Edward M. Bednarczyk

Terrance J. Bellnier

Daniel A. Brazeau

Gayle A. Brazeau

Peter Brody

Linda Catanzaro

Robert DiCenzo

Karl Fiebelkorn

Alan Forrest

Fran Gengo

Patty Havard

Qing Ma

Chiedza Maponga

Gene D. Morse

Joseph Paladino

Nicole Paolini

Mary T. Pasko

William A. Prescott Jr.

Alfred Reiman

Jerome Schentag

Erin Slazak

Kathleen M. Tornatore

Brian T. Tsuji

Robert Wahler

Angela Wisniewski

Mark Wrobel

Gina Zurick

Edward M. Bednarczyk, Pharm.D.

Research interests include the application of molecular imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) to assessing drug effects including the study of migraine headache treatment as well as induction of headache. We also are investigating opiate receptors in the human brain using 11C-carfentanil, a radiopharmaceutical that binds to the mu opiate receptor.

The characteristics of positron emitting radionuclides often make them ideal tracers for measuring drug effects. This includes the labeling drugs with PET radionuclides such as C-11, or F-18. These nuclides allow for creation of labeled drugs nearly identical to their unlabelled counterparts. We have also used workhorse radiopharmaceuticals such as FDG in a variety of settings ranging from measuring the uptake of glucose into white blood cells, to oral administration of this radiopharmaceutical, to application in the assessment of response to drugs in dementia.   [ View Current Publications ]

Terrance J. Bellnier, RPh, MPA

Research interests include the areas of pharmacoeconomics, drug efficacy, safety, and side effect management of psychotropics.

Currently funded research projects include the following:

• Cost Effectiveness and Functional Outcome of Olanzapine vs Risperidone and Conventional Antipsychotics in Schizophrenics-multicenter.
• Efficacy and Safety of Olanzapine in Risperidone Resistant Treatment Refractory Schizophrenics.
• Efficacy and Tolerability of Atropine Mouthwash in Treating Clozpaine Induced Sialorrhea.
• Efficacy of Olanzapine in comorbid Depression in Schizophrenia vs Ziprasidone---*-multicenter.
• Effectiveness of a Non-pharmacologic weight reduction program in Severe and persistently Mentally Ill.
• Co-morbidity of Physical Illness and Cost of Treatment in the Severe and Persistently Mentally.
• Cost Effectiveness of Once Weekly Fluoxetine in a Long term Care setting.
• Retrospective database analysis of Major Depression, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: Cost of Treatment, Comorbid physical illness, and Effectiveness.
• Dosage Equivalence of Olanzapine, Risperidone, Quetiapine and Haloperidol in agitated Dementia. [ View Current Publications ]

Daniel A. Brazeau, Ph.D.

Dr. Brazeau is the Director of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences’ Pharmaceutical Genetics Laboratory (PGL). The role of the PGL is to provide extensive training and research support for a wide array of molecular genetic techniques to assist researchers in addressing a broad range of questions including gene expression, bioinformatics and genotyping. Students are encouraged to visit the PGL if they are interested in research opportunities in pharmacogenomics or pharmacogenetics. The laboratory has the necessary equipment and expertise to conduct a broad spectrum of techniques in molecular genetic biology including gene expression studies (mRNA Differential Display, northern analysis, microarrays, quantitative real-time PCR) and genotyping (RFLP’s, AFLP’s, ISSR’s, and SNP’s).

