In 1955, the same year the School was established, the first polio vaccine was administered in the United States. In the decades since, health care has been impacted by countless innovations. The same can be said for Pacific. This year has been marked by our faculty, staff and students finding innovative solutions to compelling problems. Prediabetes and diabetes are urgent health care issues in San Joaquin County, impacting nearly 60 percent of the population. In response, the Diabetes Care Clinics team partnered with the Abbott Fund’s Future Well™ Communities program to develop a targeted approach to reach individuals in the communities where they live. Further, doctor of pharmacy students have the opportunity to hone their counseling and communication skills through a new elective course.

For many individuals in underserved communities, transportation is a barrier to receiving essential health care services. Alumni Andrea Wamsley ’03, PhD and See-Yan Lam ’76, ’84, PharmD, PhD embraced the vision to mobilize student-led health care services with the purchase and retrofit of a mobile clinic van.

Pacificans also have a unique opportunity to learn from pharmaceutical industry experts through the Jie Du Center for Innovation and Excellence for Drug Development. While many students and professionals aspire to become entrepreneurs, the process of taking an idea from concept to reality can be daunting. One of the courses the Center offers is focused on entrepreneurship and demystifies the process of launching a new product.

Research conducted at the School has real-world applications to patient care. Pain medications that are effective in managing severe or chronic pain often have side effects that greatly impact a patient’s quality of life. A research team led by Professor Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, PhD published their research on a pharmacological probe that could lead to the development of pain medications with reduced side effects.

As you peruse the magazine, I hope you will be inspired by how the members of the Pacific pharmacy family continue to be creative, strategic and innovative leaders.

Sincerely,