OAKWOOD, VA (SEPTEMBER 23, 2026) — Six members of the faculty at the Appalachian College of Pharmacy (ACP) took part in the Fourth Annual Ballad Health Academics and Research Summit September 18 at the Meadowview Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, TN.
ACP faculty members — Dr. Ted Hagen, Dr. M. Faisal Hossain, Dr. Ghous Khan, Dr. Afsana Momen, Dr. Randy Mullins and Dr. Jennifer Hammons — participated in a panel discussion titled “Appalachian Health Research: On Our Own Together.”
The panel highlighted ACP’s research activities, faculty scholarship and the college’s contributions to addressing health needs in rural and Appalachian communities. The discussion emphasized the importance of collaborative research, innovation and community-focused scholarship in improving health outcomes across the Appalachian region.
“The discussion showed the depth and range of work happening at ACP, including research on barriers to continuous glucose monitor access in rural Appalachia, naloxone stability under real-world storage conditions, botanical medicine, vitamin D and diabetes and education surrounding the PALM test,” said Dr. Jennifer Hammons, ACP director of rural health advancement.
“What stood out most was that, while our research areas are different, they are connected by a shared purpose,” Hammons continued. “That purpose is addressing real needs in the communities we serve. This work is not research for the sake of publication. It has the potential to improve access, strengthen patient care, influence practice and contribute to better health outcomes across Appalachia.”
Hammons noted Appalachian communities are too often included in research only after the questions have already been written and the decisions have already been made.
“ACP has an opportunity to change that,” she said. “We live here, we serve here and we understand the realities behind the data. Our research is grounded in the needs of our communities, but its impact can reach far beyond our region. The strength of this panel was seeing six faculty members with very different areas of expertise come together around one shared goal: improving health in Appalachia.”
Hammons said she thought the title of the ACP panel, “On Our Own Together,” captured ACP well.
“Each of us is leading distinct work, but we are stronger when we bring those projects, perspectives and partnerships together,” Hammons said. “That collaboration is how a small college in Central Appalachia can make a much larger impact.”
“I am proud of our ACP faculty members for their continuing research and academic collaborations,” said ACP Provost and Dean Susan Mayhew. “At ACP, we are pleased to play a part in supporting the health and well-being of our community and those across Appalachia.”
ABOUT ACP: The Appalachian College of Pharmacy is the only three-year Doctor of Pharmacy program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Founded in 2003, the college accepted its first students in 2005. It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Its mission is to cultivate a learning community committed to education, community outreach and the professional development of pharmacists. Its graduate pharmacists are now practicing throughout the United States. Learn more at www.acp.edu.
(PHOTO CAPTION: Appalachian College of Pharmacy’s Dr. Ted Hagen, Dr. M. Faisal Hossain, Dr. Ghous Khan, Dr. Afsana Momen, Dr. Jennifer Hammons and Dr. Randy Mullins participated in a panel discussion on “Appalachian Health Research: On Our Own Together” during last week’s Ballad Health Academics and Research Summit.)
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