Research News

UM Partners with Emerald Bioscience to License Cannabis-derived Drugs

January 6, 2020

OXFORD, Miss. – The cannabis research program at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has partnered with pharmaceutical company Emerald Bioscience Inc. to license two new drug technologies that may provide nonaddictive pain management, prevent blindness and alleviate the threat of irreversible vision loss from glaucoma and other eye diseases.

The two drug candidate formulations include a synthetic prodrug of tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, the main psychoactive compound associated with marijuana, and a synthetic analog of cannabidiol another compound that is attracting widespread attention as a potential treatment for a variety of medical conditions. Both drug candidates are derivatives of the natural THC and CBD found in the cannabis plant.

Seed Grants Fund UM Research into Disaster Resilience

December 19, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Exploring thunderstorm asthma and examining how Gulf Coast universities can respond to natural disasters are the focus of two new University of Mississippi seed grants funded through the Flagship Constellations initiative.

Thunderstorm asthma is the phenomenon where pollen can break into smaller pieces during severe thunderstorms and cause asthma events. Researchers are collecting and characterizing air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter and pollen, in north Mississippi to investigate the link between air pollution and thunderstorms to better understand the occurrence.

From Desert to Ocean, Toxicology Student Absorbs Marine Sponge Knowledge

December 16, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – It wouldn’t seem Amelia Clayshulte was destined to study marine sponges living in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

However, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy doctoral student grew up going to the coast of North Carolina with her mom’s family, where she would spend a week each summer exploring the salt marshes that opened her mind from its land-locked state.

Ole Miss Pharmacy Center for Clinical and Translational Science Working to Improve Heart Health

October 29, 2019

JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science is one of 11 innovative, community-based organizations across the country awarded a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular Health^SM program to help improve heart health.

The $125,000 grant will provide continued funding for CCTS to administer “Healthy Hearts in the Heart of the City,” a program that offers free health screenings, classes on heart health and medication therapy management services in partnership with Families First for Mississippi and other community organizations in the Jackson area.

Sudeshna Roy and Robert Doerksen of the Department of BioMolecular Sciences along with Christina Stallings at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis received funding from the National Institutes of Health to develop narrow-spectrum antibacterials targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis.

“Currently, the global epidemic of tuberculosis is affecting million of lives, and needs new and effective anti-tuberculosis drugs to overcome the problems of antimicrobial resistance,” Roy said. “Our research will provide a critical step in treating these infections by providing structure-based drug design insights for the development of new therapeutic strategies for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis cases.”

Theacrine (TeaCrine®) and methylliberine (Dynamine™) are distinct caffeine-like compounds that have been shown to promote energy, mood and focus without many of caffeine’s negative impacts.

With a grant from Compound Solutions, Inc., University of Mississippi/NCNPR principal research scientist Ryan Yates, Pharm.D./Ph.D. seeks to determine if combining these unique compounds impacts blood levels and pharmacological responses to caffeine.

“Dietary supplements comprising multiple ingredients are commonplace in today’s marketplace,” Yates said. “Unfortunately, the harmful potential for different ingredients to interact in the body is largely ignored. Our research is important because the results will aid in our understanding of how to safely combine caffeine, theacrine, and/or methylliberine in dietary supplement products.”

Marie Barnard, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Administration, is serving as an external evaluator for the project entitled “Increasing the Quality of STEM Education and Research,” which is awarded to the Natural Science Division at Tougaloo College through National Science Foundation (NSF) /HBCU-UP grant #1912191.

The project aims to recruit and retain STEM majors. It will also provide more student research opportunities and enhance faculty research and teaching.

“This grant aims to promote student success in STEM coursework and, eventually, in their careers by supporting them in their critical early years,” Barnard said. “Evaluation of the program will identify best practices that could spread across the country to improve minority student recruitment and success in STEM fields.”

