August 21, 2018
Basic scientific research is the key to developing groundbreaking drug therapies, yet translating that research into an actual medication can be challenging. For this reason, the 10th Annual Dr. Charles I. Jarowski Industrial Pharmacy Symposium, held at St. John’s University on June 4, focused on the theme “Bench 2 Bedside: Advances in Delivery Technologies and Regulatory Strategies for New Drug Approval.”
“Pharmaceutical scientists face a variety of challenges, especially in the areas of determining the correct dose, dosage form, and regulatory status for a new product,” said Russell J. DiGate, Ph.D., Dean, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. “By bringing together industry experts, academic researchers, and other professionals involved in drug development, we can share ideas and best practices that will lead to helping patients sooner and safely.”
More than 100 industry and academic participants from across the New York metropolitan area gathered on the Queens campus for a full day of workshops and presentations. Keynote speakers included Ajaz Hussain, Ph.D., President of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education, who spoke on “Success Is Delivering Assurance Bench 2 Bedside,” and Samir Mitragotri, Ph.D., the Hiller Professor of Bioengineering and Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, who gave a talk entitled, “Understanding and Overcoming Biological Barriers for Drug Delivery.” Other session topics for the conference included advances in drug delivery technology, the regulatory landscape for new product development, and the US Food and Drug Administration approval process.
The symposium’s spirit of professional collaboration celebrates the work of the late Charles I. Jarowski, Ph.D., who joined the faculty of St. John’s University’s College of Pharmacy in 1969 following his retirement as Director of Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Charles Pfizer and Co., Inc. Revenue from the symposium also funds the Dr. Charles I. Jarowski Legacy Award which is awarded annually through a competitive process to an industrial pharmacy student.
Dr. Jarowski, a renowned pharmaceutical scientist and researcher with a worldwide reputation, authored or coauthored more than 50 scientific publications and pharmaceutical patents. He and his research colleagues and graduate students have made important and significant contributions to the fields of tetracycline and protein chemistry, vitamin stability, biopharmaceutical theory and practice, and new drug delivery dosage form design.
“This conference was conceived by a group of Dr. Jarowski’s former students to foster continued innovation,” said Vivek Gupta, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who served as symposium chairman. “It also gives our graduate students a wonderful opportunity to interact with leaders in the field and to learn about trends in the pharmaceutical sciences industry. This is essential information for their careers.”
Dr. Gupta noted that the symposium benefits the College as well. “We are known for our excellent Doctor of Pharmacy program, which is important. But our many pharmaceutical science accomplishments are not as widely recognized. The symposium provides industry attenders with a look at the outstanding work we do here.”