Alumna wins ASHP Foundation Student Research Literature Award

Niloufar Salehpour, PharmD, '23 was selected as the recipient of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Foundation Student Research Literature Award for the published work titled "Performance of Bayesian Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve-Based Pharmacokinetic Dosing Based on a One-Compartment Model and Trough-Only Monitoring for Vancomycin." 

"The ASHP Student Research Literature Award holds profound personal and professional significance to me, and it is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our dedicated team, which includes my exceptional colleagues, Lacey Riley and Marcos Gonzalez," she said. "This award represents not only my dedication, but also the collective hard work, synergy, and unwavering commitment we shared throughout our research journey." 

The national award is given to one student annually and a recipient is chosen by a committee of the ASHP Foundation Board of Directors. 

David Nix, PharmD, is a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science and Dr. Salehpour's mentor while she was a student. He also received the same award in 1983 after receiving his bachelor of science in pharmacy. He said receiving the award contributed to his success in securing a fellowship in infectious disease/pharmacokinetics. 

As a mentor, he said Dr. Salehpour came to him looking for a project involving pharmacokinetics and that she recruited the other two students to the team. 

"The project took a lot of effort and required a lot of data that needed to be extracted from records very accurately," Dr. Nix said. "I can't say enough about the work that this team of students did...and your manuscript has to really shine among the many others beings submitted to be accepted." 

"Dr. Nix, as our project advisor and mentor, played a pivotal role in helping us achieve our research goals," Dr. Salehpour said. "His mentorship extended beyond the project, providing valuable career guidance and facilitating networking opportunities. Dr. Nix's contributions were indispensable, shaping my educational journey and professional development." 

As for next steps, Dr. Salehpur said she will continue to pursue research in her journey as a pharmacist. 

"The prospect of immersing myself in pharmaceutical research, investigating new drug therapies, optimizing patient care protocols, and contributing to the advancement of pharmaceutical science fuels my professional passion. I am driven by the belief that through rigorous inquiry, innovative drug development, and evidence-based practice, I can directly impact patient outcomes and healthcare at large," she said.