It is our honor to announce this distinguished group of 2025 Scientific Achievement Award winners who are being recognized for their excellence in the pharmacology field.
John Jacob Abel Award in Pharmacology
James J. Collins, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award James J. Collins, PhD from the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center, the 2025 John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology. The John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology, named after the founder of ASPET, was established in 1946 to stimulate fundamental research in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics by young investigators.
Dr. Collins is receiving this award in recognition of his innovative research accomplishments in elucidating the molecular, cellular, and developmental biology of the schistosome parasite and for his use of transformative methods that have enabled the discoveries.
James J. Collins is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at UT Southwestern Medical Center and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds the Jane and Bud Smith Distinguished Chair in Medicine. He graduated summa cum laude from Southeast Missouri State University in 2003 and received his PhD from Washington University in 2008. Following his postdoctoral studies with Phil Newmark at the University of Illinois, Dr. Collins began his independent career at UT Southwestern in 2014 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2020 and full Professor in 2024. Dr. Collins' research has transformed our understanding of schistosomes (blood flukes), a group of parasitic worms that infect hundreds of millions of the world poorest and most vulnerable people. In doing so he has not only identified new therapeutic avenues against these parasites, but he has uncovered new paradigms in cell signaling and stem cell and developmental biology.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Collins will share highlights of his work during the session Award Lectures: Insights from the John J. Abel & Reynold Spector Awardees session on April 5, 2025.
Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology
Des Richardson, PhD, DSc, FASPET
ASPET is pleased to award Des Richardson, PhD, DSc, FASPET from Griffith University, the 2025 Julius Axelrod Award in Pharmacology. The Axelrod Award was established in 1991 to honor the memory of the eminent American pharmacologist who shaped the fields of neuroscience, drug metabolism, and biochemistry and who served as a mentor for numerous eminent pharmacologists around the world.
Dr. Richardson is receiving this award in recognition of his dedication to mentoring trainees and junior scientists and his original and unique contributions to understanding biochemical mechanisms underlying the pharmacological actions of drugs for cancer and neurodegenerative disease.
Dr. Richardson’s distinguished career (482 publications; H-index: 108; 52,600 citations) demonstrates he is a pharmacological pioneer in designing, synthesizing, and biochemically characterizing innovative anti-cancer pharmacopeia from bench-to-bedside and dissecting their mechanisms of action. Dr. Richardson’s cross-disciplinary approach also encompasses neurobiology and development of frontier neuropharmaceuticals, fields embraced by Julius Axelrod.
A defining aspect of his impact is that 91% of his 482 papers are as first, senior, and/or corresponding author– an intimate contribution. Recognized in Stanford's 2023 List of World’s Top 2% Scientists, Dr. Richardson ranks in the top 0.08% globally for Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and 6th for Pharmacology/Pharmacy. His leadership is highlighted by multiple Presidencies of National and International Societies, invitations to 55 editorial boards and 12 terms as president at the leading conference in his field. As a quadruple prize-winning mentor, locally, nationally and internationally, his Centre is a key research mentoring hub, nurturing nearly 300 young trainees.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
Pharmacia-ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics
Stephen F. Traynelis, PhD, FASPET
ASPET is pleased to award Stephen F. Traynelis, PhD, FASPET from Emory University, the 2025 Pharmacia-ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics. This award recognizes outstanding research in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, basic laboratory or clinical research that has had, or potentially will have, a major impact on the pharmacological treatment of disease.
Dr. Traynelis is receiving this award in recognition of his important discoveries regarding the molecular and functional properties of the glutamate receptors and the development of novel subtype-selective ligands for glutamate receptors that are in clinical development for neurological diseases with high unmet clinical.
Stephen Traynelis, PhD is a Professor of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, a Dean’s Eminent Investigator, and the Director of the Center for Functional Evaluation of Rare Variants in the Emory University School of Medicine. He is best known for making numerous seminal discoveries about the fundamental properties of NMDA-type glutamate receptors. He also has developed multiple first-in-class series of subtype-selective NMDA receptor ligands that possess therapeutic potential for the treatment of stroke, epilepsy, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s Disease, and other disorders. This work led to the founding of NeurOp Inc in 2002 and the development of neuroprotective agents, some of which have entered clinical trials. In 2022, Dr. Traynelis founded Agrithera Inc, another company aimed at translating his basic research advances into novel therapeutics. Additionally, Dr. Traynelis’ work on the functional consequences of genetic variation in glutamate receptors in healthy individuals and epilepsy patients has provided new insights that are laying the groundwork for precision-tailored therapeutic approaches in the treatment of epilepsy.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology
John Tesmer, PhD, FASPET
ASPET is pleased to award John Tesmer, PhD from thePurdue University, the 2025 Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology. This award was established in 2011 in recognition of the contributions made to drug discovery and development by Dr. Ruffolo. The award recognizes the scientific achievements of scientists who are at the height of their careers and who have made significant contributions to pharmacology.
