Steven Lombardo, BSPS 2011, is the first Fulbright scholar in the 107-year history of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Mr. Lombardo was the valedictorian of his graduating class and has a significant interest in research throughout his undergraduate career. Mr. Lombardo, who studied pharmacology and toxicology, is now conducting a year of study with Dr. Mary Collins of the Faculty of Pharmacy at The University of Sydney, Australia. Subsequently, Mr. Lombardo will pursue a PhD in neuroscience at Wake Forest University. Read more

Pharmacy camp is a three-night, four-day camp that takes place at The University of Toledo each summer. The camp is open to high school students in the Class of 2013 who demonstrate strong academic skills and an interest in pharmacy or the pharmaceutical sciences.

This summer, the dates for Pharmacy camp will be June 17-20, 2012 and June 24-27, 2012. The online application will be available February 1, 2012, and the application deadline is April 4, 2012.

P4 students Caitlin Steward, Andrew Wash, Rachel Rocha, and Andrea Smith

Members of UT’s chapter of the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists (SSHP) attended the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) mid-year meeting, at which they presented a poster in the Student Society Showcase. The poster describes Operation Immunization, a student-run community immunization program. Also at the meeting, P4 students Kelli Cole and Michelle Piel represented UT in the National Skills Competition.

Dr. Tom Kvale of Undergraduate Research with Dr. Fred Williams

At the Fourth Annual Posters at the Capitol: Undergraduate Research in Northwest Ohio, the University of Toledo chapter of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, received an award for distinguished performance.  Award criteria focus on the impact of a specific program on the institution or community (i.e., the size and diversity of the audience, outreach and exposure) and the level of innovation or initiative (uniqueness of program, creative use of resources).  The Program Award recognizes initiatives that address the four major issues at the foundation of the Society’s mission: honor in science and engineering, science education, science policy and the public understanding of science.

Pharmacology associate professor, Dr. Fred Williams, is the president of the UT chapter of Sigma Xi. Sigma Xi is committed to supporting the research enterprise, and the strength of this organization comes from the strong foundation of 522 chapter-based programs.   UT is one of seven chapters to receive the Chapter Program Awards recognition this year.  “The grassroots nature of the Society allows us to ‘think globally and act locally.’ In a world increasingly impacted by science and technology, the need for informed science leadership in our communities and neighborhoods is great,” said Cristina Gouin-Paul, chair, Sigma Xi Committee on Qualifications and Membership.  “Your award-winning chapter is helping to create that kind of leadership, and we hope you feel a part of that success and we appreciate the time and effort your chapter put in to your chapter and program.”

Posters at the Capitol is an annual event where undergraduate students from across Northwest Ohio display their research at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. In 2011, more than 50 students from The University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, The University of Findlay, Ohio Northern University and Heidelberg University participated. Posters at the Capitol is led by UT’s Office of Undergraduate Research and has been supported by UT’s chapter of Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society since the inception of the events in 2008.

“Posters at the Capitol provides an opportunity for undergraduate students from northwest Ohio to showcase their research,” said Dr. Thomas Kvale, director of the UT Office of Undergraduate Research. “This event is designed for students to become more involved with their elected officials and thank them for their support and for the representatives and senators to learn more about the students’ research and discoveries on a one-on-one basis.”  Two students were recognized in the Ohio Assembly during the 2011 event.

All award-winning chapters were honored during the Society’s Annual Meeting in November in Raleigh, North Carolina.

UT’s Sigma Xi Chapter was established in 1955, a UT student research symposium commenced in 1980, and undergraduate researchers began presenting in 2002. The national Sigma Xi organization celebrates its 125-year anniversary this year.

The September 2011 Refill is now available online. Please enjoy news from the UT College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (UTCPPS).

