Administration
Tom Wadsworth, PharmD, BCPS
Dean Internal Medicine, Obesity, Diabetes, Community Pharmacy Practice
Office: BTC 120L
Dr. Wadsworth is the Dean for the College of Pharmacy and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences. He previously served as Assistant Dean for Alaska programs at Idaho State University. Dr. Wadsworth earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ISU in 2002 and completed an ASHP accredited Primary Care Pharmacy Specialty Residency at the Boise VA Medical Center in 2007.
Prior to residency, Dr. Wadsworth served 4 years as a Clinical Pharmacist at the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. He is a registered pharmacist in Idaho and Alaska and has significant experience in primary care, community pharmacy, and home infusion pharmacy. Dr. Wadsworth is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and served as an Primary Care Clinical Pharmacist at St. Luke's Internal Medicine in Boise, Idaho for 9 years.
Dr. Wadsworth has a variety of research interests including obesity, diabetes, statin myopathy, QT-prolonging medications, and quality outcomes in medication management. More recently, Dr. Wadsworth has been integral to the development and implementation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program with the University of Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage Alaska and serves as the administrative officer at the Anchorage campus. Dr. Wadsworth is also the principle investigator of the SETMuPP demonstration initiative, which seeks to mobilize community and primary care pharmacists to address the current gap in preventative and health management services available to Alaskans with diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.
Jen Adams, PharmD, EdD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, Pharmacy Law
Office: M757
Jennifer Adams, PharmD, EdD, a graduate of Boise State University, Idaho State University, and The George Washington University is currently employed as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Idaho State University, providing oversight for the PharmD curriculum, experiential education, interprofessional education, and assessment.
Her previous experience includes working in hospital and community pharmacy settings and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) with student pharmacists, helping them to develop as professionals and leaders in the pharmacy profession. Dr. Adams's experience at APhA includes developing and managing several national patient care programs, as well as the National Patient Counseling Competition. Dr. Adams also served for nearly 10 years as the Senior Student Affairs Advisor at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, providing leadership and oversight for association national student affairs activities including PharmCAS, PCAT, the Pharmacy Career Information Council, and student recruitment.
She has received national awards in recognition of her leadership skills and is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, Phi Lambda Sigma - the pharmacy leadership society, the Idaho Society of Health System Pharmacists, and the Idaho State Pharmacists Association.
Cynthia Tillotson, MPA, DA
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Office: BTC 115M
(208) 282-4482
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Kasidy McKay, PharmD, BCPS
Chair of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences, Clinical Assistant Professor
Adult Internal Medicine
Office: BTC 115F
Tanya Ostrogorsky, EdD
Assistant Dean for Assessment & Accreditation
Marvin Schulte, PhD
Department Chair of BPSCI, Professor Fundamentals of Pharmacology, CNS and ANS Pharmacology, General Biochemistry, Advanced Protein Structure and Function, Membrane Biophysics
Office: BTC 113A
Marvin Schulte is Chair and a Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. He earned his B.S. degree at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN in the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Schulte has held faculty positions at several universities including Louisiana State University College of Pharmacy, Monroe, LA; The University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK; and University of the Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA. He was department chair for 5 years at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy prior to joining the faculty at the ISU College of Pharmacy.
Schulte has published numerous peer-reviewed publications and has received NIH, NSF and American Heart Association funding for his research focused on the structure and function of ligand gated ion channel receptors. Specific areas of interest include nicotinic receptor modulation, serotonin type 3 receptors in depression, development of new strategies for the treatment of clinical rabies, new drug development for obsessive-compulsive disorders, and other related areas. Dr. Schulte’s laboratory provides training and research experiences to students at all academic levels including high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral.
Eric Silk
Department Chair of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Clinical Associate Professor
Office: M 729
Dr. Silk is the Chair of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Program and a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. Dr. Silk has an extensive history of experience in psychopharmacology and assessment of psychological, neuropsychological, and substance use disorders.
Dr. Silk earned a B.S. in psychology from Michigan State University. He completed a M.A. in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He then worked as a Research Coordinator at the Substance Use Research Center at the New York State Psychiatric Institute affiliated with the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. His Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology with a Specialization in Neuropsychology from Nova Southeastern University. He also completed a post-doc M.S. in psychopharmacology at Nova Southeastern.
Dr. Silk’s career path led him to Wyoming, where he continued to teach, developed a psychological practice, and pursued leadership in the Wyoming Psychological Association. He was an associate professor of psychology at Northwest College and is currently an Assistant Lecturer at University of Wyoming and University of Idaho. He was the president of the Wyoming Psychological Association from 2017-2018. Dr. Silk is a licensed clinical psychologist in Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho.
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences
Professors
Kevin Cleveland, PharmD
Professor
Drug Information, Immunizations, MTM, Patient Communication, Nuclear Pharmacy
Office: M 754
Kevin W. Cleveland is an associate professor in the Pharmacy Practice Department at the College of Pharmacy in Pocatello. He is currently the Director of the Idaho Drug Information Service, which provides free health care information to consumers across the United States.
