Larkin University (LU) College of Pharmacy is in the process of establishing academic and research collaboration with various universities and pharmaceutical companies in Costa Rica. In early November, Dr. Anupam Bishayee, Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at LU, visited Institute of Technology of Costa Rica (ITCR), and Lisan Laboratories, a leading pharmaceutical and nutraceutical firm, located in San Jose, Costa Rica. During his visit, Dr. Bishayee presented a research seminar “Anticancer drug discovery based on natural products: Progress, promise and challenges” and learned biotechnology-driven production of phytochemicals at ITCR as well as witnessed development and manufacturing of various nutraceuticals/dietary supplements at Lisan.
Last week, Dr. Eduardo Arguedas, Dr. Alicia Marin Rohas and Ms. Karla Ruiz Hidalgo from Lisan and Ms. Silvia Castro Piedra and Ms. Karol Jimenez visited LU and various other Larkin facilities, including Larkin Behavioral Health Services in Hollywood, Larkin Community Hospital – Palm Springs Campus in Hialeah, Larkin Community Hospital in South Miami. The Costa Rican team discussed several collaborative projects, including translational research as well as student exchange program with Ms. Sandy Sosa-Guerrero, Chief Executive Officer, Larkin Community Hospital and delivered an interactive presentation “Drug development based on Costa Rican medicinal plants: From field to pharmacy” at LU which was well received by PharmD students and faculty.
