Niamh Higgins

Dr. Niamh Higgins

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Niamh Higgins, PharmD, MSc, AAHIVP
Email
nihiggins@health.ucsd.edu
Research Summary

Dr. Higgins joined the faculty at the UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in January 2025. She is honored to be a member of the Last Gift research team, a unique tissue donation initiative that partners with altruistic people with HIV who have been diagnosed with life-shortening illnesses (https://lastgift.ucsd.edu/).

Her research interests include understanding the impact of opioid exposure on quality of life, evaluating the effects of compassion training programs for individuals at the end of life and their caregivers, and leveraging wearable technology to assess the outcomes of compassion- and mindfulness-based interventions.

Dr. Higgins is committed to advancing knowledge and strives to foster research that will benefit a diverse community.

Academic Achievements

Education: PharmD, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Boston (2004); PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, Massachusetts General Hospital (2004-2005); PGY2 HIV Pharmacotherapy Residency, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (2005-2006), American Academy of HIV Medicine Pharmacist Credentialing (2009); Master of Science Epidemiology, McGill University (2010-2011).

Awards and Honors: Quebec Population Health Research Network, Best Master’s Thesis Award (2012), Canadian Institutes of Health Research CANOC Collaboration Scholar (2010) Recognition of Innovation in Clinical Practice (2008), McKesson-Hospira Award for Excellence in Pharmaceutical Practice: Satisfaction of Clientele (2007)

Leadership Experience: 

  • Career Development and Professionalism Thread Committee
  • Integration of Compassionate Communication into the pharmacy curriculum
  • SSPPS Admissions Committee
  • Journal of Infectious Diseases Peer Review
Teaching
  • Co-chair Advanced Professional Practice (APP 213A/2123C)
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
  • Center for Compassionate Communication Affiliate Faculty
  • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV (SPPS 212D)
  • LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Care (SPPS 201)
  • Antivirals and Antifungals: UC San Diego Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program (PAE 222)
  • Research Mentor for undergraduate students
  • PharmD Required Student Research Project (SPPS 210)
Selected Publications
  • Manca A, De Nicolò A, De Vivo ED, Ferrara M, Oh S, Khalili S, Higgins N, Deiss RG, Bonora S, Cusato J, Palermiti A, Mula J, Gianella S, D'Avolio A. A Novel UHPLC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Seven Opioids in Different Human Tissues. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023 Jun 19;16(6):903.
  • Trunfio M, Chaillon A, Beliakova-Bethell N, Deiss R, Letendre SL, Riggs PK, Higgins N, Gianella S. Beyond the Syndemic of Opioid Use Disorders and HIV: The Impact of Opioids on Viral Reservoirs. Viruses. 2023 Aug 9;15(8):1712.
  • Desjardins M, Clarke A, Alizadehfar R, Grenier D, Eisman H, Carr S, Vander Leek TK, Teperman L, Higgins N, Joseph L, Shand G, Ben-Shoshan M. Canadian allergists' and nonallergists' perception of epinephrine use and vaccination of persons with egg allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2013 May-Jun;1(3):289-94.
  • Fournier C, Higgins N, Thomas R, Baril JG, Thibeault D, Lalonde R, Sheehan NL. Negligible effect of tenofovir on atazanavir trough concentrations and genotypic inhibitory quotients in the presence and absence of ritonavir. Ther Drug Monit 2013 Apr;35(2):264-9.
  • Tseng A, Hills C, Quaia C, Hughes C, la Porte C, Yoong D, Kelly D, Kapler J, Park-Wyllie L, Robinson L, Sulz L, Foisy M, Higgins N, Sheehan N, Dayneka N, Nickel P, Giguere P, Chan S, Stone S. Role of the Pharmacist in Caring for Patients with HIV/AIDS: Clinical Practice Guidelines. Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy. 2012 Mar; 65(2): 125-45.
  • Higgins N, Tseng A, Sheehan N, la Porte C. Antiretroviral Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Canada: Current Status and Recommendations for Clinical Practice. Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy. December 2009; 62(6): 500-9.
  • Hughes CA, Foisy M, Dewhurst N, Higgins N, Robinson L, Kelly DV, Lechelt KE. Abacavir Hypersensitivity Reaction: Update on management and prevention. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. Review article and PharmaCE. March 2007; 42(3):387-96.
Potential Collaborative Programs
  • Research on the impact of compassion cultivation training interventions on quality of life metrics (e.g. burnout)
  • Initiatives involving the use of wearable technology to measure the outcomes of compassion- and mindfulness-based interventions
  • Research pertaining to opioid exposures quality of life at the end-of-life
  • Research in pharmacy education