Ligia Westrich

Ligia Westrich

Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences
School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

CONTACT INFORMATION

Courses

• Foundations in Basic Biomedical Sciences: An introduction to Physiology
• Pathophysiology, Microbiology, and Immunology
• Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders
• Neurology, Psychiatry, and Anesthesiology
• Endocrine, Urological, Renal and Reproductive Health

Research

• Psychiatric disorders
• Circadian rhythm
• Preclinical research
• Faculty mentoring
• Students’ attitude toward learning

Education

• BS, Pharmacy, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• PhD, Neuroscience, Rutgers, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School

Academic Profile

Since joining FDU School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2012, I have cherished every interaction with our students as I coordinate and teach a wide variety of courses. Experiences gained as a pharmacist and a neuroscientist allow me to seamlessly integrate the biological sciences content into pharmacotherapy courses. I encourage all students to participate in active-learning exercises and ask questions to clarify and learn all required pharmacy topics in depth.

In addition to their interactions with faculty, I advise all students to collaborate with each other inside and outside the classroom. One way to achieve this is to become involved in school organizations and attend scheduled events. As the faculty advisor for the Industry Pharmacists Organization (IPhO), I have the privilege of working with students who embrace leadership and entrepreneurship.

As assistant dean for academic affairs, I support all student pharmacists and faculty in their academic endeavors to ensure their success. I recognize the value of continuously improving the school’s curriculum and assessment methods. I strive to provide students with the most up-to-date medication knowledge while informing them about their progress toward achieving established learning outcomes.

In between teaching and assessing, I participate in research projects, contribute to numerous committees in various capacities, and attend events organized by local and national organizations. I also review manuscripts for several science and education journals. However, discussing science topics with students and sculpting them into future pharmacists is still my favorite pastime.