SHARKS RX Spring 2017 Magazine

College of Pharmacy 23 The debate over the expense associated with the EpiPen® may be coming to a halt thanks to Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji , B.S.Pharm., Ph.D., a pharmaceutical researcher and associate professor at the College of Pharmacy. Popular Science featured Rawas-Qalaji’s new oral method for patients to receive epinephrine. Generally, the benefits of the drug aren’t seen when ingested, which is why most patients carry around the pen; however, Rawas-Qalaji developed a tablet that will allow the drug to work quickly and effectively. The sublingual epinephrine tablet represents potentially game-changing technology. The next steps regarding this technology were recently outlined on CNBC’s website at cnbc.com/2016/11/19/epi-pill-may-replace- epipen-for-allergies.html . Studies have shown that the United States has one of the highest incidences of fatal anaphylaxis in the world. For anaphylaxis treatment in community settings, epinephrine intramuscular injection using an auto- injector such as EpiPen® in the thigh is universally recommended. Despite this, many people at risk of anaphylaxis in community settings do not carry their prescribed auto-injectors consistently and hesitate to use them when anaphylaxis occurs. Rawas-Qalaji, along with his research team, developed a novel sublingual tablet that disintegrates and releases the medicinal ingredient epinephrine under the patient’s tongue within 30 seconds. These rapidly NSU Researcher Invents Alternative to EpiPen ® NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY 22 disintegrating sublingual epinephrine tablets are taste- masked to enhance the tablet’s palatability and patients’ acceptance. Recently, the NSU research team was able to significantly enhance the amount of drug that gets absorbed from the sublingual cavity into the blood through reducing the particles size of epinephrine using micro and nanotechnology. Groundbreaking Researchers Make a Difference (cont.) C olleges of pharmacy across the United States are ranked by how much money they bring in. So, when George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., NSU president and chief executive officer, set a goal of bringing in $300 million in extramural funding by 2020, it did more than challenge the College of Pharmacy to raise a substantial amount each year in grant funding. It also played to the college’s own goal: Climb higher in the national rankings. “The goal is to move the college to be ranked in the 40s (among some 130 pharmacy programs) by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP),” said Peter Gannett, Ph.D., associate dean of research and graduate education. “And to do that is quite simple: Get $1 million worth of grants every year.” Faculty members in fiscal year 2016 brought in about $750,000 in outside funding—an increase of about $500,000 in two years, Gannett said. Last year, the AACP ranked NSU No. 64 in external funding. Leaders of the college agree that the million-dollar goal is achievable. They also agree it won’t happen without work. And with that recognition, the Million Dollar Club was born. Launched in February 2016, it’s an exclusive society in its own right. Bring in an external grant—from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Depart- ment of Defense, American Heart Association, or any other funding organization unaffiliated with NSU—and you’re in. As if the accomplishment itself isn’t enough, you get a polo shirt emblazoned with the slogan Million Dollar Club. “There’s a need to celebrate when people do good things,” said the college’s dean, Lisa M. Deziel, Pharm.D., Ph.D. “It helps to have incentives, so the Million Dollar Club is an opportunity for us to applaud people’s successes. If we do $1 million a year, it helps us reach our goal.” Getting that polo shirt, however, is no easy task. Accord- ing to Gannett, funding rates today are roughly 15 percent, meaning that to receive a grant, a researcher must write By Arnie Rosenberg seven applications. That figure has gradually declined over the years. While that may seem a daunting statistic, it’s not deterring College of Pharmacy faculty members from pursuing those grants. With a continuing $134,180 grant from the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration, Elizabeth Sherman, Pharm.D., AAHIVP, (’07) assistant professor of pharmacy practice, was the first to join the Million Dollar Club. “External funding empowers faculty members to expand scientific and medical knowledge, enrich the education of our students, and spotlight the accomplishments of our growing research program,” said Sherman, who is funded as a principal investigator of the Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center. “Grants take a great deal of effort and a lot of time by the faculty, and we recognize that,” Deziel said. “But they also bring opportunities, because they help buy equipment, provide personnel in the labs, and support our graduate students. Research funding helps increase our reputation and attract quality students and faculty members. Research creates pride in the institution and pride in the college.” Lofty Goal: Aiming for the Million Dollar Club Elizabeth Sherman is recognized as the first member of the Million Dollar Club. Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji shows Epi-Pill tablets.