DNA responses to childhood trauma offer clues on which children will have long-term health issues as adults
The biomarkers could help predict which children are most at risk of trauma-related health issues as an adult, long-term study finds. By Olivia Trani New research from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy brings the medical community closer to identifying children with the highest need for treatment and intervention following traumatic events. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, found […]
Graduate Awards celebrate research, scholarship, service
The 2022 Graduate Awards luncheon recognized success among the SoP’s graduate students. In his keynote speech, Dean Joseph DiPiro, Pharm.D., told the audience of students, faculty and staff, “We are in the right field. There is a lot of need and a lot of opportunity in pharmacy.” A highlight was the presentation of the first […]
Opioids and HIV: The mystery of the ‘bouncer’ in the brain
By Greg WeatherfordVCU SoP News The opioid epidemic that has devastated families and lives across the U.S. in the past decade has brought along with it another deadly problem: HIV. The two conditions have long been intertwined. As the use and misuse of opioids has increased and spread, rates of HIV have as well. To make […]
Doing it all
May Abdelaziz, a VCU Alumni 10 Under 10 honoree, excels as a researcher, mother and teacher. By Leah SmallFor VCU SoP News A single word half-heard during a phone call with a colleague led May Abdelaziz, Ph.D., on a search for insights on the causes of bacterial resistance in superbugs. It’s the sort of connection […]
New $3.5M study aims for early detection of autism to help patients thrive
By Greg WeatherfordVCU School of Pharmacy In a search for the keys to autism, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are about to begin one of the largest and most thorough scans of the set of chemical instructions, the methylome, that regulates the activity of human genes. The goal is to identify infants who have high […]
Study: Sickle cell costs U.S. $1.5 billion per year in lost wages and productivity
Sickle cell disease causes $1.5 billion in lost wages and productivity each year in the U.S. alone, according to the first study of its kind. That comes to more than $650,000 lost over the average working life of a person living with the painful genetic disorder. Lead researcher David Holdford, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacoeconomics […]
Beloved pharmacy professor remembered with scholarship
The MCV Campus is full of inspiring people and moments, even in the face of tragedy. Shortly before the pandemic, the VCU School of Pharmacy experienced an emotional loss when Amy Pakyz, Pharm.D., Ph.D., died of ovarian cancer at age 52. Pakyz was a beloved professor and researcher, and soon after her death, her loved […]
A link in the chain: Building on his mentor’s work, Martin Safo closes in on sickle cell treatment
By Greg Weatherford School of Pharmacy News For 30 years, Martin Safo, Ph.D., has worked to find a solution to a complex puzzle: How can chemistry stop human blood cells from twisting and sticking together? The answer is critical for millions of people with sickle cell disease. Their blood cells fold into bizarre shapes including […]
Student group aims to bridge the digital divide in health care
By Greg WeatherfordVCU School of Pharmacy The digital divide is cutting many people off from health care. A group of pharmacy students at Virginia Commonwealth University aims to bridge that gap. “We’re trying to help and make an impact,” said Emily Ko, a first-year Pharm.D. student and co-founder of the student group Pharmacists for Digital […]
Once a coronavirus vaccine exists, a VCU researcher’s mailable patch could deliver it to millions
Greg WeatherfordVCU School of Pharmacy Someday, hundreds of millions of vaccinations against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could show up in people’s mailboxes and be applied as simply as slapping on a Band-Aid. That’s the vision of Guizhi “Julian” Zhu, Ph.D., at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. Zhu, an assistant professor in the school’s Department of […]