About Nobuhisa Shimba, and more news

Who is Nobuhisa Shimba?

Nobuhisa Shimba is a visiting scientist working in Charles Craik’s Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry lab at Mission Bay. Each of the three School of Pharmacy departments welcome visiting scholars from industry or other educational institutions for varying lengths of time. Nobu comes to us from the Ajinomoto Company, Kawasaki, Japan. He grew up in Shizuoka, located between Tokyo and Osaka, the home of Mt. Fuji.

After receiving a PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Tokyo in 1998, Nobu went to work for Ajinomoto as a scientist. He was a visiting associate professor at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) in Ishikawa for a little more than a year, 2001–2002. Nobu has been a visiting postdoctoral scholar at UCSF since March 2002 and will be here until February of next year.

“My specialty is structural biology, especially working with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). I’m now working on Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated Herpes virus Protease (KSHVpr). KSHV is the sexually transmitted, etiological agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma and KSHVpr is essential to the propagation of KSHV. In other words, KSHVpr is a candidate as a drug target. We are now studying the structural aspect and making inhibitors to learn its detailed function and to kill its activity,” said Nobu. “I’m very happy to work in the Craik Lab. I really appreciate Charly and Ajinomoto for giving me a chance to study here. Basically, I want to contribute to the world, and my role might be in science. I like UCSF and our department. Especially, the people! They are great friends and collaborators.”

When asked what he enjoys doing away from the lab, Nobu responded, “I love sports. But since I married, I prefer to spend my time with my family. Now, instead of playing, I like watching sports, especially baseball. My wife has become a big Giants fan!”

Staff appreciation event

Steve Batiloro

Cindy Williams, Lorie Rice, and Lloyd Young smile for the camera in front of Cole Hall.

Steve Batiloro

Polly Chew, Kim Bivens, Sarah Magee, Sera Beak, and Christie Dal Corobbo pose for a photo before entering Cole Hall.

A reel good time

Cindy Williams, the actress well-known for her starring roles in the movie American Graffiti and TV sitcom Laverne and Shirley, surprised staff members with her guest appearance at the School’s May 20 staff appreciation event held in Cole Hall.

As it happens, Cindy and Lorie Rice, associate dean for external affairs, are good friends and high school buddies from the San Fernando Valley.

Staff members were treated to Cindy’s personal backstage commentary on the making of American Graffiti, drive-in food, and a “Where were you in ’62?” costume contest, followed by a showing of the movie.

Dean Mary Anne Koda-Kimble presented distinguished service awards and gifts to:

• 30 years: John Bouchard, Raymond Welch.
• 25 years: Valerie Starling, Emilie Swenson.
• 20 years: Kim Bivens, Claudia Johnson, Susan Mailhot, Mai Thanh, Shirley Yee.
• 15 years: Gregory Couch, Claire Lee, Brian Mertz, Thomas Sands, Steve Snyder, Candy Stoner, Steve Webb.
• 10 years: Jennifer Chow, Kristina Clarke, Smiley Hom, Susan Kim, Moira McAlister, Susana Szeto, Vicky Victorio.

Center for Consumer Self Care lectures

School of Pharmacy faculty members enlightened state public policy professionals, consumer advocates, and health care providers on issues related to self care during a lecture series in the state capitol held during the past year. The series was sponsored by the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs, the California State Board of Pharmacy, and the School’s own Center for Consumer Self Care. Center Director and Associate Dean for External Affairs Lorie Rice spearheaded planning. Program topics and faculty presenters were:

• Joseph Guglielmo: Inappropriate antibiotic use and the risk of bacterial infection.
• Candy Tsourounis: Consumers and the dietary supplement marketplace.
• Robert Miller: What everyone needs to know about managing pain effectively.
• Lisa Bero: Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medications.
• Lisa Kroon and Karen Hudmon: Current issues in tobacco cessation.
• Cathi Dennehy: Deciding on hormonal options for menopause.

Awards

Hoener receives new Longs Distinguished Educator Award

Betty-ann Hoener, Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, was honored as the first recipient of the new Longs Foundation Prize for Excellence in Teaching at the June 21 PharmD commencement held at Masonic Auditorium. The award recognizes teachers who have received the Long Award three or more times. Congratulations, Betty-ann!

Lee receives Bowl of Hygeia

The exceptional graduating PharmD students nominated to receive the Bowl of Hygeia, the School’s highest honor, were: Roslind Bowens, Shawn Houghtaling, Julie Lee, and Ulana Rey. While all demonstrate the best in pharmacy, Julie Lee was chosen to receive the bowl. Julie began her first day at UCSF as a pronounced leader and an ardent representative of her fellow students. Her consistently supportive and enthusiastic style won their respect and admiration and that of the faculty as well. During her year as president of the Associated Students of the School of Pharmacy, she worked tirelessly on behalf of the student body and through insight and persistence, greatly expanded that organization’s scope of activities. Congratulations to Julie on the award and to Roslind, Shawn, and Ulana on their nominations.

Val Louie Award recipients named

Steve Batiloro, James Burton, and Jocelyn Tom hold their awards and flowers.

Every year, three awards are given to Enterprise pharmacy staff members for service excellence. The School and the family of Val Louie, an exemplary employee who died unexpectedly at a young age, established the Frances Valerie Louie Awards for Service Excellence. This year’s recipients are:

• Pharmacy Support: Steven Batiloro.
• Pharmacy Technician: James Burton.
• Pharmacist: Jocelyn Tom.

