College of Pharmacy News Archive

The 2026 Texas Pharmacy Alumni Awards celebrate four graduates whose careers reflect the many paths a Texas Pharmacy education can inspire. Rachel S. Britt, Pharm.D., BCIDP; Tyler J. Varisco, Pharm.D., Ph.D.; Cheryl Beal Anderson, Pharm.D., MBA; and Ken Lawson, Ph.D., have each made meaningful contributions through practice, research, leadership, education and service while staying connected to the Texas Pharmacy community.

Hugh D. C. Smyth, Ph.D., has been named the 2026 William M. Heller Mentor of the Year by the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education. The national honor recognizes his commitment to guiding and empowering the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists through mentorship, research and education.

Research Assistant Professor of Health Outcomes Jiebing Wen, Ph.D. talked to Health Affairs Publishing's Rob Lott on A Health Podyssey Podcast about her recent paper exploring how hospice acquisitions by investor-owned firms were associated with lower care staffing intensity and fewer patient visit minutes.

Published in Nature Mental Health, Texas Pharmacy researchers review pharmacists’ current contributions to psychiatric care in the United States and explains how their expertise positions them to have a key role in the safe, effective delivery of psychedelic therapies.

Emily Hilz, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology's Gore Lab, was named a Phase 3 winner of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Innovator Award Competition. Dr. Hilz developed Endoscreen, an app designed to help users identify endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in commonly used beauty products and better understand their potential exposure.

Five consecutive presidents of the Texas Pharmacy Association share a common connection: they're all alumni of the UT Austin College of Pharmacy. Their stories reflect a legacy of leadership shaped by mentorship, service and a shared commitment to advancing the pharmacy profession across Texas.

The Pharm.D. Class of 2030 is bringing curiosity, compassion and big ambitions to UT Austin College of Pharmacy. From future clinicians, researchers and advocates to marathon runners, coffee shop explorers and even a pet snake owner, meet a few of the students behind the white coats and discover where they hope pharmacy will take them.

UT Austin College of Pharmacy Ph.D. student Ayobami Aiyeolemi is exploring how stigma impacts individuals living with sickle cell disease and developing new ways to measure its effects on health outcomes. His research was recently highlighted by the PhRMA Foundation as part of its Researcher Spotlight series.

Clinical faculty often balance patient care, teaching, scholarship and service, all while navigating the demands of academia. The Texas Two-Step: Practicing With Purpose Seminar equips faculty with practical tools, meaningful connections and strategies to thrive in both academic and practice settings.

Texas Pharmacy Assistant Professor Ilias Georgakopoulos-Soares, Ph.D., has received a Texas Global Faculty Travel Planning Grant to establish a new research partnership with scientists in Chile. The collaboration will explore genomics, RNA splicing and gene regulation, creating new opportunities for international research and discovery. Read more via Texas Global.