Honour for Dave Woods
Dave Woods receiving his fellowship award from Elizabeth Plant, President of the NZ Pharmaceutical Society.
The Pharmaceutical Society awarded a fellowship to Dave Woods at the Dunedin meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society on 19 May.
As Dave has a long association with the School of Pharmacy, the School congratulates Dave on his award and acknowledges the considerable contributions Dave has made and continues to make to the pharmacy community. The School appreciates the strong association Dave provides through postgraduate teaching in our professional programmes.
Excerpts from Dave's resume on the PSNZ wesbite read:
David (Dave) John Woods
BSc (Hons) (Manchester), MPharm (Otago), FNZHPA, MRPharmS, FPS, Reg Pharm NZ
David Woods is a consultant pharmacist with a background in academia, education, medicines information and clinical pharmacy, especially paediatrics. Currently he is Managing Editor of the New Zealand Formulary (NZF) and he continues to teach postgraduate papers for the School of Pharmacy, University of Otago. …
Since his arrival in New Zealand almost 25 years ago, David has been instrumental in advancing the practice of pharmacy particularly in the fields of medicines information and extemporaneous compounding, including recent involvement with the extemporaneous compounding group to produce standard oral liquid formulations for children. During this time he has also been involved in many areas of pharmacy education at the University of Otago and was a key person in setting up the postgraduate papers in medicines information and medicines management, which he has helped to deliver successfully for over 12 years.
For a full copy of the resume, visit the PSNZ website
The School also recognises the fellowship to be awarded to Keith Leslie Crump - Dip Pharm (CIT), PG Dip Clin Pharm (Otago), M Pharm Prac (U of A), PG Dip Pop Health (U of A),
Graduation for Steve and Aynsley
Steve Duffull and Aynsley Peterson, after graduating from Te Ara Reo Maori level 4 certificate, on Saturday 4 May, 2013
Research seminar - 20 May
On Monday 20 May, Ms Adele Print, Programme Co-ordinator from the School of Pharmacy, jointly with Universities of Auckland and Otago, will be giving a seminar on ‘Pharmacist Prescribing’.
Room 713, Adams Building at 1:00 pm. Everyone welcome.
Postgrad student, Abhishek Gulati, wins travel award
Success for Abhishek Gulati
At the recent Otago Institute for the Arts & Sciences postgraduate student travel awards, Abhishek presented a talk on "Application of a complex mathematical model to describe recovery from snake bites". This isa subject Abhishek knows well, having recently submitted his PhD thesis on a similar topic. Abhishek presented along with four other candidates, and Abhishek was awarded the first prize of $1,500 for his efforts. No doubt this monetary prize will be well received to assist Abhishek to attend the upcoming Population Approach Group Europe (PAGE) conference to be held in Glasgow in June. Well done Abhishek!
Graduation - Saturday 4 May
Dean, Steve Duffull presented PhD graduands with a plaque for their achievements. L to R: Teerawan (Mo) Rattanapak, Steve Duffull, Miriam Haaser, Madlen Hubert.
Graduation is always an exciting time for both graduands and staff at the School. On Saturday 4 May the graduands achieving PhD honours were from the pharmaceutical sciences field, in particular:
- Madlen Hubert, supervised by Prof Sarah Hook, Prof Thomas Rades, and Assoc Prof David Larsen: thesis entitled "Formulation and immunological characterisation of novel carbohydrate containing immuno-pharmaceticals"
- Miriam Haaser, supervised by Prof Thomas Rades, Dr Clare Strachan, and Prof Keith Gordon: thesis entitled "Evaluating critical quality attributes of modified release systems using advanced imaging techniques"
- Teerawan Rattanapak, supervised by Prof Sarah Hook, and Prof Thomas Rades: thesis entitled "Transcutaneous immunization using lipid colloidal systems and microneedles"
Congratulations on your success.
Graduands and academic staff before the start of the graduands parade
Madlen Hubert and Mo Rattanapak with their supervisor, Prof Sarah Hook
Pharmaceutical Society bestow fellowship on Professor Ian Tucker
President of the Pharmaceutical Society, Elizabeth Plant presents Professor Ian Tucker with a Fellowship to the Society.
Quote from the Pharmaceutical Society of NZ website
“… the National Executive may designate as a Fellow of the Society a member who in their opinion has made an “outstanding and significant contribution to the advancement of pharmacy in New Zealand”.
This year, Professor Ian Tucker (along with several other outstanding persons in the pharmacy community) was awarded a Fellowship from the Pharmaceutical Society of NZ. The Society took the opportunity during the Jubilee opening with an engaged audience of his family and peers in which to make this significant presentation. President Elizabeth Plant spoke of Ian’s contributions to the profession through both his academic and research career.
Ian’s resume reads:
Prof. Ian George Tucker
BPharm(Hons), PhD(Qld), FNZCP, FCRS, FPS, Reg Pharm NZ
Ian is Professor of Pharmacy (Pharmaceutical Sciences) and the immediate past-Dean, School of Pharmacy, University of Otago. He graduated BPharm (Hons) and PhD University of Queensland (Australia), and spent periods at Strathclyde (Scotland), Wisconsin (USA) and Bath (England).
