Pharmacy News and Stories

International pharmaceutical corporation Ely Lilly and Company slashed the list price of insulin 70 percent, and capped patient insulin out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month. For University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Assistant Professor Kelly Anderson, PhD, MPP, the move, in conjunction with state and federal legislative efforts to cap insulin out-of-pocket costs, is a “watershed moment” in making prescription medications accessible and affordable.

Jordan Kellerman | March 07, 2023

It felt like a virtual who’s who of pharmacy rockstars at the recent Research Roundtable hosted by the Honors Program at CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS). From a second-year PharmD student who described her current foray into the research field, to a seasoned faculty researcher who once rounded with Dr. Fauci at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the passion for research, at all stages, was on full display.

Lori Westermann | February 11, 2023

The School of Pharmacy keeps a running list of publications in partnership with Strauss Library to highlight published research. This page is updated at the end of each month, and we are working to refine our search and filtering fields. During this process we may inadvertently miss a research paper. If you notice this, please let us know by emailing sop.communcations@cuanschutz.edu.

SOP Communications | January 01, 2023

Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Manisha Patel, PhD, begins her term as president of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) at the conclusion of the Society’s annual meeting in Nashville, Dec. 2- 6. A medical and scientific society of 4,700 members, the AES is dedicated to advancing research and education for preventing, treating and curing epilepsy. Founded in 1946, AES is an inclusive global forum where professionals from academia, private practice, not-for-profit, government and industry can learn, share and grow to eradicate epilepsy and its consequences.

SOP Communications | December 05, 2022

Dr. David Kroll, PhD, explains to Diversity In Action a history of cannabis research and clinical practice in the American medical system.

Diversity in Action | December 05, 2022

Robert Page, PharmD, weighs in on the need for well-designed clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) for cardiovascular disease, based on evidence from preclinical studies showing that it has anti-inflammatory effects.

Medscape | October 05, 2022

R. Brett McQueen, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, along with his colleagues at the University of Exeter, UK, have been awarded a two-year, $600K grant from JDRF to develop a comprehensive web-based tool to inform global public health adoption and therapeutic investment decisions on the costs and benefits of identifying people at risk of type-1 diabetes (T1D) world-wide. McQueen is principal investigator on the project, with Exeter co-investigators Dr. Richard Oram, MD, associate professor, Diabetes UK Harry Keen Fellow; Prof. Jonathan Fieldsend, Professor of Computational Intelligence; and Dr. Lauric Ferrat, PhD, applied mathematician.

Jordan Kellerman | October 01, 2022

When Manisha Patel, PhD, was notified she had been awarded the Javits Award in Neuroscience, she was honored. The Javits Award is a conditional, seven-year research grant given to scientists for their superior competence and outstanding productivity. 

Jordan Kellerman | September 20, 2022

Throughout the pandemic, we have struggled to get ahead of COVID-19. Now, with research from the Mallela Research Lab at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, scientists can take steps to be proactive instead of reactive – and possibly predict how the virus will act next.

Jordan Kellerman | January 10, 2022

For P4 Madison Ricco, pharmaceutical research has been a passion of hers as long as she can remember. As an undergrad, she led research projects at her institution. As a P1, she enrolled in the honors program for a research-intensive experience. And, as a P2, she enrolled in the Master of Science (MS) in Pharmaceutical Sciences degree; the first student to ever attempt both programs congruently.

Jordan Kellerman | January 10, 2022

The School of Pharmacy keeps a running list of publications in partnership with Strauss Library to highlight published research. This page is updated at the end of each month, and we are working to refine our search and filtering fields. During this process we may inadvertently miss a research paper. If you notice this, please let us know by emailing sop.communcations@cuanschutz.edu.

SOP Communications | January 01, 2022

The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy announced that it is joining the RAPID Alliance Medications 360 Study, with a goal of transforming how medications and vaccines are delivered in the US from 2022 – 2031. The RAPID Alliance is a multi-stakeholder research consortium founded in the University of Louisville Center for Health Organization Transformation (CHOT), a National Science Foundation-funded research center.

cupharmacy | October 12, 2021

It's been said that two heads are better than one. That adage is especially true when it comes to scientific research and harnessing some of the most brilliant minds in the field. That collaborative spirit of discovery is the inspiration behind the Skaggs Scholars Program established in 2011.

cupharmacy | September 30, 2021

Is there a way to reduce the time spent in trialing different medications, such as antidepressants? Is there a way to predict who may be at increased risk of experiencing medication side effects?

