David Oupicky, PhD, associate professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences received notification from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, that his application of an Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21) has been approved.

The two-year award for "Drug-Based Polycations for Combination Drug-Gene Delivery" provides more than $426,000 in funding support through 2012. Oupicky is collaborating with Drs. Lisa Ann Polin and Gen Sheng Wu of the Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit.

Michael. Rybak, PharmD, professor in the Deparrment of Pharmacy Practice, also recieved a $254,310 grant from the Forest Research Institute for the project: "Clinical and Economic Outcomes of Ceftaroline Fosamil for the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections with Documented or at Risk of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus."

Co-investigators on this study with Dr. Rybak are Anthony Casapao, PharmD, (Anti-Infective Research Fellow, Pharmacy Practice); Susan Davis, PharmD, Pharmacy Practice; Jason Pogue, PharmD, and Nitin Bhatia, PharmD, Pharmacy Services; and Robert Sherwin, MD, Emergency Department, Sinai-Grace Hospital; Ryab Mynatt, PharmD, and Suprat Saely, PharmD, Pharmacy Services; and Donald Levine, MD, General Internal Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases; Keith Kaye, MD, Internal Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases; Robert Welch, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Detroit Receiving Hospital.

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, one of the founding colleges of Wayne State University, is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society through the preparation of highly skilled health care practitioners, and through research to improve health care practices and treatment from urban to global levels.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 400 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.

Date: March 13, 2012
Contact: Kathleen J. Karas, APR
Phone: 313-577-2312
Email: kkaras@wayne.edu