Elevating Pharmacy
Bolstering Cancer Care
When patients are diagnosed with cancer, they need all the support they can get. And pharmacists, like alum Jason Bergsbaken (PharmD ’12) and his oncology colleagues, are well-positioned to make a personal impact. Learn how Bergsbaken is influencing cancer care, from individual patients to statewide initiatives.
Research Alums Boost Practice
Some of the first alums of our research-focused PharmD option — including Rachel Jenson (PharmD '19) and Youqi Zhang (PharmD '19) — are using their expertise to improve practice and patient outcomes. Learn where and how.
Test and Treat
Now that pharmacists have gained the ability to prescribe COVID-19 therapeutics, some pharmacies around the state are a one-stop shop for testing and treatment. Alum Charlie Lee (BS '96) shares how it's making a difference.
Psychedelic Therapies
Stopping Substance Misuse
First-in-kind clinical trials explore psilocybin as a therapy for two pressing substance use disorders. In the process, Professor Paul Hutson and colleagues are breaking the mold for these trials with increased representation and imaging.
Watch: Psychedelics & Pharmacy
In a webinar, three faculty from the School and Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances share breaking research into therapeutic applications of psychedelic drugs and how it may change pharmacy practice.
Student Excellence
The Power of Scholarships
“What a good feeling, to see money well spent," says alum Ronald Taylor (MS '66), reflecting on the story of the student pharmacist he helped through a scholarship.
3 APhA-ASP Awards
Our PharmD students have received recognition for outreach initiatives in heart health and immunization for the second year running, as well as an innovative programming award. Learn why.
Set up for Success
Two new PharmD specializations are in full swing, giving student pharmacists an advantage in industry and psychiatric pharmacy. Hear students' take on how the programs are preparing them.
Alum Q&A
Video: 4 Qs with an Industry Alum
What is a medical science liaison? Alum Dean Bowen (PharmD ’20) explains why PharmDs are well-equipped for the job, reflects on pharmacy school memories, and more.
Watch the interview >
Time Capsule
Digitizing Pharmacy History
The School of Pharmacy and the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy hold one of the country’s most extensive collections of pharmacy and pharmaceutical history. Through a new national grant, this collection is moving online to be accessible for people around the world. See what’s inside.
Rising Star
Racking Up Honors
In 2022, the School’s Assistant Professor Quanyin Hu has been honored as a highly cited researcher — in the top 1% in his field — and as a rising star in drug delivery.
See what’s led to his success >
Latest research behind the awards
Photo Galleries
PharmSci 360 Reception
At the annual AAPS PharmSci 360 conference, the School of Pharmacy hosted a reception to gather Pharmacy Badger researchers from around the nation to catch up and build new connections.
White Coat Ceremony
Our PharmD Class of 2026 met their first major milestone in pharmacy school: receiving their white coats. The ceremony also featured several School of Pharmacy alumni, including Janet Fritsch (BS ’87), Maria Wopat (PharmD '10), and others.
Health-System Pharmacy Alumni Panel
During the annual fall meeting of the School's Board of Visitors, an advisory committee comprising luminaries in health care and research, the School hosted a panel discussion featuring alumni leaders in health-system pharmacy.
From the Dean
DEAN’S CORNER
As we enter the new year, Dean Steve Swanson reflects on the successes of the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy and our faculty and students from the past year, and looks ahead to the challenges the School is facing next and how faculty, staff, and alumni can address them together.
LEARN MORE >
Improving Outcomes
Pharmacists as Key Allies in HIV Care
From encouraging testing to supporting diagnosis and treatment, alumni ThuyVu Do (PharmD ’17) and Mark Cinquegrani (PharmD ’19) and graduate student Adati Tarfa weigh in on how pharmacists form an essential part of the care teams for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Interdisciplinary Influence
From managing C. diff infections to selecting venous access devices, the extensive body of clinical guidance to help patients get the care they need quickly is not easy to build. But that's the duty of Lee Skrupky (PharmD '05).
Scales of Change
Alumna Karishma Desai (PhD '16) uses patient outcomes research to influence policies, therapies, and interventions to help patients thrive, including through government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Leading Research
Infecting Bacteria
Bacteria get sick, too. And through a new NIH grant, Assistant Professor Jason Peters is aiming to harness these bacterial viruses as an alternative to antibiotics, as more bacteria develop resistance.
Patented Innovations
In fiscal year 2021–22, nine School of Pharmacy alumni, faculty, and staff were awarded patents for their innovative work in drug discovery and delivery, with implications ranging from antibiotic resistance to cancer therapies.
New Avenues for Protein Degradation
Proteins, the "building blocks of life," can contain errors linked to a range of diseases. Through a national fellowship, graduate student Christopher Stevens is expanding the therapeutic applications of targeted protein degradation.
Alumni Events
VIRTUAL ALUMNI & FRIENDS TRIVIA NIGHT
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7
Come test your Badgers, Pharmacy, and general trivia knowledge in our fourth annual trivia fundraiser for student scholarships, hosted by the School of Pharmacy and the Pharmacy Alumni Association.
APHA 2023: ALUMNI & FRIENDS RECEPTION
DATE TBD
Join fellow Badger pharmacists at the American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., March 24-27. Time and location of reception TBD. Check back for more details.
From the PAA
PAA CORNER
The holiday season is in full swing, and the Pharmacy Alumni Association (PAA) has much to be thankful for. The mission of the PAA would not be possible without all of you who donated your time, talent, and resources. Learn how alums have contributed throughout the year.
READ THE FULL UPDATE >
Making Headlines
Class Notes
WINTER 2022 CLASS NOTES
Our Pharmacy Badgers are always busy, meeting professional and personal milestones, getting married, growing their families, and more. Keep in touch with your School of Pharmacy alumni peers through class notes.
READ WHAT’S NEW >
SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NOTE >
Professional Development
CMC Project Team Leadership
Short course | Webinars Thursdays April 13-May 18
This course provides project management and leadership training for aspiring or current project team leaders, covering effective leadership skills, team dynamics, project management, and decision-making skills. The course also covers regulatory compliance and quality assurance to plan candidate advancement to Phase I and beyond.
Find more information and register >
Cannabinoids as Medicine
Online
Through a series of 13 online modules, learn about the endocannabinoid system, cannabinoid pharmacology, and their use for various medical conditions, as well as current limitations for use and research. Also learn about synthetic cannabinoids, how they work, and their misuse.
Find more information and register >
Connect with Us
DISCOVERX STAFF
Editor-in-Chief | Katie Gerhards
Photographer | Sally Griffith-Oh
Contributing Photographers | Todd Brown, Ingrid Laas, Brendan Bush, Carla Osberg, Jason Smith, Christopher Brecht, Chuck Bigger
Contributing Writers | Katie Ginder-Vogel, Jill Sakai, Nicole Etter
Editorial Interns | Brianna Foth, Ben Cadigan
Editorial Advisors | Alyson Kim, David Mott
DiscoveRx magazine is a quarterly digital publication by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy.
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