Kuntz honored with Volwiler Award

Irwin (Tack) Kuntz, Jr., Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, was honored July 22 at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy’s (AACP) annual meeting awards banquet in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the recipient of its 2003 AACP Volwiler Research Achievement Award. The AACP board of directors selected Tack for the association’s premier research award, given annually since 1977, to recognize outstanding research conducted by a pharmaceutical scientist/educator. “Tack’s 37 years in academic medicinal chemistry have been distinguished and marked by ongoing contributions at the leading edge of structure-based drug design,” notes Svein Oie, one of those submitting letters of support for Tack’s nomination. Congratulations, Tack, on this distinguished, national award.

Student Awards Ceremony

Many awards and scholarships were bestowed this year to PharmD students at a comprehensive awards ceremony held May 20 in the Millberry Union Conference Center, including:

• Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence: Michael Gee, ’03; Elena Lee, ’03; Veronica Siu, ’03 and Cindy Yen, ’03.
• Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals Outstanding Leader Award: Allison Tauman, ’03.
• Frank M. Goyan Award [for excellence in physical chemistry]: Marisela Kang, ’06 and Ross Tesoro, ’06.
• APhA-ASP Mortar & Pestle Professionalism Award: Roslind Bowens, ’03.
• ASHP Student Leadership Award and Scholarship: Jennifer Cheng, ’04.
• Facts & Comparisons Award of Excellence in Clinical Communication: Robert Chang, ’03.
• GlaxoSmithKline Patient Care Award: Kristen Nicita, ’03.
• J. M. Long Foundation Scholarships: Linda Bui, ’05; Sheryl Doung, ’05; Jared Garcia, ’05; Michael Gonzales, ’05; Brian Henzig, ’05; Jenny Hui, ’06; Aaron Huwe, ’05; Jennifer Itano, ’06; Bryan McGee, ’06; Kathy Pang, ’05; Nina Shah, ’05; Forrest Shirkey, ’06; Uerica Wang, ’06 and Priscilla Woo, ’05.
• Albertson’s, Inc. Scholarships: Sakat Batra, ’05, Jennifer Cheng, ’04, Mary Ho, ’04, Amy Kong, ’04, Dmitri Lerner, ’04; Dao Lieu, ’04 and Thomas Slowik, ’04.
• Wal-Mart Pharmacy Scholarship: Adara Louis, ’04.
• Julian Weiss Scholarships: Susan Hoang, ’03; Jane Lee, ’03; Mike Lu, ’03 and Allison Tauman, ’03.
• Lily Achievement Award: Julie Lee, ’03.
• Mylan Pharmaceutical Excellence in Pharmacy Award: Julie Lee, ’03.
• Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Recognition Award: Sally Ngo, ’03.
• Minnie Levens Award for Excellence in Patient Care: Karla Killgore, ’03.
• Hugh O’Connor Prize: Adara Louis, ’04.
• Daniels Medallists – Leadership Award: Pauline Beitkanoun, ’03 and Roslind Bowens, ’03.
• Perrigo Award of Excellence in Non-prescription Medication Studies: Melanie Galace, ’06.
• Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Non-prescription Drug Therapy Award: Veronica Siu, ’03.
• Roche Pharmacy Communications Award: Van Nguyen, ’03.
• School of Pharmacy Endowed Scholarships: Jennifer Chin, ’05; Vivian Chow, ’05; Marian Chu, ’04; Julie Du, ’05; Cava Hadikusumo, ’05; Hansheng Liou, ’04; Tram Ngo, ’05; Thi-Uyen Tran, ’06; Erika Utterberg, ’05 and Thuy Vu, ’05.
• Regents Scholars: Chaline Brown, ’04; Frank Chu, ’05; Gabriela Collaco, ’05; Brett Heintz, ’05; Reni Thomas, ’05.

More news and notes

• Hsun-Lun (Aaron) Huang, ’04, received a summer scholarship through the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) 2003–2004 Merck Company Foundation Research Scholar Program. This program was developed to encourage pharmacy students to enter graduate programs in the pharmaceutical sciences. Aaron will participate in a research experience for a full calendar year, beginning with the 2003 summer term. He will be working on Sensitization of Gliomas to Temozolomide by Gleevec.
• Lisa Tong, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Steven Kayser, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, and Julie Hambleton, Department of Medicine, presented a poster, Anticoagulants Used in Patients with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome and Possible Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia - Dilemmas in Therapy at the 7th National Conference of Anticoagulation Therapy on May 8–10, 2003 in San Francisco.
• David Quan, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, presented the following poster at the 9th Annual International Liver Transplantation Society Meeting in Barcelona, Spain: Factor VIIa in Liver Transplantation B Visser, Quan D, Niemann C, Hirose R.
• Karen Hudmon, Robin Corelli, and Lisa Kroon, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, presented Equipping Health Professionals with Tobacco Cessation Counseling Skills for the UC Cancer Center - Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education on March 25.
• Kathryn Ivanetich, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, received the following grant awards:
  • National Institutes of Health NCRR Shared Instrumentation Grant, March 2003, for Instrumentation for Peptide Synthesis Facility.
  • California State Grant, April 2003, for Development of Assays for Differentiation of Host Sources of Water Pollution.
• Karen Hudmon chaired an NIH grant review session for the Scientific Review Group for Risk, Prevention & Health Behavior in Bethesda, Maryland on March 21.

Staff employees of the month

Staff employees who perform exceptional service for their departments are honored with this award from the dean.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy

• Jeff Beck
• Christie Dal Corobbo
• Lucy Gondai
• Lita San Juan

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry

• Elsie (Kris) Casler
• Melissa Malone
• Robin Parsons
• Rebecca Soinski
• Nicole Takesono

Dean’s Office

• Susan Blossom
• Michael Grafton

Pharmacy fact

What is informatics?

It is a general term that refers to the collection and organization of information using computers and statistical methods. Bioinformatics involves the analysis and management of information about human and other animal genes and related biological structures and processes. Medical informatics refers to the analysis and management of information about diseases, patients, drug use, and drug interactions.