Student Research Program Explores Brain Wellness

August 6, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Six University of Mississippi undergraduate students spent their summer exploring research opportunities in neuroscience and brain wellness as part of the inaugural Neuroscience Summer Research Education Program.

An initiative of the university’s Flagship Constellations, the program provided stipends for undergraduate students to engage in eight-week collaborative research with a mentor exploring neuroscience related to brain wellness.

With the University of Mississippi Department of BioMolecular Sciences‘ Jason Paris serving as PI on a cross-disciplinary team, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant will bring a “Seahorse analyzer” to he University of Mississippi. The instrument performs at a high production rate and sensitivity that will help researchers with better measurements of cellular metabolism.

“This research instrument will allow researchers at the University of Mississippi unprecedented opportunities to assess metabolic changes associated with drugs or disease states at the cellular level in humans and a range of animal species, including flies, marine sponges and bacteria,” Paris said.

University Obtains New Patent for Poison Ivy, Oak Vaccine

June 18, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has been issued its fourth patent for a product that could prevent the painful itching and rash due to exposure to poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.

The compound is based on research conducted in the UM School of Pharmacy and at ElSohly Laboratories Inc. Hapten Sciences, a Memphis-based biopharmaceutical company, obtained a worldwide, exclusive license for the technology from the university in 2010 and has conducted extensive preclinical and clinical development work since then.

Graduate Students Receive Grants for Research Efforts

May 17, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – Twenty-one University of Mississippi graduate students, including six from the School of Pharmacy, have been awarded Graduate Student Council Research Fund grants to support their research, study and creative scholarship.

The $1,000 competitive research grants, funded by the UM Graduate School and Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, are for projects conducted through April 2020.

School of Pharmacy Ranked Sixth in Research Funding

May 7, 2019

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy rose to sixth in the nation in external research funding for 2018, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Research funding reached $21.2 million in 2018, placing the School of Pharmacy second in the SEC and among the top 5 percent of pharmacy schools nationwide.

Pharmacology Professor Works to Reverse Impact of Opioids on HIV

December 20, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – The opioid epidemic has reached new perils across the United States. Though opioid abuse can be dangerous for anyone, those diagnosed with HIV can see increased adverse effects on the brain and nervous system.

With a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy pharmacology assistant professor Jason Paris is working to combat opioids’ harmful effects on the HIV-infected brain.

Federally Funded Marijuana Turns 50

December 5, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Fifty years ago, the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy was awarded a competitive contract from the government to grow marijuana that could be standardized for research.

Interest in marijuana research had grown throughout the late ’60s, and the government wanted to study the effects of cannabis on the brain and the body. To do that, it needed a source of certifiable plant material that was responsibly grown and harvested.

Ole Miss Professor Awarded NIDA Grant to Fight Opioid Addiction

November 27, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – David Colby, a University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy professor, received a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to develop new treatments for addressing the opioid crisis.

Colby hopes to develop a therapy for drug addiction by studying the medicinal chemistry of certain compounds that can lower the anxiety some patients experience when withdrawing from an addiction.

UM External Research Funding Surpasses $134 Million in 2017-18

October 31, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. and JACKSON, Miss. – External funding for research at the University of Mississippi reached its highest level in four years in 2017-18, with more than $134 million in funding awarded.

A total of $134,735,332 in external funding was awarded to the Oxford campus and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, with research dollars being used to favorably impact lives in Mississippi and around the globe, fuel economic growth and prosperity, educate future leaders and innovators, and more.

Pharmacy Graduate Students Place in Mississippi IDeA Conference Graduate Poster Competition

October 9, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Corinne Sweeney and Kai-Wei Wu, graduate students in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, both placed in the top three of the graduate poster competition at the 2018 Mississippi IDeA conference held in July, in Jackson, MS.

Pharmacy Ph.D. Graduate Wins Scholarship for Drug Discovery Research

September 21, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Mohamed A. Albadry, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the Department of BioMolecular Sciences in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, has won the 2018 Harvey W. Wiley Scholarship from AOAC International.