In addition the PGL provides extensive education and training to not only university students and faculty, but also to outside researchers and professionals through a series of workshops and short courses in DNA microarray technology, statistical packages/programs for genetic analysis, microsatellite development and analysis, and molecular genetic methodologies for the pharmaceutical sciences. To aid students and faculty in their research the PGL has all the necessary equipment for the isolation, characterization and cloning of DNA/cDNA(mRNA) including three PCR thermocyclers and a Nanodrop ND-1000 Spectrophotometer for measuring DNA/RNA concentrations in small volumes (1 µl). For gene expression studies the laboratory has a separate room (165 sq ft), certified for isotope use with hybridization chambers, incubators, water baths, refrigerator, and centrifuge. The laboratory has a new Kodak large-format image analysis system (Kodak 2000MM Multimodal Imaging System). For scanning of microarray slides the lab has a GenePix 4000A (Axon Instruments). The lab also has an Mx3005P multiplex quantitative PCR system (Stratagene) for gene expression studies and high-throughput genotyping. The laboratory also has a Zeiss Axiovert 220 inverted microscope with DIC and fluorescent capabilities. Presently at the Pharmaceutical Genetics Laboratory has 17 projects ongoing involving 16 principle investigators, 13 graduate students, 10 Pharm. D. students, and 5 undergraduates across 11 departments and 4 universities.   [ View Current Publications ]

Gayle A. Brazeau, Ph.D.

Research focus is centered on investigating the interactions of drugs, molecules and diseases with skeletal muscle from a perspective of characterizing and understanding the mechanisms responsible for tissue damage and/or pain. There are three types of projects that are being investigated in the laboratory. In one area, we have been investigating the mechanisms of tissue damage and/or pain associated with components in parenteral formulations. This work is conducted using a variety of experimental techniques ranging from cell culture to isolated tissues to whole animal studies. In related studies, we have been involved with the development of in situ formulations that cause minimal tissue damage and can provide long-term drug delivery. A second area is focusing on elucidating the mechanisms responsible for pain upon injection. The overall goal is to investigate the link between tissue damage with pain upon injection and to develop excipients or drugs that minimize or eliminate pain or tissue damage upon injection.

A second major focus is to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for alcoholic myopathy. Alcoholic myopathy and/or cardiomyopathy is known to occur in 1/3 to 2/3 of those who ingest alcohol on a chronic basis. An understanding of these mechanisms can be used as a basis to develop therapeutic approaches to minimize these toxic effects in cardiac or skeletal muscle. A third area of investigation is to determine the mechanisms associated with increased susceptibility to muscle and cardiac damage and decreased muscle performance associated with reduced estrogen levels seen in young women, post-menopausal women and in aging. These studies have shown beneficial effects of estrogen, but the mechanisms, either a membrane or receptor mediated, are not clearly elucidated. Alcoholic myopathy and the potential beneficial effects of estrogen on muscle are investigated using our available animal models.  [ View Current Publications ]

Peter Brody , Pharm.D.

Dr. Brody is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Program Coordinator for the UB-Eckerd Community Pharmacy and Medication Management initiative. Dr. Brody provides mentoring to Pharm.D students, as well as practitioners, seeking to integrate medication management and patient counseling into ambulatory care sites. Dr. Brody is also an investigator in the UB/IHA medication management program.

Linda Catanzaro, Pharm.D.

Dr. Linda Catanzaro is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Director of the Pharmacotherapy Information Center PIC), a regional program that provides education and research programs in Pharmacoinformatics. The PIC is developing a number of partnerships with health systems that are collaborating on centralized medication management through web-based approaches utilizing information technology. The PIC also offers a residency in Applied Pharmacoinformatics and is the editorial office for the ePharmacotherapy Network. Dr. Catanzaro also is the program coordinator for the ECMC Adherence-Pharmacology Unit at the Women and Children’s Hospital Pediatric HIV program. [ View Current Publications ]

Robert DiCenzo, Pharm. D.

