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Rho Chi Talks: Dr. Hyunah Cho Leads Novel Nano-Based Op...
October 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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,… |
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Rho Chi Talks: A Look into the St. John’s University ...
August 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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The First Lab-Grown Blood Transfusion...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , In the News / Politics 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… |
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Rho Chi Talks: Interview with the CEO of Cullinan Oncol...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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From Pharmacy Student to Pharmacist: A Breakdown of Exp...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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6th Year Perspective: From Pharmacy Student to Pfizer F...
February 1, 2024 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions 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… |
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6th Year Perspective: Guide for Application-Based APPEs...
October 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions By: Sarah Adly, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Applying to advanced professional pharmacy experience (APPE) rotations can be a daunting experience. After all, this is the last opportunity most pharmacy students have to deeply explore their interests. But not to worry! As someone who was in your shoes a year ago, I will let you in… |
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FDA Grants Approval for AREXVY, the First Respiratory S...
October 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 On May 3, 2023, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Arexvy (RSVPreF3), the first vaccine to combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and older.1 Overview of RSV RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms that… |
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Rho Chi Talks: The Path to Pharmaceutical Industry...
October 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Fawad Piracha, PharmD, MBA, IgCP By: Holly Nguyen, PharmD Candidate ℅ 2024 Fawad Piracha is a ‘16 alumnus of the St. John’s University PharmD program and has since had a storied career. Dr. Piracha is the second of four family members who graduated from St. John’s University’s College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (read… |
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Rho Chi Talks: Transitioning to a PGY-2 Pediatric Pharm...
August 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Nicole Cernaro, PharmD, PGY-2 Pediatric Pharmacy Resident By: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Nicole Cernaro is a PGY-2 Pediatric Pharmacy Resident at St. Peter’s University Hospital located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She recently completed her PGY-1 pharmacy residency from St. Peter’s University Hospital as well. Nicole earned her Doctorate in Pharmacy… |
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6th Year Perspective: Conducting Research Projects and ...
August 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Urooj K. Malik, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Urooj is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. Throughout her time at St. John’s Urooj has held positions in organizations like the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists, Phi Lambda Sigma, International Society of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes, Lambda Kappa… |
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A Message from the Editor-in-Chief – Isabelle Lim...
June 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Congratulations to the sixth-year pharmacy students for graduating and to the rest of the student body for completing another year of pharmacy school! I am humbled and honored to announce my new position as the Editor-in-Chief of the Rho Chi Post for the upcoming year. It is with the continued dedication of the Editorial Team… |
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Meet the Founders of the LEADS Initiative – Vassi...
April 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Vassilia Plakas, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Frances Alexis Dela Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 *Meet Vassilia (Lia) Plakas Lia is a fifth-year pharmacy student and the current President of the Rho Chi Honor Society – Beta Delta Chapter. Lia decided to pursue pharmacy as a result of… |
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A Message from the Editor-in-Chief – Justin Budz...
April 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions On behalf of the Rho Chi Post, we are excited to announce our Inaugural LEADS Initiative Edition of the Rho Chi Post Newsletter. The LEADS Initiative is a pilot program, in collaboration with the Rho Chi Honor Society – Beta Delta Chapter, looking to promote the professional development of younger pharmacy students by pairing them… |
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Rho Chi Talks: Tips to Acquire a Post-Doctoral Fellowsh...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Kamran Khan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Kamran Khan is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. Growing up, Kamran had a lot of family members in healthcare, instilling an interest in medicine from an early age. While at St. John’s, Kamran got to experience many different career… |
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Evaluating Efficacy of Bortezomib and Carfilzomib in Tr...
February 1, 2023 - Clinical , Featured By: Brian Chung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, Peter Chung, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024, and Kevin Kim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects an individual’s plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells located in the bone marrow that are responsible for producing antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins.1 Immunoglobulins… |
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Evaluating Treatments and Preventative Measuresfor Monk...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sairah Sheikh, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 As Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases started to decrease in the United States (US), many Americans breathed a sigh of relief. However, on May 17, 2022, fear of a new infectious disease struck the nation. The first case of the monkeypox outbreak in the US was reported… |
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6th Year Perspective: APPE Rotations at the Westcheste...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023By: Isabelle Lim, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Justin Budz is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. While at St. John’s, Justin participated in multiple organizations, which ultimately led him to discover the career path he wanted to pursue. Most notably, Justin served as the Development and Outreach… |
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Assessing the Efficacy of Cholecalciferol Versus Ergoca...
February 1, 2023 - Clinical , Featured By: Nancy Yousry, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Vitamin D is a multifaceted nutrient needed to maintain homeostasis and proper health. In addition to its role in building and maintaining healthy bones, vitamin D also regulates many important cellular functions in the body, serving as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neuroprotective agent.1 In general, the two… |
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FDA Approval of Pemazyre® as a First-in-Class Treatmen...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases expressed on the cell surface of both developmental and adult cells. Aberrant expression of FGFRs has been implicated in a wide variety of cancers and is considered an oncogenic signaling pathway.1 FGFRs are activated by… |
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Relyvrio: A New FDA-Approved Medication for Amyotrophic...