AOAC International develops global quality standards for microbiological and chemical materials, ranging from food to pharmaceuticals, in an effort to ensure public health.

UM Pharmacy Diabetes Research Moves Forward with Project Proposals

August 28, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – After completing in-depth discussions with diabetes patients and stakeholders throughout the state, University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy faculty and students are turning research questions from the “PaRTICIpate in Diabetes Self-Management Research Collaborative” into project proposals.

This research development project, which began in September of 2016, resulted in 20 patient-centered research questions aimed at helping to manage Type 2 diabetes. Now the focus is on turning three of these questions into three separate research project proposals in hopes of leveraging the research into something greater.

Pharmaceutics Grad Student Honored for 3D Printing Research

August 10, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Jiaxiang Zhang, a graduate student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, was awarded Best Oral Presentation at the Controlled Release Society Meeting in New York City last month.

Zhang’s presentation focused on combining 3D printing with hot-melt extrusion – a process that melts and mixes polymers and drugs into rod-like shapes. Once formed, the rods can be immediately delivered into the 3D printer to create personalized drug dosages in the forms of tablets, capsules and films.

University Joins Pharmaceutical Research Collective

July 16, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi is the newest member of an elite group of 18 universities that make up the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology & Education.

NIPTE is a nonprofit organization that works to improve the design, development and manufacturing processes of pharmaceutical products by connecting members of the pharmaceutical industry with top-ranked pharmaceutical educational programs.

Alice Clark Retiring as UM Vice Chancellor for University Relations

June 28, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Alice Clark, a senior University of Mississippi administrator whose nearly four decades of visionary leadership have driven major advancements, is retiring at the end of June. Clark is an F.A.P. Barnard Distinguished Professor of Pharmacognosy and the university’s vice chancellor for university relations.

Clark earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in pharmacognosy at UM and joined the university as a research associate and faculty member in 1979. She later served as the first director of the university’s National Center for Natural Products Research.

Pharmacology Graduate Student Awarded Cantú Fellowship

June 27, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Erik Hodges, a graduate student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Department of BioMolecular Sciences, was selected as the recipient of the 2018 Virginia Dolores Cantú Fellowship.

“I was elated when I heard I was selected,” Hodges said. “It always feels good to be recognized for your efforts. The topic is one I am very passionate about, and it is nice to know that I was able to convey my thoughts effectively to the reviewers.”

Faculty, Researchers Honored at Pharmacy School Annual Retreat

June 18, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. – The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy presented four faculty and researchers awards for their excellence in and commitment to research, teaching and service at its annual faculty retreat on June 14.

“We are fortunate at our school to have talented faculty and scientists committed to our mission, so it’s a privilege to award them for their outstanding efforts,” said David D. Allen, dean of the School of Pharmacy.

Ole Miss Student Pharmacists Receive AFPE Research Scholarships

June 17, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Austin Fitts and Mary Paige Thrash, both rising second-year professional students at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, were named recipients of the Gateway to Research Scholarship by the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.

The award provides students an opportunity to work on faculty-mentored research projects while improving the students’ knowledge of clinical skills.

UM ‘Corpse Flower’ Will Soon Bloom with Smell of Death

June 14, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Just keep watching – that’s the best advice for witnessing the soon-to-blossom, towering titan arum housed in the atrium of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Faser Hall. The odd-looking plant, which has the largest unbranched flower cluster in the world, is expected to bloom any hour now.

When it does, the 5-foot-tall flowering plant (Amorphophallus titanum) will appear even more otherworldly, with its now-lime-green spathe unfolding to display a dark burgundy. The species also emits a decomposing flesh odor when it blooms, a smell intended to attract pollinators but a putrid smell nonetheless that has earned titan arum the nickname “corpse flower” or “corpse plant.”

