From the Desk of the Dean

Dr. Jane Alcorn, Professor and Dean

Claire started with the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition in September 2010 and is retiring after 13 years of dedicated work. She was often the first face that students and visitors saw when they came to the college and she always made sure they felt welcomed and cared for.

Claire built a special relationship with the SPNSS (Saskatchewan Pharmacy and Nutrition Student Society) and many individual pharmacy and nutrition students and became known as the “College mom”.

She truly loved the students and they loved her in return. She will be missed by everyone in the College, but most of all the students.

For 38 years, Yvonne Shevchuk’s presence and impact reverberated strongly through the halls of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and within the community of Pharmacy as a whole.

Yvonne is retiring June 30, 2023. Although we will continue to feel the ‘rumbles’, Yvonne will be greatly missed. All the best to Yvonne as she transitions into retirement.

USask student satellite to be launched to the International Space Station

Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova (PhD) and her team within the USask College of Pharmacy and Nutrition developed a fungal melanin coating that has been placed on part of the board. Melanin pigments are found in many diverse fungal species which can inhabit some of the most extreme habitats on earth. The research goal of Dadachova’s work is to test the feasibility of melanin as a cosmic radiation shielding method in space.

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A new Indigenous focused section on our website

We are pleased to announce a new resources and information section on the College website for Indigenous engagement and learning. 

In an era of increasing awareness and recognition of Indigenous rights and cultures, establishing an Indigenous Initiatives Committee within a college has become a crucial step toward fostering inclusivity, equity, and understanding. This committee plays a pivotal role in acknowledging and respecting the unique perspectives, histories, and contributions of Indigenous communities.

Truth, Reconciliation, Decolonization, Inclusion

By creating a platform for dialogue, education, and empowerment, the committee works to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty, while promoting the revitalization and preservation of Indigenous knowledge, languages, and traditions. Through its initiatives, the committee not only enriches the college community but also contributes to the broader process of decolonization, reconciliation, and building a more equitable society.

• Visit the Indigenous page

Awarded to Iulia Spataru, PhD student in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition

Iulia Spataru, PhD student in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, has been awarded the Antoine A. Noujaim Award of Excellence (Sponsored by the Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta) at the 2023 CSPS/CC-CRS Annual Symposium held in Toronto for her poster titled:

"Functionalized nanodiamonds as gene delivery agents: Biocompatibility and biodistribution"

Certificate and a monetary award of $1,000 for best poster presentation by a graduate student. Poster evaluated on scientific merit, discovery, innovation and contribution.

Photo: From left to right, Dr. Neal Davies (President of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences), Iulia Spataru, and Dr. Ildiko Badea

Highlight and celebrate the fourth-year nutrition students'

Thursday April 27th , 2023 at Saskatoon City Hospital Asher Auditorium, we joined Ester Kang & Martina Richmond, the Coordinators of Nutrition & Dietetics. The annual Dietitians of Canada Saskatchewan Research Day highlights and celebrates the fourth-year nutrition students' practice-based research project presentations, at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan.

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This was an event for Métis, First Nations, and Inuit students in high school and their supporters to get to know the University of Saskatchewan campus and community. Volunteering for College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, was Ryan Chan and Ashley Burghall, both 3rd year Pharmacy students. The afternoon was the information fair, campus tours, and Medicines and smudge bag workshop. There were over 244 students, parents, and counselors in attendance.

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The PharmD Experiential Learning (EL) Team is very pleased to announce the official release of the USask PharmD Preceptor Training and Development Program. A suite of online modules will help better prepare preceptors to provide enriching learning experiences for PharmD students.

All preceptors are required to complete the relevant Placement Modules before their upcoming placement this year. See the EL Office's website for more information about preceptor requirements and training opportunities: https://tinyurl.com/33sspw5v

• Meet the Team

30th Annual Life & Health Sciences Research Expo

Congratulations to all the award winners. We are proud to have you at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan. Special congratulations to Dr. Hassan Vatanparast on receiving the Best Supervisor Award, and to Mojtaba Shafiee for his research presentation on Social & Population Health at the 30th Annual Life & Health Sciences Research Expo! The full list of award winners can be seen in the description in the gallery link.

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Congratulation Courtney Charles

Congratulation Courtney Charles. Recipient of the Provost's College Award for Outstanding Teaching 2023. Our university community recognizes the outstanding contributions of our 2023 staff and faculty award recipients – individuals who exemplify USask's commitment to be the university the world needs.

• Full List of Winners

Congratulation Marlys Lebras

Congratulation Marlys Lebras. Recipient of the President's Staff Excellence Award 2023. Our university community recognizes the outstanding contributions of our 2023 staff and faculty award recipients – individuals who exemplify USask's commitment to be the university the world needs.

• Full List of Winners

Congratulations to Dr. Badea

Congratulations to Dr. Badea. She was awarded the prestigious CSPS Fellowship Award at the 2023 CSPS/CC-CRS Annual Symposium: the Next Frontiers in Pharmaceutical Sciences, in Toronto on May 25^th, 2023.