Nicole Brogden, an associate in the Division of Pharmaceutics and Translational Therapeutics, was recently named a 2012-2013 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) New Investigator Award Winner. Her project, “Microneedles as a novel means to individualize drug delivery in an aging population” was one of only 17 selected from around the country for this one-year award.

The award is given annually to provide start-up funding for new pharmacy faculty’s research programs. According to Brogden, “The support of this award will allow me to start establishing my clinically-focused research program (in collaboration with the Department of Dermatology) here at the University of Iowa. Furthermore, as a new investigator it is very important to me that other colleagues in my profession understand and value the contribution of my research efforts towards enhancing clinical outcomes through improved drug delivery techniques. By AACP funding this award it demonstrates that academic, clinical, and research pharmacy can intersect and work towards larger common goals of improving patient care and societal health.” 

The purpose of Dr. Brogden’s project is to characterize the skin’s response to microneedle treatment in a population over 65 years of age, focusing on the ability to individualize therapy based on various microneedle geometries and the skin’s restoration time after treatment. Results of this research will enhance practitioners’ understanding of how different skin types respond to microneedle treatment, allowing for more tailored delivery techniques.

Brogden, who earned her PharmD in 2007 from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy and her PhD in 2012 from the University of Kentucky, is enthusiastic about the opportunities that lie ahead. “For me, the most exciting part about being a ‘new investigator’ is having the opportunity to forge new paths and expand my research interests into areas that I’ve not had the opportunity to explore previously. Having a ‘blank slate,’ so to speak, will allow me to really grow and expand as both a clinical pharmacist and a pharmaceutical scientist as I pursue new collaborations and research directions. This is one of the rare opportunities in a research career when re-inventing oneself is both expected and encouraged, and I’m excited to be in the midst of that process,” she explained.