He is President-elect of the International Controlled Release Society and will become President in 2013. Ian was a director of Otago Innovation Ltd from its inception until 2011 and now is a member of its Scientific and Advisory Board.
He is a past director of BPAC Inc and a member of the Standing Committee on Clinical Trials (SCOTT) with responsibility for reviewing clinical trial applications in New Zealand. He serves on international editorial boards (Journal of Microencapsulation, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Drug Delivery
Science and Technology), and is an Associate Editor of Therapeutic Delivery.
His research is on the formulation and delivery of drugs for human and veterinary uses and he is Convenor of the University of Otago's Research Theme on the Formulation and Delivery of Bioactives. He has over 150 papers published, and is an inventor on patents, several of which have resulted in animal health products which are used in the New Zealand dairy industry. Ian is a Fellow of the International Controlled Release Society and a Fellow of the New Zealand College of Pharmacists. He received the Australasian Pharmaceutical Sciences Association Medal in 2008 for contributions to pharmaceutical sciences through research and education.
Ian is the Associate Dean (Admissions) in the School of Pharmacy and Associate Dean (Research Commercialisation) in the Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago. Commercialisation of research is about translating intellectual property from research into products and services, thereby contributing to the knowledge-based economy of New Zealand and the quality of life of New Zealanders.
Exciting times for pharmacists-in-training
First-year pharmacy students were reminded they have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives at the Otago University School of Pharmacy’s white coat ceremony.
Immediate vice-president of the Maori Pharmacists’ Association, Leanne Te Karu, told the students it was an exciting time to be entering the profession with the introduction of pharmacist prescribing. “This new scope that will be available is something that really has the ability to make a huge difference in people’s lives...,” Ms Te Karu said. “You will be the medicines experts of the health sector, you will have a substantial pharmacological knowledge that no-one else has.” One of the first pharmacist prescribers in the country, Ms Te Karu explains how she runs a clinic in Turangi where she looks after a mostly Maori population. There is an historical distrust of doctors and medicine and yet Ms Te Karu’s clinic is busy. “You will be the medicines experts of the health sector. You will have a substantial pharmacological knowledge that no-one else has,” she told the students.
Ms Te Karu was the keynote speaker at the ceremony in February, the second time the event has been held, whereby students entering the professional pharmacy programme receive their laboratory white coat, which is symbolic of the profession, in the official ceremony.
School Dean, Stephen Duffull also highlighted to students that pharmacist prescribing “opens a wealth of opportunities for pharmacists in primary and secondary health care”. The ceremony was an opportunity to introduce students to the “pharmacy family,” professor Duffull said. “Once you have taken the white coat you have taken the commitment to training to become a pharmacist, you are not just a student, but a pharmacist-in-training. “From this time onwards, the expectation is that you embrace life-long learning.” The expectation of the community on pharmacists will also be different than it was when he trained as a pharmacist and different again from the generation before him, Professor Duffull said.
One of the students, Tayla Fay (19), originally from Australia, is more than aware of the expectations, highlighting her feelings prior to Professor Duffull’s presentation. “I think it’s a lot of responsibility, we have big shoes to fill,” Tayla said prior to receiving her white-coat.
Her friend, Samantha Tibshraeny (19) is looking forward to following in the footsteps of her father, Greg, a community pharmacist in Tauranga. Samantha has literally grown up in the pharmacy, having worked there in the school holidays while at secondary school. “It almost feels natural to be beginning my training,” Samantha says.
Laurelle Lock, originally from Morrinsville, has also previously worked part-time at the Morrinsville Unichem Pharmacy while studying. Laurelle says she enjoys working in the pharmacy, especially the interaction with the public, and that is why, after two years of studying towards a Bachelor of Science degree, she has decided to train as a pharmacist.
Jake Duval-Smith (19), from Dunedin and Ana Flood (19) from Kaitaia were also among the pharmacists-in-training receiving their white coats. A keen interest in the sciences at secondary school encouraged the pair to enter pharmacy. “I’m interested in healing people and making a difference,” Jake says.
Otago School of Pharmacy students Jake Duval-Smith, Ana Flood and Laurelle Lock with Maori Pharmacists Association spokesperson Leanne Te Karu at the white coat ceremony
Article written by Liane Topham-Kindley for Pharmacy Today (May 2013 issue)
New chair with an eye for ‘real-world’ health benefits
Cancer vaccine researcher Sarah Hook has been appointed Otago University’s chair in pharmaceutical sciences
School of Pharmacy immunologist Sarah Hook’s appointment as the University of Otago’s chair in pharmaceutical sciences heralds a change in direction for the specialty.
Professor Hook’s expertise is in biopharmaceutical sciences and school dean Professor Stephen Duffull says there will be a change in direction for the school from more traditional formulation aspects of pharmaceutical sciences to biopharmaceutical sciences.
The former associate professor in microbiology and immunology took up her professorial position in the school in February, replacing Professor Thomas Rades.
