As we near the semester break and the end of the year, I reflect on how our faculty and staff deliver a top notch curriculum, implement new initiatives, and continuously explore opportunities to maximize our student experience and strive for excellence.

One metric of excellence is our ability to prioritize and remain competitive in obtaining federal funding and support for research. From July through October faculty across all divisions submitted grant proposals totaling more than $27 million dollars. The projects include wide reaching areas such as:
* Understanding resistance mechanisms in pancreatic cancer (Linjun Li, Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division)
* Mechanisms and use of penicillin-binding protein inhibition to optimize cationic peptide anti-MRSA treatment (Warren Rose, Associate Professor (CHS), Pharmacy Practice Division)
* Optimizing OTC labels for the elderly (Associate Professors (CHS) Beth Martin and Robert Breslow, Pharmacy Practice Division)
* Personalized interventions by physicians – The ENRI3CH Study (Olayinka Shiyanbola, Assistant Professor, Social and Administrative Sciences Division).

Since January 2016 grants awarded top the $2 million dollar mark. A few that I’d like to highlight include:
* Improving Over-the-Counter Medication Safety for Older Adults (Associate Professor and Vice Chair Michelle Chui, Social and Administrative Sciences Divison)
* INfluenza Vaccine to Effectively Stop Cardio Thoracic Events and Decompensated heart failure (INVESTED) (Associate Professor Orly Vardeny, Pharmacy Practice Division)
* Crystal Nucleation in Amorphous Drugs and Solid Dispersions (Professor Lian Yu, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division)
* Pharmacokinetics and CNS distribution of IgG antibodies: quantitative comparison of blood-brain, blood-CSF, and CSF-brain relationships after intranasal and intravascular dosing (Assistant Professor Robert Thorne, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division

Our 50 pharmaceutical sciences PhD students are equally impressive. The incoming class holds previous degrees in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, and pharmacy economics. Four students have National Science Foundation predoctoral fellowships—a new record for our program! Lastly, we have two American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education fellows.

From the undergraduate side, we have 45 students in the Pharmacology & Toxicology program. This rigorous program continues to produce accomplished scientists and scholars reflected by placement for the Class of 2016 ranging from medical school admission, PhD study, PharmD programs, and employment with a genetic toxicology lab.

As we embark on a new semester and a new year, we will continue our quest to be research forward and raise the bar for the scientific community. I invite you to stay connected, discover new collaborations, and be amazed at the work that is yet to come.

Happy Holidays and On, Wisconsin!
Steven M. Swanson, Dean