Jordan Kellerman | June 21, 2021

Listening to Dr. Meghan Jeffres and her students explain their infectious disease work brings to mind the 80’s arcade game Space Invaders, in which an intergalactic battle plays out between defending forces and evil alien elements. The researchers describe an inner world, specifically the large and small intestines, in which tricky bacteria use enzymatic mechanisms to destroy the antibiotic sent to destroy it. Welcome to the front line of the infectious disease battleground.

Lori Westermann | May 17, 2021

According to Kristofer Fritz, PhD, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, bench-side research requires a lot of trial and error. Also, according to Dr. Fritz, it takes a certain kind of fortitude and dedication for a PharmD student to undertake an intensive lab-based research project due to the already-demanding academic rigors of a pharmacy degree.

Lori Westermann | May 14, 2021

A new study of Medicare payments has found that over a five-year period, the payments for medications prescribed to people with neurologic conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy increased by 50% while the number of claims for these prescription medications only rose by only 8%. The study is published in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study, funded by the American Academy of Neurology, also found that most of the increase was due to rising costs for neuroimmunology drugs, mostly for multiple sclerosis.

SOP Communications | March 24, 2021

New research from Dr. Meghan Jeffres, PharmD, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and University of Porto in Portugal, indicates that most surgical patients with a history of penicillin allergy can safely be given the guideline-recommended antibiotic cefazolin to prevent infection instead of alternative antibiotics that are less effective and more expensive. The researchers reported in JAMA Surgery that the frequency of allergies to both penicillins and cefazolin was so small that most patients should receive cefazolin regardless of their allergy history.

SOP Communications | March 16, 2021

A new study by R. Brett McQueen, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, supports expanding coverage of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) to pregnant women less than 35 years of age. 

cupharmacy | March 12, 2021

Peter Anderson, PharmD, professor and Director of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, was named the 2020 recipient of the John and Barbara Shell Prize in Research and Graduate Education, the highest honor given by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Initially started in 2002 as an annual award, this distinction is now presented every two years for outstanding achievement in research and graduate education. A committee of past recipients selects the recipient from among tenured professors in CU Pharmacy. 

Jordan Kellerman | December 09, 2020

We are pleased to announce that The ALSAM Foundation, a generous long-time benefactor to the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS), has provided an initial grant, which together with support from the Chancellor’s Office and the SSPPS, will fund a major new robotic high throughput/high content screening and imaging instrument for drug discovery and elucidation of new drug targets.

SOP Communications | October 07, 2020

Nimisha Mallela’s path as an artist has been on an upward trajectory ever since she started drawing at age seven. By 10, she completed some of her first full art pieces, and at 15, she began entering competitions. Her work has been published in student magazines and she even recently received first place in the Cherry Creek High School art competition with a painting of her grandmother.

Sara Knuth | September 15, 2020

University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor Robert Page, PharmD, MSPH, FAHA recently served as chair of an American Heart Association (AHA) writing group that found cannabis use shows substantial risks and no benefits for cardiovascular health. The group also says more research is critical. Below is a news release from the AHA.

SOP Communications | August 31, 2020

Industry analysts say the market size of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals could generate up to $2 billion by the end of 2020 — and legal sales could earn up to $23 billion by 2025.

SOP Communications | July 13, 2020

As scientists around the world scramble against the COVID-19 clock, searching for a vaccine that could stop the viral infection before it happens, a trio of experts on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have taken a different tack: overpowering the new mutation after it invades the body.

SOP Communications | July 10, 2020

For patients with a severe form of epilepsy, it can be dangerous to drive, go to work or even walk to the mailbox alone. A fear of falling and blacking out prevents many patients with medically refractory epilepsy from living lives most people take for granted.

“They can’t have a job, they can’t really live a normal life,” said Tom Anchordoquy, PhD, professor at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “These patients, before, had to always have someone with them because there was a fear of seizures.”

On top of that, the drugs patients with the severe form of epilepsy take to manage their disorder — which are needed in high concentrations in the brain — are typically taken orally and then distributed throughout the entire body, resulting in problematic side effects.

