Two UF College of Pharmacy graduate students named ACCP Abstract Award winners

By Tyler Francischine

A pair of University of Florida College of Pharmacy graduate students from the Orlando campus — Devam A. Desai, M.S., and Anthony R. Gebhart, M.Sc., — were recognized by the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, or ACCP, as 2024 Student and Trainee and Early-stage Professional Abstract Award winners. Desai and Gebhart were recognized during the 2024 ACCP Annual Meeting in Bethesda, Maryland, September 8-10.

Desai is a second-year doctoral student in the UF Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, and his winning abstract showcased the development of a model used to predict the in-vivo behavior of a new gene therapy, CRISPR-Cas9.

“Because this therapy is so new and complicated, one needs to understand how it works in the body: how much of it to give, how it moves around, and how effective it will be. Since there’s limited data on how these gene therapies spread through the body, especially in humans, we created a computer model to predict what will happen. This work plays a very important role within the big picture of solving genetic disorders; that is what makes me so passionate about it,” Desai said. “To me, this recognition is not only a testament to the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my research, but also a reflection of the support and collaboration I’ve received from my colleagues, mentors, and the community. It inspires me to continue striving for excellence in my field and to contribute even more to the advancement of clinical pharmacology. I’m deeply grateful and motivated to continue making a positive impact.”

A third-year doctoral student in the Department of Pharmaceutics, Gebhart’s research focuses on the development and application of population pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, or PK/PD, models for drug development and dosing optimization in clinical settings. His winning abstract used predictive mathematical models to measure the role of the antibiotic cefazolin in preventing infections during and after heart surgery.

“Receiving this recognition from the ACCP is both an honor and a validation of our work. Professionally, this award connects me with a broader community of experts and peers, offering greater exposure within my scientific community. It also underscores the impact and relevance of pharmacometrics expertise in clinical applications,” Gebhart said. “I find great satisfaction in using mathematical models and programming tools every day to fit the purpose of answering important questions. I’m deeply focused on applied research — using these tools to solve practical issues and improve treatments in real-life settings. This project showcases how data-driven approaches can lead to more precise, personalized care, which is the core of my passion and drives me to contribute to advancing health care practices.”