36th Annual Research Showcase

February 6-7, 2023

As the UF College of Pharmacy celebrates its centennial in 2023, it is important to recognize how this event has grown in size and stature over the years to become one of our signature events.

36th Annual UF College of Pharmacy Research Showcase

Welcome

A letter from the Dean

"As I settle into my new role as dean, I am excited to experience Research Showcase for the first time and see firsthand the contributions our students and trainees are making in advancing science."

On behalf of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, I would like to welcome you to the 36th Annual Research Showcase. As I settle into my new role as dean, I am excited to experience Research Showcase for the first time and see firsthand the contributions our students and trainees are making in advancing science.

As the UF College of Pharmacy celebrates its centennial in 2023, it is important to recognize how this event has grown in size and stature over the years to become one of our signature events. Research Showcase was founded by Dean Emeritus Michael Schwartz more than three decades ago to bring greater visibility to student and trainee research and promote collaboration amongst departments.

Aspiring scientists and pharmacists have used the event to refine their communication skills and gain confidence in presenting their research to a large audience. It has laid the foundation for many UF College of Pharmacy alumni to launch successful careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, governmental agencies and more.

Congratulations to all our students and trainees participating in Research Showcase this week and thank you to the faculty mentors who have championed their research interests. With your continued support, Research Showcase will continue to be a meaningful event well into our college’s second century.

Peter Swaan, Ph.D., M.Pharm.
Dean and Professor, UF College of Pharmacy

KEYNOTE Address

Reflections on a Journey to Use RWD to Advance the Development of New Medicines

Michael Taylor, Ph.D, Pharm.D.

Michael Taylor is Vice President and Global Head of Real World Data (RWD) within the Product Development Data Sciences organization at Genentech/Roche.

In this role, he leads a team of quantitative scientists (e.g., epidemiologists, statisticians, outcomes researchers, mathematicians, etc.) focused on developing RWD-based insights to support and improve decision-making for R&D, regulatory, access/reimbursement, and healthcare providers.

Previously, he was the Global Head of RWD Collaborations at Genentech/Roche. In that role he led Roche’s RWD collaborations with Flatiron, Foundation Medicine, and PicnicHealth. During his 17 years with Genentech/Roche he has supported the development of multiple molecules currently marketed or in development for oncology indications.

He has participated on panels focused on Real World Data at Friends of Cancer Research meetings and currently serves on the Duke-Margolis Real World Evidence Collaborative Advisory Group.

Michael holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2005) and a Doctor of Pharmacy (2001) from the University of Florida.

Schedule of Events

Monday, February 6, 2023

9:00-11:00am
Postdoctoral, PharmD, & Undergraduate Student Poster Competition
HPNP Atrium & Ground Floor

3:00-5:00pm
Graduate Student Poster Competition
HPNP Atrium & Ground Floor

2022 poster competition winner Francisco Marchi shares his research study with a captive audience.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

9:00-10:00am
Postdoctoral Scholar Oral Competition
HPNP Auditorium

1:00-3:30pm
Graduate Student Oral Competition
HPNP Auditorium

4:00-5:00pm
Keynote Speaker Address
HPNP Auditorium

5:00-5:30pm
Showcase Awards Ceremony
HPNP Auditorium

5:30-7:00pm
Reception
HPNP Courtyard

Poster Competition

Judges

Category	Department	Judge
Grad Students	Medicinal Chemistry	Jane Aldrich
Grad Students	Medicinal Chemistry	Sushobhan Mukhopadhyay
Grad Students	Medicinal Chemistry	Guangrong Zheng
Grad Students	Pharmaceutics	Francine Azeredo
Grad Students	Pharmaceutics	Natalia De Moraes
Grad Students	Pharmaceutics	Fan Zhang
Grad Students	Pharmacodynamics	Bin Liu
Grad Students	Pharmacodynamics	Joanna Peris
Grad Students	Pharmacodynamics	Karen Scott
Grad Students	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Amie Goodin
Grad Students	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Mahmud Hasan
Grad Students	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Rich Segal
Grad Students	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Steven Smith
Grad Students	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Luisel Ricks-Santi
Grad Students	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Danxin Wang
Grad Students	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Julie Johnson
Grad Students	Pharmacodynamics	Mahesh Peddibhotla
Postdoc	Medicinal Chemistry	Sampa Gupta
Postdoc	Pharmaceutics	Abhisheak Sharma
Postdoc	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Emily Cicali
PharmD	Pharmaceutics	Mei He
PharmD	Pharmacodynamics	Maddalena Parafati
PharmD	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Barbara Santevecchi

