UI College of Pharmacy January 2026 Hawkscripts Express

Advancing with Purpose

This past year has been one of extraordinary momentum for the College of Pharmacy—momentum made possible by the generations of Hawkeyes who built our foundation.

In 2025, our research enterprise surged with a 440% increase in grant funding and a growing portfolio of prestigious NIH training and fellowship awards. Our students continued to shine, achieving a 96% PGY1 residency match rate, driving a 49% rise in PharmD enrollment, and benefiting from new initiatives like the First Gen program and the approval of our Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences degree. Iowa excellence was recognized across the profession, with distinguished national honors for our faculty—including Forbes' 50 Over 50—while nearly one‑third of our faculty now hold endowed positions or rank among the world’s top 2% of scientists. Our alumni continued to lead the profession at the highest levels, including presidencies of both APhA and NACDS, and UI Pharmaceuticals expanded its capabilities to strengthen our impact on global drug development.

As we look toward 2026, we invite our alumni and friends community—our strongest champions—to join us in propelling the college’s strategic plan forward. Together, we can amplify our research growth, expand opportunities for the next generation of pharmacy leaders, and continue shaping a future worthy of the Iowa legacy we share.

RESEARCH

440% increase in grant funding in FY25
Seven endowed positions – 28% of tenured/tenure track faculty hold an endowed position
2025 World’s Top 2% Scientists - 28% of current tenured/tenure track faculty on the 2% list
Six NIH T32 Training Grant recipients
Two NIH Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Awards (F31)

STUDENT SUCCESS

96% PGY1 residency match rate for the Class of 2025
Over a two-year period, PharmD enrollment rose 49% and including a waitlist
First Gen program launched, including tutoring support and scholarship/leadership opportunities
Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences degree approved by Board of Regents

NATIONAL AWARDS

Forbes' 50 over 50: Dean and Jean M. Schmidt Chair Jill Kolesar
ACCP Russell R. Miller Award: Clinical Professor Michael Ernst
APhA-APRS Ebert Prize Award: Assistant Professor Tze Ning Hiew
APhA Community Pharmacy Residency Excellence In Precepting Award: Clinical Associate Professor Stevie Veach
AAPS student chapter recognized with National AAPS Student Chapter Award
Established national Zada Cooper Leadership Medal Award through APhA and APhA Foundation partnership

ALUMNI NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

APhA President: Alumnus Randy McDonough
NACDS President: Alumnus Rick Gates

UI PHARMACEUTICALS

Updated sterile fill line technology including screw‑top vial capability, an expanded R‑type vial range (6R–50R), and PUPSIT functionality to give clients greater packaging flexibility, batch-size options, and support for EU regulatory compliance

Leading Lights

2026 Zada Cooper Leadership Medal Award

The College of Pharmacy and the APhA Foundation have announced Metta Lou Henderson as the 2026 recipient of the Zada Cooper Leadership Medal Award and Domer Lecturer. Henderson is a friend of the college, Zada Cooper historian, and integral member of the college's Zada Cooper Leadership Committee.

This marks the inaugural partnership between the UI College of Pharmacy, APhA, and the APhA Foundation to award the Zada Cooper Leadership Medal. The award is given to an individual who has exemplified outstanding leadership and mentorship within the pharmacy profession. Henderson will receive the award and give the Domer Lecture during the Women in Pharmacy Leadership Development Forum at the 2026 APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in March.

Kolesar Honored with Prestigious Robert G. Memorial Lecture Award

Jill Kolesar, dean, Jean M. Schmidt chair, and professor, has received the 2026 Robert G. Memorial Lecture Award from The University of Texas College of Pharmacy at Austin in collaboration with the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP).

The award is given to an impactful pharmacist whose career honors the memory of Bob Leonard. She will deliver the Leonard Lecture at the TSHP Annual Meeting in April.

Science Highlights

Showcasing Early-Career Research

The Office of the Vice President for Research Dare to Discover campaign showcases student and postdoc researchers, scholars, and creators from across the University of Iowa on banners throughout downtown Iowa City. Congrats to the following students featured in this year's campaign!