UM Scientists Work Toward Natural Remedy for Bed Bugs

June 8, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – It’s a fear for children that monsters reside under the bed. But those monsters could be living on the mattress or in the sheets. They’re called bed bugs.

However, scientists with the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy are searching for a natural remedy to stop the insect from not only biting, but growing in rapid numbers.

Marc Slattery Receives Top UM Research Award

May 12, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Marc Slattery was a little conflicted about being honored for his research achievement at the University of Mississippi.

Slattery, a professor of biomolecular sciences in the School of Pharmacy and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was named the 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Research and Creative Achievement Award during the university’s 165th Commencement ceremonies Saturday (May 12) in the Grove.

Khan Recognized as University Creates Distinguished Professor Honor

May 11, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Three University of Mississippi faculty members were appointed as Distinguished Professors during the spring faculty meeting Friday (May 11) in Fulton Chapel.

The honorees are John Daigle, director of the Center for Wireless Communications and professor of electrical engineering; Donald Dyer, associate dean for faculty and academic affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and professor of Russian and linguistics; and Ikhlas A. Khan, director of the National Center for Natural Products Research and professor of pharmacognosy.

UM Pharmacy Grad Student Earns Student Exchange Award

May 7, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Ann Fairly Barnett, a University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy graduate student, received the Student Training Exchange Opportunity award from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

The award will allow Barnett to conduct research in the Shoemaker Toxicology Laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Ocean Springs this summer under the guidance of Joe Griffitt, chair of USM’s Division of Coastal Sciences and associate director of its School of Ocean Science and Technology.

NCNPR Scientist Honored for Cannabis Research

March 14, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Suman Chandra, senior research scientist in the National Center for Natural Products Research, was honored with an Outstanding Scientist Award at the International Conference on Recent Advances in Agriculture and Horticulture Sciences in New Delhi, India.

The Society of Tropical Agriculture gives this annual award to a scientist who has contributed to the study of agriculture and horticulture. Chandra works with NCNPR’s Marijuana Project, housed within the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, studying the propagation of cannabis intended for research purposes.

NCNPR Receives Award to Research Common Military Dietary Supplements

March 1, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – The National Center for Natural Products Research received an award of over $225,000 from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation to study the ingredients found in popular dietary supplements used by military personnel.

As a result, NCNPR will conduct collaborative research, known as Collaborative Analytics for Safer Supplements, in conjunction with the Consortium for Health and Military Performance at the Uniformed Services University.

Two Pharmacy Faculty Win New Investigator Awards

February 27, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Two assistant professors in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, both from the Department of BioMolecular Sciences, have won prestigious 2018 New Investigator Awards from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

Hoang Le, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry, and Cole Stevens, assistant professor of pharmacognosy, each won one of only 16 new investigator awards bestowed by AACP this year.

Pharmaceutics Grad Student Wins Scholarship for Alzheimer’s Research

February 23, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – Purnendu Sharma, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, received an Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation Young Investigator Scholarship for his research on the natural product, Resiniferatoxin, or RTX.

Sharma’s project, titled “Effect of Resiniferatoxin, a TrpV1 Receptor Agonist on Neuronal Cells and evaluating it In vitro Neurotrophic Activity for Neurodegenerative Disorders,” showed the potential of RTX to help in the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer’s.

University Wins NSF Award for Electron Microscope

January 29, 2018

OXFORD, Miss. – A collaborative effort by researchers from multiple schools and departments earned the University of Mississippi a $346,641 Major Research Instrumentation award from the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a new field-emission scanning electron microscope.

The state-of-the-art microscope will enhance research capabilities for the School of Pharmacy, the School of Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts. Expected to arrive in October, the instrument will be housed in the School of Pharmacy, a convenient location for many of the departments involved.

University Begins Cooperation with University of Chile Faculty

December 20, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Chile’s Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences to collaborate on graduate education and research.

