October 27, 2005
Take a stroll over to the first floor of St. Albert’s Hall on
October 27 and you’ll find posters from 35 research projects
representing projects currently in progress or presented during the
past year at conferences from the College of Pharmacy and Allied
Health Professions at St. John’s University. “We want to share with
the entire university the active research conducted here and
presented at regional, national and international conferences,”
says J. Andrew Skirvin, Associate Clinical Professor of Clinical
Pharmacy Practice.
Research Topics
Research projects in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
examined the actions of drugs and toxic substances at the cellular
and genetic level. “Through research involving molecular toxicology
and the creation of drugs using computer modeling, new drug
modalities will be discovered,” says Professor of Pharmaceutical
Sciences Louis Trombetta.
The development of drug delivery systems for insulin and
trans-dermal dosage forms of drugs were some of the projects worked
on in the Department of Pharmacy and Administrative Sciences.
Research projects also involve site-specific drug delivery
formulation and genetically-engineered drug delivery systems.
Another project examined the practice evaluation of the pharmacist
in drug therapy. “Pharmacists’ participation helped achieve better
patient compliance,” says Somnath Pal, Professor of Pharmacy and
Administrative Sciences.
Research projects in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy
Practice focused on targeting indigent and homeless people to
assess their need for services, says Professor Skirvin. Another
project looked at ways to enhance institutional pharmacists’ skills
in assessing patients’ needs.
The professors all mentioned that many research papers are
co-authored by graduate students, along with faculty, which include
research scientists and clinicians. Also serving as advisors are
the preceptors who supervise students in their field work.
“Society is benefiting from the research going on in
pharmaceutical colleges such as ours,” says Professor Pal, “which
is part of the Vincentian mission of helping others.”