Sara Knuth | July 01, 2020

AURORA, Colo.  – Health screenings can catch conditions early, helping patients avoid a condition’s worst consequences or even preventing it from developing altogether. Think of mammograms to catch breast cancer early or high blood pressure screening before a person has a stroke. Screening helps pre-symptomatic patients take actions to reduce their risk of a catastrophic outcome.

SOP Communications | May 08, 2020

During the coronavirus pandemic, experts at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences can be counted on to answer some of the public's most pressing questions.

From working to develop a treatment to help COVID-19 patients to speaking about the impact on the U.S. drug supply, our faculty members are in the news.

Sara Knuth | April 20, 2020

It wasn’t long after John Carpenter and Ted Randolph started working at the University of Colorado that a mutual friend and colleague suggested they collaborate.

Sara Knuth | February 03, 2020

If the late Dr. Glenn Appelt knew his wife and daughter would establish a scholarship in his name at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, he would have been proud to see a new generation of students have the opportunity to study pharmacy, says his wife of 30 years, Jennifer Appelt.

Sara Knuth | December 20, 2019

After conducting pioneering research into the cost-effectiveness of an innovative new cancer treatment, researchers at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) were invited by the Journal of Clinical Oncology to contribute a review article in an upcoming special issue, “Economic Issues in Cancer Care.”

Sara Knuth | December 12, 2019

Denver made history this month by effectively decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms — and experts at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences say the vote marks an important development for the drug, but only time will tell of its impact in a clinical setting.

The initiative, which passed by a close margin and was certified by the city of Denver on May 16, means that arresting anyone for personal possession, consumption or growth of “magic mushrooms” is a low priority for law enforcement. It also prohibits Denver from using city funds to prosecute similar cases.

Hallucinogenic mushrooms haven’t been fully legalized — and unlike marijuana, people won’t be able to legally buy and sell them in the city.

Sara Knuth | May 16, 2019

The University of Colorado Center for Pharmaceutical Value (PValue) has been established with a Value Assessment Center of Excellence Award from the PhRMA Foundation.

The foundation grant of $500,000 was awarded to Jonathan Campbell, PhD, R. Brett McQueen, PhD, and Melanie Whittington, PhD, who have primary faculty appointments in the field of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research with the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

PValue will be a center of excellence within the D2V initiative, a Transformational Research Funding project supported by the Dean's Office of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. D2V will support PValue through a matching award of $500,000. Additional D2V support will include peer review, shared professional research assistance, project management expertise, and institutional accountability. The total award will be allocated over three years to establish PValue initiatives.

Caren Henderson | January 22, 2019

The ALSAM Foundation, a generous long-time donor to the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS), has provided $2M of funding for collaborative grants between the SSPPS and the BioFrontiers Institute. This donation supports the Therapeutic Innovation Grants Program that allows the SSPPS on the Anschutz Medical Campus to join forces with the BioFrontiers Institute on the Boulder Campus to encourage faculty collaboration in the development of innovative projects that will advance the health and wellness of people in our communities and around the globe. 

Caren Henderson | December 17, 2018

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, more than 14 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year, worldwide, and more than 9 million people will succumb to the effects of cancer. This is equal to approximately 22,000 cancer deaths per day, and this cancer mortality rate is expected to continue to rise.

Despite all the advances in technology to both diagnose and treat cancer, many of these therapies are ineffective against the later stages of cancer.

Stephanie Carlson | November 25, 2018

James Roede, PhD, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was recently awarded two different Administrative Supplement Awards attached to his prestigious Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award from NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - a division of NIH (National Institutes of Health).

Stephanie Carlson | October 09, 2018

The ALSAM Foundation recently invested an additional $2 million to continue the Therapeutic Innovation Grants Program at the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The funding supports a second phase of grants for projects focused on drug discovery and development.

Stephanie Carlson | September 20, 2018

Generally, you can't eat chemotherapy. That’s because your digestive system breaks down the molecules you eat into smaller pieces that can be absorbed through the gut into the bloodstream.

Stephanie Carlson | August 08, 2018

In many countries, healthcare reimbursements for drugs are directly related to their value or net health benefits in treating disease.

But a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, in collaboration with a group of international clinical and economic experts, shows that’s not the case in the U.S.

