By: Rosa Kang PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Dr. Aaron Muth, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has been teaching medicinal chemistry at St. John’s University as Assistant Professor since 2016 and Associate Professor since 2022. In 2024, he was  appointed the Director of the Master of Science in…

By: Nivaj Haque PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing significant changes in the background as new government policies are affecting the development, approval, and sale of drugs. These changes are affecting the staffing at the regulatory agencies, drug pricing, and international trade. They are also affecting pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers and patients…

By Amanda Nakhul, Biomedical Sciences c/o 2027 Precision is key in multiple aspects of our lives, including medicine. Diseases such as cancer, a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue, can be treated with imatinib. The FDA recently approved the first oral liquid formulation of imatinib: a revolutionary drug redefining cancer…

By Ansha Hamid PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that is described by a list of debilitating symptoms, including disorganized thoughts and behaviors, out-of-touch experiences, hallucinations, and significant social and occupational dysfunction. Existing therapies predominantly rely on antipsychotic medications targeting dopamine receptors and offer only some relief. However, they often have…

By: Sariah Grant PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Color additives have long played a crucial role in the appearance and appeal of many foods and pharmaceutical products.1 From vibrant candies to easily identifiable medications, synthetic dyes such as Food, Drug and Cosmetics (FD&C) Red Dye No.3, have been used for decades. However, growing concerns over its safety…

By: Nivaj Haque; PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Recent advancements in cardiology have revolutionized the management of arrhythmias, offering new hope for patients with conditions like supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) significantly affects patients’ lives, leading to approximately 50,000 emergency department visits annually in the United States.1 This statistic underscores the urgency of developing effective…

By: Farzana Alam, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025, Anthony Autera, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025, Maha Saad, PharmD Background Drug pricing metrics are crucial in pharmacoeconomic analyses as they influence cost-effectiveness and budget impact studies. Selection of the most appropriate metric depends on the context of the analysis, the drug distribution channel, and payer perspective. The primary…

By: Christine Mauceri, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 On November 7th, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its proposal to remove oral phenylephrine from over-the-counter (OTC) drug products. Phenylephrine has been widely used, both orally and intranasally, for the temporary relief of nasal decongestion due to the common cold or allergies. It is marketed…

By: Amita Singh, Pharm D Candidate c/o 2025 Voxelotor, marketed under the brand name Oxbryta, was approved by the US. Food and Drug administration (FDA) under the accelerated approval pathway in 2019 for the treatment of sickle cell anemia in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age or older. In 2021, FDA granted accelerated…

By: Rebecca Sabzanov, PharmD Candidate c/o 2026 On August 9th, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neffy, the first epinephrine intranasal spray, manufactured by ARS pharmaceuticals, for the treatment of anaphylaxis in adults and pediatric patients who weigh at least 30 kilograms.1 Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction which causes a multitude of…

By: Ameena Qadri PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Advancements in reproductive technology have considerably enhanced fertility treatments, with in-vitro fertilization (IVF) serving as the primary method for many years. IVF facilitates external fertilization of oocytes, offering a solution to infertility. However, this method has presented limitations due to its inability to produce viable gametes and its…

Amanda Nakhul, Biomedical Sciences c/o 2027 Reproductive rights, specifically abortion, has been a topic of contention for decades. From being pro-choice or pro-life, to debating the circumstances that permit abortion, various opinions have surfaced. Amid these opinions is one of the most critical issues: access. Contraceptive access can make or break a woman’s choice to…

By: Katelyn Hoosein, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025             Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with symptoms that progressively worsen over time, including memory loss, impairment in judgment and problem solving, language deficit, social disengagement, irritability, agitation, aggression, and psychosis. AD typically occurs in patients 60 years of age and older, but, rarely, patients younger…

By: Jennalynn Fung, PharmD candidate c/o 2025 Dr. Hyunah Cho, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, was awarded a $745,000 R16 Sure-First grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). Her research is focused on developing nano-based optical imaging agents as prospective tools for brain imaging. If applied clinically,…

By Jennalynn Fung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Introduction I’m a final year pharmacy student completing my Advanced Pharmacy Practice Rotations. I completed one of my ambulatory care pharmacy rotations at Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital in Crow Agency, Montana, which serves Native Americans. I had previously worked as a JRCOSTEP in summer of 2021 at the same…

By: Sariah Grant, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027            In June 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide, marketed under the brand name Wegovy. It was approved for adults facing obesity and other weight-related conditions.1 Initially developed for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), semaglutide’s use has expanded significantly due to…