Although details of the collaborations are yet to be finalized, the MOU will initially focus on research collaborations and graduate and post-doctoral student exchanges between the School of Pharmacy and the University of Chile’s Santiago campus.

Universities Take on Health Care Challenges on Many Fronts

December 18, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – It is no secret that many Mississippians face health challenges, but the University of Mississippi and the state’s other public universities are attacking these challenges on many fronts.

Universities treat patients, train the next generation of health care providers and conduct research that will help prevent disease and improve outcomes. While Mississippi’s health issues cannot be solved overnight, progress is being made every day.

University Researchers Discover Key Ingredient for Skin Care Line

December 11, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – Scientists at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research spend much of their time working to discover new pharmaceutical products, botanical dietary supplements and agrichemicals. Once in a while, however, discoveries made at the center benefit something a little more cosmetic.

Among other things, ongoing NCNPR research on botanicals led to the launch of a skin care line called Sustainable Youth brand products, owned by Woodcliff Skincare Solutions Inc. The key ingredient is Alasta brand aloe product, a patent-pending ingredient that includes aloeride, an immune-enhancing extract patented by the university.

Natural Products Center to Collaborate with Beijing Hospital

November 28, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – The National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi and Beijing 302 Hospital of China have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on the quality of traditional Chinese medicine.

The Institute of Chinese Herbal Medicine Beijing, located at the hospital, analyzes traditional medicines taken by hospital patients and screens for any contaminants that may have contributed to a patient’s condition. As per the agreement, NCNPR will use its technology and expertise to help with the chemistry-related needs of this analysis.

Pharmacy Professor Wins Grant to Improve Pharmacy Practice

November 6, 2017

JACKSON, Miss. – Clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice Anastasia Jenkins received a grant from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Foundation to help advance and improve pharmacy practice and ambulatory care in the state of Mississippi.

ASHP’s Ambulatory Care State Affiliate Workshop grant, which Jenkins accepted on behalf of the Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists, will support a workshop for pharmacy leaders in Mississippi to share ideas about how the state can improve the pharmacy care it provides. As part of the workshop, a representative from ASHP will present information to attendees about what is needed to develop an action plan and identify top areas of potential impact.

Attendees Participate in First Natural Products Training Lab Course

October 30, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – A year and a half after its dedication, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and the National Center for Natural Products Research held its first course within the Natural Products Training Lab from Sep. 19-21, which covered various aspects and techniques of botanical authentication.

“I am very pleased with how the first training lab course went,” said Ikhlas Khan, NCNPR director. “This will be a great resource moving forward, and I’m looking forward to many more courses in the future.”

Pharmacy Professor Wins UM Faculty Achievement Award

September 7, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. –For the second consecutive year, a pharmacy professor has won the University of Mississippi’s Faculty Achievement Award.

Kristie Willett, chair of the Department of BioMolecular Sciences in the School of Pharmacy and professor of pharmacology and environmental toxicology, was presented the 2017 award at the Aug. 25 fall faculty meeting.

UM Cancer Institute Researchers Receive International Recognition

September 5, 2017

OXFORD, Miss. – For two decades, David Pasco has pursued the discovery of plants that can enhance a person’s immune system.

Pasco, a pharmacognosist, is a longtime researcher and associate director of the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research and director of the Drug Discovery Core at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Institute.

USDA and NCNPR Partner to Create Natural Insect Repellents

May 3, 2017

A decades-long partnership between the Natural Products Utilization Research Unit at USDA and the National Center for Natural Products Research at the UM School of Pharmacy is looking to nature to develop environmentally safe chemicals to manage pests.

The collaboration includes roughly a dozen research projects dedicated to creating natural agrochemicals, such as insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Charles Cantrell, a…

UM Pharmacy Students to Present at Veterinary Conference

April 21, 2017

Two UM School of Pharmacy students are to speak this weekend at the Annual Veterinary Pharmacy Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, hosted by the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists.