Cleveland earned his Pharm.D. at Idaho State University in 2003 and joined the faculty at ISU in 2004 after completing a clinical pharmacy residency in drug information. Since then, he has earned pharmacy specialty certificates in nuclear medicine, immunizations, and medication therapy management.
Cleveland is ISU’s Chapter Advisor for the American Pharmacist Association – Academy of Student Pharmacists. He coordinates the organization’s health screenings, immunization clinics, and educational sessions. Because of these efforts, the student pharmacy chapter received the Operation Diabetes National Award in 2012.
Cleveland directs the College of Pharmacy’s Annual Spaghetti Feed Raffle and Auction of which the proceeds are used to fund their free health screenings and services as well as sponsoring the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Cleveland is a member of the United States Pharmacopeia, Rho Chi and Phi Lambda Sigma, and volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps and the Boy Scouts of America.
Rex Force, PharmD
Senior Vice Provost and Vice President for Health Sciences, Director for Pocatello Family Medicine Clinical Research Center, Professor
Office: STOP 8055
Dr. Force is Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Family Medicine at Idaho State University and Director of the Family Medicine Clinical Research Center. He earned his B.S. in Pharmacy from Oregon State University and his Pharm.D. degree from the University of Texas, after which he completed a research fellowship in infectious diseases at Ohio State University.
Dr. Force has been active in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, serving on several committees as well as chairing the Board Certification Affairs Committee and the Public and Professional Affairs Committee. He was elected Chair of the Ambulatory Care Practice and Research Network of ACCP in 1999 and to the Board of Regents in 2001. His expertise in collaborative drug therapy and reimbursement for clinical pharmacy services was recognized by his appointment to the ACCP Task Force on Compensation in 1998. He serves on the editorial board of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy and has acted as a referee for the Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. Dr. Force was the founding column editor of STEPped Care: An Evidence-based Approach to Drug Therapy in the Journal of the American Board of Family Practice. Currently, he co-authors and edits the Prescriber?s Letter Journal Club a monthly publication designed to critically evaluate new information in the field of pharmacotherapy. He has authored over 60 professional and research publications, and speaks regularly at professional meetings. Dr. Force and his collaborators have received grants and contracts in excess of $3.5 million while at ISU. Presently, he is the Site Principal Investigator of a multi-center diabetes trial (ACCORD) funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. His research interests focus on primary care pharmacotherapy (hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, adult immunizations, etc.), drug utilization review, pharmacoepidemiology, and evidence-based medicine. Dr. Force has been on the faculty at Idaho State University since 1993.
Karl Madaras-Kelly, PharmD, MPH
Professor Infectious Disease, Epidemiology
Office: M 732
Dr. Madaras-Kelly is a Professor in the College of Pharmacy located in Meridian.
Dr. Madaras-Kelly received his BS in Pharmacy in 1991 and a Doctor of Pharmacy in 1992 from the University of Minnesota. He then went on to complete an Infectious Diseases/Pharmacokinetics Fellowship at the University of Minnesota and St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center. He received his Masters of Public Health in 2006 from ISU.
Dr. Madaras-Kelly has been in his current position located at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center (BVAMC) since 1994 where he maintains active clinical infectious diseases and research programs, as well as mentors pharmacy residents and fourth year students on adult medicine and infectious diseases rotations. Dr. Madaras-Kelly has given many presentations, and authored numerous manuscripts on a variety of issues related to antibiotic resistance. He has received over a million dollars in grant support from the NIH, VHA, CDC, pharmacy professional societies, and the pharmaceutical industry. His primary research interests involve antibiotic stewardship, health systems research, epidemiology and clinical outcomes of infectious diseases treatments.
Dr. Madaras-Kelly has been a recipient of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Fellowship award in infectious diseases, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Young Investigator Award, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP) Young Investigator Award. Dr. Madaras-Kelly was previously selected as Teacher of the Year and Most Influential Professor by four-year Doctor of Pharmacy students.
Dr. Madaras-Kelly is an active member of the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), and a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Health Care Epidemiology.
Christopher Owens, PharmD, MPH
Associate Vice President for Health Sciences, Professor Interprofessional Education, Medical Ethics
Office: Gravely Hall 136
Dr. Christopher T. Owens, PharmD, MPH, serves as Associate Vice President for Health Sciences at Idaho State University and is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences at the L.S. Skaggs College of Pharmacy. He works on the Pocatello campus. He earned his PharmD from ISU in 2002 and his MPH in 2013. He also earned a Certificate in Biomedical Ethics in 2017. He completed a residency in Ambulatory Care at the Southeast Idaho VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in 2003 and worked as a prn community pharmacist for over 15 years and a clinical pharmacist at Health West in Pocatello.
For over 20 years, he has taught and published on professionalism, ethics, evidence-based integrative health, and population health topics. He has lectured on clinical topics as well as health care ethics at Idaho State University since 2003 and has been part of the interprofessional curriculum task force with the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine since 2020. Dr. Owens has served as president of the Healthcare Ethics Special Interest Group (SIG) for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and is passionate about advancing interprofessional education, working collaboratively to promote evidence-based patient care and population health, and preparing an appropriately-trained healthcare workforce for rural settings and underserved populations.
