From designing smarter tuberculosis treatments to engineering new therapeutic proteins and decoding the genetic basis of disease, research at the UCSF School of Pharmacy is improving patient care and advancing medicine worldwide.
Sharon Youmans, PharmD ’85, MPH, executive vice dean and professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, has been named to the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) Hall of Fame, while alum and volunteer faculty member Maria Lopez, PharmD ’01, has been selected as CPhA’s 2026 Pharmacist of the Year.
Having spent nearly 27 years overseeing pharmacy services for John Muir Health before retiring as chief pharmacy officer, Martin Iyoya, PharmD ’83, offers a strategic perspective on how pharmacists have become essential members of health care teams.
Every year, the UCSF School of Pharmacy welcomes a new class of learners whose paths into the profession reflect the changing landscape of pharmacy. Among the Class of 2028 are a handful of "nontraditional" students who returned to school to pursue a PharmD degree after established careers.
As a U.S. Navy veteran, first-generation college student, and third-year PharmD student, Phuong Phan sees a throughline of service driving her desire to combine the discipline she learned in the military with her passion for science and patient care.
Yemeni American second-year PharmD candidate Selma Alamari overcame her parents’ initial hesitation about her decision to pursue a career in health care. Now they’ve become not just supporters, but advocates as she pursues her passions for improving diabetes care and advancing health equity.
Our first-in-the-West free PharmTech to PharmD Pathway Program puts pharmacy technicians on the road to become pharmacists.
The annual award celebrating pharmacy students who exemplify leadership, service, and commitment to advancing pharmacy practice was given to Mackenzie Lee, a PharmD candidate in the Class of 2026.
At the UCSF School of Pharmacy, innovation in patient care often starts beyond clinic walls. Through programs like Cut Hypertension, Director of Community-Based Practice Innovation, Crystal Zhou, PharmD, is closing gaps in access to care and improving health outcomes while shaping the next generation of pharmacists.
From her early specialization in oncology to her transition into industry, Melissa Montez, PharmD ’00, built a career rooted in patient impact and now mentors UCSF pharmacy students to imagine broader futures.
Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences Professor Joanne Chun, PharmD ’93, PhD ’96 leads the MS in AICD3 program — the first of its kind in the nation focused on AI’s transformation of drug discovery and development. Learn more about how AI-based research benefit patients and how the program is developing leaders who can think across disciplines.