A former Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Villa-Zapata earned his PharmD from the Universidad de Concepción (Chile) and his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmaceutical Economics, Policy & Outcomes) from the University of Arizona. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and previously directed the MS in Pharmacoeconomics and Health Outcomes program at Mercer University.

Lorenzo Villa-Zapata, PhD, PharmD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, where he directs the Pharmaceutical Health Services, Outcomes & Policy (PHSOP) graduate program. His research bridges health economics, pharmacoepidemiology, and real-world evidence, with a particular emphasis on oncology, alongside cardiovascular/renal disease and infectious diseases. Dr. Villa-Zapata evaluates cost-effectiveness, medication adherence, drug safety, and financial toxicity using advanced modeling and large healthcare datasets to inform policy, practice, and equitable access to care—particularly in rural and underserved populations.

At UGA, he leads a dynamic research and training program, mentoring graduate students and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. His work, published in leading journals and presented at national/international conferences, advances evidence-based healthcare and improves patient outcomes

• Research and dissemination of drug-drug interaction evidence.
• Health Technology Assessment through cost-effectiveness analysis.
• Economic impact of clinical pharmacist.
• Systematic reviews, meta-analysis and scoping review

2009-2014 Fulbright Scholarship for PhD study in the US

Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR)

International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE)

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)

His cancer-focused assessments examine treatment efficacy, economic value of novel therapies, adherence barriers, interaction risks in polypharmacy regimens, and strategies to mitigate financial toxicity for patients. Beyond oncology, his primary research interests include:

• Pharmacoeconomics: Assessing the cost-effectiveness and value of drugs, technologies, and clinical pharmacy services.
• Drug-Drug Interactions: Investigating mechanisms, outcomes, and dissemination of evidence to enhance medication safety.
• Health Technology Assessment: Evaluating clinical, economic, and societal impacts of health innovations.
• Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: Synthesizing evidence on drug efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness, and pharmacy service outcomes.

Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=62YbYhkAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

Pubmed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1hAZQwvdglGA_p/bibliography/public/