Second-year pharmacy students Robert Ross and Alexandria Gochenauer, who are both interested in veterinary pharmacy, were recommended to speak at the April 20-22 conference.

School of Pharmacy Begins Clinical Study of Antimalarial Drug

April 11, 2017

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy Research Clinic is looking for students and residents in the Oxford and Lafayette County area to participate in a clinical study for the antimalarial drug primaquine.

The World Health Organization lists primaquine as one of the safest and most essential medications in the world.

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School of Pharmacy Hosts International Botanical Conference

March 31, 2017

Oxford is again the destination for scientists and other visitors from around the world gathering to discuss the ancient, yet rapidly evolving, study of botanical medicines.

The 17th annual International Conference on the Science of Botanicals is set for April 3-6 at the Oxford Conference Center. The National Center for Natural Products Research at the…

Rho Chi Hosts Annual Research Day

March 17, 2017

The UM School of Pharmacy chapter of the Rho Chi Society, a pharmacy academic honor society, is hosting a research day on March 21 for pharmacy students to present posters detailing their ongoing research. Judges will evaluate the posters and choose three winners from among the displays. (Update, March 21, 3 p.m.: The winning posters of Rho Chi Research Day were announced here.)

Erin Holmes, associate professor of pharmacy administration at UM and treasurer of the chapter, said the event is a great way to…

School of Pharmacy Partners to Create New Pharmaceutical Technology

February 24, 2017

As part of its roster of scientific research, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy will join technology group STEERLife in a four-year collaborative project to revamp pharmaceutical drug development and manufacturing.

STEERLife designs, creates and implements technology and processes for improving the quality of pharmaceutical products. The company approached Narasimha Murthy, professor of pharmaceutics and drug delivery, and Michael Repka, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, about combining its industrial…

Pharmacy Professor Co-Authors Winning Paper

February 8, 2017

Meagen Rosenthal, assistant professor of pharmacy administration at the University of Mississippi, is co-author of a report that won the 2016 Best Paper award from the journal Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.

The paper, titled “Confronting inequities: A scoping review of the literature on pharmacist practice and health-related disparities,” reviews and summarizes research on interactions between pharmacists and patients from potentially…

UM Natural Products Center Designated as Center of Excellence

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has renewed the National Center for Natural Products Research’s designation as a Center of Excellence in recognition of its work in botanical dietary supplement research. This is the 15th consecutive year the NCNPR has received this recognition.

As part of its partnership with the FDA, which began in 2001, the NCNPR focuses on developing scientific tools for assessing the…

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USDA Renews Drug Discovery Grant for Natural Products Center

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has renewed a grant for the National Center for Natural Products Research to work on the discovery and development of bioactive products that have potential to become pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals or alternative crops for small farmers.

The grant project, “Discovery and Development of Natural Products for Pharmaceutical and Agrichemical Applications,” has been renewed…

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School of Pharmacy Awarded Funds for Diabetes Self-Management Project

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute granted a Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award of $214,084 to a team of University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy researchers to support a project that aids patients’ self-management of diabetes.

The project, titled “PaRTICIpate in Diabetes Self-Management Research Collaborative: A Conference Series,” will build on research that shows improvement in the health of diabetes patients when they are able to self-manage their treatment. (The “PaRTICI” in “PaRTICIpate” stands for….

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NCNPR Scientist Awarded for Parasitic Diseases Research

Babu Tekwani, principal scientist in the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research and professor of pharmacology in the School of Pharmacy, was honored for his outstanding research contributions to global health drug discovery in tropical parasitic diseases at an international conference in León, Spain, on July 15.

He received the Distinguished Scientist Award at the inaugural conference “Global Challenges in Neglected Tropical Diseases,” hosted by the Universidad de León and Fundación General Universidad de León y Empresa.

