Dec. 1, 2004

VCU School of Pharmacy Hosts Dean of Pharmacy from the University of Baghdad

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By Michael Ford
University News Services

Victor Yanchick (left), Mustafa Al-Hiti and Kenneth Miller pause a moment in the newly renovated undergraduate pharmacy skills lab in the Robert Blackwell Smith, Jr. Building.
Victor Yanchick (left), Mustafa Al-Hiti and Kenneth Miller pause a moment in the newly renovated undergraduate pharmacy skills lab in the Robert Blackwell Smith, Jr. Building.

Administrators and faculty highlighted the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy’s strong academic programs and high-tech research during one-day meetings with the dean of the University of Baghdad pharmacy school.

VCU’s Victor A. Yanchick, Ph.D., led a tour that showcased some of the most important laboratories in the School of Pharmacy. Kenenth W. Miller, Ph.D., from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, arranged the VCU visit for Mustafa Mohammed Amin Al-Hiti, Ph.D., College of Pharmacy, University of Baghdad. Al-Hiti was looking for ideas he can use when rebuilding efforts begin in Iraq and visited several universities.

“He is here to take a look at contemporary pharmacy education, and we’re fortunate in this area to have two schools of pharmacy that are outstanding examples of excellence in pharmacy education,” said Miller, vice president for graduate education, research and scholarship. “Both VCU and the University of Maryland pharmacy schools are set in academic health centers, they both have very active research programs and outstanding deans.”

The visit included tours of the aerosol research lab, the drug analysis lab, the molecular modeling lab and a newly remodeled, state-of-the-art, undergraduate, pharmacy skills lab.

Victor Yanchick (top left) looks on as Mustafa Al-Hiti (left) and Kenneth Miller wear 3-D goggles to view a 3-D drug molecule displayed on a computer and described by VCU postgraduate student Philip Mosier, Ph.D. Photos by Michael Ford, University News Services
Victor Yanchick (top left) looks on as Mustafa Al-Hiti (left) and Kenneth Miller wear 3-D goggles to view a 3-D drug molecule displayed on a computer and described by VCU postgraduate student Philip Mosier, Ph.D. Photos by Michael Ford, University News Services

“I hope he is impressed by our tremendously good faculty and our research programs,” said Yanchick. “We look forward to whatever assistance we can be as Dr. Al-Hiti re-establishes his programs at the University of Baghdad.”

Al-Hiti says that being isolated for more than 20 years has created gaps in resources. “There are new systems and processes in drug design that fascinate me and pharmaco-economics that we badly need in Iraq,” Al-Hiti said. “We are searching for opportunities to upgrade the educational system of pharmacy in Iraq.”

Al-Hiti says he would eventually like to establish exchange visits for professors and joint supervision of postgraduate students with pharmacy schools in the United States and Europe. Other priorities include upgrading laboratories and libraries.