Greetings from the Dean
With the holidays almost upon us, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you and your families this holiday season.  This has been an exciting and busy year!  I would like to thank our students, faculty, staff, and alumni for your outstanding commitment and effort over the past year.  I look forward to working with you in 2020 to embrace new opportunities and tackle new challenges.  
 
I wish you the best of the season, a healthy and happy holiday, and a chance to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with friends and family.   
 
Keith M. Olsen
Dean, College of Pharmacy
University of Nebraska Medical Center 
College of Pharmacy hosts Career Day
UNMC College of Pharmacy will be hosting a Career Day on Friday, January 31, 2020. This is a great opportunity for our students and employers to connect and discuss career opportunities. If you or your organization are interested in participating, please contact Mandi Fishler at 402.559.4333 or Mandi.fishler@unmc.edu. Registration is open until January 10, 2020.
Faculty News

COP Researchers honored at UNeMed banquet
The Research Innovation Awards Banquet held October 17 recognized top UNMC innovators while providing a cap to the activities for the 2019 Innovation Week. College of Pharmacy researcher Corey Hopkins, Ph.D., was presented the top honor for Most Promising New Invention.
Dr. Hopkins is developing a novel series of inhibitors that hold promise as treatments for several inflammatory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and inflammatory bowel disease. His inhibitors, which target phosphodiesterase 4 or PDE4, also show promise in central nervous system diseases like schizophrenia, neurodegenerative diseases and even drug addiction.
 
College of Pharmacy faculty, Joe Vetro, Ph.D. and Dong Wang, Ph.D. were recognized with awards for new United States patents. 
John Ridgway with Anthony Donovan
John Ridgway honored as Distinguished Teacher   
The Distinguished Teaching Award has been presented annually since 1994 to a College of Pharmacy faculty member to recognize his or her excellence in teaching and dedication to student learning.  Class of 2020 President, Anthony Donovan, presented the Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award to Mr. John Ridgway , R.Ph. at the 2019 Annual College of Pharmacy Fall Honors Convocation.
 
Mr. Ridgway is described as, "enthusiastic, passionate, and devoted to education," by the student body. John has served as Director of Experiential Education since 2008 and is looking forward to retiring in December.          
 
Congratulations Mr. Ridgway!
Interprofessional Academy of Educators inducts new members
College of Pharmacy faculty member Ally Dering-Anderson along with Emeritus faculty Jeff   Baldwin and Charlie Krobot were inducted into UNMC's Interprofessional Academy of Educators (IAE) in a September 19 ceremony.
 
Ally Dering-Anderson, Pharm.D., associate professor , said she wanted to be a part of the IAE because she wants to become a better teacher - "not to embrace the latest fad, but actually find a way to look at the impact of any classroom changes," she said.
 
" I think that somehow we believe that change has to be sweeping and painful, and I don't believe that's true," Dr. Dering-Anderson said. "Small changes, carefully monitored and evaluated, are sustainable and can improve teaching. I've also done a lot of dumb stuff in my career and I'd like to help people avoid the potholes I've already found."
Associate Professor Paul Trippier joins COP
Associate Professor Paul Trippier, Ph.D. joined the College of Pharmacy in July 2019. Dr. Trippier lectures in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery. His research focuses on small molecule drug discovery for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Discoveries in the Trippier lab have led to the identification of the most potent and selective Aldo-keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) inhibitor which shows significant effect to counter drug resistance in prostate cancer and leukemia
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College welcomes Sean Avedissian
Sean Avedissian, Ph.D. joins the College of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Avedissian lectures in infectious diseases and pharmacokinetics. Dr. Avedissian's primary research interests are related to the pharmacokinetic modeling of antibiotics/antivirals in special populations (HIV, critically-ill). His recent research has focused on developing pharmacokinetic models in clinical and pre-clinical environments.
 
Amy Pick joins the Office of Experiential Education
Amy Pick , Pharm.D., Assistant Dean for Experiential Education, joined the College of  Pharmacy in October. Dr. Pick received her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular   Biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Creighton University. She completed a pharmacy practice residency at The Nebraska Medical Center and is a Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP).
 
Dr. Pick is an active member of Hematology-Oncology Pharmacists Association (HOPA), serving as a committee chair for BCOP recertification continuing education. She is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and Nebraska Pharmacist Association.
Student News  
Phi Lambda Sigma inducts new members
The UNMC chapter of Phi Lambda Sigma held their initiation ceremony on November 6. Phi Lambda Sigma is an American honor society for pharmacy students.  Pictured in the back row from left to right is Taylor Thiele, Matt Mallisee, Andrew Flint, Qingfeng "Lucas" He, Sara Voisard, and Danielle Fincham.  The middle row features Rebecca Sehnert, Cory Durbin, Ashley Bogus, Victoria Eppens, and Nicolette Larsen. Naznaz Majid, Lynnette Mullins, and Morgan Pritchard are in the front row.  Lynnette Mullins, retired COP student services associate, was inducted as a honorary member.
COP Chapter of ASP celebrates American Pharmacist Month with a visit from ASP President
ASP President Kelli Jo Walter visited UNMC on October 23rd during American Pharmacist Month.  She met with Dean Olsen, chapter advisors, Dr. Drew Prescott and Mr. John Ridgway, along with Sara Voisard, Cassidy Bruns and the APhA-ASP executive board. Kelli Jo worked closely with the COP Chapter of ASP to determine chapter strengths and weaknesses and determine future plans.  To finish the day she attended an Operation Immunization Flu Clinic run by COP students.  
 
The weekly celebration for American Pharmacist Month included decorating the hallways and commons area and different dress-up days. Joni Cover, CEO of Nebraska Pharmacists Association read a proclamation declaring October was American Pharmacist Month, signed by Nebraska Governor, Pete Ricketts.
Operation Immunization Vaccinates 1000
This fall, College of Pharmacy students administered free flu vaccinations for the fifth consecutive year as part of "Operation Immunization."

The annual project features a novel process in which pharmacist interns run the vaccination clinics and deliver the shots.

The project is the unique collaboration between the college, student health, family medicine, employee health, and the UNMC chapter of the American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP).  The activity provided over 1,000 flu shots this fall.  Click here to watch a brief video about Operation Immunization.
Upcoming Events

Spring Honor Convocation (P4 hooding ceremony)
May 8, 2020, 2pm
Salvation Army Kroc Center
Contact Anna Mueller for information

Omaha Commencement Ceremony
May 9, 2020
Baxter Arena
UNMC College of Pharmacy | unmc.edu/pharmacy
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