Dr. Tesmer is receiving this award in recognition of his seminal contributions to our understanding of the mechanism of action and structural biology of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling.
Dr. Tesmer earned BA degrees in English and Biochemistry from Rice University in 1990 and his PhD from Purdue University in 1995. Dr. Tesmer then joined the lab of Dr. Stephen Sprang (UTSW), where he began his stellar career in probing the molecular basis for GPCR signaling. There he used X-ray crystallography to define how heterotrimeric Gα subunits interact with both RGS proteins and effector enzymes. As an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin (1999-2005), Dr. Tesmer described the architecture of a GPCR kinase (GRK) and how GRK2 binds heterotrimeric G proteins. At the University of Michigan (2005-2017), he identified selective GRK inhibitors and characterized additional effector enzymes including PLCβ, p63RhoGEF, and P-Rex1. In 2017 Dr. Tesmer returned to Purdue where he has continued to make landmark discoveries. Most recently, he has used cryo-EM to show how GRKs bind to activated GPCRs and how an arrestin biased receptor defeats G protein coupling.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
The David Lehr Research Award
Brandi M. Wynne, MS, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Brandi M. Wynne, MS, PhD from the University of Utah the 2025 David Lehr Research Award. The award extends funding for preclinical or clinical research directed towards improving human health. It was established with generous funding from Mrs. Lisa Lehr in honor of her late husband who was the chair of the Department of Pharmacology at New York Medical College.
Dr. Wynne has been selected to receive research funding for work on her project titled: Sympathetic and Immune Cell Crosstalk in Hypertension.
Dr. Brandi Wynne is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Utah in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology Hypertension. Her work has focused on the role of inflammation in hypertension and garnered several society-levels awards, including the American Physiological Society's Lazaro Mandel Award and the American Society of Nephrology's Gottschalk Award. Dr. Wynne is a Fellow of the American Heart Association's Council on Hypertension and a long-standing member of ASPET. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of ASPET's Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology. She serves on multiple editorial boards and is an Executive Editor for the Journal of Hypertension.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
Reynold Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Medicine
William Douglas Figg, Sr., PharmD
ASPET is pleased to award William Douglas Figg Sr., PharmD from the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research the 2025 Reynold Spector Award in Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Medicine. The award recognizes excellence in research and/or teaching in clinical pharmacology in honor of Dr. Spector's dedication and contributions to clinical pharmacology. This award is made possible by an endowment to ASPET from Dr. Reynold and Mrs. Michiko Spector.
Dr. Figg is receiving this award in recognition of his innovations in cancer clinical pharmacology and in work contributing to the FDA approval of twelve oncology agents.
Dr. Figg earned a BS in Pharmacy from Samford University, a doctoral pharmacy degree from Auburn University, and completed a clinical internship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. He pursued a fellowship in drug development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and obtained an MBA from a combined program at Columbia University and London Business School. He holds honorary degrees from Georgetown College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Joining the National Cancer Institute in 1992, Dr. Figg is currently Acting Chief of the GU Malignancy Branch, Director of the Clinical Pharmacology Program, and Associate Director of the Center for Cancer Research. He is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University and the Uniformed Services University. Dr. Figg has over 870 peer-reviewed publications, focusing on drug development, prostate cancer, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacokinetics.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Figg will share highlights of his work during the session Award Lectures: Insights from the John J. Abel & Reynold Spector Awardees session on April 5, 2025.
E. Leong Way Emeritus Travel Award
Rob Rockhold, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Rob Rockhold, PhD from the University of Mississippi Medical Center the 2025 E. Leong Way Emeritus Travel Award to attend the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, OR. This award, for an ASPET emeritus member, honors Edward Leong Way (1916-2017), a former president of ASPET remembered for his contributions to drug metabolism research, opioid pharmacology, and a Western understanding of Chinese traditional medicine, as well as the numerous scientists he mentored over 75 years of his professional life.
