(From left to right) Ms. Sandraliz Espinosa, student member; Dr. Evone S. Ghaly, Chapter Advisor; Drs. Robert Bell and Janet Walkow, AAPS Executive Council members; Ms. Karyna Corujo, Tresurer student member; Mr. Luis O. Serrano Figueroa, President student member; Stacey May, AAPS Director of Public Outreach; and Dr. Patrick McNamara, AAPS Executive Council member.
Chapter Information
For the First time in its history, the University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus has an AAPS Student Chapter. The Chapter was founded in September 2007, and is one of the most recent founded student chapters of the professional organization. The founding members took a great opportunity to develop leadership, professionalism, and high-level education to an upper level. As part of the application process, the counseling of the Advisor, Dr. Evone S. Ghaly, Ph. D., was of much help. Her motivation and guidance were a turning point for the Chapter Development. The students that comprise the Chapter are from diverse academic backgrounds, like from biology, microbiology, chemistry, engineering and biotechnology, among others.
Our principal goals for founding the Student Chapter here at the UPR are: (1) to increase graduate student participation and leadership in the School of Pharmacy, our Campus and the University of Puerto Rico (UPR); (2) to promote the participation of faculty and students in the AAPS events and meetings during the year; (3) to foster industry-related knowledge and industry-academia relationship; (4) to discuss the latest technologies and information regarding the pharmaceutical sciences.
The academic year began with an Initiation Ceremony for Chapter members on December 5th, 2007. In this activity, students, faculty and School authorities were sharing good moments. A message from the Chapter’s President was held and the oath of each student as member of the organization. Pfizer made a donation for the dinner served at the end of the Ceremony. Another activity was held on December 12th, 2007, when Dr. Jorge Duconge, faculty member of the School of Pharmacy, gave a presentation entitled Pharmacogenomics. His presentation was focused in his future research as faculty member of the School, and of research done at the company Genomas, Inc., Laboratory of Personalized Health, of Dr. Gualberto Ruaño.
Since its foundation, the entire student members want to participate in activities regarding pharmaceutical analytical technology, QbD, manufacturing technologies and themes related to pharmaceutics. Most of our graduates are near to finish their degrees and also want to know about the employment process and how to prepare a resume, a cover letter and hints about the interview process. This is why the Chapter organizes a visit, with the help of Stacey May, of some AAPS Executive Council members in January 15th, 2008. This visit includes the participation of graduate students, PharmD. Program students, and faculty from the School of Pharmacy. The members of the AAPS Executive Committee present at the School of Pharmacy were Drs. Janet Walkow, Patrick McNamara and Robert Bell, in company with Mrs. Stacey May. All graduate and professional degree students were very pleased about the shared valuable information. In the photo appears, from left to right: Ms. Sandraliz Espinosa, student member; Dr. Evone S. Ghaly, Chapter Advisor; Drs. Robert Bell and Janet Walkow, AAPS Executive Council members; Ms. Karyna Corujo, Tresurer student member; Mr. Luis O. Serrano Figueroa, President student member; Stacey May, Director, AAPS Outreach Office; and Dr. Patrick McNamara, AAPS Executive Council member.
Another activity was held on May 7th, 2008, when the Chapter went to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Guayama Operations. Mr. Lind Claudio, Dr. Evone S. Ghaly and Luis O. Serrano organized this. The visits consisted in a Company’s presentation of products and type of pharmaceutical technology employed for the manufacturing of drugs. Then a manufacturing facilities tour was done with guidance of Mr. Lind Claudio and other employees of Wyeth. Members had the opportunity to see how was the facilities designed and constructed in a now and then manner.
But our members have also been participating in many conferences and professional meetings. The first meeting was the “XXVIII Foro de Investigación y Educación” (Research and Educational Forum) held on the Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, on March 12-14, 2008. The participating students and research topics were: Michael Pagán Pruna (lipids tablets), Melissa Pérez Muñoz (ion exchange resins), Karyna Corujo Lugo (liposomes), and Sandraliz Espinosa (drug development–synthesis). Then, a second professional meeting, ExipientFest Americas, was held on April 16-17, 2008, in the Puerto Rico Convention Center. The Chapter participating students and research topics were: Karyna Corujo Lugo (liposomes), Melissa Pérez Muñoz (ion exchange resins), Michael Pagán Pruna (lipids tablets), Liza Correa (thermal treatment) and Luis O. Serrano Figueroa (nanoparticles). Our colleague, Karyna Corujo, won the first prize in the Student Poster Competition, because of her poster accomplishments and novel research. To participate in the November 2008 AAPS Annual Meeting, Liza Correa submitted an abstract for evaluation.
Our members enjoy to be part of the Student Chapter, as Melissa Pérez said, “I have had the opportunity to share different points of view towards the pharmaceutical sciences, as Chapter Secretary and member. Also this experience is important because foster teamwork among all members. The AAPS News Magazine is a good tool to stand ahead in the pharmaceutical sciences field and new technologies.” Our Chapter President, Luis O. Serrano, made some comments: “It was very hard to start the Chapter and integrate full-time and part-time graduate students in a student association. But as I see all the activities done during the academic year and how the team work to accomplished all, the efforts gave a lot of satisfaction.” As the academic year comes to its end, and reviewing all the objectives of this Chapter, we are now pleased to inform that all were accomplished, and still be more.
Proposed Activities and Events
Activities
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