Cathy Oliphant, PharmD
Professor Infectious Disease, Opioid Abuse, Internal Medicine
Office: M 726
Dr. Oliphant is a Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences and Professor at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. She earned her PharmD degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She completed a residency and infectious diseases/microbiology fellowship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to joining the faculty at ISU College of Pharmacy in 2003, Dr. Oliphant taught for seven years at the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy.
Dr. Oliphant maintains a practice site at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Boise and Meridian. She works with the St. Luke's Internal Medicine physicians and hospitalists in addition to the infectious disease physicians. Dr. Oliphant precepts students on medicine, infectious diseases, and academic APPEs. She teaches in all four years of the program. Dr. Oliphant co-coordinates the Infectious Disease Module in the P3 year and the Residency Readiness course. She also facilitates P2 and P3 case studies. Dr. Oliphant is the Rho Chi and Generation Rx advisor. Her research interests include infectious diseases and prescription drug abuse issues.
Dr. Oliphant has been selected as Teacher of the Year and Most Influential Professor by 4th year Doctor of Pharmacy students.
Associate Professors
Jen Adams, PharmD, EdD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, Pharmacy Law
Office: M757
Jennifer Adams, PharmD, EdD, a graduate of Boise State University, Idaho State University, and The George Washington University is currently employed as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Idaho State University, providing oversight for the PharmD curriculum, experiential education, interprofessional education, and assessment.
Her previous experience includes working in hospital and community pharmacy settings and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) with student pharmacists, helping them to develop as professionals and leaders in the pharmacy profession. Dr. Adams's experience at APhA includes developing and managing several national patient care programs, as well as the National Patient Counseling Competition. Dr. Adams also served for nearly 10 years as the Senior Student Affairs Advisor at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, providing leadership and oversight for association national student affairs activities including PharmCAS, PCAT, the Pharmacy Career Information Council, and student recruitment.
She has received national awards in recognition of her leadership skills and is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, Phi Lambda Sigma - the pharmacy leadership society, the Idaho Society of Health System Pharmacists, and the Idaho State Pharmacists Association.
John Holmes, PharmD, BCPS
Associate Professor
Health Outcomes, Quality Improvement, Practice-Based Research
Office: FAM MED B29
Dr. Holmes is an Assistant Research Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Family Medicine at Idaho State University. Dr. Holmes graduated form Idaho State University in 2007 with his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. He completed a one-year ambulatory care residency in 2008 at the Veterans Affairs Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Pocatello, Idaho. He then completed a one-year Pharmacotherapy Residency at Pocatello Family Medicine and a two-year Clinical Research Fellowship at the Idaho State University Department of Family Medicine. He is currently working towards a Master of Public Health degree.
Dr. Holmes has served as a sub-investigator on several industry and National Institutes of Health sponsored studies conducted at the ISU Family Medicine Clinical Research Center. His research interests include pharmacoepidemiology, quality improvement, and access to healthcare for rural residents. Dr. Holmes provides clinical pharmacy and quality improvement support to the Health West ISU clinic, a training site for medical and pharmacy residents at Idaho State University. He teaches and mentors family medicine and pharmacotherapy residents, physician assistant students and pharmacy students on a broad spectrum of pharmacotherapy and quality improvement topics.
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Elaine Nguyen, PharmD, MPH, MBA, BCACP
Associate Professor
Health Outcomes Research, Quality Improvement, Ambulatory Care
Office: M 751
Dr. Nguyen joined Idaho State University (SU) L.S. Skaggs College of Pharmacy in 2017. She works to optimize healthcare delivery, especially for rural and underserved populations. She is particularly interested in pharmacy practice, evidence-based diabetes services, and immunizations.
Dr. Nguyen graduated from the University of Iowa with her Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Public Health degrees. She has completed a two-year ambulatory care residency at the Boise VA Medical Center and a two-year health economics and outcomes research fellowship at the University of Connecticut/Hartford Hospital. She is board certified in ambulatory care, and continues to practice at the Boise VA Medical Center.
At ISU, she co-coordinates PHAR942 Fundamentals of Pharmacy Practice and Literature Evaluation in the spring of P1 year. She also offers elective independent study opportunities and introductory and advanced rotations in academia and research.
Youssef Roman, PharmD, PhD
Associate Professor
Office: M
Dr. Roman is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences at Idaho State University, College of Pharmacy. Before joining Idaho State University, Dr. Roman was a clinical pharmacology and genomics reviewer at the Division of Translational and Precision Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Roman’s academic research has focused on conducting community-based genetic and pharmacogenetic research in underrepresented population subgroups. Specifically, Dr. Roman’s work included the pharmacogenetics of allopurinol in the Hmong and the pharmacogenetics of major cardiovascular drugs in different Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander subgroups. Dr. Roman was the Principal Investigator on the genetics and pharmacogenetics of cardiometabolic disorders study in Filipino Americans. Dr. Roman’s scientific research interests include genomics and health disparities, the association between uric acid levels and cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, minority population genetics, and the genetic epidemiology of cardiometabolic disorders.
