WesternU to welcome inaugural Master of Healthcare Administration class in Fall 2026 | |
Employment opportunities for medical and health services managers are projected to grow 23 percent from 2024 to 2034 – much faster than the average for other professions – with salaries in the six figures, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The future of health care administration requires leaders who can innovate, adapt to new care models, and integrate emerging technologies. Western University of Health Sciences’ new Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program is designed to meet these challenges, equipping graduates with the strategic foresight and adaptability essential for success in this dynamic field.
WesternU’s College of Health Sciences (CHS) will seat its inaugural MHA class in Fall 2026. The MHA program will train early- and mid-career professionals committed to humanistic delivery of health care communities across the country and around the world. The program has two options for program completion, a two-year traditional track and a one-year accelerated track.
Read the full story: WesternU to welcome inaugural Master of Healthcare Administration class in Fall 2026 | WesternU News
| | College of Graduate Nursing news | | |
College of Graduate Nursing Associate Professor Dr. Gryan Garcia published the following with former CGN faculty member Dr. Christy Cotner. Garcia, G., & Cotner, C. (2026). Bipolar major depression: A comprehensive review of pharmacotherapy. The Nurse Practitioner, 51(2), 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000000000000389
CGN Associate Dean and Professor Dr. Rod Hicks and Pumerantz Library eLearning and Student Engagement Librarian Christyana Visk, MLIS, published the following: Hicks, R. W., Visk, C., & Talatala, R. B. (2026). A Scoping Review of Interventions to Prevent Lost Surgical Specimens in the Preanalytical Phase. AORN Journal, 123(2), 152-162. DOI: 10.1002/aorn.70021
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College of Podiatric Medicine news | |
College of Podiatric Medicine Assistant Professor Joseph Park, DPM, FACFAS, co-authored a case study with the residents/attendings at Riverside University Health System that serves as the featured case of the day on radiopaedia.org.
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Dr. David Sanchez, in collaboration with his PhD student Wilson Tang, authored a book chapter. Tang, W.S., Sanchez, D.J. (2025). Antiviral Therapy and Cardiovascular Toxicity. In: Agrawal, D.K., Škrbić, R., Stojiljković, M.P., Djuric, D.M. (eds) Cardiovascular Toxicity. Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease, vol 33. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-90598-8_14.
PhDBPS student Wilson Tang presented the following research at the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists. Dr. Sanchez was a coauthor. Tang WS and Sanchez DJ, Determining Ubiquitin Interactions used by the Novel v-IPS1 of Kaposi’s Sarcoma Herpesvirus to Block Innate Immunity 4353, The Journal of Immunology, Volume 214, Issue Supplement_1, November 2025, vkaf283.2050, https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkaf283.2050
| | PhDBPS student Eugene Agyare presented the following research at the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists. Drs. O'Barr and Lambros were co-authors. Agyare EM, Lambros M, and O'Barr SA, The effect of macrophage inhibitors on the inflammatory response in a mouse model of heart failure. The Journal of Immunology, Volume 214, Issue Supplement_1, November 2025, vkaf283.1061, https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkaf283.1061 | | |
Dr. Peter Oelschlaeger co-authored a review article with collaborators in the People’s Republic of China and Romania.
Wu, L., Zhang, X., Oelschlaeger, P., Brem, J., Wang, D., & Chen, C. (2026). Natural-Product-Derived Antimicrobial Adjuvants to Reverse Plasmid-Mediated Bacterial Resistance. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13090. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c13090
Dr. Oelschlaeger authored a publication with current and former MSBPS students Rinku Dhungana, Heba Kaadan, and Aparna Paudel.
Dhungana, R., Kaadan, H., Paudel, A., & Oelschlaeger, P. (2026). Impact of synonymous mutations in the blaTEM-3 gene on gene expression and Escherichia coli fitness. Microbiology spectrum, 14(1), e0269525. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02695-25
Dr. Oelschlaeger convened an In-Depth Symposium titled “Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance With Computers” at ASM Microbe 2025, the annual national meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Los Angeles (June 21, 2025). https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20974/session/145
Dr. Oelschlaeger presented a poster with Computer Science undergraduate students from Harvey Mudd College as coauthors:
Oelschlaeger P, Rieffel K, Yang L. Metallo-β-Lactamase Standard Numbering Website. Poster presented at ASM Microbe 2025; June 22, 2025; Los Angeles, CA.
https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/20974/presentation/2074
Dr. Oelschlaeger co-authored a publication with collaborators at Miami University (Oxford, OH).
