Wern Chai

Dr Wern Chai is a Lecturer in Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of South Australia's Clinical & Health Sciences School. With a PhD in Pharmacology (2020) and Bachelor of Pharmacy (2014), he combines clinical practice as a community pharmacist with academic research focused on antimicrobial resistance and drug discovery. He contributes to Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotics and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Australian Pharmacy Council.

• PhD in Pharmacology (University of South Australia, 2020)
• Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) (University of South Australia, 2014)

His research addresses critical priority pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii, developing novel antimicrobial agents targeting bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. Key contributions include:

• Identifying cinnamaldehyde derivatives as potential FtsZ inhibitors
• Advancing pharmacist-only anti-emetics through clinical surveys
• Documenting medication shortages' impact on pharmacy practice

Recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate expertise in:

• Antimicrobial mechanism development
• Pharmacist-led public health initiatives
• Healthcare policy analysis
• Medication access challenges

Awards:

• Rising Star in Pharmacy (2021, Australian Journal of Pharmacy)
• Emerging Leader in Science (2022, APSA)

Professional affiliations:

• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
• Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association