The West Virginia University School of Pharmacy welcomes three new faculty members this fall. These individuals, all WVU School of Pharmacy alums, bring a wealth of expertise and a strong dedication to advancing pharmacy education and research, promising significant contributions to the field.
Dr. Rachel L. Cruickshank is the new West Virginia Poison Center (WVPC) director and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy. A WVU School of Pharmacy alumna, she earned her PharmD in 2021. Dr. Cruickshank completed residencies in acute care pharmacy (2022) and critical care pharmacy (2023) at Charleston Area Medical Center, followed by a clinical toxicology fellowship at the WVPC. She teaches courses in clinical toxicology, disaster planning, and substance abuse. Additionally, she offers continuing education on clinical toxicology and drug abuse to healthcare professionals across West Virginia.
Dr. Taylor Christine Thompson has joined the School as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, with a secondary appointment in the WVU School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine. Another WVU alumna, Dr. Thompson, graduated from the School of Pharmacy in 2022. She completed a post-graduate residency in ambulatory care at UPMC St. Margaret in Pittsburgh and a faculty development fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC St. Margaret. Dr. Thompson is passionate about interactive teaching, interprofessional education, and expanding the role of clinical pharmacists in primary care.
Dr. Aric Logsdon is a biomedical researcher specializing in neuroscience and preclinical drug discovery for neurological diseases. He earned his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from WVU in 2016 and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Washington. Dr. Logsdon has held a faculty position at the University of Washington and served as a health science specialist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact scientific journals, including Nature Neuroscience, Nature Metabolism, Nature Aging, and Alzheimer’s & Dementia. Dr. Logsdon is recognized as an expert in neuroscience research, has chaired sessions and has presented his work at national and international scientific conferences.