Apurva Dusane

PhD Student in Pharmaceutics

Advisor: Aliasger Salem

Pioneers sight-saving care

Harsha Jain

Postdoctoral Scholar in Pharmaceutics

Advisor: Nicole Brogden

Designs painless drug delivery

Emma Simpson-Wade

PhD student in Molecular Medicine

Advisor: Marie Gaine

Safeguards mental health for new moms

Rylie Ulett

Undergraduate Student in Chemical Engineering

Advisor: Aliasger Salem

Harnesses immunity to target tumors

Hesham Refaat

PhD Student in Pharmaceutics

Advisor: Reza Nejadnik

Expands access to protein-based drugs

Recent Scholarly Publications

📖 Bruce Alexander, Professor Emeritus
"Association Between Postdischarge Antibiotic Use and C. Difficile Testing as a Surrogate for Clinically Significant Diarrhea"

Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology

"Decisions About Suppressive Antibiotics Among Clinicians at Veterans Affairs Hospitals After Prosthetic Joint Infection"

JAMA Network Open

"Metrics Selection and Risk Adjustment Methods to Benchmark Inpatient Antibiotic Use"
JAMA Network Open

📖 Lorin Fisher, Clinical Assistant Professor
"From Palliation to Prevention: The Role of Pharmacists in Reducing Cervical Cancer Burden in Iowa"

Iowa Cancer Consortium

📖 Michelle Fravel, Clinical Professor
Michael Ernst, Clinical Professor
"Association Between Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome and Risks of 14 Age-Related Health Outcomes in Primary Prevention Older Population"

GeroScience

📖 Jill Kolesar, Dean, Jean M. Schmidt Chair, and Professor

"Assessing the Value of Sequential Next-Generation Sequencing and Multiple Molecular Tumor Board Reviews for Patients With Solid-Tumor Malignancies"

JCO Precision Oncology

📖 Gary Milavetz, Professor

"Co-Use of Opioids and Cannabis Versus Single-Substance Use: A National Analysis of US Adults"

Frontiers in Public Health

📖 Kathryn Smith, Associate Professor of Instruction

"Implementing Standards 2025: Recommendations to Prepare Graduates for Advancements in Practice and Enhance Program Quality"

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

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College News

2026 US-Thai/US-ASEAN Pharmacy Consortia Meeting

The UI College of Pharmacy will host the 2026 US-Thai/US-ASEAN Pharmacy Consortia Meeting June 2 - 5.

The long-standing collaboration between the United States and Thailand improves pharmacy education and the advancement of pharmacy practice in Thailand. The consortium is an opportunity for pharmacy faculty, students, practitioners, and others to share best practices and address challenges, improve health outcomes, and strengthen international networks.

For information and registration, visit the meeting website.

Alumnus Opens Iowa's First Pharmacist-Led Walk-in Clinic

When illness requires immediate medical care, the last thing you want to do is drive nearly 30 minutes to the appointment and another 30 minutes back. That was the case for residents in and around Bloomfield, Iowa, when needing to use a walk-in clinic, until Mylo Wells, ’18 PharmD, opened Iowa’s first pharmacist-led walk-in clinic last November.

Wells Hometown Clinic connects to Wells Hometown Drug and gives community members a more convenient option for quality health care. “With the new Standard of Care Act passing, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to fill a need in our community,” said Wells, who owns the clinic and pharmacy. “The regulatory framework helps the provider shortage in Iowa, especially rural areas.”

Alumna Named to University of Colorado Anschutz Leadership Role

We're proud to announce that alumna Laura Borgelt was recently appointed to executive vice chancellor for academic student affairs, provost and chief academic officer for CU Anschutz. CU Anschutz is the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountain region.

In this pivotal role, Borgelt, '95 BSPh, PharmD, MBA, will lead CU Anschutz's academic mission, overseeing all aspects of the faculty and student experience, and collaborating closely with deans to shape academic strategy.