Dr. Rockhold is receiving this award in recognition of his contributions and commitment to ASPET, to training and mentoring next generation scientists and outstanding contributions to the field of pharmacology.
Dr. Rockhold is a Fellow of the Academy of Pharmacology Educators (FAPE) in the Division of Pharmacology Education of the American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). A well-published opioid researcher, award-winning educator, and innovative administrator, he has been deeply involved in the development, supervision, and funding of educational programs for students from diverse groups across several disciplines and educational levels from high school through PhD and MD. An ASPET member since 1976, Dr. Rockhold has woven pharmacology education deeply into a novel high school biomedical science education mentorship program between the University of Mississippi Medical Center and public high school students from a disadvantaged, urban public school district. Active since 1992, the Base Pair program has engaged students in authentic research, garnering over 500 formal professional citations, including 23 peer-reviewed papers, presented/co-authored by these students. Dr. Rockhold continues to be active in ASPET education efforts.
The award will be presented at the Awards Lunch on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
Division-Sponsored Awards
J.H. Woods Early Career Award in Behavioral Pharmacology
David Maguire, PhD
The ASPET Division for Behavioral Pharmacology is pleased to award David Maguire, PhD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio the 2025 J.H. Woods Early Career Award in Behavioral Pharmacology. The Division for Behavioral Pharmacology established this award to recognize outstanding original research by early career investigators in behavioral pharmacology.
Dr. Maguire is receiving this award in recognition for his productivity in publications and grant funding, his record of service to ASPET and his development of an independent research program that uses behavioral pharmacology to address one of the nation’s most important problems.
Dr. David Maguire received his bachelor's degree and master’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and his PhD in psychology from the University of Florida. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where he rose through the ranks to his current position of Assistant Professor (Tenure Track). He has published extensively, including eight papers in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and made important contributions to the understanding of drug/drug interactions. Dr. Maguire has served in a number of leadership positions at ASPET and is currently a member of the Science Policy Committee. Dr. Maguire helps organize and participates in the ASPET Day of Service at the annual meeting.
The award will be presented by the Division for Behavioral Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Maguire will present a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
P.B. Dews Lifetime Achievement Award for Research in Behavioral Pharmacology
Jonathan L. Katz, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Jonathan L. Katz, PhD the 2025 ASPET P.B. Dews Lifetime Achievement Award for Research in Behavioral Pharmacology. The ASPET Division for Behavioral Pharmacology established this award to recognize outstanding lifetime achievements in research, teaching, and professional service in the field of behavioral pharmacology and to honor Dr. Peter B. Dews for his seminal contributions to the development of behavioral pharmacology as a discipline.
Dr. Katz is receiving this award in recognition of his innovative research using behavioral and pharmacological methods to yield new insights into the mechanisms of action of psychostimulants and for developing novel approaches for the development of effective medications to treat substance use disorders.
Dr. Katz obtained his PhD in Psychology at the University of Maryland in 1978 under the direction of Dr. James E. Barrett. He subsequently received post-doctoral training from Dr. William H. Morse in the Laboratory of Psychobiology at the Harvard Medical School and then joined the research faculty in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School, working with Dr. James H. Woods. He subsequently accepted a position at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, retiring as Chief of the Psychobiology Section in 2017. Dr. Katz has published 294 papers, co-edited two books, and is co-inventor on three patents. He has trained a large number of students and postdoctoral fellows who remain active in behavioral pharmacology research. His research focused on understanding the behavioral and pharmacological mechanisms of abused drugs and on the role of sigma receptors in mechanisms of stimulant abuse.
The award will be presented by the Division for Behavioral Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Katz will present a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Susan Band Horwitz Award Lecture in Cancer Pharmacology
Haian Fu, PhD, FASPET
ASPET is pleased to award Haian Fu, PhD from Emory University, the 2025 Susan Band Horwitz Award Lecture in Cancer Pharmacology. The ASPET Division for Cancer Pharmacology established this award lecture to recognize excellent original research by established investigators in the area of cancer pharmacology. The award is named in honor of Dr. Susan Band Horwitz who is a pioneer in understanding the mechanism of action of cancer chemotherapy drugs many of which have been and remain mainstays of cancer therapy and whose work has changed the nature of cancer treatment.