Dr. Roman is a recipient of multiple NIH training awards and internal and NIH funding. Dr. Roman received his PharmD from Oregon State University College of Pharmacy and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.
A list of recent publications can be found here.
Tom Wadsworth, PharmD, BCPS
Dean Internal Medicine, Obesity, Diabetes, Community Pharmacy Practice
Office: BTC 120L
Dr. Wadsworth is the Dean for the College of Pharmacy and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences. He previously served as Assistant Dean for Alaska programs at Idaho State University. Dr. Wadsworth earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from ISU in 2002 and completed an ASHP accredited Primary Care Pharmacy Specialty Residency at the Boise VA Medical Center in 2007.
Prior to residency, Dr. Wadsworth served 4 years as a Clinical Pharmacist at the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. He is a registered pharmacist in Idaho and Alaska and has significant experience in primary care, community pharmacy, and home infusion pharmacy. Dr. Wadsworth is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and served as an Primary Care Clinical Pharmacist at St. Luke's Internal Medicine in Boise, Idaho for 9 years.
Dr. Wadsworth has a variety of research interests including obesity, diabetes, statin myopathy, QT-prolonging medications, and quality outcomes in medication management. More recently, Dr. Wadsworth has been integral to the development and implementation of the Doctor of Pharmacy program with the University of Alaska Anchorage in Anchorage Alaska and serves as the administrative officer at the Anchorage campus. Dr. Wadsworth is also the principle investigator of the SETMuPP demonstration initiative, which seeks to mobilize community and primary care pharmacists to address the current gap in preventative and health management services available to Alaskans with diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.
Clinical Associate Professors
Brooke Buffat, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Associate Professor, Director of Interprofessional Education Ambulatory Care, Chronic Disease Management
Glenda Carr, PharmD
Clinical Associate Professor
Family Practice, Diabetes, Anticoagulation, Hypertension, Hepatitis C
Office: M 727
Dr. Carr joined the ISU College of Pharmacy faculty in the fall of 2002. She graduated from the University of Montana with a bachelor's degree in pharmacy in December 1999 and completed her Pharm.D. in May 2000. Throughout pharmacy school, she was active in the Academy of Students of Pharmacy on a local, regional and national level. She also held many positions on a local level for Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity. After graduation, she completed a general practice residency at the VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems. There, she gained experience in ambulatory care, internal medicine, cardiology, geriatrics, pharmacy administration and spent time at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. During her residency, she completed the Lipid Training Center for Health Care Professionals sponsored by the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy. She continued her post graduate training at the William S. Middleton Veteran's Memorial Hospital in Madison, Wis. As a primary care pharmacy resident. While there, she gained much experience in chronic disease state management, including hypertension, diabetes, anticoagulation therapy, hyperlipdemia, rheumatology and pain management. Her residency project was titled "NSAID induced GI ulcers: risk factors in a VA population." Carr is currently working at the Terry Reilly Health Services in Nampa, Idaho. There, she began a anticoagulation service and is working on collaborative practice agreements for hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism and hyperlipidemia. Carr is a member of ASHP and ACCP.
Roger Hefflinger, PharmD
Clinical Associate Professor
Adult Medicine, Ambulatory Care, Airway Disorders, Infectious Disease, Pain & Chronic Disease Management
Office: M 714B
Upon receiving his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nebraska in 1986 Dr. Hefflinger completed a Clinical Pharmacy Residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In 1987, he accepted a clinical assistant professor position with Idaho State University. Initially, his service commitment was to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center with an emphasis area in nutritional support and intensive care medicine. In 1991, Dr. Hefflinger switched his service commitment to Family Practice Medical Center of Idaho, Inc. and has spent the last 9 years assisting with physician training and education in in-patient and ambulatory care environments. His areas of interest include asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management, pain management, infectious disease, and the appropriate usage of medications for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and arthritis.
Nathan Spann, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Associate Professor
Office: M 753
Nate Spann is a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy in Meridian. He joined the department in September of 2019, a short time after completing a dual community / academic PGY1 residency. He is a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.
Nate was born and raised in Idaho and took a circuitous path to pharmacy, first studying humanities and social sciences at Boise State University. Before becoming a pharmacist, he experienced the joys of being a busser/host, cashier, thrift store furniture pricer, fire & security dispatcher, telemarketer, tutor, in-home health provider and social worker, to name a few. While many of these callings were fulfilling, none have topped being a pharmacist.
He practices in am care and his favorite topics to teach (and manage in clinic) include COPD, smoking cessation, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Nate has years of experience in non-dispensing clinical settings and has worked extensively to develop and implement prescribing services in a community/retail setting. His scholarly interests include traditional community pharmacy topics, population health (vaccination efforts) and pharmacy education.