Submissions

Research Category	Poster Number	Author Name	Research Title
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	1	Leyanis Rodriguez Vera	Leveraging PBPK DDI application between phenytoin-omeprazole special populations
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	2	Sofia Kokkaliari	Discovery of a New TACR2 Antagonist from a Marine Cyanobacterium
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	3	Deok Yong Yoon	DMD progression models bridging a functional endpoint and MRI T2 biomarkers
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	4	Marwa Tantawy	Mirna-125a association with CFZ-CVAE in multiple myeloma patients: PROTECT study
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	5	Mohammed Gbadamosi	Integrated omics analysis identifies modulators of cyclophosphamide response
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	6	Ahmed Abulfathi	Optimizing the safety profile of ropivacaine given via erector spinae plane block
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	8	Churni Gupta	QSP model approach for α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson’s Disease
Postdoctoral Trainee Research	9	Laura Hanold	Anti-proliferative peptides regulate proteins in the c-Myc degradation pathway
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	10	Hanh Tran	GWAS to identify variants associated with MRD in pediatric patients with AML
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	11	Nathalie Roumi	Dexrazoxane and all-cause mortality in anthracycline-treated cancer patients
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	12	Jessica Webber	An analysis of bacterial resistance development to beta-lactam antibiotics
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	13	Rachael Weingarten	A retrospective study on optimal diabetes medication in a free clinic
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	14	Grace Hogan	Mirabegron improves adipose and lung inflammation in animals with pulmonary HTN
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	15	Nghi Nguyen	Drug optimization targeting transcriptional regulator Zta of Epstein-Barr virus
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	16	Samantha Tournesy	Novel delta opioid receptor bitopic ligand produces safe, low-efficacy agonism
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	17	Shunwen Wu	Review of clinical trials using MR biomarkers for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	18	Rebeca Rivera	Patient satisfaction with a pharmacist-led pharmacogenetic consult clinic.
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	19	Thi Doan	The influence of CYP2D6 genotype on hydrocodone response
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	20	Maya Phillips	Effect of CYP2D6 inhibitors on analgesic effect of hydrocodone and oxycodone
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	21	Cosima Erhard	Pharmacogenomic influence on methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	22	Alivia Ishee	Structural approximation alignment method for low sequence similarity proteins
PharmD & Undergraduate Student Research	23	Nicholas Guadagnoli	Synthesis and evaluation of novel σ1R ligands with improved metabolic stability
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	1	Jessica Mamallapalli	Kava’s potential anti-stress mechanism: antagonism of the β2-adrenergic receptor
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	2	Mallory Burns	Regioselectivity of Beckmann and Schmidt rearrangements of bicyclic heterocycles
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	3	Bo Sortman	Prelimbic engrams recruited at acquisition mediate well-trained cocaine seeking
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	4	Ariana Figueroa	Sustained exposure to moderate levels of ethanol reprograms microglia phenotype
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	5	Amy Alleyne	Sigma-1R ligands mitigate physiological and neuronal responses to methamphetamine
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	6	Dominique Johnson	Repeated chemogenetic excitation of vagal afferents expressing oxytocin receptors
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	7	Nadine Alshakhshir	Extrasynaptic NMDA receptors expressed by magnocellular oxytocin neurons
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	8	Samantha Rakela	Acute and chronic social defeat stress activate distinct neuronal populations
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	9	Todd Sahagian	Cell-autonomous mechanisms for persistent firing in the rat basolateral amygdala
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: CNS Disorders	10	Shelby Green	Design & synthesis of dual S1R & DAT ligands for the treatment of cocaine misuse
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	11	Samia Shabnaz	Proteomic study of carfilzomib-heart failure in multiple myeloma (MM) patients
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	12	Zijing Xu	Dendrimer-base LNPs for in situ transfection of tumor-infiltrating monocytes
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	13	Karly Caples	A high-throughput platform for evaluating skeletal muscle disease therapeutics
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	14	Jordan Stokes	Overexpression of computationally designed human IL-10 mutants
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	15	Omar Elashkar	Deep learning analysis of pancreatic whole slide images for type I diabetes
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	16	Nina Erwin	A novel nano-transfection strategy for drug loading of extracellular vesicles
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	17	Garret Rubin	Mechanistic studies of biosynthesis of group 11 graspetides
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	18	Kevon Jolly	Genetically engineered tumor-homing monocytes for enhanced tumor delivery
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	19	Seyedehalaleh Anvar	Activatable two-photon fluorogenic probe for real-time imaging of senescence
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	20	Chad Littrell	Dendrimers for drug delivery in glioblastoma
Graduate Student Research: Basic Science: Innovative new techniques	21	Nicholas Waddington	Automatic segmentation of pancreatic islets on whole slide images
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	22	Nam Nguyen	Genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen identifies ADE response associated with outcomes
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	23	Saikat Poddar	Targeting unique tethering site of VHL ligand for PROTAC design: A novel approach
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	24	Zhihang Shen	Evaluation and mechanism investigation on novel PRMT5 inhibitors
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	25	Jihyun Bae	GWAS identifies genetic variants associated with metabolites in pediatric AML
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	26	Nan Hua	Discovery degraders of the epigenetic modulator SETDB1
