Research Awards

Why Research Awards Matter at ACPHS

At Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, research awards are essential to fueling innovation, advancing academic excellence and improving human health. These awards provide the critical resources our faculty and students need to explore bold ideas, pursue discovery and generate meaningful impact in the world.

Research awards come from a variety of sources, including government agencies, foundations, corporations and professional organizations. They can support new and ongoing projects by covering research expenses such as equipment, personnel, travel or student involvement. Some research awards honor outstanding contributions to a field, bringing visibility and prestige to the researcher and the institution. Endowed chairs and fellowships offer sustained investment in high-impact research, mentorship and faculty leadership—key components of our long-term strategic vision.

These awards are more than just accolades—they elevate ACPHS’s reputation as a growing research institution and strengthen our standing as a Carnegie Foundation-designated Research College. They also enhance our ability to recruit and retain exceptional faculty and students, increase access to external funding and deepen cross-disciplinary collaboration. For individual researchers, awards represent career milestones, providing validation, visibility and momentum to continue producing high-impact work.

Most importantly, the research these awards support drives real-world change—in public health, clinical care, pharmaceutical science and beyond—amplifying the College’s impact in the communities we serve.The Rudolph and Dorothy Blythe Endowed Research Chairs

2025 Faculty Research Awards and Opportunities

ACPHS and RPI Research Partnership

A strategic collaboration between Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is expanding access to advanced research resources. Through shared use of high-end core facilities, equipment and expert support, faculty and researchers from both institutions can accelerate innovation in basic, clinical and translational research.

2025 ACPHS Researcher of the Year: Dr. Stacy Pettigrew

Dr. Stacy Pettigrew, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Director of The Collaboratory in Albany’s South End, has been named the 2025 ACPHS Researcher of the Year.

Dr. Pettigrew’s work embodies excellence in scholarship, innovation in public- health research and a deep commitment to community engagement. Over the past year, she submitted 18 extramural grant proposals and secured five competitive awards totaling $393,580, with funding from the Albany County Department of Mental Health, Albany County ARPA, TD Bank Foundation, the Frederick McDonald Trust and the Picotte Family Foundation.

Her research addresses critical public-health challenges, including opioid harm reduction, chronic-disease management and food insecurity. Notable initiatives include Food Farmacy, which brings the “food as medicine” concept to life, and a telehealth blood-pressure monitoring program led by a public health pharmacy technician.

Dr. Stacy Pettigrew (Allied Health Sciences) and Dr. Katie Cardone (Pharmacy Practice) awarded a $100,910 Grant to Expand Access to Public Health Services in Albany

Dr. Stacy Pettigrew, Allied Health Sciences and Dr. Katie Cardone, Pharmacy Practice have been awarded a $100,910 grant from The Hortense and Louis Rubin Community Health Fund of The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. This funding will expand critical public health services for underserved communities in Albany.

Through this support, The Collaboratory will launch and grow Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) screening events held 4–6 times annually in neighborhoods such as Albany’s South End, West Hill, Arbor Hill, and North Albany—areas disproportionately affected by chronic kidney conditions.

In addition, the grant will fund mobile and in-home health screenings and education to reach homebound and disabled individuals. The program is expected to serve 500 individuals each year.

This initiative is a collaboration between ACPHS and Trinity Alliance’s Wellness Advocates Linking Communities (WALC). By combining the efforts of ACPHS students, public health professionals, and experienced community health workers, the program aims to improve healthcare access and outcomes for medically underserved populations.

Dr. Binshan Shi Awarded $480K NIH R15 Grant to Advance His work on HIV

Dr. Binshan Shi, associate professor of life sciences, received a $479,925 R15 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). His research will explore how cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1 activates a specific part of the immune system—a study with the potential to significantly advance the field.

The NIH R15 program supports impactful, small-scale research at institutions like ACPHS that focus on educating future scientists. These grants are designed to support meritorious research, provide students with hands-on research experience and strengthen the institution’s research environment. Dr. Shi’s project accomplishes all three.

Dr. Jessica Farrell Receives $35,000 in Residency Program Funding

Dr. Jessica Farrell, professor of pharmacy practice, secured $35,000 in funding from Johnson & Johnson to support the PGY-2 Ambulatory Care Residency Program at Albany Medical Center’s Division of Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology.

This marks the eighth consecutive year Dr. Farrell has obtained funding for the program—a testament to her exceptional leadership and long-standing commitment to advanced pharmacy training. The grant covers nearly 50% of a resident’s salary, providing crucial support for the sustainability of this highly specialized program.

This one-year advanced training program prepares pharmacists to work in outpatient care settings such as clinics and medical offices. The ACPHS-affiliated residency is one of just 216 ASHP-accredited PGY-2 programs nationwide, and one of only 16 in New York State.

The program, directed by Dr. Jacqueline Cleary, PharmD, BCACP, plays a vital role in strengthening ACPHS’s academic and clinical offerings.

Dr. Michael Brodeur Secures $225K Grant to Support Geriatric Pharmacy Residency

Dr. Michael Brodeur, professor of pharmacy practice, secured $225,000 from the James A. Eddy Memorial Foundation to support the PGY-2 Geriatric Pharmacy Residency Program at St. Peter’s Health Partners, Division of Continuing Care, for three years.

Pharmacists can specialize in more than 100 areas of practice—and geriatric pharmacy plays a critical role in caring for older adults with complex medical needs. This residency provides essential training in medication management tailored to aging populations.

Launched in 2023 in collaboration with St. Peter’s, this program is one of only 22 ASHP-accredited geriatric pharmacy residencies in the U.S., and one of just three in New York State.

In celebration of ACPHS’s recent designation as one of only four Carnegie-classified Research Colleges/Universities in the Capital Region—and in alignment with our strategic plan—we’re proud to announce the 2025 winners of the Rudolph and Dorothy Blythe Endowed Research Chairs for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and for Biomedical and Health Sciences.

• Dr. Thomas P. Lodise, PharmD, PhD, Professor of Pharmacy Practice – Rudolph and Dorothy Blythe Endowed Research Chair for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Dr. Meenakshi Malik, DVM, PhD, Professor of Life Sciences, Dean of Health Sciences – Rudolph and Dorothy Blythe Endowed Research Chair for Biomedical and Health Sciences

Endowed chairs are among the highest academic honors, recognizing faculty with exceptional, sustained research impact. Each chair provides dedicated funding to support high-impact scholarship, mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration—advancing ACPHS’s growing research enterprise.