A new era for science and practice at UCSF

This fall, the UCSF School of Pharmacy welcomed over a dozen new faces to its leadership group, including esteemed faculty drawn from its three academic departments. The move is the first executive action of Dean Kathy Giacomini, PhD, BSPharm, toward maximizing the institution’s potential as a world leader in research, patient care, and education.

“The School’s scientists, clinicians, and graduates have a formidable track record, but there is untapped potential to make an even greater impact from drug discovery to regulation and patient care,” said Giacomini, who became dean on July 1. “To realize this potential, we need an executive team of the highest caliber, and I am grateful to see my colleagues step up to contribute to this vital cause.”

Giacomini has created new roles that will expand opportunities for PharmD students; forge and strengthen bonds between the School, UCSF, and outside partners; actively address diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); and nurture an engaged community of faculty and staff.

Driving strategic priorities

Executive Vice Dean

Sharon L. Youmans, PharmD, MPH, will step into the role of executive vice dean and partner with Giacomini to drive the School’s strategic priorities. She will lead and oversee the School’s efforts with DEI; manage its global partner­ships; liaise with the School’s Pharmacy Practice Partner­ships associate deans; serve as an advisor to the faculty leaders of the PharmD program; and carry out special projects.

“I’m thrilled and honored to be a part of this new chapter for the School of Pharmacy,” said Youmans. “I’m especially excited to work closely on these initiatives with our talented and accomplished faculty, staff, students, and trainees, and our campus and global partners.”

Bringing the pharmacist’s expertise to all corners of biomedicine

Giacomini studied pharmacy as an undergraduate, an experience that influenced her scientific career as a pioneer of phar­ma­co­ge­no­mics, a field of research that studies how genes affect an individual’s response to medication. She says that the opportunity to tailor treatments to the individual has never been greater—yet a gap remains.

Steve Babuljak

Rada Savic, PhD, pictured, and Brian Shoichet, PhD, will build programs that train recent PharmD graduates in computation and experimentation.

“We need providers who can translate phar­ma­co­ge­no­mics and computational biology into real-world improvements in health care,” said Giacomini. “Here at UCSF, we have the resources to train our PharmDs in the hard sciences, enabling them to bring that unique expertise to biotech companies, government, insurance, you name it.”

Co-Vice Deans of Graduate Pharmacy Education Programs

Rada Savic, PhD, and Brian Shoichet, PhD, appointed co-vice deans of graduate pharmacy education programs, will bridge this gap by formalizing scientific training for recent PharmD graduates via new master’s degree programs. Savic is a faculty member in the De­part­ment of Bio­engi­neer­ing and Thera­peu­tic Sciences and Shoichet is a faculty member in the De­part­ment of Phar­ma­ceu­ti­cal Chemistry.

Co-Vice Deans of PharmD Education

The PharmD program itself will be a key partner in these student-oriented initiatives. Igor Mitrovic, MD, and Conan MacDougall, PharmD, MAS, are now co-vice deans of PharmD education, and will directly manage the delivery of the pharmacy curriculum. Mitrovic is a faculty member in the School of Medicine’s Department of Physiology and MacDougall is a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy.

Associate Dean of Fellowships

Leslie Floren, PharmD, MA, is now associate dean of fellowships. Floren is a faculty member in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy.

Mitrovic, MacDougall, Floren, and Youmans will work with Savic and Shoichet to ensure that the PharmD program meshes seamlessly with an expanding array of scientific opportunities for pharmacy students.

“The next generation of pharmacists can make a difference in so many more lives, with the power of science, data, and computation to back their decisions,” said Savic, whose research on novel treatments for tuberculosis led to changes in World Health Organization treatment guidelines last year. “More of our graduates should be at the table across health care—and we will make sure they are prepared.”

Enhancing the School’s partner­ships

As a health-focused graduate university, UCSF has long catalyzed collaborations across disciplines, institutions, and the public and private sectors, and Giacomini intends to carry this record to new heights.

“We are lucky to be in the San Francisco Bay Area, home of the most innovative universities, hospitals, and companies,” said Giacomini. "The world knows to come to us, but we need to be ready to make the most of our talent and drive with new and transformative partner­ships.”

Susan Merrell

Katherine Yang, PharmD, MPH, left, inspects a shipment of remdesivir at UCSF Medical Center. Yang will work with Jennifer Cocohoba, PharmD, MAS, on new pharmacy practice partnerships for the School.

Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs

Desi Kotis, PharmD, who is the clinical pharmacy executive for UCSF Health, will serve as vice dean of clinical affairs for Giacomini. She will reinforce connections between the PharmD program, the De­part­ment of Clinical Pharmacy, and pharmacist appointments across UCSF’s health enterprise, including residencies.