Clinical Assistant Professors
Erin Berry, PharmD
Clinical Assistant Professor
Office: EIRMC, 3100 Channing Way, Idaho Falls, ID 83404
Dr. Berry is a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist who maintains an active clinical practice site in adult internal medicine. Her clinical areas of interest include Alcohol Associated Liver Disease, inpatient blood glucose management, infectious disease, and quality improvement initiatives that improve patient care. Working alongside hospitalist teams, Dr. Berry sees and manages the pharmacotherapy for an average of 20 patients per day. Additionally, she is involved in medical resident education for the internal medicine, family medicine, and psychiatry residency programs at her practice site. She is also heavily involved in pharmacy residency education and training, functioning as both the internal medicine preceptor and residency program coordinator at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Dr. Berry precepts several APPE students per year and is passionate about teaching pharmacy students how to integrate and apply the principles taught in didactic education. Her academic interests include curriculum development and optimization, generational learning styles, and preceptor development.
Jordan Ferro, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Office: Family Medicine 115
Jordan Ferro, PharmD, BCPS, is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Pharmacy Practice. He earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the Idaho State University College of Pharmacy in 2016. After completing his degree, he pursued a two-year Pharmacotherapy Residency with the Idaho State University Department of Family Medicine and College of Pharmacy. Dr. Ferro joined the ISU faculty in 2018. He maintains his Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy and has clinical experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He currently practices Adult Inpatient Medicine at Portneuf Medical Center, affiliated with the ISU Department of Family Medicine. Previously, he spent five years providing Ambulatory Care pharmacy services and education with the ISU Department of Family Medicine at Health West ISU. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ferro serves as the Residency Program Director for the Combined PGY1/PGY2 Pharmacotherapy Residency Program, working closely with both the Family Medicine and Pharmacy Practice departments. His professional interests include interdisciplinary education and training, infectious diseases, endocrinology, cardiovascular disease, and quality improvement.
Laura Lampasone, PharmD, BCPS
Clinical Assistant Professor
Office: Alaska
Kasidy McKay, PharmD, BCPS
Chair of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences, Clinical Assistant Professor
Adult Internal Medicine
Office: BTC 115F
Jordin Millward, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES
Clinical Assistant Professor
Jordin Millward is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. She also serves as the Primary Care Section Lead for the Director of the Center for Advancing Pharmacy Practice and Research Excellence. She is board-certified in pharmacotherapy and is also a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health degree to further explore the role of the pharmacist within public health initiatives.
Dr. Millward graduated from Idaho State University College of Pharmacy in 2019 and completed a PGY1/PGY2 combined Pharmacotherapy Residency at Idaho State University in 2021, gaining diverse experience in inpatient, outpatient, managed care, and community-based settings. She also has extensive experience in the retail pharmacy sector. She currently works in several primary care clinics with the Patient Quality Alliance in Pocatello, where she takes students on rotation. Her clinical practice focuses on chronic disease management, particularly diabetes care and education.
Her research interests include pharmacist-led chronic disease management, practice advancement, population health, and technology-based healthcare solutions. Dr. Millward coordinates the Endocrine Module in the PharmD program, facilitates case studies, and mentors students in advanced pharmacy practice experiences.
Brandy Seignemartin, PharmD
Executive Director of the Alaska Pharmacists Association and Clinical Assistant Professor at the UAA ISU Doctor of Pharmacy Program
Office: PSB 105B
Brandy Seignemartin, PharmD, Executive Director of the Alaska Pharmacists Association and Clinical Assistant Professor at the UAA ISU Doctor of Pharmacy Program, has a longstanding commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession. A graduate of the Washington State University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Seignemartin's passion for advocacy took root during her time as a student pharmacist, where she successfully led the passage of legislation in the Washington State legislature allowing interprofessional precepting between nursing, pharmacy, and medicine.
Since then, Dr. Seignemartin has continued to be a trailblazer in the field, playing a pivotal role in passing HB 226, addressing PBM regulations, and HB 145, which grants provider status to pharmacists in Alaska. She has also led regulatory reforms to expand pharmacist DEA registrations and support collaborative practice agreements.
In her academic role, Dr. Seignemartin is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of pharmacists, receiving the Most Influential Faculty Award in 2024 for her impactful teaching and mentorship. Her innovative approach to pharmacy education and dedication to student success is consistently recognized in her evaluations.
Dr. Seignemartin is also a leader in public health initiatives, working to enhance vaccination capacity and address healthcare disparities in underserved communities. Collaborating with the University of Alaska Anchorage and Idaho State University, she spearheads efforts to expand immunization access through mobile vaccine clinics and partnerships with brick-and-mortar pharmacies in rural areas.
Through her leadership, advocacy, and educational contributions, Dr. Seignemartin continues to shape the future of pharmacy and healthcare, championing the critical role pharmacists play in patient care.
Lecturer
Coleman Cutchins, PharmD
Lecturer
Office: Alaska
Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professors
Marvin Schulte, PhD
Department Chair of BPSCI, Professor Fundamentals of Pharmacology, CNS and ANS Pharmacology, General Biochemistry, Advanced Protein Structure and Function, Membrane Biophysics
Office: BTC 113A
Marvin Schulte is Chair and a Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. He earned his B.S. degree at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN in the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Schulte has held faculty positions at several universities including Louisiana State University College of Pharmacy, Monroe, LA; The University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK; and University of the Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA. He was department chair for 5 years at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy prior to joining the faculty at the ISU College of Pharmacy.
