Breakout Sessions

Topic 1: Creating Revenue-Generating Certificate Programs

Moderators: Joanne Chun, PharmD, PhD, and Conan MacDougall, PharmD, MAS

Panelists: Nicquet Blake, PhD, and Jennifer Nazareno, PhD

This session explored strategies for developing revenue-generating certificate programs that leverage the School of Pharmacy’s existing educational offerings.

Next Steps: 

  • Convene a working group to determine strategic priorities for the school.
  • Plan and invest in dedicated program infrastructure to support programs.
  • Develop a deliberate and hybrid modality strategy for programs.

Topic 2: Responding to Donor Interest in Specific Disease Areas

Moderators: Jason Gestwicki, PhD, Jennifer Cocohoba, PharmD, MAS, and Amelia Deitchman, PharmD, PhD

Panelists: Mekhail Anwar, MD, PhD, Alan Ashworth, PhD, and Steve Hauser, MD

This session explored how to position the School of Pharmacy to be responsive to philanthropic donor interest in specific disease areas, such as CNS, cancer, and chronic disease. 

Next Steps:

  • Arrange dinners/lunches with donors
  • Develop a pitch/vision and work with UDAR
  • Look for “press” opportunities to showcase work

Topic 3: Fostering Relationships With Collaborative Research

Moderator: Nevan Krogan, PhD

Panelists: Akinyemi Oni-Orisan, PharmD, PhD, Michael Gropper, MD, PhD, Matthew State, MD, PhD, and Scott Bauer, MD, MS

This session, explored ways to foster relationships with clinical departments for collaborative research.

Next steps:

  • Increase opportunities to connect in person, informally, and socially
  • School/Depts offer small seed grants for collaborative projects
  • Pursue partnerships with Big Pharma to fill cutting-edge Research & Development needs of industry

Topic 4: Creating Mini-CROs as a Source of Funding

Moderators: Michelle Arkin, PhD, and Brian Shoichet, PhD

This session explored opportunities to establish mini-Contract Research Organizations (CROs) as a source of funding for the school and how we can sustain our own core facilities.

Next steps: 

  • Draft broad modular scope of work templates
  • Explore international collaborations
  • Increase visibility to attract industry collaborators – strategic outreach on professional platforms

Topic 5: Funding From Industry and International Sources

Moderators: Vanesa Saric and Kim Cantero

Panelists: Amy Gryshuk, PhD and Charles Craik, PhD

This session focused on learning from faculty members who are funded by industry for specific research projects, for which they have developed new models to partner with industry to conduct research. 

Next steps:

  • The Innovation Ventures team is a resource. Pharm Chem plans to invite them to an upcoming faculty meeting for an introduction and overview of their work
  • Incorporate Innovation Ventures materials into onboarding resources for new faculty so they are aware of these services early

Topic 6: Funding from Foundations and Philanthropy

Moderators: Sang Han, Brandon (Bo) O'Hare, and Elizabeth Catalano

Panelists: Rada Savic, PhD, Shuvo Roy, PhD, and Sharon Youmans, PharmD, MPH

This session explored strategies and success stories that led to securing funding from philanthropy and various foundations.

Next steps:

  • Encourage faculty to sign up for alerts from Foundations (send to Dept Chairs)
  • Liz Catalano, a Foundation Specialist, is a resource for advice on how to approach Foundations and respond to their project requests. 

Topic 7: New Revenue Sources for Clinical Practices and Education Research

Moderators: Alesia Woods and Shondell Moody

Panelists: Ann Poncelet, MD, Kirsten Balano, PharmD, Crystal Zhou, PharmD, and Bridget O'Brien, PhD, MS

This session focused on identifying sources and best practices for procuring funding for educational and pharmacy practice research, as well as its implementation.

Next steps:

  • Define what infrastructure to set up for faculty for educational research – e.g., Endowed Chairs for Education
  • Proactively reach out for opportunities to send pharmacists to providers who may be feeling overwhelmed.
  • Increase International engagement