February 1, 2023 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Yu Jeng Lee, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both the upper motor neurons (UMN) and lower motor neurons (LMN). This disease causes muscle weakness, which progresses to disability, and subsequently death, primarily due to respiratory failure.1,2 … |
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6th Year Perspective: Working with State Representative...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Christina Swiger, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Christina Swiger is a sixth-year pharmacy student at St. John’s University. Christina was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare by her mother who is a store manager at a community pharmacy. Growing up, Christina was able to aid in the care… |
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AstraZeneca’s Farxiga is First Heart Failure Drug to ...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Farxiga (dapagliflozin) is a first-in-class, oral, once daily sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor indicated for improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2D), reducing the risk of cardiovascular (CV) death and hospitalization in heart failure (HF), and reducing the risk of sustained eGFR decline in chronic kidney… |
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Rho Chi Talks: Valuable Networking Opportunities at Alu...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Amanda Murray, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 and Laura Cranston, B.S.PharmBy: Ashley Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Alumni Insider’s View (AIV) is an annual program held in Washington D.C. that provides students from St. John’s University with the opportunity to explore nontraditional career pathways in pharmacy. Students are able to network with pharmacists that hold… |
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FDA Approves Tzield (teplizumab-mzwv) to Delay Onset of...
December 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Diabetes mellitus encompasses both chronic and reversible conditions that affect the body’s ability to utilize glucose. In 2019, about 28.7 million (8.7%) people in the United States (US) had diagnosed diabetes. Of this population, about 1.6 million (5.7%) people ages 20 or older and 244,000 (0.9%) people… |
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Rho Chi Talks: The Reality of an Emergency Medicine Pha...
October 1, 2022 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Colleen Bond, PharmD, BCPSBy: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 At a young age, Dr. Colleen Bond was involved in the care of a close relative, gaining early exposure to the healthcare team dynamic. The one question that no one was able to clearly answer was how medications were able to work in the… |
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Different Dietary Fats and their Association with Cardi...
August 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 In the United States (US), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women of most racial and ethnic groups, followed by cancer and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).1 About 659,000 people in the US die from heart disease each year, which encompasses about 1 in… |
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Rho Chi Talks: The Pharmacist’s Role in a Drug Inform...
August 1, 2022 - Featured , Professional Advice / Opinions Featuring: Nicole Maisch, BS, PharmDBy: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Growing up with close relatives in healthcare, Dr. Nicole Maisch was inspired to pursue a career in pharmacy practice. Dr. Maisch graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences with her PharmD and then completed a PGY1 residency at the University of Massachusetts… |
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Paxlovid, the First Oral Antiviral Treatment for Covid-...
August 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Kirby An, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) is a virus that took the world by storm with its initial discovery in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. On January 20, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first case of Covid-19 in the United States (US) after a 35… |
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The Controversial use of Aducanumab (Aduhelm) for Alzhe...
February 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Aamir S. Dave, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Judith L. Beizer, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP, AGSF Alzheimer’s and Dementia Dementia is characterized by the loss of memory and other cognitive abilities that interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is a progressive neurological disease and is the most common type of dementia, accounting for greater than 60-80%… |
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Molnupiravir: A Prospective Oral Antiviral for Treatmen...
February 1, 2022 - Clinical , Featured By: Justin Budz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 On January 19th, 2020, a 35-year-old man in an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington was the first to be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be infected with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2… |
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CDC Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots ...
February 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Fatima Amjad, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Pharmacists have truly taken on the role of superhero during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As of April 6, 2022 more than 239.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered by community pharmacies across the United States.1 Community pharmacists have gone above and beyond immunizing eligible… |
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A Review of A Randomized Trial of a Transglutaminase-2 ...
February 1, 2022 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Natalia Jucha, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Helen Li, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Celiac disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder and occurs in individuals who cannot tolerate gluten. Dietary gluten induces an immune response and causes damage to the small intestine, particularly the duodenum and proximal jejunum. A small peptide called gliadin,… |
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Combating Chronic Diseases with a Plant-Based Diet...
December 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Ashely Dao, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 In early 2021, about 6 in 10 American adults had a chronic disease. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States with 1 in 3 deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases (CVD).¹ The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emphasized the impact… |
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Good News, Bad News about Novel Treatment Resistant Dep...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Daniel Levin, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Depression is a terrible beast of an illness to battle with, and there are nearly 14 million individuals at any given moment fighting it. Only around 50% of patients struggling with depression will get some form of treatment. Sixty to seventy percent of patients who do get… |
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An Aspirin A Day Keeps the First Heart Attack Away… N...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jun Suh Hong, PharmD candidate c/o 2022 Aspirin belongs to a class of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Known by many for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its association with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, aspirin plays an essential role in stroke prevention. As such, it has a crucial role in… |
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An Overview of Ketamine Cystitis...