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	27	Johnathan Somers	A bioluminescent probe for detection and imaging of heparanase enzymatic activity
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	28	Breanne Freeman	Dose-dependent NNK/NNAL-specific adduct profiling in mice & clinical implications
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	29	Francisco Marchi	A CIBERSORTx signature predicts outcome in pediatric AML patients
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	30	Corey Perkins	Race as a predictive confounder in human pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	31	Alexis Smith	Synthesis of GDH1 inhibitors to target elevated glutamine metabolism in cancer
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	32	Morgan Reeves	CXCR6 in hcc and the underlying mechanisms of sorafenib resistance
Graduate Student Research: Basic and Translational Science: Cancer	33	Zachary Rabinowitz	Activatable fluorogenic probe for two-photon imaging of Heparanase in vivo
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	34	Kayla Smith	Initial antihypertensive prescribing among Medicaid and Medicare recipients
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	35	Piaopiao Li	Cost-effectiveness of GLP-1RA and Tirzepatide in People with Uncontrolled T2D
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	36	Priyanka Kulkarni	Using package inserts data to identify statin-related prescribing cascades
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	37	Sumaya Abuloha	Health disparities among type 2 & 4 angiotensin II receptor antihypertensive user
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	38	Wenxi Huang	Trajectories of sacubitril/valsartan adherence among patients with heart failure
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	39	Khalid Alkhuzam	Long term health benefit and economic return of time in range improvement in T2D
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	40	Shu Niu	Factors associated with GLDs adherence among U.S. adults with T2D
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	41	Alaa Alshehri	Trends of newer hypoglycemic drugs utilization in US adults with diabetes and CVD
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	42	Shailina Keshwani	Predictors of initial antihypertensive intensity in newly-treated HTN patients
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	43	Dawei Guan	Predicting diabetes duration using supervised machine learning approaches
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	44	Shu Huang	Characteristics of US Medicare beneficiaries with chronic cough: 2011-2018
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	45	Seonkyeong Yang	Cough medication use trends and characteristics in patients with chronic cough
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	46	Rupal Aroza	Cost-effective analysis hemodialysis vs peritoneal dialysis among ESRD patients.
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	47	Asinamai Ndai	The role of anticoagulants clinics in anticoagulant therapy initiation
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Outcomes in Chronic Diseases	48	Wei-Han Chen	Social determinants of health and newer glucose-lowering drugs adoption
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	49	Yanning Wang	Targets for quality improvement? Top 10 teratogenic drugs used during pregnancy
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	50	Mohammed Almoslem	Acetaminophen and ibuprofen in preterm neonates with patent ductus arteriosus
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	51	Celeste Ewig	Utilization of biologics during pregnancy in patients with autoimmune conditions
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	52	Nicole Smolinski	Prenatal exposure to valproic acid in the United States, 2005-2019
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	53	Motomori Lewis	Geographic patterns of prescription opioid use in disabled Medicare beneficiaries
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	54	Eissa Jafari	Characteristics and predictors of ATRH in real-world populations using EHRs
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	55	Yehua Wang	Assessment the neonatal outcome misclassification using claims database
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	56	Hsin-Min Wang	First-line antidepressant use and risk of dementia in older adult with depression
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	57	Sebastian Jugl	Identifying long-acting reversible contraceptives in health insurance claims data
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	58	Huilin Tang	Heterogeneous treatment effects of metformin on the risk of dementia
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	59	Maryam Al Saeed	Accuracy of in-silico tools for predicting impact of pharmacogenetic variants
Graduate Student Research: Clinical Science: Drug Outcomes and Utilization	60	Huili Chen	Exploring ovulation rate as a surrogate endpoint of contraceptives using MBMA
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	61	Alexandria Senetra	Potential interactions of cannabidiol and oxycodone after oral administration
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	62	Abelardo D. Montalvo	The effect of promoter tandem repeats on CYP2C9 gene expression in human liver
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	63	Qingchen Zhang	Pharmacokinetic effect of a CES1 variant on the disposition of methylphenidate
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	64	Xuefen Yin	Using PBPK approach to interpret carbamazepine nonlinear PK and its DDI potential
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	65	Cameron Thomas	Impact of the ABCD-GENE score on P2Y12 inhibitor clinical effectiveness after PCI
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	66	Brian Gawronski	Perceptions and attitudes of pharmacogenetic testing in the medically underserved
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	67	Priscila Yamamoto	Carvedilol pharmacokinetics and PBPK modeling in gastric bypass patients
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	68	Anthony Gebhart	Dosing optimization for voriconazole in patients diagnosed with aspergillosis
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	69	Yi-Hua Chiang	Development of a PBPK model for mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	70	Philip Melchert	An in vitro evaluation of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) on CES1 catalytic activity
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	71	Michelle Kuntz	Comparative pharmacokinetics of mitragynine and its diastereomers in rats
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	72	Sulafa Al Sahlawi	Predicting cannabinoid-drug interactions using model-based approaches
Graduate Student Research: Clinical and Translational Science: Drug Metabolism	73	Jieqiang Zhou	Intracellular kinetics of aminoglycosides (AGS) in Klebsiella pneumoniae

