Sheryl Zelenitsky, BSc (Pharm), PharmD

Teaching philosophy

With an expertise in infectious diseases, Dr. Zelenitsky focuses on the integration of pharmacy education, research, and practice. Given the immediate threats of antimicrobial resistance to global human health, it is critical that pharmacy’s future practitioners and researchers work to mitigate the crisis and sustain the effectiveness of antibiotics today and for the future.

Dr. Zelenitsky specializes in antimicrobial pharmacotherapy, pharmacometrics, and dosing regimen optimization. She brings considerable research and clinical experience to the teaching and mentoring of pharmacy students. She is also committed to providing research opportunities and has directed projects for more than 60 undergraduate students and supervised or served on advisory committees for 20 graduate students.

Research achievements

Research summary

Dr. Zelenitsky has a collaborative research program on optimizing antimicrobial use in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. With a commitment to knowledge translation, she also conducts advanced modelling (population-pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics) and predictive analytics (Monte Carlo simulations) that apply research findings to practice and patient care.

The work is particularly important for high-risk populations such as the immunocompromised, critically ill, and those requiring dialysis or undergoing surgery. It also tackles serious and often difficult-to-treat infections involving bacteremia, peritonitis, pneumonia, and septic shock.

The goal is to develop evidence-based strategies for safe and effective antibiotic use that improves patient outcomes and minimizes risk of antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Zelenitsky has published extensively and is referenced internationally in antibiotic dosing guidelines for surgical prophylaxis and patients on dialysis.

Research themes

Translational pharmacotherapy and practice

Keywords

  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Antimicrobial pharmacotherapy
  • Infectious diseases
  • Monte Carlo modelling
  • Pharmacodynamics
  • Pharmacokinetics

Research affiliations

Antibiotic utilization specialist, St. Boniface Hospital department of pharmacy

Biography

Dr. Zelenitsky is a professor in pharmacy with administrative experience as associate dean academic (2004-2011), interim associate dean research (2004, 2018), interim dean (2006), chair of the program evaluation committee (2011-2017), and chair of the graduate program (2018-2021).

She continues to serve on committees for faculty searches, junior faculty mentorship, and promotion and tenure, along with college committees for accreditation and strategic planning. She has participated on numerous site visit and evaluation teams for the Canadian Council for Accreditation for Pharmacy Programs. Dr. Zelenitsky is the chair of the University Discipline Committee.

Dr. Zelenitsky is committed to the integration of pharmacy research and practice and maintains an active pharmacy license with the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba. She is appointed as an antibiotic utilization specialist in the department of pharmacy at the St. Boniface Hospital. She is a member of numerous professional associations, and recently served as board chair of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists Foundation that supports research and educational programs to advance pharmacy practice across Canada.

In 2020, Dr. Zelenitsky was appointed to the Antimicrobial Resistance Commission of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. The 14-member panel facilitates the essential contributions of the pharmacy profession to AMR reduction around the world. Their activities span education, policy, and public health, with related work on vaccinations and medication safety.

Education

  • B.Sc. (Pharm), University of Manitoba (1989)
  • PharmD, State University of New York at Buffalo (1991)

Awards

Award for Excellence in Research or Innovation in Assessment of Competence, Associations of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada & Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (2018)

Award of Excellence, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists Manitoba Branch (2018)

Dr. and Mrs. G. G. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching, University of Manitoba (2017)

Preceptor of the Year Award in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia (2010)

Dr. Zelenitsky also holds numerous teaching awards in the College of Pharmacy.

Contact us

College of Pharmacy
Apotex Centre
750 McDermot Avenue West
University of Manitoba (Bannatyne campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T5 Canada

pharmacy@umanitoba.ca
204-474-9306
204-789-3744