Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, University of the Pacific,

Benjamin E. Blass, Temple University

Kelly E. Caudle, University of Cincinnati

Teresa M. Cavanaugh, University of Cincinnati

Julianne M. Hall, Campbell University

Rahul Khanna, The University of Mississippi

Sean King, Union University
Andrea L. Kjos, Drake University

Benedict (Shek Hang) Law, North Dakota State University

Emily Martin, Wayne State University

Susan L. Mercer, Lipscomb University

Xiaoyun (Lucy) Pan, West Virginia University

Alejandro Pino‐Figueroa, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences‐Boston

A. Mary Vilay, The University of New Mexico

Ruth L. Vinall, California Northstate University

Ashley Woodruff, St. John Fisher College

Peisheng Xu, South Carolina College of Pharmacy

Howard University News February 18, 2012 College of Pharmacy Professor Receives Prestigious Research Award WASHINGTON - College of Pharmacy Professor Pradeep K. Karla, Ph.D., has been awarded the prestigious New Investigator’s Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) to do research on a process to better treat people suffering from eye diseases. Karla, who joined the college in 2009, is one of 18 award recipients. Participants are investigating topics as diverse as medication self-management, treatment for cocaine addiction and withdrawal and the impact of Medicare payment cuts on the patients’ treatment choices and the resulting outcomes. Vincent Lau, Ph.D., vice president of research and graduate education at AACP, said the program provides seed money for new faculty investigators to establish their first independent pilot research project. "We believe that each of the award-winning projects has great potential to inform pharmacy science and improve healthcare," Lau said. Karla's research, entitled Modulation of MRP Drug Efflux for Improved Ocular Drug, concentrates on improving the effectiveness of eye medications delivered through drops. The efficiency of eye drop medication, such as those used to treat glaucoma, are reduced because of a multi-drug resistant protein that activates a pump in the eye that sucks away the liquid. In glaucoma cases, this prevents the drops from staying on the eye long enough to penetrate the cornea. Consequently, the medication is less effective in the prevention of blindness and other eye-related illnesses. A drug efflux pump inhibitor will permit the drops to stay on the surface of the eye longer and better penetrate the cornea, making the medication much moreeffective. . “I’m quite excited,” Karla said. “The award is going to give us a scope and offer us resources to explore. We hope the conclusions that we draw from this research proposal will help the scientific community develop potent drug treatment strategies for eye diseases.” Other award recipients are: Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, University of the Pacific, Benjamin E. Blass, Temple University Kelly E. Caudle, University of Cincinnati Teresa M. Cavanaugh, University of Cincinnati Julianne M. Hall, Campbell University Rahul Khanna, The University of Mississippi Sean King, Union University Andrea L. Kjos, Drake University Benedict (Shek Hang) Law, North Dakota State University Emily Martin, Wayne State University Susan L. Mercer, Lipscomb University Xiaoyun (Lucy) Pan, West Virginia University Alejandro Pino‐Figueroa, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences‐Boston A. Mary Vilay, The University of New Mexico Ruth L. Vinall, California Northstate University Ashley Woodruff, St. John Fisher College Peisheng Xu, South Carolina College of Pharmacy ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY The College of Pharmacy’s mission is to provide pharmaceutical education of excellent quality to students with high academic, scholarship and leadership potential, with particular emphasis upon the recruitment, retention and graduation of African-American and other ethnically diverse minority students. The primary goals of the college are to recruit, train and educate qualified African-American and other ethnically diverse minority students to assume leadership roles in pharmacy; to produce skilled pharmaceutical care practitioners, proficient pharmaceutical scientists and competent educators to meet the challenges of the profession and society; to recruit and retain faculty dedicated to teach and mentor students, conduct research and pursue other scholarly activities, and to provide postgraduate and continuing professional education and community services that will enhance the quality of pharmaceutical care. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org www.hbculibraries.org 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.