Thomas, C. A., Alao, J. P., Smisek, T., Cheng, Z., Bethel, C. R., Yang, K., Obaseki, I., Page, R. C., Bonomo, R. A., Oelschlaeger, P., Fast, W., Kravats, A. N., & Crowder, M. W. (2025). Inhibitor Affinity Differs among Clinical Variants of IMP Metallo-β-Lactamases: Analysis and Implications for Inhibitor Design. ACS infectious diseases, 11(8), 2157–2168. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.5c00138
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Dr. Kabir Lutfy and his team published three papers:
Singh, A., Shim, P., Naeem, S., Rahman, S., & Lutfy, K. (2025). Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide modulates the stress response: the involvement of different brain areas and microglia. Frontiers in psychiatry, 15, 1495598. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1495598
Tseng, A., Ahmad, S. M., Hamid, A., & Lutfy, K. (2025). The Role of Endogenous Beta-Endorphin and Enkephalins in the Crosstalk Between Ethanol and Morphine. Pharmaceuticals, 18(1), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18010107
Leung, C., & Lutfy, K. (2025). Dopamine D2 Receptors and Its Downstream Signaling in Compulsive Eating. Brain Sciences, 15(9), 923. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15090923
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Dr. Preshita Desai, along with interdepartmental collaboration between BPSD and PPAD, published the following paper focusing on emerging 3D printing technology and its future scope in pharmacy practice. COP faculty co-authors included Dr. Prabhu, Dr. Wang, Dr. Hsu, Dr. Chan, and Dr. Hata. The publication also included a graduated MSBPS student co-author, Dr. Katherine Bang.
Desai, P., Bang, K., Wang, J., Chan, P., Hsu, D., Hata, M., & Prabhu, S. (2026). Three-Dimensional Printing for Precision and Personalized Patient Care: A New Paradigm for Pharmacy Practice? Pharmaceutics, 18(2), 158. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18020158
The following work was conducted and published in collaboration with Prof. F. Kassie at the University of Minnesota as part of an R01 subaward grant. Department faculty co-authors included Dr. Prabhu and Dr. Wang. Graduated MSBPS student co-authors included Katherine Bang and Riaz Chowdhury.
Desai P, Bang K, Chowdhury M, Wang Z, Wang J, Prabhu S, Xuequin L, Kassie F. Development, Optimization, and Evaluation of Nano Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System Formulation Platform for Oral Bioavailability Enhancement of Sulfasalazine and Disulfiram in Lung Cancer Chemoprevention. Pharm Res (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-025-03964-7
Kassie, F., Wang, K., Bang, K., Chowdhury, M. R. H., Wang, J., Prabhu, S., Liang, X., Seelig, D., & Desai, P. (2025). Lung cancer chemo-interception by sulfasalazine and disulfiram codelivered using a nano self-emulsifying drug delivery system in mice. Carcinogenesis, 46(4), bgaf075. https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgaf075
Dr. Desai presented the following research at the AAPS PharmSci 360: Desai P, Bang K, Chowdhury M, Wang Z, Wang J, Prabhu S, Xuequin L, Kassie F. “Prevention of Lung Cancer Using Bio-Enhanced Sulfasalazine and Disulfiram Nano Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System Platform: Formulation Development, Pharmacokinetics, and Biodistribution Study.” Presented at AAPS PharmSci 360; November 2025; San Antonio, Texas.
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WesternU COMP students Andre Aabedi, Fared Dungore, Tony Eskandar, Tamara Gelfman, Regan Laird, Niayesh Najafi, Samantha Perry, Lekha Pillarisetti, Kayvan Sasaninia, Kevin Babakhan Vartanian, Vera Wang, Aliyah Williams, and Vahe Yacoubian worked with Dr. Devendra K. Agrawal, contributed to science, and recently published the following peer-reviewed Pubmed indexed research articles.
