From the desk of Dean Cathy Lysack

EACPHS Dean Catherine Lysack

As we welcome the new year, the days feel full of possibility. And indeed - here at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - they are. This sense of possibility - the potential for the unknown to advance to a more meaningful, purposeful known - is what drives our researchers, instructors, and students alike.

If you examine the scientific literature on any disease, you'll find plenty more questions than there are answers. Many young students come to us believing we can teach them how to heal everything and everyone, but the truth is, health care is still rife with mysteries. And it takes all of us, from bench scientists to clinical researchers and practitioners, mindfully working together to solve them. Here in the college, we are not only interdisciplinary, we are interdependent.

Throughout the college, faculty researchers have been diligently working to close the gaps. In addition to stalwarts like Anjan Kowluru, who has dedicated more than two decades to uncovering the mechanisms underlying the onset of diabetes, our promising young professors are leading pathbreaking projects that could vastly improve human health and wellbeing. Dynamo Nora Fritz - who, in addition to teaching classes and being a practicing clinician, leads the college's Neuroimaging and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory - is drawing new lines between cognition and physical mobility. Susan Davis is frequently tapped as an expert on antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. Christine Rabinak and Arun Iyer are offering new treatment possibilities for patients with PTSD and cancer. And there are so many more.

While we are known for rigorous research and academics on campus, what goes on outside our four walls is critical to student training in every single one of our programs. We are indebted to the preceptors and clinical instructors, many of whom are Wayne State alumni, who volunteer to provide invaluable experiential learning for nearly 1,000 of our students each year at a well-rounded list of clinical sites, from area hospitals and retail pharmacies to diagnostic labs, practitioner clinics and funeral homes.

In addition to nurturing our partnerships with experiential learning sites, we are building purposeful relationships with organizations like Racquet Up Detroit, neighborhood Cornerstone Schools, and Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis that will expand pathways to our professional programs for a more diverse body of students, opening doors for students who may not have previously considered careers in pharmacy and health sciences.

Health care is a critical need for Detroit's underserved population, and we take great pride in our lasting commitment to the welfare of the city and its residents, from birth through death. Our location at the nexus of Detroit's longstanding health systems, embedded in the neighborhoods most in need of care, inspires a sense of dedication and heart in our students that they carry with them throughout their careers. In fact, the vast majority of our alumni stay right here in metro Detroit to make a difference as health care providers and community leaders.

Giving back - ­however you define it - is an investment in your profession and the value of your degree. You do a world of good when you invite an eager student to train under your expertise, when you donate any amount to a scholarship fund, when you simply share good news from your alma mater with friends and colleagues.

I know you will join me in spirit (if not in deeds) this year as we move ever forward in knowledge and opportunity.

Yours truly,

Catherine Lysack
Interim Dean
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

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