News

Uhomba named 2025 ACCP-ASHP-VCU Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow

May 16, 2025

"This fellowship offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive change at the intersection of health care and policy," Dr. Uhomba shared. "I believe that through this platform, I can create lasting reforms that impact health care access and equity across the nation."

Michael Hindle, Ph.D., left, and Worth Longest, Ph.D., right, in the aerosol research lab on VCU’s MCV Campus. The longtime collaborators are developing a hand-actuated dry powder inhaler to deliver aerosolized surfactant noninvasively to premature infants.

VCU inventors take a big step toward lifesaving therapy for premature infants in respiratory distress

May 16, 2025

The simple-to-use powder inhaler from Michael Hindle and Worth Longest shows strong test results and moves closer to market.

Silas Contaifer will earn his doctorate this spring in pharmaceutical sciences with a concentration in pharmacotherapy. (Contributed photo)

Class of 2025: Pharmaceutical sciences student from Brazil brings high-tech touch to health care projects

May 1, 2025

Silas Contaifer, who will earn his doctorate this spring, has built 3D simulation tools that use virtual reality to enhance education and training.

Sunny Makwana plans to focus his doctoral research on respiratory pharmaceutics, including how inhaled medication affects the lungs and body. (Mary Kate Brogan, School of Pharmacy)

Class of 2025: Sunny Makwana emerges from his shell in the School of Pharmacy

April 18, 2025

In a dual-degree program, the first-generation student from a small town embraces leadership roles.

A research team led by Virginia Commonwealth University and Columbia University has gained novel insights into a protein suspected to be involved in benzodiazepine-related inflammation. (Getty Images)

Researchers may have solved decades-old mystery behind benzodiazepine side effects

April 14, 2025

Identifying a key protein’s role could improve the common mental health medications and point to new treatments for inflammation-related diseases, VCU medicinal chemist Youzhong Guo says.

(Left to right) Burnside Watstein Award winners Aurora Higgs, Nicole Killian and Gray Scott. (Contributed)

19th annual Burnside Watstein Awards highlight community empowerment

April 3, 2025

At a ceremony celebrating this year’s award honorees, the keynote speaker says ‘to go forward fully and freely and fiercely in the fullness of who we are.’

Students in the new accelerated B.S. and Pharm.D. program can complete their required bachelor’s courses in their first three years to get a jump on the Doctor of Pharmacy program at VCU School of Pharmacy. (School of Pharmacy)

New VCU accelerated program will allow students to earn bachelor’s and Pharm.D. degrees in 7 years

March 19, 2025

The accelerated B.S. and Pharm.D. program, which starts in the fall, will help graduate more qualified pharmacy professionals sooner and reduce students’ potential debt.

Ellis appointed Director of B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program

March 18, 2025

After serving as interim director since August, Keith C. Ellis, Ph.D., began his role as the Director of the B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program, effective March 17.

Qingguo Xu, Ph.D., an associate professor in the VCU School of Pharmacy, and Matthew Banks, Ph.D., a professor in the VCU School of Medicine, co-led a study reformulating an opioid use disorder medication to extend its therapeutic effect. (Thomas Kojcsich, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

VCU researchers are developing a long-acting medication for opioid addiction

March 18, 2025

Their latest preclinical study showed promising results in reducing opioid use and withdrawal symptoms.

(Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

22 VCU health sciences schools and departments rank in top 50 for NIH research funding

March 7, 2025

Among public institutions, VCU has two units — the School of Dentistry and Department of Family Medicine — in the top 10 of the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research’s 2024 rankings.