Oral Competition

Judges

Category	Department	Judge
Postdoc	Medicinal Chemistry	Gustavo Seabra
Postdoc	Pharmaceutics	Stephan Schmidt
Postdoc	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Julie Johnson
Grad Students	Medicinal Chemistry	Yousong Ding
Grad Students	Pharmaceutics	Guenther Hochhaus
Grad Students	Pharmacodynamics	Brandon Warren
Grad Students	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Masoud Rouhizadeh
Grad Students	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Yan Gong

Postdoctoral Scholar

Time	Presenter	Department	Title
9:15am	Dipesh Dhakal	Medicinal Chemistry	Biosynthesis of cytotoxic depsipeptides lyngbyastatins 1 and 3
9:30am	Phani Krishna Parcha	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Proteomic analysis identifies potential negative regulators of leukemogenesis
9:45am	Alaa R.M. Sayed	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Whole-cell PBP profiles of avibactam, aztreonam, ceftazidime in K. pneumoniae

Junior Graduate Student Research

Time	Presenter	Department	Title
1:15pm	Zachary Greenberg	Pharmaceutics	Deep learning exosome precision drug delivery enables rapid vaccine translation
1:30pm	Shyam Ramesh	Pharmaceutics	Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease progression model
1:45pm	Yuzhao Zhang	Medicinal Chemistry	Design principle of heparanase inhibitors: a combined in vitro & in silico study

William J. Millard Senior Graduate Student Basic Science Research

Time	Presenter	Department	Title
2:00pm	Ke Liu	Medicinal Chemistry	Investigations of small molecules induce iron starvation in bacterial biofilms
2:15pm	Carolin Werkman	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Killing of acinetobacter baumannii via synergistic receptor occupancy patterns
2:30pm	Chen Zhou	Medicinal Chemistry	Development of indole-based inhibitors of TEAD for the treatment of liver cancer

Julie A. Johnson Senior Graduate Student Clinical Science Research

Time	Presenter	Department	Title
2:45pm	Richard Marrero	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	GWAS identifies SNPs associated with clinical outcome in children with AML
3:00pm	Noor Nahid	Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research	Impact of CYP2D6 inhibitors on pain control by opioids
3:15pm	Munaza Riaz	Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy	Comparative effectiveness of SGLT2 inhibitors in HFpEF

Thank You

Thank you to all of our sponsors and contributors to this year’s Research Showcase!