Dr. Fu is receiving this award in recognition of his dedication to the field of cancer pharmacology and ASPET, especially his pioneering contributions to targeting protein-protein interactions in cancer.
Dr. Fu is Professor and Chair of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at Emory University School of Medicine where he serves as Associate Dean for Therapeutic Discovery and Development. He holds the Winship Partner in Research Endowed Chair. Dr. Fu received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fu is a visionary scientist who has made significant contributions to our conceptual advances in targeting protein-protein interaction (PPIs) as anticancer strategies. This stems from his discovery of the PPI-directed oncogenic function of 14-3-3 proteins and the first 14-3-3 inhibitor. With advanced PPI detection technologies, he uncovered widespread cancer-associated oncoPPIs and mutation-enabled neoPPIs, which has changed the landscape of cancer genomics-based strategies for developing the next generation of cancer-specific therapeutic agents with implications beyond cancer. He was elected as a Fellow of the AAAS in 2014. He has been a member of ASPET since 1995.
The award will be presented by the Division for Cancer Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Fu has been invited to deliver the award lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Benedict R. Lucchesi Young Scientist Travel Award in Cardiac Pharmacology
Kobina Essandoh, PhD
The ASPET Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology is pleased to award Kobina Essandoh, PhD from the University of Michigan the 2025 Benedict R. Lucchesi Young Scientist Travel Award in Cardiac Pharmacology. This award honors Dr. Lucchesi's lifelong scientific contributions to our better understanding and appreciation of the pharmacological treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and his mentoring of countless prominent cardiovascular pharmacologists in translational approaches.
Dr. Essandoh is receiving this award in recognition of his contribution to the understanding of mechanisms underlying stress-induced cardiovascular injury aiming at the discovery of biological targets that can be harnessed to protect and repair the damaged heart.
Dr. Essandoh is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan. He received a BS in Biochemistry from Cornell College in 2011 and an MS and PhD in Molecular, Cellular and Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Cincinnati in 2014 and 2019 respectively, before joining Michigan Pharmacology for postdoctoral training. Dr. Essandoh’s research focuses on delineating mechanisms underlying stress-induced cardiovascular injury to aid in the discovery of biological molecules that can be targeted to protect and repair the damaged heart. Over the years, Dr. Essandoh’s research has investigated the pathophysiology and therapeutic approaches for sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction, diabetic cardiomyopathy and cardiac ischemic injury. His current work at the University of Michigan explores regulation of cytokine receptor signaling and natriuretic peptide exocytosis and how these critical molecular pathways could be harnessed to treat heart failure.
The award will be presented by the Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Essandoh has been invited to give a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology Mid-Career Award
Laurel Grisanti, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Laurel Grisanti, PhD from the University of Missouri, the 2025 Cardiovascular Pharmacology Mid-Career Award. This award recognizes and honors those who are working in any area of Cardiovascular Science.
Dr. Grisanti is receiving this award in recognition of her innovative research on cell-type specific regulation of immune cells in heart failure and on the characterization of previously unstudied receptors in the heart as potential pharmacological targets.
Dr. Laurel Grisanti began her career as a graduate student at the University of North Dakota, studying adrenergic regulation of macrophages with James Porter, followed by postdoctoral training with Douglas Tilley at Temple University exploring novel cardiac βAR signaling mechanisms, particularly β2AR-mediated regulation of inflammation after injury. After recruitment to the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Missouri, Dr. Grisanti developed her independent research program toward cell-type specific regulation of immune cells in various heart failure models, as well as characterizing previously unstudied receptors in the heart as potential pharmacological targets. Dr. Grisantis outstanding work led to a series of recognitions as a finalist or winner of several prestigious competitions at national meetings, culminating in being awarded the inaugural Benedict R. Lucchesi Young Scientist Travel Award in Cardiac Pharmacology. Dr. Grisanti has served as a member of the ASPET Cardiovascular Pharmacology Program Committee and currently serves on the AHA BCVS Membership Committee.
The award will be presented by the Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Grisanti will present a lecture on her work as part of the annual meeting.
Scientific Achievement Award in Drug Discovery and Development
Nicholas A. Meanwell, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Nicholas A. Meanwell, PhD from The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, the 2025 Scientific Achievement Award in Drug Discovery and Development. The ASPET Division for Drug Discovery and Development established this award to recognize outstanding investigators who have made significant contributions in drug discovery, translational and/or drug development science.
