Student Involvement

PRE-PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

In this issue

Student Involvement 1 Kidney Disease/Research 2

Healthier Tomorrow 3 Upcoming Events 4

The Preprofessional Organization (PPO) was started in November 2010 as a

way to keep preprofessional students on the main campus connected to the

college’s faculty and professional division students. Monica Cape, president

of PPO, is enthusiastic about this new student organization and its potential

to build relationships within the college. At PPO’s monthly meetings,

preprofessional students hear from UTCPPS faculty and professional division

students whom they might not ordinarily meet. PPO students, closely

engaged with Pharmacy Student Council (PSC), are now organizing additional

activities and projects that will enhance the experience of preprofessional

students and prepare them for what’s ahead. PPO’s executive board is

rounded out by Kelly Gaffney as VP, Anik Patel and secretary, and Steve

Hammersmith as treasurer. Pharmacy students who wish to get involved

with PPO can find the organization’s information in their display case in

Wolfe Hall or on the flyers posted in the Wolfe Hall computer lab. They can

also contact advisor, Deb Sobczak, or Shawn Mills, PSC president.

FACULTY NOTES

Dr. Curtis

Black, ’72, was

recently

featured in UT

News following

his election as national vice

president for finance for Phi

Kappa Phi. Read more

Pharmacology, Principles and

Practice, edited and co-

authored by UT’s Drs. Miles

Hacker, William Messer, and

Kenneth

Bachmann,

was “highly

commended”

by the British

Medical Association 2010

Medical Books Awards.

Read more

L-R, Monica Cape, Steve Hammersmith, Kelly Gaffney and Anik Patel Photo by Alan Molyet

March is National Kidney Awareness Month, which makes it an ideal time to discuss kidney disease and the research that is changing the way kidney disease is treated. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), a genetic disorder characterized by fluid-filled cysts in the kidney nephrons, is caused by a mutation in PKD1 or PKD2, the coding genes for polycystin-1 and -2, respectively. Its prevalence is evaluated between 1/400 and 1/1000 live births and it accounts for 7 to 8 % of end-stage renal disease in developed countries. ADPKD is not only a kidney disease, but also a systemic disorder associated with cardiovascular complications such as cerebral intracranial and aortic aneurysms as well as cardiac valvular defects. These complications represent a continuous concern, particularly in older ADPKD patients. Although asymptomatic in most patients, extrarenal manifestations of ADPKD may become more clinically relevant with the increasing life expectancy of affected patients. They mainly encompass cysts in other organs than the kidney (liver: 94%, seminal vesicle: 40%, pancreas: 9%, arachnoid membrane: 8%, and spinal meningeal, 2%). As yet, the pathogenesis of this disease is not fully understood and there is no specific treatment available. The molecular mechanism in ADPKD has been associated with dysfunction in primary cilia. We in Dr. Surya Nauli’s lab are conducting cutting edge research that focuses on cilia biology and associated Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Cilia are micro-sensory organelles that extend from the apical surface of cell membranes to the body lumen or

microenvironment. They are involved in diverse functions within the cells that range from fluid flow sensors to cell signaling regulators. Currently we are focusing our research interests on deciphering the mechanisms that lead to kidney and cardiovascular abnormalities due to abnormal cilia function. The research conducted in our lab involves the use of cell lines, genetically manipulated animal models and human cells and tissues from organ donors.

Since joining Dr. Nauli’s lab, my research has contributed significantly to the advances made in the PKD field. This contribution was manifested through highly ranked research publications that were concurrently featured on the covers of the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research and Human Molecular Genetics. This was in addition to other review papers and book chapters. Our research has demonstrated for the first time the involvement of primary cilia in cell division, cell cycle regulation and chromosome segregation. This will contribute to deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis not only in Polycystic Kidney Disease, but in other diseases in which cell division is dysregulated.

Dr. AbouAlaiwi is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Surya Nauli’s pharmacology research lab.

STUDENT FEATURES

NACDS Scholarship

The National Association of

Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)

Foundation announced the

2010 recipients of the NACDS

Foundation Pharmacy

Student Scholarship Awards,

and Marisa Sochacki, a UT

pharmacy student, was

among the 58 scholarship

recipients. Read more

Kidney Disease and Research BY DR. WISSAM ABOUALAIWI

Dr. Amanda

Bryant-Friedrich,

associate

professor of

medicinal and

biological chemistry, was

elected president of the

Northwest Ohio Association of

African Women Scholars. Her

term begins in Summer 2011.

Dr. Surya Nauli was granted

tenure and promoted to

associate professor of

pharmacology.

