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 of pharmacy who is deeply committed to integrating pharmacy research and practice. She maintains an active pharmacy licence with the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba and serves as an antibiotic utilization specialist in the department of pharmacy at St. Boniface Hospital. Dr. Zelenitsky also chairs the University Discipline Committee and remains involved in various faculty search, junior faculty mentorship, and promotion and tenure committees, as well as college-level committees for accreditation and strategic planning.

In 2020, Dr. Zelenitsky was appointed to the Antimicrobial Resistance Commission of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. This 14-member panel supports the pharmacy profession's global efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, with a focus on education, policy, public health, vaccinations, and medication safety.

Dr. Zelenitsky has an extensive administrative background, having served as Associate Dean, Academic (2004 to 2011), Interim Associate Dean, Research (2004, 2018), Interim Dean (2006), Chair of the Program Evaluation Committee (2011 to 2017), and Chair of the Graduate Program (2018 to 2021). She has also participated in numerous site visit and evaluation teams for the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs.

A member of several professional associations, Dr. Zelenitsky recently completed a term as board chair of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists Foundation, where she supported research and educational initiatives to advance pharmacy practice across Canada.

Education

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), State University of New York at Buffalo (1991)

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (B.Sc. (Pharm)), University of Manitoba (1989)

Awards

Award for Excellence in Research or Innovation in Assessment of Competence, Associations of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada and 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)

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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