2023

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Vincent Mainella, Pharm.D., postdoctoral fellow at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: “Digital Tool for the Assessment of Adherence in HIV PrEP and Treatment.” Mentor: Peter Anderson, Pharm.D.
• Scott Volker, Pharm.D., infectious disease translational research fellow at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy-Glendale Campus, Arizona: “Evaluation of Minocycline Heteroresistance Prevalence in Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates.” Mentor: Vanthida Huang, Pharm.D., FCCP, BSPHM

Student Awards:

• Melissa Kudlak, Pharm.D. candidate, Rutgers University Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy: “Elucidating Flavored E-cigarette–Induced Pulmonary Toxicity Using Precision Cut Lung Slices.” Mentor: Andrew Gow, Ph.D.

2022

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Megan Feeney, Pharm.D., Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Boston Medical Center: Association Between Prior Substance Use and Sedation and Analgesia Requirements Among Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Adults. Mentor: Nicholas Bosch, M.D., M.Sc.
• Amy Kang, Pharm.D., Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Chapman University School of Pharmacy/Infectious Diseases Pharmacist, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center: Assessment of Antibiotic Transition Errors from Hospitals to Skilled Nursing Facilities. Mentor: Loren Miller, M.D., MPH
• Jessica Roller, Pharm.D., Practice Advancement Fellow, Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy: Evaluation of Community-Based Pharmacy Readiness to Implement Long-acting Injectable (LAI) Administration Services in North Carolina. Mentor: Stefanie Ferreri, Pharm.D.

Student Awards:

• Keng Hee (Spencer) Peh, Pharm.D., M.S., 2025 Ph.D. Candidate, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy: Evaluating the Mechanism of Glutaminase Inhibition and Artesunate Anti-cancer Activity in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. Mentor: Jill Kolesar, Pharm.D., M.S.
• Christine Tran, 2024 Pharm.D. Candidate, Virginia Commonwealth University: A Comparison of Community Pharmacy Measured Blood Pressure to 24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring. Mentor: Dave Dixon, Pharm.D.

2021

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Gustavo Alvira-Arill, Pharm.D., University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Variability of Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcal Species and Impact on Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection Rates in Pediatric Patients Receiving Different Parenteral Lipid Formulations. Mentor: Jeremy Stultz, Pharm.D.
• Lan Bui, Pharm.D., MPH, BCPS, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University - Association of Opioid Utilization in the Medical Intensive Care Unit and Opioid Prescriptions at Hospital Discharge in Opioid Naïve, Mechanical Ventilated Patients. Mentor: Joshua Swan, Pharm.D., MPH
• Anne Jones Gonzales-Luna, Pharm.D., BCIDP, The University of Houston College of Pharmacy - Vancomycin Resistance in Clostridioides difficile Infection. Mentor: Kevin Garey, Pharm.D., M.S.

Resident Awards:

• Aaron Chase, Pharm.D., Augusta University Medical Center and University of Georgia College of Pharmacy - Characterization of Circulating Extracellular Vesicles-Containing-miR-223/142 in Human Samples from Two ARDS Network (FACTT and ALTA) Trials. Mentor: Duo Zhang, Ph.D.
• Rachael Stone, Pharm.D., University of Virginia Health - Correlation Between CYP2C19 genotype and P2Y12 Assay in Patients Receiving Clopidogrel After Acute Ischemic Stroke. Mentor: Bradford Worrall, M.D., M.Sc.

Student Awards:

• Trenton Flanagan, Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Oklahoma - Effect of Endotoxemia on Colchicine Plasma Levels. Mentor: Nicholas Schwier, Pharm.D.
• Neeraja Kadiyala, Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Illinois College of Pharmacy - Novel Aminoglycoside Treatment Strategies for KPC-Producing K. pneumoniae. Mentor: Zackery Bulman, Pharm.D.
• Noor Ahmed Nahid, Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Florida - Impact of CYP2D6 Genotypes and Inhibitors on Opioid Therapy in Patients with Pain. Mentor: Julie Johnson, Pharm.D.