In this issue:

• Pharmacy Summer Camp takes on crime
• Pillbox Pharmacy Tailgate Tent, Fall 2011
• UTCPPS and Free Clinic
• Alumni Focus: Kayleigh Majercek, BSPS ‘10
• Student Features: Learning from Experts
• Faculty Notes: Drs. Ahmed and Lengel
• Upcoming Events

The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is adding a pharmacist’s touch to the Perrysburg Heights Free Medical Clinic. The clinic, initiated by Dr. Richard Paat in 2010, operates in the Perrysburg Heights Community Center each Wednesday night. Since 2010, the clinic has served over 300 patients, including low-income patients, the elderly, the uninsured and the underinsured.

Regardless of income or ability to pay, patients of all ages receive medical care at the clinic. Patients receive the services they might receive during a typical office visit: vitals, medical history, physical examination, and labs and x-rays if they are needed. Free diagnostic testing and result confirmation, amounting to over $50,000, has been provided by St. Luke’s Hospital. Patients are even able to have minor medical procedures performed, like removal of cysts or sutures. The clinic’s services are provided by a number of medical professionals, from physicians, physician’s assistants, pharmacists and nurses to more specialized practitioners like ophthalmologists and podiatrists. The clinic sees 15-20 patients per week in the two and a half hours it operates. The clinic’s services also include a mobile migrant worker clinic that travels the state to meet and treat migrant populations.

The College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is playing an important role in the clinic. Dr. Diane Cappelletty, associate professor of clinical pharmacy in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and co-director of the Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, serves on the Board of Directors. Three UT pharmacists – Drs. Diane Cappelletty, Amy Smith and Chad Tuckerman, PharmD ‘00 – as well as local UT pharmacy alumna Dr. Krystal Ricciardella, PharmD ‘08, rotate to cover the clinic’s pharmacy operations. P2 pharmacy students work alongside first- and second-year medical students to treat patients.

In addition to completing Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) hours at the clinic, pharmacy students have completed service learning projects for the patients. The projects have resulted in a patient information binder that includes information about smoking cessation, diabetes and nutritional support, free listings of pharmacies with reduced prescription costs, and information about patient assistance programs through pharmaceutical companies. P4 students have also completed longitudinal experiences as the Perrysburg Heights Free Medical Clinic, wherein they educate patients about health issues like inhaler use and fill prescriptions.

Medications for patients at the Perrysburg Heights Free Medical Clinic were initially provided through a grant from a nun at St. Anne’s. The clinic’s pharmacy department is now seeking grants from various agencies to purchase more medications and to provide more effective medications, such as longer-acting insulin products for diabetic patients.

Dr. Ahmed

Dr. Salah-Uddin Ahmed, assistant professor of pharmacology, researches novel therapeutic uses for commonly consumed items like chocolate and green tea. His research has shown that chocolate is effective in limiting brain damage due to stroke and that green tea is an effective remedy for arthritis. Dr. Ahmed recently shared his expertise on the progression and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with WGTE viewers. UTCPPS students and laboratories are also featured in the video.  Watch the video

Dr. Aaron Lengel is the new advisor for the Beta Eta chapter of the Rho Chi Society, the academic honor society in pharmacy.

Mock crime scene

Pharmacy Summer Camp, sponsored by Walgreens and Cardinal Health, added a new element this year. CSI: Toledo, a program that gave students hands-on experience with elements of forensic science, was part of this year’s camp.  Drs. Fred Williams and Jill Trendel orchestrated the experience.

The annual camp, for high school seniors, introduces students to careers in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences.  Eighty students from Ohio and Michigan—and some from as far as Georgia, New York, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico—come to campus for the four-day, three-night camp.

Students walked through a mock crime scene and evaluated evidence like fingerprints, blood types (not with real blood) and DNA in order to solve a crime.

“CSI: Toledo shows students how crime scene chemistry translates into fascinating careers in scientific research, particularly in the pharmaceutical sciences,” said Laural Seewer, coordinator of the Pharmacy Summer Camp. “The faculty want to inspire these students to apply their skills in math and science to help others through careers in research.”

Find out about CSI: Toledo for high school juniors, October 29, 2011