Professor of Clinical Pharmacy
Chair, Division of Clinical Pharmacy
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pronouns: She|Her|Hers
Dr. Awdishu’s research program involves pharmacokinetics of drugs and dosing in kidney disease. Currently, Dr. Awdishu is co-directing The International Drug Induced Renal Injury Consortium (DIRECT) in collaboration with The International Serious Adverse Event Consortium (iSAEC).
DIRECT will investigate the genetic basis of serious drug induced renal injury, through a collaborative network comprised of leading clinical research centers from around the world.
Education: B.S. in Pharmacy (1999) University of Toronto; Pharm.D. (2008) University of Colorado; Masters of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research (2007) University of California, San Diego. San Diego. Healthcare Leadership Academy (2017) University of California, San Diego
Awards and Honors: Teacher of the Year, UC San Diego School of Pharmacy (2022); Fellow of American Society of Nephrology (2022); Elected as Nephrology Board Member, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2019-2022; Invited to serve on American Society of Nephrology Programming Committee, 2018-2020; Teacher of the Year, UC San Diego School of Pharmacy (2016); Award for Excellence in Medication Use Safety, American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists Foundation (2014); Barbara and Paul Saltman Distinguished Teaching Award, UC San Diego Academic Senate (2015); Teacher of the Year, UC San Diego School of Pharmacy (2012); Apples for Preceptors Award, UCSF School of Pharmacy (2008); Preceptor of the Year Award, UCSD Pharmacy Practice Residency Program (2007); San Diego Preceptor of the Year Award, UCSF School of Pharmacy (2006); Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacy National Schering Award for Pharmacokinetics (2003); Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacy, Ontario Branch Douglas J Stewart Award for Hospital Administrators (2002).
Leadership Experience: Director of Interprofessional Education and Simulation, Manager of UC San Diego Health Systems Chronic Kidney Disease Program.
- Pharmacy: Advanced Professional Practice 213 series, APPE (Ambulatory Care Chronic Kidney Disease and Solid Organ Transplant), Pharmacy residency rotations in ambulatory care, Objective Structured Clinical Experiences, Inter-professional Education Experiences
- Medicine: Interprofessional Education experiences and research mentor.
- Masters for Advanced Studies in Clinical Research: Faculty Mentor, Research Mentor
- Promoting equity, diversity and inclusion for faculty recruitment and retention at UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Developed new and ongoing credentialing process for clinical faculty.
- Developed institutional Pharmacy and Therapeutics Protocols for Prescribing in Renal Disease as well as electronic algorithms for renal dosage adjustments.
- Implemented electronic GFR reporting at the clinical laboratories for UCSD Medical Center.
- Developed and leads a multidisciplinary Chronic Kidney Disease Program at UC San Diego Health System. http://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/nephrology/Pages/chronic-kidney-disease.aspx
- Project leader for the development of patient education videos for the Chronic Kidney Disease Program: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOaegTYfii7Gl9ytqZa8i_Q
- Developed clinical pharmacy transplant services at UCSD Medical Center.
- Clinical research in chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury in the ambulatory and hospitalized patient populations.
- Awdishu L, Atilano-Roque A, Tuey S, Joy MS. (2020). Identification of Novel Biomarkers for Predicting Kidney Injury Due to Drugs Using "Omic" Strategies. Pharmgenomics Pers Med. 2;13:687-705.
- Cook K, Cochran G, Gali H, Hatch T, Awdishu L, Lander L. (2021). Pharmacy students' readiness to use the electronic health record: A tale of two institutions. Curr Pharm Teach Learn. 13(4):327-332.
- Awdishu L, et al (2021) On Behalf Of The Direct Investigators. Urinary Exosomes Identify Inflammatory Pathways in Vancomycin Associated Acute Kidney Injury. Int J Mol Sci. 10;22(6):2784.
- Jang SM, Awdishu L. (2021) Drug dosing considerations in continuous renal replacement therapy. Semin Dial. 34(6):480-488.
- Falbo Dos Reis P. et al. (2021). Pharmacokinetics of Intraperitoneal Vancomycin and Amikacin in Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Patients With Peritonitis. Front Pharmacol. 28;12:658014
- Luli AJ. Et al. (2021). Transferring Key Success Factors from Ambulatory Care into the Community Pharmacy in the United States. Pharmacy (Basel). 23;9(3):116.
- Bouajram RH, Awdishu L. (2021). A Clinician's Guide to Dosing Analgesics, Anticonvulsants, and Psychotropic Medications in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy. Kidney Int Rep. 6(8):2033-2048.
- Awdishu L, Abagyan R. (2022) Do Proton-Pump Inhibitors Cause CKD and Progression of CKD?: PRO. Kidney360. 3(7):1134-1136.
- Yousif Z, Awdishu L. (2022) Drug-Induced Acute Kidney Injury Risk Prediction Models. Nephron. 10.1159/000526267. Epub ahead of print.
- Dyer SA, Nguyen V, Rafie S, Awdishu L. (2022) Impact of Medication Reconciliation by a Dialysis Pharmacist. Kidney360. 3(5):922-925.
- Pharmacogenomic studies of drug induced nephrotoxicity.
- Pharmacokinetic studies in kidney disease and transplantation