The PREMIER Center is housed within the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, where faculty members consist of researchers and clinicians with a background in health services research and health prevention. This has put the PREMIER Center in a unique position to collaborate with interdisciplinary professionals within the University of Houston and the renowned Texas Medical Center (TMC).

Members of the PREMIER Center have conducted both qualitative and quantitative research projects regarding prescription drug misuse and prevention. These projects have led to the development of educational interventions that have been presented to key stakeholders within the community.

As Houston is one of the known hotspots for prescription drug misuse in the state as well as numerous cases of inappropriate prescribing among physicians, the center is strategically located to educate pharmacists and physicians in the areas of prevention and misuse management.

Leadership & Center Contacts

Director Douglas Thornton Associate Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Assistant Director for Research Development Tyler Varisco Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Assistant Director for Education and Clinical Engagement Matthew Wanat Clinical Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research

Internal Members

Rajender Aparasu Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Hua Chen Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Austin De La Cruz Clinical Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research
James Essien Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Quaana Lake Program Manager for External Collaborations, PREMIER Center	Audiel Perez Negron Program Manager 2, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy
Dipali Rinker  Research Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy	Rudi Safarudin  Postdoctoral Fellow, PREMIER Center	Sujit S. Sansgiry Professor, Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy
Mina Shrestha  Postdoctoral Fellow, PREMIER Center	Nina Zu-Yin Smith Postdoctoral Fellow, PREMIER Center	Elisabeth Wang Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research

External Members

Sang Kyu Cho Associate, Analysis Group	Marc Fleming Professor and Chair, Chapman University School of Pharmacy	Lauren Gilbert Clinical Assistant Professor, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
Jennifer Park Executive Director, Moving Waters	Chan Shen Division Chief and Associate Professor, Penn State Cancer Institute