Research focus is the pharmacology of antiretroviral therapy and herbal remedies, neonatology and oncology. Current areas of research include the following:

1. Investigate drug interactions that may influence exposure to antiretroviral medications. Opportunities for student involvement include identifying research projects, protocol design, data collection, analyses, and publication.
2. Using population pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) analysis to better understand the relationship between drug exposure and efficacy or toxicity.
3. In order to make use of population analysis in the clinical setting, we need to optimize our sampling strategies so that we can accumulate useful information from the least number of blood samples. Statistical software packages are used to determine the least number of samples that need to be drawn and when to draw them.
4. Determine if every 48 hour gentamicin dosing is more appropriate than once daily dosing in very premature neonates. Opportunities for student involvement include data collection, analyses, and publication.
5. Optimize the dosing of adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer in obese women. Opportunities for student involvement include data collection, analyses, and inclusion on publications. [ View Current Publications ]

Karl Fiebelkorn, B.S., MBA

Professor Karl Fiebelkorn is interested in investigating the role of pharmacists in medication management in federally funded community health centers. Professor Fiebelkorn is examining the use of electronic health records to facilitate medication management and increasing access of patients to federal medication provision programs such as the 340B program.

Alan Forrest, Pharm.D.

Dr. Forrest is the Director of the Pharmacometrics Study Unit within the Pharmacotherapy Research Center . The pharmacometrics unit conducts translational pharmacology research employing in vitro systems to simulate and optimize Phase I clinical trial design.

• Development of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models to optimize data interpretation.
• Develop pre-clinical models for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic model building.
• Design and conduct clinical trials that generate data to implement antimicrobial pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling
• Collaborate on clinical trials to examine cancer chemotherapy regimens and outcomes to apply pharmacometric analyses.
• The Pharmacometrics Study Unit also collaborates with faculty in the development of grant applications, data analysis and PK-PD modeling to optimize the interpretation of clinical trials data. These activities are integrated with Post-Doctoral fellowship programs in drug development recently developed with Novartis and Pfizer. [ View Current Publications ]

Francis Gengo, Pharm.D.

Dr. Gengo is a faculty member based at the Dent Neurologic Institute with an established practice in neuropharmacology and a clinical research interest in PK-PD of neuroactive compounds.

• Ethanol Pharmacology : Conducts clinical studies to examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models of ethanol pharmacologic effects.
• Headache: Clinical management models for headache pharmacotherapy.
• Alzheimer’s: Clinical management models for Alzheimer’s pharmacotherapy.

Patty Havard, Pharm.D.

Dr. Havard is examining the pharmacology of antiretrovirals for HIV-infected women and the changes that occur to ARV pharmacokinetics during pregnancy. Dr. Havard collaborates with the women’s clinic at ECMC and the Women and Children’s Hospital HIV program.

Qing Ma , Pharm.D.

Dr. Ma is a Research Assistant Professor. His research interests are in the areas of:

• Pharmacogenomics of antiretrovirals and lipid-lowering agents in patients with HIV infection.
• Mechanisms of drug-drug interactions in patients with HIV infection
• Development of novel analytical methods for antiretrovirals and interacting agents
• Incorporating pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics in studying the clinical effects of drugs and in monitoring drug therapy.
• Applying Bayesian methods and population approaches to the analysis of antiretrovirals. [ View Current Publications ]

Chiedza Maponga, Pharm.D.

Dr. Maponga is Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy at UZ and the Program Director for the International Center for HIV Pharmacology Research in Zimbabwe . Dr. Maponga completed an international fellowship program under the direction of the ACTG network with Dr. Morse as his mentor. Dr. Maponga is a member of the ACTG Pharmacology Committee and protocol pharmacologist for ACTG 5208. Dr. Maponga is on the National Emergency Task on Antiretrovirals (NETA) in Zimbabwe and serves as a local consultant for the JSI/Deliver Project in the “Assessment of the Requirements for a National Antiretroviral Therapy Program for Zimbabwe ” sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He is the special projects advisor to the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe for post marketing quality of antiretrovirals, antiTB and antimalaria drugs. [ View Current Publications ]

Gene D. Morse , Pharm.D

Dr. Morse is Associate Dean, Clinical Education and Research in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Professor of Pharmacy Practice. Dr. Morse is the ACTG Buffalo Subunit Principal Investigator and the Director of the UB ACTG Pharmacology Specialty Laboratory. Dr. Morse has NIH-funded grants from NIAID and NIDA and is the editor of the UB HIV ePharmacotherapy network, (www.hiv.buffalo.edu), an international website for HIV/AIDS education, research, and training and the National HIV Drug Interactions and TDM registry, (http://www.tdm.buffalo.edu), which fosters clinical education and research in the area of HIV/AIDS pharmacotherapy.

