Melissa Lipari

Melissa Lipari, Pharm.D., BCACP, is Associate Professor (Clinical) in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Wayne State University’s Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Board-certified in ambulatory care pharmacy, she has served the university since 2012, advancing from Assistant to Associate Professor while leading educational, clinical, and scholarly initiatives in respiratory pharmacotherapy and pharmacy education.

Education & Certifications

• Pharm.D., Wayne State University, 2010
• Pre-Pharmacy, Wayne State University, 2006
• Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP), 2012
• Post-Graduate Teaching Certificate, 2010
• Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate, 2008

Research Focus

Dr. Lipari’s scholarship is concentrated in ambulatory care pharmacy practice, with particular depth in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Her work spans systematic reviews of bronchodilator therapy, guideline adherence studies, and innovative educational models for pharmacy students and practitioners. She also explores telehealth delivery of pharmaceutical care and nationwide remote mentorship programs to expand the clinical pharmacy workforce.

Across more than 25 peer-reviewed articles and multiple book chapters since 2020, her publications reveal a trajectory that integrates evidence-based respiratory pharmacotherapy, educational innovation, and health-system pharmacy practice transformation. Recurrent themes include optimization of inhaled therapies, deprescribing initiatives, and redesigning experiential learning in response to COVID-19.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• 2022 – Editor’s Choice Award, Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (JACCP)
• 2020 – Faculty Mentor Excellence Award, Wayne State University Teaching and Learning Curriculum
• 2019 – Third Place Poster, ACCP Ambulatory Care/Endocrine Metabolism PRN Walk Rounds
• 2016 – Innovative Practice Award, Michigan Pharmacists Association
• 2013 – ASHP Best Practices in Health-System Pharmacy Award
• 2012 – Resident of the Year, Southeastern Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• 2012 – First Place, Michigan Chapter ACC Cardiovascular Summit

Teaching & Mentorship

Dr. Lipari coordinates and teaches the core pharmacotherapy sequence covering respiratory, gastroenterology, allergy, and ophthalmology modules. She integrates problem-based learning, case-based discussions, and verbal defense exercises to prepare students for advanced practice rotations. Her mentorship efforts extend to a nationwide remote pharmacy trainee mentoring program, for which she has co-authored opinion and outcomes papers to establish best-practice frameworks.

Laboratory & Professional Service

While no wet-lab is indicated, Dr. Lipari’s clinical research activities reside within Wayne State’s Department of Pharmacy Practice, leveraging partnerships with Detroit-area health systems and professional organizations such as the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Her ORCID profile (0000-0003-2658-8247) provides an open gateway to her full scholarly record.