2020

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Lauren Cirrincione, Pharm.D., MPH, University of Washington School of Pharmacy – Effect of Gender-Affirming Testosterone Therapy on CYP3A and P-glycoprotein Activities in Transgender Men. Mentor: Mary Hebert, Pharm.D.
• Nihal El Rouby, Pharm.D., Ph.D., College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati – Genome-wide Determinants of Antipsychotic-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in UK Biobank and BioVU. Mentor: Melissa DelBello, M.D., M.S.

Resident Awards:

• Katie Landmesser, Pharm.D., University of Kentucky Healthcare – Comparison of Bayesian and First-Order Kinetics for Calculation of Vancomycin Area Under the Curve. Mentor: Alexander Flannery, Pharm.D.

Student Awards:

• Nandini Katti, Pharm.D. Candidate, Washington State University – Association of Steroidal Urinary Metabolites in Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Mentor: Bhagwat Prasad, M.S., Ph.D.
• Eunjeong (Elena) Shin, BPharm, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, University of Florida College of Pharmacy – Mechanistically Optimized Antibiotic Combinations to Combat Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Mentor: Jürgen Bulitta, M.Sc., Ph.D.

2019

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Leo F. Buckley, Pharm.D., Brigham and Women’s Hospital – Precision Pharmacologic Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activity in Experimental Uremic Cardiomyopathy. Mentor: Peter Libby, M.D.
• Razieh Kebriaei, Ph.D., M.Sc., Wayne State University – A Novel Approach for Combating Medical Device Associated Biofilm Infections of MRSA. Mentor: Michael Rybak, Pharm.D., MPH, Ph.D., FCCP, FIDP, FIDSA

Student/Resident Awards:

• Andrew Jatis, Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy – Exploration of Prohibitin-1 as a Novel Therapeutic in Glucose Homeostasis and Insulin Signaling. Mentor: Ethan Anderson, Ph.D.
• Lusi Zhang, MHI, Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Minnesota – Polygenic Risk for Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiovascular Medication Burden and Cognitive Performance in Patients with Psychotic Disorders. Mentor: Jeffrey Bishop, Pharm.D., M.S., FCCP, BCPP

2018

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Daniel J. Crona, Pharm.D., Ph.D., CPP, University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy – A Prospective Multi-dose Study of Apixaban in Nephrotic Syndrome Patients. Mentor: Nigel S. Key, M.B., Ch.B., FRCP
• Jasmine Luzum, Pharm.D., Ph.D., BCPS, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy – Precision Medicine for Heart Failure: The Role of Genomics in the Efficacy and Racial Disparity of Cornerstone Pharmacotherapy. Mentor: David E. Lanfear, M.D., M.S., FACC, FAHA, FHFSA

Student/Resident Awards:

• Matthew S. Duprey, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Candidate, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University – Association Between Opioids and Delirium in Critically Ill Adults. Mentor: John W. Devlin, Pharm.D., FCCP, FCCM
• Omar Perez, Ph.D., Pharm.D. Candidate, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy – Treatment Strategies for Ceftazidime-Avibactam Resistant KPC-Producing K. pneumoniae. Mentor: Zackery P. Bulman, Pharm.D.
• Anh Tan Truong, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Candidate, University of Southern California School of Pharmacy – Thermo-responsive Estrogen Receptor-fusions for Spatiotemporal Control of Signaling and Gene Regulation. Mentor: J. Andrew MacKay, Ph.D.

