Pharmacology

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Meet the Faculty

VIRGINIA CAMPUS CHAIR
	James E. Mahaney, Ph.D. Acting Discipline Chair, Pharmacology Department - Virginia Campus Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs and Research Phone: 540- 231-1948 Email: jmahaney@vcom.vt.edu


CAROLINAS CAMPUS CHAIR
	Adrienne Z. Ables, Pharm.D. Discipline Chair Pharmacology Department Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus 350 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 Tel: (864) 327-9812 Fax: 864-804-6986 Email: aables@carolinas.vcom.edu
EXPERTISE: Pharmacology ABOUT DR. ABLES: Dr. Ables earned her BS degree from Rutgers College of Pharmacy and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. Prior to joining VCOM she was a Professor at the Spartanburg Family Medicine Residency Program where she developed and implemented novel curricula for residents such as the Scholars’ Program. Dr. Ables has authored many publications, some of which were coauthored with family medicine residents whom she mentored. She serves as a reviewer for over 10 medical journals including the Annals of Family Medicine, American Family Physician, Pharmacotherapy and Pediatrics and was an Associate Editor for the Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia for ten years. Dr. Ables volunteers her services in the Spartanburg Community with regular educational presentations including “The Healthy Heart Workshop” to the SC state health plan employees and “Discussion of Psychotropic Medications” to the Bipolar Support Group. She has been teaching medical students, pharmacy students and medical residents for over 20 years and is pleased to share this experience with VCOM students. MORE INFORMTION ABOUT DR. ABLES

	Scott Ochs, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Pharmacology Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Carolinas Campus 350 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303 Tele: 864-327-9873 Fax: 864-804-6986 Email: sochs@carolinas.vcom.edu
ABOUT DR. OCHS: Scott D. Ochs, Ph.D., R.Ph. is a registered pharmacist. Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, he received his Ph.D. in Pharmacological and Physiological Science from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, and his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Dr. Ochs comes to VCOM with experience as both a teacher and a practitioner. He has over 15 years of pharmacy practice experience in both retail and hospital pharmacies, and was previously an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the Midway College School of Pharmacy in Paintsville, Kentucky. He served as Clinical Staff Pharmacist at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri before entering the field of academia MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. OCHS.

	Beverly Rzigalinski, Ph.D. Professor Pharmacology Department Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060 Tele: 540-231-1744 Fax: 540-231-5252 Email: brzigali@vcom.vt.edu
ABOUT DR. RZIGALINSKI: Dr. Rzigalinski received her BS in Biology from Rutgers, an MS in Biochemistry & Toxicology from New York Univ., and a PhD. in Biochemistry and Pharmacology from Eastern Virginia Medical School and Old Dominion Univ. Dr. Rzigalinski teaches neuropharmacology, drug development, and pharmacology of diabetes. She has held appointments at Beth Israel Hospital (NY), Environmental Systems Inc. (as CEO), Medical College of Virginia, and University of Central Florida in Orlando. She has served on many national and international committees, study sections, and review panels. Her research focuses on 1) intracellular free calcium signaling and its alterations in neurological disorders, particularly trauma and 2) the applications of nanotechnology to aging and age-related disorders. She is investigating nanoparticle free radical scavengers as a new generation of nanopharmaceuticals for neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders. The lab is supported by current and past funding from the NIA, NINDS, Commonwealth Health Research Board, Harvey Peters Foundation, and United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. RZIGALINSKI.

	Hong Zhu, M.D. Assistant Professor Pharmacology Department Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060 Tele: 540-231-1468 Fax: 540-231-8846 Email:hzhu@vcom.vt.edu
ABOUT DR. ZHU: Dr Zhu received her MD and MS (toxicology and environmental medicine) from China and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Johns Hopkins University. She had worked as a faculty member at Hopkins and as a research scientist in several major universities before she joined VCOM in 2007. Dr Zhu’s research program involves the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress and inflammation-associated degenerative diseases. She is currently teaching anticancer drugs and immunosuppressive agents for the pharmacology curriculum. MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DR. ZHU