Featuring: Simkho Shimonov, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 By: Rebecca Sabzanov, PharmD Candidate c/o 2026 Simkho Shimonov, a dedicated and diligent PharmD candidate at St. John’s University, is set to graduate in 2025. With an extensive background in both retail and hospital pharmacy, he has amassed a broad understanding of the field. Recently, Simkho further diversified…

By: Reyaz Mussaleen PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 IntroductionThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States published a draft guidance in April 2024 titled “Safety Testing of Human Allogeneic Cells Expanded for Use in Cell-Based Medical Products.”1 This document, which aims to improve the regulatory framework for cell-based therapies, demonstrates the FDA’s determination to…

By: Nivaj Haque; PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 In recent years, advancements in oncology have transformed the treatment landscape for various cancers, including those overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Approximately 15-20% of breast cancers and a significant proportion of gastric and lung cancers are HER2-positive, making this a critical target for innovative therapies.1…

By: Rosa Kang PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Summer is a time of endless possibilities. During this time, St. John’s University offers a program for its students who are interested in pursuing research: The Summer Research Program! Here are just a few of the many experiences from the professors and students who are participating in this…

Michelle Flores, Pharm D Candidate c/o 2027 According to clinical trial results from researchers at UCL, UCLH, and the Francis Crick Institute in the UK, dornase alfa, a drug commonly used to treat cystic fibrosis, improved outcomes for patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and may be used to treat other respiratory infections. A randomized unblinded…

By Holly Nguyen, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 The White House Medical Unit employs a small confidential team of healthcare professionals, led by the Physician to the President, to be responsible for the health of the President, the Vice President, their families, the White House staff, and visitors such as national and international diplomats.1,2 Doctors, nurses,…

By: Sameen Siddiqui, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025, Madelyn Lombardo, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027, and Gabriella Lamantea, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Breast cancer, besides skin cancer, is the most common cancer detected in women and one of the most common cancers linked to female mortality.1 Due to the silent rapidity of the disease, breast cancer is…

By: Ariella Zadrima, PharmD Candidate c/o 2026 Introduction Cancer is a disease state in which abnormal cells in the body rapidly and uncontrollably divide to destroy body tissue. This growth occurs as a result of genetic changes and can affect many areas and systems of the body. The most common cancers involve breast and lung…

By Ashley Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is the most common gram-negative bacilli and is a leading bacterial cause of urinary tract infections (UTI), bacteremia and meningitis. E coli is the leading cause of deaths associated with antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens and a common cause of resistant hospital-acquired infections.1 Older…

By: Ashley Medina, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Embarking on the professional years of St. John’s Pharmacy curriculum allows the aspiring professional to gain knowledge and exposure to various disease states and available treatments, as well as pipeline treatment options. These courses are some of the most rigorous and challenging, yet exciting, essential courses for the…

By: Giavanna Carr, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Acinetobacter is a gram-negative organism typically found in soil and water, but it has been found to colonize intravenous fluids and irrigation solutions.1 Of the species of acinetobacter, A. baumannii is the most clinically significant.1 Acinetobacter is a slow growing organism with the potential to cause infections in…

By: Bhojranie Brahmanand, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 The most prevalent manifestation within the spectrum of polycystic kidney diseases is recognized as autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). It is a genetic condition marked by the formation of fluid-filled cysts within the kidneys due to mutations in the PKD1 gene (located on chromosome 16) or the…

By: Anjali Thykattil, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 and Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Effective June 23rd, 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pfizer’s LITFULO™ (ritlecitinib) for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in adults and adolescents above the age of 12 years. While ritlecitinib is the second FDA approved treatment…

By: Sameen Siddiqui, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025, Madelyn Lombardo, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027, and Gabriella Lamantea, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Breast cancer, besides skin cancer, is the most common cancer detected in women and one of the most common cancers linked to female mortality.1 Due to the silent rapidity of the disease, breast cancer can…

By: Paulina Maczko, PharmD Candidate 2027, Sarah El-Rowmeim, PharmD Candidate 2027, and Laura Pham, PharmD Candidate 2025 Valoctocogene roxaparvovec-rvox, sold under the brand name “Roctavian” by BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 29, 2023. It is a single-dose adeno-associated virus vector-based gene therapy infusion indicated for the treatment…

By: Katelyn Hoosein, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 and My Tram (Sophie) Le, PharmD Candidate c/o 2028 In recent years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of obesity in the United States. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), nearly 3 in 4 adults aged 20 years or older in the United…