A leading expert on vaccine formulation and delivery, Professor Hook’s particular research interest is in the formulation and delivery of small and large molecule cancer therapeutics, including a vaccine for melanoma.She also investigates skin and oral-based vaccine delivery systems which may make needle vaccinations a thing of the past (Pharmacy Today, December 2010). She has been the primary supervisor or co-supervisor of many PhD students who have gone on to postdoctoral positions in academic and industry and is looking forward to the added responsibility of mentoring research carried out by the pharmaceutical sciences researchers at the school.
“This is a very exciting time as we have a number of new staff, like lecturers Allan Gamble and Shakila Rizwan, with two more staff starting this year. “We are very excited about their arrival and their research specialities will be of great benefit to the school,” Professor Hook says.
One of her responsibilities will be to ensure these new staff get off to a good start and establish the collaborations they need to be successful. Professor Hook says she hopes to build on the collaborative research environment within the school. “Our focus will be utilising the expertise we enjoy in the design, synthesis, formulation, delivery, pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of novel therapeutics to develop new drugs to prevent and treat infectious and non-infectious disease.”
She also aims to collaborate with other New Zealand-based research groups in both academic and industry to develop cancer therapeutics which can undergo clinical trials in new Zealand.
An Otago graduate, Professor Hook gained a BSc (Hons) in 1989 and a PhD in immunology in 1996. She was a research fellow at Wellington’s Malaghan Institute of Medical Research from 1997 to 2001, when she joined the school as a lecturer.
University vice-chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne says she is delighted that Professor Hook has been appointed to the chair. “Not only does Sarah have an impressive teaching and research record, she also has a strong focus on working with industry to ensure her internationally leading investigations lead to real-world health benefits,” Professor Hayne says.
Acticle written by Liane Topham-Kindley for Pharmacy Today (May 2013)
Holistic view of health system for students
Gisborne Hospital chief pharmacist Marty Kennedy with students who participated in the interprofessional rural training programme (from left) Haylee Parker, Kaveeta Devi Prasad and Louise Broomfield.
Students participating in the new interprofessional rural training programme in Gisborne have returned armed with a more holistic view of how the health system operates.
Three final-year students - Haylee Parker, Kaveeta Devi Prasad and Louise Broomfield recently spent four weeks in Gisborne as part of the Government’s interprofessional education programme.
For the first time in New Zealand, the programme enables pharmacy, nursing, medical, physiotherapy, dietetics and dental students a chance to train and work alongside each other with a focus on working in Maori communities and with Maori health providers.
Students spend time on clinical placements working in their own discipline in a variety of health settings. Time is also spent in the classroom and in interprofessional placements, working on group assignments, learning about other disciplines and how to collaborate together.
Kaveeta says the experience was very different to anything she has done previously. She recalls working at an outpatients clinic with physiotherapy students.
“We knew basically what a physio does, but it was so different to what I expected and I think they were surprised at what we do too.”
Likewise, Haylee enjoyed working with the other students, and recalls spending an afternoon at a health clinic observing medical students who asked for her advice about medications.
“I now understand the other health professions a lot more. We lived together and got to know well their views on various things. “In future I’m going to be able to understand why a patient is having something done to them and be able to talk to them about it.” While her pharmacy training educates her about working as a member of a team, Haylee says she found the programme exposed her to the practical aspects of doing this.
Otago School of Pharmacy professional practice fellow James Windle says this is a voluntary programme for final-year students. Those attending have the dual challenge of not only keeping up with learning, assessment and placement activities throughout the Tairawhiti region, but also continuing to study the curriculum being delivered at the School of Pharmacy.
“The school continues to develop novel ways to educationally support the students while on the placement, so they can achieve the goals of both programmes.”
Critical to the success of the programme from pharmacy’s perspective is the appointment of a part time professional practice fellow in Gisborne. Gisborne Hospital chief pharmacist Marty Kennedy has been championing students’ experience and learning of matters relating to pharmacy in this position, Mr Windle says. “He holds a key role of bridging student experience with curriculum being delivered back at the School of Pharmacy.”
There is management and administrative support available for the programme, with it being academically and operationally driven by the Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, University of Otago ( Wellington) with a local Gisborne team (programme leader and programme administrator). Local clinicians including several pharmacists also work part-time to clinically supervise placements.
Social pharmacy professor Pauline Norris represents pharmacy on the programme’s governance board and Mr Windle represents the profession on an education operations group.
Article written by Liane Topham-Kindley for Pharmacy Today (May 2013 issue)
Research seminar - 6 May
On Monday 6 May Miriam Haaser, PhD Final Candidate from the School of Pharmacy, will be giving a seminar on ‘Evaluating critical quality attributes of modified release systems using advanced imaging techniques’.
Miriam has undertaken her PhD in partnership with GSK UK.
Room 713, Adams Building at 1pm. Everyone welcome.
Latest News
Honour for Dave Woods »
20 May 2013
Graduation for Steve and Aynsley »
14 May 2013
Research seminar - 20 May »
14 May 2013