Thank You for Your Support

We are grateful to our generous donors. Your support helps advance our mission to educate the next generation of pharmacists and scientists. To learn more about giving, please contact Director of Development Philip Greazel.

💛 The Blaug Family gave a gift to the Seymour Blaug Memorial Pharmacy Scholarship Fund, which was inspired by a contribution to the scholarship from Andrew Canada, ’64 MS.

💛 Jean Eisenbart gave a gift to the College of Pharmacy Building Fund and Pharmacy Student Financial Aid Fund.

💛 Janet Hinderliter, ’79 BSPh, gave a gift to the Janet Hinderliter Scholarship Fund.

💛 Scott, ’00 PharmD, and Kathleen Hynes, established the Scott and Kathleen Hynes Pharmacy Scholarship.

💛 Patrick, ’69 BSPh, and Susan Keefe, gave a gift to the CANDID: Iowa Pharmacy Cancer Drug Discovery and Development Fund and the College of Pharmacy Executive Leadership Board Fund.

💛 Tianrun Yang, ’02 PhD, established the Tianrun “Terry” Yang Family Pharmaceutics Scholarship.

Staff Updates

Welcome to following staff members who joined the college this winter.

Judith Meyer is an experiential education program coordinator in the Professional Experience Program (PEP). Meyer brings extensive experience in academic program coordination, clinical placement management, and regulatory compliance to her new role.

Regan Van Wyhe is an admissions counselor in the Office of Professional Education, focusing on PharmD recruitment. Van Wyhe's unique skill set of relationship building, authenticity, and passion for helping students will be invaluable to the college.

Congratulations to the following faculty and staff who bade farewell to the college this month. We are grateful for their many years of service, and for the lasting impact they've made on our students.

Vern Duba retired after 34 years of exceptional dedication to teaching, mentorship, and information excellence. He served as a clinical assistant professor and an instructional services specialist, playing a vital role in helping pharmacy students develop health information skills throughout their education and professional careers.

Colleen Gross-Advani served as assistant director for Introductory Practice Experiences and coordinator for PEP. She was instrumental in supporting experiential education, working closely with students, preceptors, faculty, and staff to ensure high-quality learning experiences.

Jennifer Seyfer, associate director of PEP, was a cornerstone of the PEP program. Her 18 years of service to the college were marked by leadership, institutional knowledge, and unwavering support for students, faculty, and experiential partners.

ReliaQuest Bowl Health Sciences Reception 🏈

Thank you to our alumni for attending the Health Sciences Reception at the ReliaQuest Bowl and sharing in a great day of Hawkeye pride! 💛🖤

Seeking Alumni Awards Nominations

Alumni, faculty, staff, and colleagues are invited to nominate graduates and friends of the UI College of Pharmacy for consideration as Distinguished, Honorary, or Genesis Alumni Award recipients.

Nominations are being accepted through March 14, 2026.

Notable Achievements

Congratulations to the following alumni, faculty/staff, and students on their recent awards and accolades!

⭐ Assistant Professor Tze Ning Hiew is PI on a new grant from Pfizer Inc. Her project is titled “Investigation of Excipient Contribution to Disintegration and Drug Release of ASD Drug Products.”

⭐ Graduate student Eman Kamel and faculty members Ethan Anderson and Reza Nejadnik had their artwork selected for the front cover of a recent issue of ACS Applied Electronic Materials, which accompanies their published research. The cover art represents a new biosensor that can quickly measure a blood protein called prohibitin 1, which helps doctors predict how severe a sepsis or serious infection might become.

⭐ Kathryn Smith, associate professor of instruction, was elected as an AACP Council of Faculties representative at large. The Council is involved with interdisciplinary matters of curriculum, course content, education methods, faculty/administration relations, and national issues of general interest to pharmacy faculties.

⭐ Elizabeth Unni, '08 PhD, won her election bid as AACP Administrative Services Section chair-elect.

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