Stephanie Carlson | August 07, 2018

Cancers are one of the leading causes of disease-related fatalities worldwide. Prostate cancer, in specific, affects about 6 out of 10 men over the age of 65. In US male population, it is most common malignancy after skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This highlights the need for immediate and effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Stephanie Carlson | June 29, 2018

It has taken all four years of pharmacy school but student Rupa Parikh has now completed her study on emergency contraception (also known as the morning after pill) availability, specifically in Arizona and Utah, and she’s getting a lot of recognition.

Stephanie Carlson | January 29, 2018

Just one chip, that's all it is, but it is a chip made with one of the hottest peppers on the planet. The Paqui Carolina Reaper Madness chip is made with the Carolina Reaper pepper, which has an average Scoville Scale score of over 1.5 million.

Stephanie Carlson | December 27, 2017

Researchers from the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, selected to estimate the cost-effectiveness of the newly approved CAR-T therapies, have found the clinical benefit may justify the expensive price.

Stephanie Carlson | December 21, 2017

University of Colorado researchers recently calculated the return on investment of one activity of the federal Prevention and Public Health Fund. Their study found that the activity has saved 35 million dollars since it was put into place in 2013.

Stephanie Carlson | October 30, 2017

Faculty member Jacci Bainbridge, PharmD, together with Clinical Neurology Research Fellow Matt Makelky, PharmD, are currently studying cannabis and its effectiveness in treating a variety of conditions including back pain, Parkinson’s tremor and seizure disorders in children.

Some of the first prospective cannabis trials on the Anschutz Medical Campus “Will hopefully help determine the cannabis’ effectives in treating these types of disorders, side effects and dosing levels,” says Jacci Bainbridge.

cupharmacy | October 18, 2017

Used in Native American healing, some compounds in pungent plant stronger than available pharmaceutical treatments.

cupharmacy | August 18, 2017

At my internship I shadow a lot of people. Many of them pharmacists, but some of them are researchers like James Griffon. I was in Dr. Simberg’s research laboratory shadowing James and I watched him go about his daily duties. The lab is a very different environment compared to some of the other settings I have shadowed. I always find my lab experience to be fun and relaxing. James is always doing something , so consequently, I'm always seeing something. Whether it be old or new, I find the lab work to be interesting. This time James was working with mice skin and freeze it on dry ice so that later they can slice it and get pictures of cells. He also transferred some cancer cells into new media, which kills an enzyme that attacks and kills the cancer cells.

cupharmacy | May 08, 2017

James Roede among five early career scientists selected as ONES to watch

Recently, five researchers from universities throughout the country were selected as recipients of the competitive NIEHS (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) Outstanding New Environmental Health Science (ONES) awards. Faculty member James Roede was part of this illustrious group.

According to Roede, “This award gives me the opportunity to become truly independent and carve out my own niche in environmental health sciences.”

cupharmacy | April 27, 2017

Strengthening exemptions could boost vaccination coverage, reduce costs

States with weaker non-medical exemption policies for vaccinations can reduce the likelihood of a measles outbreak 140 to 190 percent by strengthening them, a new study from CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty member, Jon Campbell, PhD, show.

cupharmacy | March 23, 2017

On January 18th, the Student Winter Symposium took place at CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The involvement of the graduate students of the three PhD programs (Pharmaceutical sciences, Toxicology, Pharmaceutical outcomes research) at the School, as well as from the PharmD program was outstanding.

cupharmacy | February 21, 2017

Did you know that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime? University of Colorado (CU) scientists have developed a lotion that prevents and repairs sun damage.

“Most of us have damage just from being in the sun,” says Tom Anchordoquy, CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences professor.

cupharmacy | November 28, 2016

The annual CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar Research Poster Session put third-year students in the hot seat on Nov. 1 as they presented on topics they had been researching since their P2 year.

cupharmacy | November 03, 2016

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to take part in an eye-opening learning experience at Kaiser Permanente Central Support Services. I applied for, and was accepted to participate in, a six-week-long managed care independent study worth two elective credits.

cupharmacy | October 19, 2016

University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy Professor Robert L. Page, PharmD, was the lead author on an American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement cautioning patients and physicians that many commonly used medications and nutritional supplements may cause or worsen heart failure. Dr. Page was highlighted in many news outlets including CBSradio, CBS morning news, MedPage Today, the Daily Mirror and 9News.