Dr. Morse was one of the initial investigators funded to establish the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group as the PI for a Pharmacology Support Laboratory. Dr. Morse has been conducting antiretroviral pharmacology research since the beginning of the HIV epidemic. Dr. Morse has developed the Laboratory for Antiviral Research at the University at Buffalo in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The laboratory has been a training site for numerous post-doctoral fellows and residents as well as pre-doctoral students.

Dr. Morse is the Director of the Pharmacotherapy Research Center , a multicenter, collaborative research program focused on clinical pharmacotherapy research and Director of the Core Analytical Laboratory, a research facility that provides a wide array of biotechnology support for pharmaceutical analysis, clinical trial design, and data analysis. Dr. Morse has established collaborations with all of the major biomedical research centers in Western New York and integrated the UB Pharmacotherapy Research Center concept into the academic activity at these sites. [ View Current Publications ]

Joseph Paladino, Pharm.D.

Dr. Paladino is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Director of the Clinical Pharmacokinteics Laboratory at the Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital , Kaleida Health. Dr. Paladino directs a fellowship in Pharmacoeconomics. His research interests are in the areas of:

• Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of antimicrobial therapy for pneumonia and geriatric therapy
• Clinical trails of developmental antibacterial agents

Nicole Paolini, Pharm.D.

Dr. Paolini is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of the UB/Buffalo Medical Group Pharmacotherapy Research program, and Residency Director for the UB Ambulatory Care Residency program. Dr. Paolini is interested in pharmacotherapy research in patients with diabetes, complex medication regimens and geriatric patients. Her research interests are in the areas of:

• Management of diabetes in an ambulatory care setting.
• Innovative approaches to the pharmacotherapy of chronic diseases.
• Alternative practice models focused on patient education and medication adherence [ View Current Publications ]

Mary T. Pasko, Pharm.D., BCPS

Dr. Pasko is Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice. Her research interest is in the area of Infectious Diseases, specifically antimicrobial pharmacotherapy issues. Additionally, she is currently involved with projects conducted by the Pharmacotherapy Information Center (PIC). The PIC projects include a Medication Review and Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy Program, establishment of an ePharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and provision of drug information to a variety of health care providers and settings. Outcomes evaluation of these programs is planned to assess impact. [ View Current Publications ]

William A. Prescott Jr., Pharm.D.

Dr. Prescott is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, with an appointment within the Department of Pediatrics at the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo .

Areas of research interest include:

1. Clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antimicrobials in pediatric patients, with an emphasis in patients with altered PK/PD parameters.

2. Clinical importance of antimicrobial hypersensitivity and cross-hypersensitivity. [ View Current Publications ]

Alfred Reiman, B.S.

Research interests include design of new and innovative drug delivery systems. My most current project is the development of an automated (robotic) filling, metering and dispensing system for transdermal gels.

Practice specialty is the academic side of pharmaceutical compounding and institutional dispensing with mentoring 2 or 3 students per semester who have an eventual career goal interest in academia. These students typically have the chance to research, prepare and present lecture materials to the P2-4 classes in my Professional Practice (PHM 531/532 LAB/LEC), Advanced Pharmaceutical Compounding Elective (PHM 540) and Basics of Health Systems Pharmacy Practice (PHM 620D) courses.

Jerome Schentag, Pharm.D.

Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacy Practice, Dr. Schentag areas of research include antimicrobial pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. [ View Current Publications ]

Erin Slazak, Pharm.D.

