May 7, 2026

We have some exciting news… the newest issue of RhodyRx is here!

We designed this issue around one simple idea: every discovery starts with a question. And if you’re a part of URI College of Pharmacy, you know that’s where everything begins. We want our students to be curious enough to ask what’s next and willing to go after the answers.

Inside, you’ll see how our students and faculty are working side by side to take on some of today’s biggest health challenges. From Alzheimer’s and cancer to infectious disease, environmental health, and artificial intelligence, this is research that’s shaping the future of care in real time.

The best part is who’s behind some of that work. It’s important to us that our students aren’t just sitting in lectures. We want to see them in the lab, contributing to real discoveries, asking their own questions, and starting to understand the impact they can have long before they graduate. You can see that in action in this issue of RhodyRx.

We often say college isn’t just about preparing for a career, and this is a tangible way to see that. It’s about becoming part of something bigger. Here, you’re part of a community driven by curiosity, collaboration, and a shared goal of improving lives.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to learn by doing, this is it.

  • Expanding the Impact of Cancer Innovation - Expanding the Impact of Cancer Innovation Ami Vyas studies how access, affordability and real-world use influence cancer outcomes Over the past two decades, advances in cancer biology have transformed how many cancers are treated. Breakthroughs in targeted therapies and immunotherapies have opened new possibilities, allowing physicians to harness the body’s immune system to attack cancer […]
  • Expanding Overdose Response Through Community Training and Access - The Community First Responder Program (CFRP) is a community-based public health initiative developed through the College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island to address the ongoing opioid overdose crisis through education, training, and the distribution of naloxone. The program delivers scalable, low-barrier overdose-response education through brief online modules, live seminars, and continuing education […]
  • Expanding Global Partnerships from Kingston to Seoul - At the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, research and education extend far beyond campus, reaching across borders to build partnerships that strengthen discovery and expand opportunity. A recent university delegation to Seoul, South Korea, highlighted URI’s long-standing global engagement and commitment to growing international collaborations. The visit brought together alumni, academic partners, industry […]
  • Environment, Aging, and the Brain - At the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy and the George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, Associate Professor Jaime Ross and Research Assistant Professor Giuseppe Coppotelli are investigating two of the most pressing questions in brain health today: how cellular energy systems influence aging and how environmental toxins may accelerate neurodegenerative disease. Their […]
  • Clearing the Path to Brain Health - University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy professors and George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience faculty members William Van Nostrand and Joseph Schrader are uncovering how vascular and protein biology drive neurodegenerative disease. Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias affect millions of people worldwide and remain among the most urgent challenges in biomedical research. While […]
  • Advancing Precision Therapies for Drug-Resistant Infections - Multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and Acinetobacter baumannii, are among the most difficult pathogens to treat and are considered urgent global health threats. At the University of Rhode Island, Tom Lavoie, Pharm.D., assistant professor, is working to improve how these infections are treated by identifying the most effective antimicrobial regimens and optimizing how they […]
  • A Message from the Dean - A Message from the Dean At the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, we believe that when passionate people come together around a shared purpose, they can change the future of health care. Every day across our labs, clinics, and classrooms, our faculty and students are working to tackle some of the most pressing […]
  • 125 Years of Pharmacy Education and Innovation (1902–2027) - For 125 years, the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy has prepared pharmacists, scientists, and health care leaders dedicated to improving human health. Today, the college is nationally recognized for its education and research, but its origins trace back to a small group of Rhode Island pharmacists who believed their profession needed stronger scientific […]
  • Virtual Reality Lab Inspires the Next Generation of Scientists - Through a new virtual reality lab and hands-on research experiences, scientists at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy are introducing high school students across the state to biomedical research and natural product discovery. The program, called Hands on Education and Research for Biomedical and Analytical Learning (HERBAL), is supported by a $1.35 million […]
  • “Rhody Phage Cocktail” Aims to Help Control Superbugs - The discovery of antibiotics transformed modern medicine, turning once-deadly infections into treatable conditions and saving millions of lives. But decades of overuse and misuse have accelerated antibiotic resistance, allowing certain bacteria to evolve into dangerous “superbugs” that evade even our most powerful drugs.  As multidrug-resistant infections become increasingly difficult to treat, researchers are urgently working […]