cupharmacy | September 29, 2016

CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy Professor Pete Anderson, PharmD, and lab manager Lane Bushman, together with colleagues, developed a technique that estimates an HIV-negative patient's adherence to drugs prescribed to prevent HIV transmission.  The test is being used in research internationally and could have widespread application for other drugs that require objective measurement of patient adherence to dosing.

cupharmacy | August 29, 2016

Cameron and Pallavi McElroy have been sharing their love for pharmacy and research since 2008 when they first met in their master’s of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Pharmacology and Toxicology program at the University of Toledo.

cupharmacy | July 06, 2016

Michael Cobretti’s got grit. At least, that’s what Dr. Christina Aquilante says.

Cobretti graduated from CU’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy in 2015 with a dream of doing a residency. But when it came time to match, the Walgreens pharmacy manager didn’t make the cut.

cupharmacy | May 23, 2016

When 16-year-old Hari Sowrirajan says, “You can’t just buy nanoparticles at the supermarket,” you realize quickly that this down-to-earth high school student is doing some out-of-this-world science.

What you don’t know is that Sowrirajan has been working with researchers at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences since he was a 13-year-old middle schooler—too young to step inside a CU Anschutz laboratory—all because he wrote a single email to a researcher he had never met.

cupharmacy | April 20, 2016

From helping to build not one, but two school of pharmacy buildings -- one on the 9th Avenue campus and the other at the Anschutz Medical Campus -- to encouraging collaborative research between seven Skaggs institutions through the unique Skaggs Scholars Program that is centered at the University of Colorado, The ALSAM Foundation has been, and continues to be, a tremendous supporter of our school.

cupharmacy | February 26, 2016

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has been revolutionized by the recent approval of direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies. These all-oral DAA therapies achieve high levels of HCV cure when taken as directed, but with a cost of $80,000+ for an entire course of treatment, the cure is expensive. So, who deserves the treatment?

cupharmacy | February 17, 2016

Viruses and bacteria aren’t the only things that grow in labs. Love does, too.

cupharmacy | February 12, 2016

A new study, conducted by faculty members from our school and published online ahead of print in the January edition of Pharmacotherapy, reveals that patients diagnosed with migraine headaches saw a significant drop in migraine occurrences when treated with medical marijuana.  

cupharmacy | February 01, 2016

Pharmacy Practice News recently published an article about antibiotic resistance and the dangers of over-prescribing medications. Dr. Cindy O’Bryant talks to us about why it matters.

cupharmacy | November 23, 2015

CU’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy’s annual research poster presentation featured great research from nearly 200 P-3 students on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The exhibit, which is a collaborative effort between the Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Pharmacy, allows students the opportunity to conceptualize research ideas and create practical pharmaceutical solutions to real-world problems. Forty groups presented posters on topics ranging from substance abuse to cancer.

cupharmacy | November 03, 2015

This year, about 140 faculty, trainees and lab personnel from the CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences attended the 2nd annual school-wide research retreat at Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge. The retreat, held Aug. 5-7, featured a variety of sessions and programs ranging from genetics and genome packaging to vaccines and bioinformatics. Presentations were given by faculty, post docs and graduate students from the school including speakers from outside the school.

cupharmacy | September 21, 2015

Wheezing. Coughing. Inability to catch one's breath.

These are all symptoms of asthma. And for years those with asthma have relied upon inhalers and steroids to help reduce those symptoms and make breathing easier. But medications may be only part of the solution, especially in children with poorly controlled asthma.

cupharmacy | August 31, 2015

“I felt so far behind,” says 21-year-old Deedee Romo about her chances of getting into graduate school.

Now, this first generation Mexican-American is on her way to a very impressive med school application thanks to the Colorado Undergraduate Research in Environmental Health Sciences (CUrehs) program.

cupharmacy | August 20, 2015

If there is a natural cure for cancer, it may come from the laboratory of Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and co-leader Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the CU Cancer Center. Agarwal has built a career dissecting the molecules inside natural products such as milk thistle, grape seed extract and bitter melon.

cupharmacy | June 22, 2015

Reprinted from an article in the Aurora Sentinel by Brandon Johansson

cupharmacy | March 02, 2015