By: John Ortiz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 What is a Blood Transfusion? A blood transfusion is a procedure where donated blood is intravenously administered to a patient. Generally, it is used to treat patients who are experiencing blood loss or a deficiency of integral blood components. In the United States, there are 21 million blood transfusions…

By: Giavanna Carr, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 In March of 2023, Senators Maria Cantwell and Charles E. Grassley successfully passed the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) Transparency Act through the Senate Commerce Committee.1 The PBM Transparency Act is projected to save taxpayers a total of $740 million dollars over a 10-year period, making this act a…

By: Bhojranie Brahmanand, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 On October 18, 2023, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Bimzelx (bimekizumab) for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1 Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease that is associated with cutaneous and systemic manifestations. The pathophysiology can be characterized by abnormal keratinocyte…

By: Anureet Kaur, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024  According to surveillance data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemic is escalating at an alarming rate. The health agency reports that in 2019, there were 1.8 million cases of chlamydia, more than 600,000 cases of gonorrhea, and…

Featuring: Frances Alexis Dela Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 By: Celestine Van Sertima, PharmD Candidate c/o 2027 Frances Alexis Dela Cruz is a driven and dedicated PharmD candidate at St. John’s University who is anticipated to graduate in 2024. With a focus on pharmacy studies, Frances exhibits a passion for the pharmaceutical field and is…

By: Samia Rahman Adity, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Diabetes Facts and Statistics Type II diabetes (T2D) has been a consequential public health concern in the United States (US). It is a condition where patients have elevated blood glucose levels. Escalation in plasma glucose can lead to detrimental health effects, which include cardiovascular complications like coronary…

By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Effective September 22, 2023, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for empagliflozin (Jardiance®) 10 mg tablets for the treatment of adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) at risk of progression. This decision was based on the results of the EMPA-KIDNEY phase III…

Featuring: Nadim Ahmed, President and CEO, Cullinan Oncology By: Sairah Skeikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Nadim Ahmed is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Cullinan Oncology. He has always had an interest in oncology and the opportunity to help cancer patients and their families, which is demonstrated in his extensive prior experience working in…

By: Carolina Vargas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, Zoha Khalid, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, and Nashfa Zaman, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Graduating from pharmacy school is a monumental achievement, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. However, this milestone comes with financial burdens that aspiring pharmacists must be prepared for. This article will…

By: Sandra Jojo, PharmD Canddiate c/o 2024 The United States (US) is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. All across the US, opioids continue to be abused regardless of strict laws. Communities suffer the consequences as more and more individuals become addicted to illicit drugs. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported that…

Featuring: Janelle Derbis, PharmD By: Serina Lin, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Janelle Derbis is a PharmD graduate of Drake University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, located in Des Moines, Iowa. She is currently the Director of Regulatory Affairs at Merck & Co., Inc. She has prior extensive experience in the U.S. Food and Drug…

By: Omar Elhoriny, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Nancy Yousry, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 The therapeutic space of solid organ transplantation holds great relevance to practicing pharmacists and yet is rarely a topic of discussion in didactic teaching. The field of renal transplant therapeutics has made remarkable strides over the years, offering new hope to…

By: Ashley Medina, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 After decades of trial and error, science is ready to offer preventative measures against the respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV. Utilizing RSV vaccination tools that have become available will allow for a healthy, fun, and safe transition from winter to spring, often when RSV cases rise.…

By: Bhojranie Brahmanand, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Traditionally, a prescription has always been required for contraceptives such as birth control. However, on July 13, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Perrigo’s Opill®, a daily progestin-only oral contraceptive (POC) as the first over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill.1 This drug was originally approved for prescription…

By: Ariella Zadrima, PharmD Candidate c/o 2026 Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) first made its appearance in December of 2019, its pathology has been a topic of research for many years. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can be spread through droplets. It is known that COVID-19 is caused by infection of severe acute respiratory…

By: Jennalynn Fung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 Drug shortages are not new; however, their frequency has significantly increased over the years. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease doctor and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, stated, “[i]t’s something that I’ve seen from time to time since I started practice about 20 years ago,…

By: Maha Sohail, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 In the United States, about 6.5 million, or 1 in 50 people, have an unruptured brain aneurysm, with one rupture occurring every 18 minutes.1 Worldwide, there are almost half a million deaths each year from this medical emergency, of which half the victims are younger than 50 years…

Featuring: Erica Kohen, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Erica Kohen is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. During her time at St. John’s, Erica served as the Secretary and President-Elect and is currently serving as President of the Student College of…