December 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Pallak Sharma, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Mia Cord-Cruz, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Ketamine (Ketalar®) is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as a general anesthetic, with additional indications listed within its package insert.1 Ketamine is a highly abused “street drug”, especially in China. To demonstrate, in Hong… |
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Cabenuva: A Monthly Injectable for the Treatment of HIV...
December 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Sharon Joseph PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Salma Hewady, PharmD Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a single-stranded retrovirus that attacks the immune system, predisposing the host to opportunistic infections and malignancies. If not properly treated, HIV can progress to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Goals of therapy include restoration of immune function, suppression of… |
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Ranitidine (Zantac®) Making a Comeback...
October 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Mandy Zheng, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 “Where can I find Zantac?”. From April 2020 to May 2021, the answer was, you cannot. On April 1, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered for all ranitidine (Zantac®)- containing products to be removed from the U.S. market.¹ Ranitidine was a popular over-the-counter (OTC) and… |
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Opioid Addiction During a Public Health Crisis...
October 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Anjali Rana, PharmD Candidate c/o 2025 and Katharine Russo, PharmD The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose challenges, both nationally and worldwide. Many countries that were facing public health crises prior to COVID-19 have subsequently seen a worsening of these crises, as much of the funding and attention previously available has… |
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Understanding the MELD and PELD Score and Its Role In L...
October 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 The liver is one of the most commonly transplanted solid organs in the United States (US) today. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a mission-driven non-profit that leads the network of transplant hospitals, organ procurement organizations, and thousands of volunteers who are dedicated to saving… |
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CAR T-cell therapy for Multiple Myeloma...
August 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Lyana Sayilar, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Multiple myeloma is characterized by an accumulation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow and the formation of tumors in bones. An insufficient quantity of healthy blood cells are produced in the bone marrow leading to a weakened immune system.1 The exact cause of multiple myeloma… |
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Potentially Life-Threatening Interactions Between Newer...
August 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Richa Tamakuwala, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 There has been a dramatic rise in the number of patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), such as permanent pacemakers and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs), due to an increasing aging population and clinical trials showing benefits in mortality and morbidity. Multiple studies investigating the use of ICDs… |
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Dravet’s Syndrome and a Novel Antiepileptic Drug: Can...
August 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Jason Ifeanyi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological disorder caused by unusual nerve cell activity, and is among one of the most common disease states encountered today in clinical practice. Each year around 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with epilepsy.1 Epilepsy is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as… |
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Pharmaceutical Breakthrough for the Treatment of Duchen...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Rubab Hassan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration and weakness along with various other symptoms. It is predominantly caused by deletions of one or more exons, which lead to mutations of the dystrophin gene. Dystrophin stops muscle fibers from being degraded by proteases.… |
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Emerging Frontiers in Multiple Myeloma Pharmacotherapy...
June 1, 2021 - Clinical , Featured By: Nishanth Viswanath, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by an accumulation and proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. 1 Throughout the course of the disease, malignant plasma cells induce an overproduction of non-functional immunoglobulin (paraproteins), which is evident during urine and blood screenings. 2… |
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Desmopressin Challenge for Von Willebrand’s Disease i...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Oluwafemi Popoola, PharmD Candidate c/o 2021, SUNY Binghamton School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences A patient with past medical history of von Willebrand’s disease (VWD) and myasthenia gravis on chronic prednisone therapy, presented for follow-up for VWD at the hematology/oncology clinic. The provider considered having the patient undergo a “desmopressin challenge” with desmopressin… |
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Correlation of Salt-Intake and Hypertension...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jordan Plair, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 and Marina Beshara, PharmD Candidate c/o 2022 While the focus over the last year has been fixated on the deadly coronavirus, the importance of a long-standing health pandemic exacerbated by salt intake cannot be overlooked. Hypertension, more commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a medical… |
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FDA approves Vibegron (Gemtesa®) for the Treatment of ...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Arya Firoozan, PharmD Candidate c/o 2023 Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition that causes a sudden and frequent urge to urinate. It is also associated with incontinence and nocturia. Nocturia refers to waking up at night due to the urge to urinate. OAB is diagnosed if there is no other current infection or… |
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Connecting the Dots: Ankylosing Spondylitis and Heart D...
June 1, 2021 - Featured , In the News / Politics By: Jennifer Galvet, PharmD Candidate c/o 2024 Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic inflammatory condition that primarily affects a person’s back.¹ It is a form of arthritis that affects the spine and causes inflammation of the spinal joints, leading to severe, chronic pain and discomfort.² Ankylosing spondylitis can also impact other areas of the… |
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