Co-Vice Deans of Clinical Innovation and Entre­pre­neur­ship

Jennifer Cocohoba, PharmD, MAS, and Katherine Yang, PharmD, both faculty members in the De­part­ment of Clinical Pharmacy, were appointed co-vice deans of clinical innovation and entre­pre­neur­ship. They will explore new models for pharmacy practice services and partner­ships with UCSF Health and external stakeholders in community pharmacy, public health, and other pharmacy schools.

Vice Dean of Entre­pre­neur­ship and Industry Relations

Adam Renslo, PhD, is now vice dean of entre­pre­neur­ship and industry relations. As a medicinal chemist and faculty member in the De­part­ment of Phar­ma­ceu­ti­cal Chemistry, Renslo will lead new efforts to shepherd the School’s discoveries toward treatments that reach patients.

Vice Dean of Research

James Fraser, PhD, faculty member in the De­part­ment of Bio­engi­neer­ing and Thera­peu­tic Sciences, was named vice dean of research for the School, and is charged with promoting scientific collaborations between the School, its neighboring UCSF schools, and beyond. He will also work with Renslo to relay the School’s discoveries to translational partners in academia and industry.

Walking the walk with diversity, equity, and inclusion

In just the last two years, a range of new efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have emerged as top priorities of both UCSF and the School. Within the School, these efforts have included the launching of a health equity internship program for PharmD students and an equity and inclusion speaker series for the School community.

Co-Vice Deans of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

To accelerate School-wide projects in this arena, Ryan Hernandez, PhD, and Stephanie Hsia, PharmD, MEd, were appointed co-vice deans of DEI. Hernandez is a faculty member in the De­part­ment of Bio­engi­neer­ing and Thera­peu­tic Sciences and Hsia is a faculty member in the De­part­ment of Clinical Pharmacy.

Susan Merrell

Ryan Hernandez, PhD, left, will lead the School’s efforts with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) along with Stephanie Hsia, PharmD, MEd.

“I’ve supported students, faculty, and staff of all identities as a principal investigator and department chair, but to make good on DEI for the entire School, it’s all hands on deck,” said Giacomini. “I’m excited to see how Sharon [Youmans], Ryan, and Stephanie crystallize the School’s enthusiasm for DEI into tangible results for our underrepresented communities.”

Youmans, who presided over the School’s DEI efforts as vice dean, will advise Hsia and Hernandez as they develop and implement new DEI-oriented initiatives.

Hsia and Hernandez have each already made great strides in building opportunities for students in their fields. Hsia pioneered a 10-week-long health equity curriculum block in the PharmD program and went on to mentor students in the health equity internship program.

Hernandez co-founded the UCSF Post-bac­ca­laur­e­ate Research Opportunity to Promote Equity in Learning (PROPEL), which prepares UCSF research technicians to begin careers as academic scientists. He also recently received funding to create an NIH Post-bac­ca­laur­e­ate Research Education Program (PREP) at UCSF.

Hernandez’s and Hsia’s experience getting such programs off the ground will be critical for their roles as stewards of DEI for the School, and they intend to include the entire community in their new initiatives.

“We aim to help our students, faculty, and staff become leaders who embody the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism,” said Hsia. “So many in our community are ready for change, and with the backing of Kathy and Sharon, we’re ready to act.”

Building community and support for faculty and staff

Lastly, Giacomini is prioritizing faculty and staff engagement, ensuring that all individuals delivering on the School’s mission are given the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Vice Dean and Chief of Staff, Vice Dean of Administration and Finance

Lawrence Lin, PhD, is now vice dean and chief of staff, and Alesia Woods is now vice dean of administration and finance. Lin and Woods work closely with Giacomini to enact her strategic vision and manage the Dean’s Office. Their priorities include staff well-being, recognition for excellence and service, recruitment and retention, and professional development.

Elisabeth Fall

Frank Szoka, PhD, center, will pursue new avenues for faculty engagement and awards.

Vice Dean of Academic Affairs

Robin Corelli, PharmD, is now vice dean of academic affairs. As a faculty member in the De­part­ment of Clinical Pharmacy and a long-time educator in the PharmD program, she is well-suited for managing the School’s promotion, advancement, and merit processes for faculty. She will also engage the many preceptors and volunteer faculty who mentor UCSF pharmacy students from sites around the state.

Director of Faculty Engagement and Awards

Francis Szoka, PhD, was appointed director of faculty engagement and awards. A recently retired faculty member from the De­part­ment of Bio­engi­neer­ing and Thera­peu­tic Sciences, Szoka will develop new avenues for incentivizing faculty success and retention.