2017

Junior Investigator Awards:

• Houda Alachkar, Pharm.D., Ph.D., USC School of Pharmacy – Pharmacogenomics of Age-Specific, Asparaginase-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Mentor: Enrique Cadenas, M.D., Ph.D.
• Jeffrey M. Rybak, Pharm.D., University of Tennessee, Memphis – Revealing the Impact of Small Molecule Transporters on Clinical Triazole Resistance in Aspergillus Fumigatus. Mentor: P. David Rogers, Pharm.D., Ph.D., FCCP

Student/Resident Awards:

• Tyler Shugg, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Candidate, Purdue University – A Mechanistic Analysis of CaMKII Regulation of IKs During Sustained Beta-Adrenergic Stimulation. Mentor: Brian Overholser, Pharm.D., FCCP
• Kevin Straughn, B.S., Pharm.D. Candidate, University of North Carolina – Design and Optimization of Polymyxin-Based Triple Combination Regimens Against Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae. Mentor: Gauri Rao, Pharm.D., M.S. (Computer Engineering), M.S. (Pharmacometrics)
• Anh Tan Truong, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Candidate, University of Southern California – A Novel Approach to Understanding the Estrogen Receptor Signaling Pathway Using Thermally Responsive Biopolymers. Mentor: J. Andrew MacKay, Ph.D.
• Ana D. Vega, Pharm.D., PGY2 Infectious Diseases Resident, University of Maryland – Oral Vancomycin Plus Intravenous Metronidazole for Severe Clostridium Difficile NAP1/BI/027 Infection. Mentor: Kimberly Claeys, Pharm.D., BCPS

2016

Junior Investigator Awards

• Ryan Funk, Pharm.D., Ph.D., University of Kansas (mentor: Susan Abdel-Rahman, Pharm.D.) - Etanercept Trough Level Monitoring and Therapeutic Response in Juvenile Arthritis
• Laura Hart, Pharm.D., University of Washington (mentor: Zachary Marcum, Pharm.D., Ph.D., BCPS) - Evaluating the Association Between Central Nervous System-Active Medications and Falls in Older Adults with Dementia
• Melanie Nicol, Pharm.D., Ph.D., University of Minnesota (mentor: Paul Bohjanen, M.D., Ph.D.) - Role of Exogenous and Endogenous Sex Hormones on Tenofovir and Emtricitabine Disposition in the Female Genital Tract

Student/Resident Awards

• Anne Masich, Pharm.D., University of Maryland (mentor: Jeffrey Gonzales, Pharm.D., FCCM, BCPS, BCCCP) - Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics in Obese Patients with Sepsis
• Kyle Molina, Midwestern University (mentor: Vanthida Huang, Pharm.D., BSPHM, FCCP) - Detection of Heterogeneity in Staphylococcus aureus Isolates: Comparing PAP-AUC of Automated vs. Manual Method
• Alexander Prokopienko, Pharm.D., University of Pittsburgh (mentor: Thomas Nolin, Pharm.D., Ph.D., FCCP, FCP, FASN) - Targeted Inhibition of FMO Mediated Formation of TMAO in Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study
• Erika Titus-Lay, Pharm.D., Purdue University (mentor: James Tisdale, Pharm.D., FCCP, FAPhA, FAHA, BCPS) - Methadone- Induced QT Interval Prolongation in a Narcotic Treatment Center: Identifying Patients at Risk and Simplifying ECG Monitoring

2015

Junior Investigator Awards

• Kyle Burghardt, Pharm.D., from Wayne State University (mentor: Vicki Ellingrod, Pharm.D., FCCP) – Insulin Resistance Induced by Antipsychotic Medication in the Absence of Obesity: Impact of DNA Methylation and Lipids in the Skeletal Muscle.
• Jason Karnes, Pharm.D., Ph.D., BCPS, from the University of Arizona (mentors: Dan Roden, M.D., Kenneth Ramos, M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.B.) – Pharmacogenomics of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.
• lly Reveles, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the University of Texas at Austin (mentor: Christopher Frei, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS) – Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection Epidemiology and Clinical Risk Prediction in the United States Veterans Health Admiistration.

Student/Resident Awards

• Dina Ali from the University of Tennessee (mentor: Robert Parker, Pharm.D., FCCP) –Mechanism of Altered Clopidogrel Metabolism in Diabetes.
• Elizabeth Wood from Auburn University (mentor: Allison Chung, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS) –Vitamin D Supplementation in Critically Ill Children: A Prospective Trial and Dose Evaluation.