Tekwani has researched neglected tropical parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis…

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Professor Receives Third Honor from Kazakh University

A professor at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy was awarded a Silver Medal from Kazakh National Medical University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Samir Ross, professor of pharmacognosy and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was honored with the medal on Oct. 2. Ross received the medal for his long history of scientific and collaborative work with the university, which includes supervising graduate students and writing grant proposals with Kazakh researchers.

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Marc Slattery Named NIUST Director

Marc Slattery, professor of pharmacognosy, has been named director of the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology, which is headquartered at the University of Mississippi.

NIUST, which has been based at UM since its establishment in 2002, is a joint effort between Ole Miss and the University of Southern Mississippi in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NIUST’s overall goal is “to bring together academic or other research organizations to promote, conduct and lead integrated, multidisciplinary undersea research commensurate with the directives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”

National Center for Natural Products Research Marks 20th Anniversary

Since 1995, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy‘s inaugural research center has been setting the bar in the areas of natural products chemistry, botanical supplements development and marijuana research – and more.

“We’re delighted to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the National Center for Natural Products Research this year,” said Larry A. Walker, NCNPR director. “This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our growth and successes over the past two decades.”

The center was created to discover, develop and commercialize natural products as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. It is the only university-affiliated research center devoted to improving human health and agricultural productivity through the discovery, development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals derived from natural products.

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Students Conduct Research in Ancient Polish Forest

A 7,000-year-old forest in Poland could hold the key to solving some of the world’s major health problems, and several University of Mississippi researchers and students are working to unlock the potential of the forest’s ancient ecosystem.

UM researchers often travel to exotic locations, such as tropical rainforests or deep beneath the ocean, to search for plants and creatures that contain compounds that can be used against a variety of human illnesses. This Polish forest might seem an unlikely place to search for new medications, but it actually is a perfect spot, said Jordan Zjawiony, native of Poland and UM professor of pharmacognosy.

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Hapten Sciences to Begin Clinical Trials for Poison Ivy Vaccine

Hapten Sciences Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, will soon conduct a Phase I clinical trial of its lead product candidate, a compound based on research conducted at the University of Mississippi and ElSohly Laboratories that could prevent contact dermatitis due to exposure to poison ivy, oak and sumac.

The company obtained a worldwide, exclusive license for the technology from UM, submitted an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is able to initiate dosing of the compound, PDC-APB, in healthy volunteers

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Graduate Student Receives AAPS Research Award

Manal Nael, a graduate student in the Department of BioMolecular Sciences, received the 2015 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Graduate Student Research Award in Drug Discovery and Development Interface.

The $1,250 award was in connection to a presentation by Nael and Robert Doerksen, associate professor of medicinal chemistry, at the AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition meeting in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 27: “Virtual screening of new inhibitors of the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK).”

UM Researcher Receives International Award

Mahmoud ElSohly, research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and professor of pharmaceutics, was recently presented with an award from the International Association for Cannabinoids in Medicine.

The award was presented to ElSohly for “Major Contributions to the Reintroduction of Cannabis as a Medicine.”

NEMUS Bioscience Advances Lead Candidate Through Formulation Testing Prior to IND-Enabling Studies

NEMUS Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: NMUS) has entered into a research agreement with the Company’s scientific collaborator, the University of Mississippi (UM), to advance NEMUS’ lead proprietary cannabinoid-based therapy developed for the treatment and management of glaucoma into an optimized once-daily treatment formulation.

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UM Pharmacy School Ranks in Top 10 for Funding

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has landed in the nation’s top 10 for total extramural funding, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Ranked No. 7 for the 2014 calendar year, the school jumped from No. 12 in 2013.

The school received $15.6 million in total extramural funding, which includes $4.7 million awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The funds garnered by the school support a variety of research projects including drug discovery and development.

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NEMUS Announces Research Agreement with the University OF Mississippi to Develop Proprietary Cannabidiol (CBD) Molecules

NEMUS Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB:NMUS) announced the signing of a research agreement with the University of Mississippi (UM) to study and conduct research and development on cannabidiol (CBD) containing formulations.