Schulte has published numerous peer-reviewed publications and has received NIH, NSF and American Heart Association funding for his research focused on the structure and function of ligand gated ion channel receptors. Specific areas of interest include nicotinic receptor modulation, serotonin type 3 receptors in depression, development of new strategies for the treatment of clinical rabies, new drug development for obsessive-compulsive disorders, and other related areas. Dr. Schulte’s laboratory provides training and research experiences to students at all academic levels including high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral.
Associate Professors
Ali Habashi, PharmD, PhD
Associate Professor
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacokinetics
Office: Eames Complex
I am interested in exploring the concept of drug-disease interaction, and studying the effect of inflammation, in particular, on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) at enzyme, peptide, and receptor levels in order to fully understand the underlying mechanisms. In different inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, diabetes, mental disorders, and Alzheimer disease, patient’s quality of life has been be affected by the deleterious impact of inflammation. Due to extensive involvement of the RAS in the systemic and local regulatory function of different organs and the significant impact of inflammation on the activation of the RAS, the association of the RAS in different pathological conditions has been reported. The RAS consists of two counteracting arms: tissue protective and tissue toxic. Manipulation of the RAS through augmentation of its tissue protective arm by delivering of its peptide homologs seems promising. Peptides have gained increased interest as biological therapeutics during recent years. However, the clinical application of these agents is still limited due to drug delivery challenges. As a pharmaceutical formulation scientist, I have set focuses of my lab on exploring innovative targeted drug delivery systems for effective, safe, and noninvasive delivery of these therapeutic agents for aiming at several serious inflammatory conditions that RAS involved in their pathology.
My interests include: Basic Pharmacokinetics and Pharmaceutical calculations, Pharmacotherapy, Current Topics in Pharmaceutics and Drug delivery, Principles of Biopharmaceutical Analysis, Responsible Conduct in Research, Physiochemical Basis of Drug Action, Critical Literature Evaluation
Dong Xu, PhD
Associate Professor, Director of BPSCI Graduate Programs and Admissions
Drug Discovery, Drug Toxicity, Pharmacology, Biomedical Informatics
Office: M 752
Xu Research Lab Website: http://www.dxulab.org/
The overarching goal of Xu Drug Discovery Lab is to address unmet medical and health science needs using state-of-the-art computational and experimental technologies.
Specific research areas are:
- Drug Discovery (Computer-Accelerated Drug Repurposing and Screening);
- Drug-Induced Toxicity Prediction and Prevention;
- Web-Based and Cloud BioComputing Software Development.
Assistant Professors
Jesse Jones, PharmD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biological Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Protein Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology
Dr. Jones earned a B.S. degree from Boise State University (Boise, ID), a Pharm.D. from Idaho State University (Meridian, ID), and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis, TN). He completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at University of Michigan School of Medicine (Ann Arbor, MI) in Biomedical Engineering and Biological Chemistry.
Dr. Jones’ research program focuses on the development of targeted therapeutics and includes an interdisciplinary approach spanning biological chemistry, drug discovery, molecular pharmaceutics, and synthetic biology. Dr. Jones employs a multi-faceted approach, using classical drug discovery methods to characterize and validate specific enzymes, such as bacterial topoisomerase I, as well as structural proteins, such as herpes virus capsid proteins, to develop targeted, narrow-spectrum antimicrobial therapeutics. Dr. Jones also employs advanced synthetic biology methods including the discovery, characterization, and advanced engineering of protein nanocompartments, such as bacterial encapsulins and viral capsids, to develop targeted drug, nanoreactor, and living therapeutic delivery platforms.
Srinath Pashikanti, PhD
Assistant Professor
Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry, Protein Biochemistry, Bioanalytical Chemistry
Office: Eames Complex
Dr. Pashikanti has an MS degree in Chemistry & Biochemistry from South Dakota State University, an MS and Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from The University of Kansas. Pashikanti Lab utilizes organic chemistry towards synthesis of cell permeable medicinally active analogs. Our current efforts are aimed to develop, synthesize and screen small molecules in targeting ceramide metabolizing enzymes. Ceramide is a bioactive sphingolipid that exhibits anticancer properties in cancer cells. Strategies aimed at increasing the cellular ceramide induce apoptosis in cancer cells. To complement our synthetic efforts, we utilize tools for protein biochemistry to perform in vitro experiments and cell-based assays in determining the biological activity of these analogs in a structure-activity relationship model.
He is an assistant professor in the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department. He is actively involved in mentoring graduate and professional pharmacy students. His didactics include Principles of Drug Design and Drug Action, Physicochemical Basis of Drug Action, Principles of Biopharmaceutical Analysis, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Dissertation Research, Thesis Research, Independent Problems in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Science Research.
Solomon Tadesse Zeleke, BPharm, MSc, PhD
Assistant Professor
Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery and Development, Ethnopharmacology
Office: Eames Complex 86C
Dr Solomon Zeleke is a graduate of the University of South Australia with a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry. He
has offered mentorship and conducted research that spans multiple continents, including the USA, Australia,
Africa, and Europe. Dr Solomon’s medicinal chemistry research program investigates the discovery and
development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). He has identified novel
clinical stage CDK4-, CDK4/6-, and CDK12-selective inhibitors as candidate therapeutics for cancer. He is
particularly interested in understanding protein structural attributes that might lead to the design and synthesis
of selective inhibitors, and his current efforts are focused on discovering novel CDK-selective inhibitors and
degraders.
