunotherapy platform, but translation requires reproducible, clinically realistic workflows for dose preparation and infusion. For live bacterial products, in-use stability and device compatibility can drive dose variability through adsorption, settling, and device losses. Methods: We developed and GMP-manufactured an attenuated Lm vaccine expressing human GUCY2C (Lm-GUCY2C) and performed translational characterization, including construct verification and immunogenicity readouts, and defined the administration-focused in-use stability and device compatibility. Post-thaw stability was assessed in primary cryovials and during preparation and delivery from 250 mL saline infusion bags using standard clinical devices (syringes/needles, filter-free …

Level Of Comfort And Barriers To Pediatric Vaccination Among Pharmacy-Based Immunizers In California, Laressa Bethishou, Karl Hess, Richard Beuttler, Jeffery Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Pharmacists are increasingly recognized as accessible immunizers, yet pediatric vaccination rates in community pharmacies remain lower than those for adults, likely due to unique barriers. This study aimed to assess the comfort level of pharmacy-based immunizers in California with administering vaccines to pediatric patients and to identify barriers limiting their participation in pediatric immunization.

Methods

An IRB-approved, cross-sectional survey was distributed electronically to pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians administering vaccines in California community pharmacies between November 2022 and February 2023. The survey measured comfort with vaccinating pediatric age groups, perceived barriers, and collected demographic data. Data analysis included …

An Evaluation Of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots As Alternatives To Specialized Software In Teaching Bayesian Pharmacokinetic Analysis, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

Methods

Redefining Skincare For Sensitive Lives, Ashlyn G. Sierra Ms

Honors College Theses

This study outlines how a skincare company that is both ethically and effectively developed for people suffering from eczema could create accessible, affordable products as well as maintain its commitment to being inclusive. The study uses scientific data regarding eczema in order to examine why certain aspects of skin care are helpful or dangerous when it comes to individuals who suffer from eczema, in addition, it provides an assessment of current skin care product offerings that are designed for people with eczema. Using the Wise Leadership Framework, the study presents a hypothetical business plan for a new, eczema-based skin care …