“CBD has shown evidence of therapeutic activity in a variety of diseases, particularly those involving the nervous system, immune reactivity and inflammation. Determining effective means of administering this molecule was a primary goal for NEMUS this year and we are excited to commence further development with our partner, the University of Mississippi,” reports John Hollister, CEO of NEMUS.

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Student Conducts First Study on Autistic Adults’ Quality of Life

A doctoral student in the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has conducted the first U.S. study on quality of life among adults with autism.

Krutika Jariwala-Parikh, who graduated in May with a Ph.D. in pharmacy administration, wrote her dissertation on “Quality of Life and Health Care Utilization and Costs among Adults with Autism.”

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Soumyajit Majumdar Assumes Associate Dean Role

After a national search, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy has named Soumyajit Majumdar associate dean for research and graduate programs.

“We are thrilled to have such a talented individual on our administrative team,” said David D. Allen, the school’s dean. “I have great confidence in Jit’s ability to move our school to the next level. His enthusiasm for excellence is infectious, and I can’t wait to see what new opportunities will arise with his leadership.”

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Pharmacy School to Install New NMR Spectrometers

Known worldwide for its excellence in drug-discovery research, the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy is installing three new nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers to complete a suite of eight and enhance its research capabilities.

The machines, which analyze chemical and physical properties of molecules, are part of an overhaul of the school’s NMR capabilities.

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Game Changing Charlie

It was 42 years ago when Charles D. Hufford first climbed the stairs to his new office on the fourth floor of Faser Hall, home to the University of Mississippi’s School of Pharmacy. The then-new Ohio State University Ph.D. graduate had no clue that, more than four decades later, his UM colleagues would credit him with helping transform their pharmacy school into one of the world’s powerhouses in his field – the study of natural compounds – or for vastly enhancing and equipping it for education and research.

But that’s exactly what his colleagues say Hufford has done.

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Professor Meets Criteria for Elite Research Award

A University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy professor was honored by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists at its annual meeting in November.

Soumyajit Majumdar, associate director of the Pii Center for Pharmaceutical Technology and associate professor of pharmaceutics and drug delivery, was presented with the Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Outstanding Research Award.

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UM Vice Chancellor Honored as Prestigious AAAS Fellow

Alice M. Clark, vice chancellor for research and sponsored programs and Frederick A.P. Barnard Distinguished Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University of Mississippi, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Election as a fellow is bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers based on the candidates’ scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. This year’s 401 new AAAS fellows will be formally announced in the Nov. 28 issue of the journal Science, the largest peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with 1 million readers.

Undergraduates Participate in Advanced Research Internship

Two students received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this summer to work with Robert Doerksen, associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Mississippi, as part of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.

Funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CHE-1156713, the program is commonly referred to at Ole Miss as the Physical Chemistry Summer Research Program. The program is directed by Nathan Hammer, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry and principal investigator on the grant. Its purpose is to recruit students from other universities who are interested in gaining hands-on experience covering a broad range of topics primarily related to chemistry.

UM Researchers Study Novel Drug-Delivery System

University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy researchers are studying an improved method for delivering drugs that treat pain and inflammation.

Narasimha Murthy, associate professor of pharmaceutics, and Abhishek Juluri, a pharmaceutics doctoral student, are pursuing new compounds that enable easier drug delivery through the skin. Their work is supported by a collaborative agreement with Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Professor Receives DOD Grant for Cancer Research

A University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy professor has been awarded a $333,878 grant from the Department of Defense to study a cancer gene called kRAS.

“This gene is important in the progression of pancreatic, lung, colorectal and other cancers,” said Tracy Brooks, assistant professor of pharmacology and the grant’s primary investigator. “We are focusing on the region of DNA that controls how much kRAS gets produced, with the ultimate goal of using the knowledge gained in a targeted drug-discovery program to develop new agents with better safety and efficacy against many cancers.”