Dr. Kenneth Alexander is The

University of Toledo College of

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical

Sciences’ voting delegate for

the U.S. Pharmacopeial

Convention.

FACULTY NOTES

Deep within the halls of the Health Science Campus, you can hear the forced piddle paddle of a labored jog, the distant clinking of heavy weights and the grunts and groans of a fierce basketball game. Where could all this racket be coming from? The Health Science Campus has its own YMCA called the Morse Center, and all UT students can use the facility by simply presenting their Rocket Cards at the front desk on the third floor of Dowling Hall. Pharmacy students have been heading there en masse for improved health and in preparation for the coming year.

The health benefits of regular exercise are clear, but there may be more behind the eyes of the motivated Rx runners. Specifically, a sizable portion of the P2 PharmD class has enlisted in a brutal race in June called the Warrior Dash. The Warrior Dash is a mere 5k at first glance, but it is interlaced with a demanding series of rope climbs, bear crawls, mud pits, and even a line of fire that tired runners must jump before completing the race and proving their superior fitness. If you wish to join the Warrior Dash, you can find out more online. Even if you don’t participate, don’t

We want to hear from you! Email your news to us at utpharmacyreply@utoledo.edu.

Your college and your classmates want to know what you’re busy

accomplishing. Send news about births, new jobs, marriages, and

achievements to the college for publication in the biannual printed

newsletter, Extracts & Graduates. You can even send photos!

Alumni can also keep up with UT news and progress by joining the UT

Alumni Association and its online community, www.toledoalumni.org.

hesitate to head up to the Morse Center and submit yourself to your own bouts of physical endurance. If you need a workout buddy, motivator or trainer, fear not the name; Rx Warrior Runners will always be exercising and are always willing to add more runners to the pack.

As a self-proclaimed Rx Warrior Runner, I have taken the liberty of registering for a few other racing events. This year I am taking the I-75 Marathon Challenge. That’s right, I am signed up for the Toledo Marathon in April, the Dayton Marathon in September, and the Findlay Marathon in October!

For a Healthier Tomorrow BY JORDAN MADDOCKS, P2 PHARMD STUDENT

Each marathon is 26.1 miles with turns, hills, and thousands of people. The I-75 Marathon Challenge is truly an unforgetta-ble experience and a great way to see the landscape of our lovely state. In addition, I plan on doing the MS Northwest Bike to the Bay and the MS Northeast Pedal to the Point. These two biking events involve distances of 100 and 125 miles, respectively, and will raise thou-sands of dollars for multiple sclerosis research.

The events of physical endur-

ance in which I plan to partici-

pate, along with the periodic 5k

and triathlon, total some 325

miles of competitive racing. For

each racing mile, I know I will

have to train ten miles at the Y,

the Rec, the park trails, and on

the city streets; but every time I

am about to throw in the towel

and return to the couch, I real-

ize that at every step I will have

a warrior, a runner, a pharmacy

student right there next to me.

So don’t wait until next year or

even next week. I’ll see you at

the Morse Center tomorrow!

Photo by Jordan Maddocks

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 7:00 pm , Driscoll Alumni Center Auditorium

Join us for this one-hour seminar hosted by UT alum Mark Keeley, RPH '87,

Legislative Affairs Administrator for the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. He will be

presenting information on contemporary topics in Ohio Pharmacy Law. Ohio

Pharmacy Law Review (Ohio State Board of Pharmacy Approved) 0.1CEU ,

Experience ID Number: 036-234-11-01-L03. RSVP by Friday, March 11th. There is

no charge, but reservations are required. Register online.

UTCPPS Alumni Affiliate CE Program

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Your Alumni Association invite you and your family to celebrate the appearance of The Toledo Symphony at Carnegie

Hall in New York City. Join us from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm in the Manhattan Skyline Room of the Park Central New York

Hotel for a complimentary pre-concert reception with passed hors d'oeuvres. Representatives from the University and

the Symphony will be in attendance at the reception. Tickets for the 7:30 pm Carnegie Hall performance are $25 each

to the first 200 to register and may only be picked up at the celebratory pre-concert reception. Register online.

Alumni Reception for Toledo Symphony Carnegie Hall Concert

Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 3pm

All Kappa Psi alumni are welcome to attend Stag this year at the Lucas County Recreation Center located on 2901 Key

St., Maumee, OH 43537. The event will allow past and current brothers to catch up over food and games. For more

information and to RVSP, please email Benjit at benjit_budwal@hotmail.com or call him at 419-377-9021.

Kappa Psi STAG Event

3000 Arlington Avenue, MS 1014

Toledo, OH 43614

419.383.1904

www.utoledo.edu/pharmacy