Erin Slazak is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of the UB/Lifetime Health Pharmacotherapy Research program and Residency Director for the UB Managed Care Pharmacy Residency program. Areas of research interest include:

• Patient-centered pharmacotherapy management of ambulatory disease states
• Ambulatory diabetes management and the earlier use of insulin in type 2 diabetes
• Lipid management in the ambulatory diabetes population

  Kathleen M. Tornatore, Pharm.D.

Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacogenetics Research of Immunosuppressive Regimens in Renal Transplantation:

This clinical research program has been an ongoing collaborative program with the Division of Nephrology at Erie County Medical Center for over 15 years focusing on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of immunosuppressive agents during renal transplantation. This program has focused on the pharmacokinetics and dynamics of glucocorticoids with specific emphasis on the impact of the factors of gender, race, acute rejection, time post-transplant, immunologic response and chronic adverse effects in the renal transplant population on this chronic immunosuppressive therapy. This research program has also evaluated the pharmacodynamics of anti-lymphocyte induction agents, glucocorticoid pharmacokinetics during various “steroid withdrawal” protocols during a multi-center clinical trial.

Current and upcoming clinical research endeavors focus upon pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics of immunologic markers and targeted pharmacogenomic endpoints in relation to race and gender of combination immunosuppressive regimens in renal transplantation. These projects provide Pharm.D students with an opportunity to explore clinical and translational research by participation in clinical pharmacology sub-studies in renal transplant patients in order to provide safe and efficacious immunosuppression (e.g. cyclosporine, prednisone, mycophenolic acid). [ View Current Publications ]

Brian T. Tsuji, Pharm.D.

Dr. Tsuji’s scientific interests involve investigating of mechanisms of resistance in multi drug resistant bacteria and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of antimicrobials to suppress the emergence of resistance. Dr. Tsuji’s interest in antimicrobial resistance mechanisms involves the utilization of novel in vitro pharmacodynamic models and investigation of bacterial genetic factors which contribute to drug resistance. [ View Current Publications ]

Robert Wahler, Pharm.D.

Research interests focus on the care of Hospice and Palliative Care patients. This includes investigating the impact of Clinical Pharmacy Services (CPS) on the care of patients as well on the pharmacoeconomic impact on the providers and payors. Specifically, clinical investigations include approaches to opioid use and pain management strategies and use of novel products and delivery systems in patients experiencing nausea and vomiting. [ View Current Publications ]

Angela Wisniewski, Pharm. D.

Current areas of research interest fall into two broad categories, asthma medication adherence and geriatric medication safety.  Projects that are in progress include the following:

1. A characterization of the demographic, socioeconomic, and asthma-related factors that are associated with low adherence to asthma medications among health disparity populations.  Patients with low adherence are interviewed to explore their perceived barriers to adherence and this information will then be utilized to involve patients in the process of developing acceptable and feasible interventions to improve adherence.
2. A determination of the incidence and preventability of order implementation errors among ambulatory geriatric patients with chronic medical conditions.
3. An assessment of the feasibility of using CRM interventions to decrease the incidence and severity of preventable ADEs in a skilled nursing facility and ambulatory clinics.

Other research includes:

1. A secondary data analysis examining the association between narcotic analgesic prescribing and markers of opiate misuse or abuse.
2. A study evaluating the effect of magnesium supplementation in African Americans with hypertension on blood pressure and insulin resistance. [ View Current Publications ]

Mark Wrobel, Pharm.D.

Dr. Mark Wrobel is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the UB/Lifetime Health Pharmacotherapy Research program and Mentor for the UB Managed Care Pharmacy Residency program. Areas of research interest include: implementing medication management in a managed care practice setting, integrating information technology and conducting pharmacoeconomics research.

Gina Zurick, Pharm.D.

Current research interest is with general medicine and family medicine. Projects focus on providing continuity of care to patients who are admitted to the hospital from the community. This includes optimizing drug therapy, utilizing cost-effective strategies, and providing patient counseling. Other interests consist of proper inpatient management of newly-diagnosed congestive heart failure and anticoagulation, in preparation for discharge.