We recognize and congratulate our COMP students for their exceptional endeavors in research and scholarship. Their efforts have been instrumental in scientific progress and the dissemination of actionable knowledge to enhance patient diagnosis, treatment, and management.
Preventative Measures for Lower Extremity Skin Conditions in Paralympic and Adaptive Sports: An Epidemiological Overview. Wang V, Aabedi A, Agrawal DK. Arch Intern Med Res. 2025;8(4):352-358. doi: 10.26502/aimr.0229. Epub 2025 Dec 18. PMID: 41626034 Free PMC article.
Gut-Brain Axis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pathogenesis and Therapeutics. Perry S, Pillarisetti L, Gelfman T, Agrawal DK.
Arch Intern Med Res. 2025;8(4):339-345. doi: 10.26502/aimr.0227. Epub 2025 Dec 10. PMID: 41568320 Free PMC article.
Predictive Genetic Testing in the Cancer Management and Prevention.
Najafi N, Sasaninia K, Najafi Z, Babakhan Vartanian C, Babakhan Vartanian K, Dungore F, Agrawal DK. J Cancer Sci Clin Ther. 2025;9(4):156-167. doi: 10.26502/jcsct.5079274. Epub 2025 Oct 27. PMID: 41541272 Free PMC article.
The Evolving Paradigm of Esophageal and Esophagogastric Junction Adenocarcinoma: Current Insights, Emerging Therapies, and Future Directions. Laird R, Aggarwal A, Agrawal DK. J Cancer Sci Clin Ther. 2025;9(4):168-188. doi: 10.26502/jcsct.5079275. Epub 2025 Oct 27. PMID: 41537121 Free PMC article.
Neurodevelopmental Risk in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Children: Call for Developmental Surveillance. Williams A, Agrawal DK. J Pediatr Perinatol Child Health. 2025;9(4):184-189. doi: 10.26502/jppch.74050227. Epub 2025 Oct 16. PMID: 41472879 Free PMC article.
Understanding Disparity: The Role of Social Vulnerability Index and Social Determinants in Orthopedic Surgical Outcomes. Vartanian KB, Eskandar T, Yacoubian V, Agrawal DK. J Orthop Sports Med. 2025;7(4):507-515. doi: 10.26502/josm.511500235. Epub 2025 Oct 31. PMID: 41416225 Free PMC article.
Dr. Agrawal in collaboration with his postdoctoral fellows, internal research collaborator, Dr. Vikrant Rai, and external research collaborator contributed to science with the recent publication of the following original research articles.
Hyperglycemia alters the gene and protein expression of CDC42 in small and large intestine of Sprague-Dawley rats. Stojanovic M, Mendoza-Mari Y, Rai V, Agrawal DK. Mol Cell Biochem. 2026 Jan 9. doi: 10.1007/s11010-025-05479-6. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41511725
Hyperglycemia impairs the expression of inflammatory mediators in rat intestine: an implication for intestinal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease. Maličević U, Rai V, Skrbic R, Agrawal DK. Mol Cell Biochem. 2026 Jan 9. doi: 10.1007/s11010-025-05474-x. Online ahead of print. PMID: 41511724
| | Studio Portraits, Tuesday, Feb. 17 | |
Marketing and Communications is holding an open studio portrait day in Pomona:
9 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17
Please sign up for a timeslot that works for your schedule if you would like a new studio portrait.
We will schedule additional portrait days for those who cannot come to the studio on this day.
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Please welcome the following recent hires to WesternU:
CETL: Anthony La Monica, 3D Design and Printing Technician
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Congratulations to the following dedicated employees for their milestone years of service here at Western University of Health Sciences:
25 years
Rudy Barreras, Harriet K. and Philip Pumerantz Library
20 years
Renee Cook, College of Pharmacy
15 years
Carla Kavanaugh, Office of the Provost and CAO
Brandon Cox, Information Technology
10 years
Shante Woods, Office of Compliance
Modesto Gonzalez, Financial Aid
5 years
Joseph Park, College of Podiatric Medicine
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