Research Triangle Park, N. C.—Dr. Russell Reeve, a statistician for the Campbell University School of Pharmacy’s Clinical Research Center and an adjunct professor of Clinical Research at Campbell, was one of 13 scientists and researchers from across the state to receive $540,000 in Education Enhancement grants for science curriculum projects from the North Carolina Biotech Center. Reeve, a statistician, received $33,650 to develop continuing education courses aimed at helping scientists around the state better prepare themselves to work in research-based pharmaceutical companies.Project Directors Reeve and Dr. Brenda Jamerson will work with course directors Drs. William Stagner and Mali Gupta and collaborate with Drs. Timothy Bloom and Ronnie Chapman to develop three continuing education courses for scientists and research professionals. The first course, which was first offered in July, with another session scheduled for November, focuses on pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling using NONMEM. Pharmacokinetic modeling measures drug behavior in the body using mathematical models that can be aplied to the general population to improve drug development. The models can also be used to extrapolate drug characteristics to special populations, such as renally-impaired patients. “The Food and Drug Administration has used these models in the past as part of its New Drug Applications program,” said Reeve.A second course being development is a course on experimental design for process development and optimization.“Suppose you want to develop a fermentation process to create a protein such as a interleukin-beta,” explained Reeve. “This course teaches techniques based on statistics that help scientists develop the process and make it as robust and efficient as possible, and get to the optimal process in the least amount of effort.”The third course, Introduction to the Industry for Statisticians, informs new statisticians coming out of school about the pharmaceutical industry and how they can adapt their skills to fulfill its needs.“Statisticians graduate and don’t know the expectations, government regulations, standard industry practices, or the nomenclature of the pharmaceutical industry,” Reeve said. “This course gives them the background they need to be successful.”Dr. Russell Reeve earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Utah State University and a Master of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He received a Ph.D. in statistics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to coming to Campbell in 2003, Reeve worked at clinical research organizations Quintiles, PharmaLink FHI and PPD, as well as specialty laboratory LipoScience and software and consulting company Pharsight. He also served on the math and statistics faculties of the University of Memphis and the University of Rochester’s statistics faculty, and has published numerous papers and talks in statistical publications.“I feel great about the grant,” said Reeve. “I think it’s a validation of what we’re trying to do and emphasizes the importance of continuing education in this area. This training will help North Carolina industry and make local training available to employees, reducing the need for them to travel to other areas of the country for training.”For more information go to www.campbell.edu/pharmacy/cucrc.Photo Copy: Dr. Russell ReeveBulletin: 0012Date: 9/18/08
Campbell receives grant from N.C. Biotech Center