Research Assistant Professor
Assistant Research Professor
Kumari Kavita Sharma
Assistant Research Professor
Office: Eames Complex
Clinical Psychopharmacology Program
Professors
Mark Austin
Professor
Dr. Austin’s research has focused on the molecular neurochemistry of the serotonin system in major depressive disorder. During his career it become evident that major depression is a very heterogeneous disorder that is associated with a high rate of other serious medical comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes, obesity and repetitive concussion syndrome. Dr. Austin has begun to develop a broader research program that has expanded and evolved into investigating epigenetic, developmental, cytoskeletal and signal transduction mechanisms underlying depression, chronic stress, obesity and repetitive traumatic brain injury. His research projects involve a multi-disciplinary approach that encompasses neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, biochemistry, and molecular biology disciplines and utilize a variety biochemical and molecular biological techniques as well as in vitro cell culture and in vivo small rodent models.
Dr. Austin is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University. He earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Washington State University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular and behavioral neuroscience at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, MD.
Clinical Associate Professors
Patrick Bartos
Clinical Associate Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Dr. Patrick Bartos is a Clinical Associate Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology at the Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from Kenyon College, a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University, and an M.S. in Clinical Psychopharmacology from ISU.
With over two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Bartos has worked in various settings, including college counseling centers, primary care, and private practice in Portland, Oregon. In addition to his clinical work, he has provided clinical supervision at Reed College and the University of Portland’s student health centers. He has also taught at the graduate level at Boise State University and Idaho State University.
As the newest addition to the faculty of ISU’s Clinical Psychopharmacology program, Dr. Bartos will be involved in teaching, supervising clinical training, and offering clinical services as a provisional prescribing psychologist at the Integrated Mental Health Clinic in Meridian. His professional interests include the integration of psychopharmacology and psychotherapy, teaching and mentorship, and mindfulness-based practices. In his free time, Dr. Bartos enjoys trail running and looks forward to exploring the Boise Foothills.
Eric Silk
Department Chair of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Clinical Associate Professor
Office: M 729
Dr. Silk is the Chair of the Clinical Psychopharmacology Program and a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. Dr. Silk has an extensive history of experience in psychopharmacology and assessment of psychological, neuropsychological, and substance use disorders.
Dr. Silk earned a B.S. in psychology from Michigan State University. He completed a M.A. in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He then worked as a Research Coordinator at the Substance Use Research Center at the New York State Psychiatric Institute affiliated with the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. His Ph.D. is in Clinical Psychology with a Specialization in Neuropsychology from Nova Southeastern University. He also completed a post-doc M.S. in psychopharmacology at Nova Southeastern.
Dr. Silk’s career path led him to Wyoming, where he continued to teach, developed a psychological practice, and pursued leadership in the Wyoming Psychological Association. He was an associate professor of psychology at Northwest College and is currently an Assistant Lecturer at University of Wyoming and University of Idaho. He was the president of the Wyoming Psychological Association from 2017-2018. Dr. Silk is a licensed clinical psychologist in Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho.
G. Lucy Wilkening
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Wilkening is a Clinical Associate Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology in the College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. She also provides mental health management services in the ISU Integrated Mental Health clinic. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Southwestern Oklahoma State University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Wilkening completed an ASHP-accredited pharmacy practice residency, and graduated as Resident of Distinction from the psychiatric pharmacy specialty residency at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Wilkening is an active member of the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), and serves as an editor for AAPP’s peer-reviewed publication, the Mental Health Clinician. She is also active in AAPP's Government Affairs committee. Her other professional affiliations include the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, Phi Delta Chi, and the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society.
Dr. Wilkening’s research interests include: innovative, integrated approaches to treating mental illness, impacts of teaching strategies on student interactions with patients with mental illness, and integration of prescribing psychologists into primary care services.
