Winter 2011 [pdf] - University of Kentucky - College of Pharmacy

Outstanding Alumni
Gillespie Named Outstanding Pharmaceutical Sciences Alumnus
Mark N. Gillespie, PhD, of Daphne, Al., has
been named the 2010 University of Kentucky
Outstanding Graduate Program Alumnus for
the Pharmaceutical Sciences. Dr. Gillespie
received his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences
from the UK College of Pharmacy in 1981
under the direction of Dr. Louis Diamond.
Gillespie
Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Cardiovascular-
Pulmonary Research Lab, Dr. Gillespie returned to the
University of Kentucky in 1982 as an assistant professor at
the College of Pharmacy. He served as associate professor
and division director for the Division of Pharmacology and
Toxicology from 1987-1992 and as professor and division
director of the Division of Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics from 1992-1994. While at UK he served as
mentor for numerous graduates including current COP faculty
member, Dr. Trish Freeman. In 1995 Dr. Gillespie left UK to serve
as Professor and Chair in the Department of Pharmacology
at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.
Dr. Gillespie's major research interests include lung vascular
cell biology and pathology; signal transduction pathways in
regional vascular disease; and novel pharmacotherapeutic
approaches in respiratory and cardiovascular disease. He has
garnered extramural funding through the National Institutes of
Health and currently is the principal investigator on three NIH
supported grants with total funding of more than $3 million. In
addition, he is the author of numerous scientific publications
and serves as reviewer for many scientific journals.
Established in 2006, the goal of the award is to honor
graduates of the program in recognition of their
accomplishments and contributions to scholarship, education
and research in the pharmaceutical sciences. Dr. Gillespie and
Dr. Joseph Fleishaker, 2009 Outstanding Graduate Program
Alumnus, were honored at the Symposium on Drug
Discovery and Development presented by the Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences October 15, 2010 in Lexington.
Divine
continued from page 11
In 2002, a workgroup was formed with
several pharmacists from UK HealthCare
and the College of Pharmacy. It
birthed an innovative patient care
service for UK Health Plan Members
that eventually became known as
PharmacistCARE. PharmacistCARE is a
medication management and diabetes
disease management service located in
Kentucky Clinic. Divine helped launch
this program along with her colleagues,
Dr. Amy Nicholas and Dr. Carrie Johnson.
Although Divine is no longer the director,
she still remains actively involved with
the program providing patient care in
the clinic several days each month.
"Dr. Divine is a nationally recognized
leader in training outstanding community
pharmacy practitioners through her
innovative clinical practice and her
residency program that partners with
Kroger and the APSC," said Jimmi
Hatton, professor and chairman in the
Department of Pharmacy Practice and
Science. "Her ideas and training skills are
now also utilized in her faculty role in
the Introduction to Pharmacy Practice
Experience programs offered by our
College. We are excited about the future
12 Focus on Pharmacy
growth of practice throughout our state
as a result of her contributions to our
educational programs."
Divine's path to where she is today may
look like a carefully laid plan to some
but in reality, opportunities have led to
new interests and new opportunities.
Her career with the UK College of
Pharmacy has afforded her the variety
and diversity she seems to crave.
"There are so many opportunities within
the profession of pharmacy. If you
choose pharmacy, you don’t have to
work in the same practice area all your
life. It’s fun to see the diversity that's
there," she said.
Divine has described herself as wearing
several hats in the college and the
same could be said for her personal life.
Divine's faith plays a large part in her
life and she says she has always been
involved in her church and her Christian
faith, teaching Sunday School and
working with kids. What many people
may not know, is that like her mother,
Divine is a credentialed minister and she
serves at King’s Way Assembly of God in
Versailles, Kentucky, where she lives with
her husband, Kevin, and 18-month-old
daughter, Reese.
Divine admits she may not fit the
stereotypical image people may have of
a pharmacy college professor. On her off
time, she continues to enjoy a very active
life that includes water skiing, playing
piano and bass guitar, fishing, golfing,
and riding motorcycles, an interest she
has had since she was 7 years-old when
her dad purchased her first motorcycle.
The only thing she has given up recently
is motorcycle riding. "I decided when I
put on the 'mommy hat' and had Reese
that I'd sell my motorcycle!"
Divine has indeed worn many hats in
her adult life. She says she loves doing
something new every day whether it
is teaching students in a classroom or
developing new programs.
"The thing I love most about pharmacy
is the difference we make in patient
care," Divine said. "We are the drug
therapy expert and I love teaching that
in the classroom. It's very rewarding
when that clicks for students and I see
their love of the profession too."