Staff
Gail Burget
Administrative Assistant II - Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences Department
Office: BTC 114
Stormi Essman
Administrative Assistant II, Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences
Office: BTC 116K
Shari Halcomb
Administrative Assistant I, Office of Academic Affairs
Office: MER 756
Amanda Hart, BA
Director of Engagement and Events
Office: BTC 120E
(208) 282-4482
Linda Jackson, MCoun, MS
Pre-pharmacy Coordinator, Pre-pharmacy Advising and Admissions
Office: BTC 116H
Ronda Mahl
Administrative Assistant II & Pre-Pharmacy Advisor for Student Affairs
Office: BTC 116J
Jeff Parkinson, BS
Information Technology Systems Manager
Office: BTC 120J
Janet Renk
Administrative Assistant II for Academic Affairs
Office: MER 756
Mara Seignemartin
Alaska Programs Coordinator
Office: 3211 Providence Dr., PSB 111 Anchorage, AK 99508
Ryan Stafford
Technology Support Manager for Alaska Programs
Office: PSB 108
Mailing: 3211 Providence Drive, PSB 108
Physical: 2533 Providence Drive, #108
Anchorage, AK 99508
Cynthia Tillotson, MPA, DA
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
Office: BTC 115M
(208) 282-4482
Residents
Harrison Hoskins
1st Year Pharmacotherapy Resident
Office: Family Medicine
Adjunct/Affiliate Faculty
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Michelle Barcelon, PharmD, BCPS
General Medicine Pharmacy Clinical Specialist
Office: OFFSITE
Bhuvanesh Dave, PhD
Allied Faculty, BPSCI Drug Discovery, Cancer Research
Office: J212 (JLABS Houston)
The goal of Spanios under the guidance of Dr. Dave is to address the unmet need of model systems in rare cancer research. Cancer is a collection of related diseases in which some of the body’s cells begin to divide uncontrollably and spread into surrounding tissues. There are 200 distinct types of cancers 186 of which are categorized as rare cancers. At any given time, of the total number of people suffering from cancer, half of them are battling some type of rare cancer. Twenty percent of all adult tumors, and all hematologic cancers are rare. All pediatric cancers are rare and second leading cause of death in children in the US. Rare cancers are a leading cause of death globally.
We utilize patient derived organoid model systems and test experimental as well as repositioned drugs using for cancer. We use molecular biology, microscopy, and pathway analysis to decipher our results.
Specific research areas are:
- Drug Discovery (Sarcoma Research)
- Immunocompetent Organoid Development in Rare Cancers.
- Development of 3D models with physiological blood supply.
Bob Furilla, PhD
Professor, WWAMI School of Medical Education
Human Physiology
Office: PSB 113
Dr. Furilla received a Master’s degree from The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and his PhD from the University of British Columbia (UBC). He was on Faculty at New Mexico State University, and at the University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine (UPR). Dr. Furilla retired from UPR and came to Anchorage to join his wife who is currently Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). In 2010, he accepted the position as Interim Director of the WWAMI program until he stepped down in 2012. He continues teaching medical students in the WWAMI program and Physiology for Pharmacy students For Idaho State University (ISU)
Noah Harper
Associate Laboratory Manager, Bioskills Lab Supervisor
Noah Harper is the Supervisor of the Bioskills Laboratory and has been integral in its development. He is actively engaging groups both locally and nationally to foster the success of this unique enterprise. In his position as the Associate Laboratory Manager, Noah assists in the supervision of the Gross Anatomy Laboratory, including training and oversight of Lab Technicians and Interns.
Noah joined the Treasure Valley Anatomy & Physiology Laboratories as a Laboratory Specialist in August, 2015 and was promoted to Bioskills Supervisor and Associate Laboratory Manager in July, 2016. He received his training in the anatomical sciences at the University of Utah and began teaching anatomical sciences in 2007. Noah is an active member of the American Association of Anatomists and has served on the Public Affairs and Strategic Planning Committees. As an outdoor enthusiast, Noah spends his free time exploring the mountains and river canyons surrounding the Treasure Valley and beyond.
Robert Mancini, PharmD, BCOP
BMT Pharmacy Program Coordinator, PGY2 Residency Program Director, St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute
Oncology Pharmacy
Office: OFFSITE
Aoxiang "Oliver" Tao, BPharm, PhD
Allied Faculty
Applications Scientist
SilcsBio LLC Baltimore, MD
Dr. Tao is currently an Applications Scientist in Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) at SilcsBio LLC. He has contributed to the development of Grand-Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation in the Site Identification by Ligand Competitive Saturation (SILCS) methodology. Dr. Tao has broad interests in computer programming for scientific computation, User Interface (UI) design and development for professional CADD software, and improvement of User Experience (UX) for scientific researchers. He has also collaborated with pharmaceutical and biotech companies on the rational design of small molecule drugs and antibodies.
Dr. Tao received a BS degree in Pharmacy from Xiangtan University, China and completed his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science at Idaho State University College of Pharmacy in 2020.
Emeritus Faculty
Barbara A. Adamcik
Professor Emerita
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1985-2013
Catherine Cashmore
Professor Emerita
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1989-2017
Vaughn L. Culbertson
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1989-2019
Christopher K. Daniels
Professor Emeritus
Department: Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dates of Service: 1988-2012
Robin A. Dodson
Professor Emeritus
Department: Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dates of Service: 1986-1996, 2001-2019
Paul Cady
Professor Emeritus Department: Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences Dates of Service: 1990-2021
Kerry Casperson
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice and Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1982-2021
John Erramouspe
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1985-2018
L. Judy Fontenelle
Professor Emerita
Department: Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dates of Service: 1985-1998
Virginia Galizia
Professor Emerita
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1996-2002
Teddie Gould
Professor Emerita
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1981-2017
Timothy Hunt
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 2004-2014
Stephen C. Hurley
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1976-2006
Sandra G. Jue
Professor Emerita
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1973-2012
James Lai
Professor Emeritus
Department: Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dates of Service: 1991-2020
Rex Lott
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1997-2016
William T. Sharp
Professor Emeritus
Department: Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences
Dates of Service: 1975-2000