Dr. Meanwell is receiving this award in recognition of his record of advancing antiviral molecules from the bench, through early development, and into clinical study, positively influencing patients’ lives with infectious diseases.
Dr. Nicholas A. Meanwell is the Distinguished Professor at The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Adjunct Professor at the School of Pharmacy, The University of Michigan and Adjunct Professor at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Dr. Meanwell has made significant contributions to drug discovery throughout his career at Bristol Myers Squibb (1982-2022). His work led to the advancement of 33 clinical candidates, particularly in the area of antiviral therapeutics. He played a crucial role in developing treatments for HIV-1 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, including the groundbreaking drugs fostemsavir (Rukobia) for HIV-1 and daclatasvir (Daklinza) for HCV. His and his teams’ innovations have provided seminal contributions to therapy, notably establishing NS5A inhibition as a clinically-relevant target for the treatment of HCV infection. With over 300 publications, 145 issued US patents, and numerous invited lectures, Dr. Meanwell has significantly impacted the field of medicinal chemistry. His contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2022 Alfred Burger Award in Medicinal Chemistry, election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Fellow of the American Chemical Society.
The award will be presented by the Drug Discovery and Development on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Meanwell will give a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Richard Okita Early Career Award in Drug Metabolism and Disposition
D. Fernando Estrada, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award D. Fernando Estrada, PhD from the University at Buffalo, the 2025 Richard Okita Early Career Award in Drug Metabolism and Disposition. The Bernard B. Brodie Award in Drug Metabolism and Disposition has been established to honor the fundamental contributions of Bernard B. Brodie in the field of drug metabolism and disposition. The Award recognizes outstanding original research contributions in drug metabolism and disposition, particularly those having a major impact on future research in the field.
Dr. Estrada is receiving this award in recognition for his innovative research and pioneering use of 19F-NMR spectroscopy techniques to provide new insights into cytochrome P450 redox partner structural dynamics, substrate binding, metabolism and allosteric enzyme inhibition.
Dr. Estrada followed a 7-year career in the US Army with graduate school at the University of Kansas, where he trained in protein nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the lab of Dr. Roberto De Guzman. He then joined the lab of Dr. Emily Scott and began training in the biochemistry and structural studies of membrane cytochrome P450 enzymes, particularly the steroidogenic bi-functional enzyme CYP17A1. During his postdoctoral training, he competed successfully for an F32 Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA fellowship as well as a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award. Dr. Estrada was recruited to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in Buffalo, NY in 2016. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2023. His lab today focuses on modes of structural regulation of mitochondrial and bacterial P450 enzymes.
The award will be presented by the Drug Metabolism and Disposition on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Estrada will give a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Division for Drug Metabolism and Disposition James R. Gillette Awards
Christopher Arian, PhD
Marysol Almestica, PhD
The James R. Gillette Awards are presented each year by the ASPET Division for Drug Metabolism and Disposition for the best papers published in the ASPET Journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition. Two awards are presented in the areas of Pharmacokinetics/Drug Transporters and Drug Metabolism.
Christopher Arian, PhD, University of Washington, is the 2024 award recipient in the Pharmacokinetics/Drug Transporters category for the paper titled "Human Enteroid Monolayers: A Novel, Functionally-Stable Model for Investigating Oral Drug Disposition."
Marysol Almestica, PhD, University of Utah, is the 2024 award recipient in the Drug Metabolism category for the paper titled "The Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8*3 Variant (rs11572080) is Associated with Improved Asthma Symptom Control in Children and Altered Lipid Mediator Production and Inflammatory Response in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells.”
The Gillette Awards will be presented by the Division for Drug Metabolism and Disposition on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore, where the awardees will present short talks on their research.
Division for Molecular Pharmacology Early Career Award
Nikoleta Tsvetanova, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Nikoleta Tsvetanova, PhD from Duke University, the 2025 Division for Molecular Pharmacology Early Career Award. The ASPET Division for Molecular Pharmacology established this award to recognize scholarly achievements of junior investigators early in their independent careers.
Dr. Tsvetanova is receiving this award in recognition of her transformative research into understanding the biochemical and spatial organization of GPCR signaling pathways and application of innovative, multi-omics approaches to elucidate mechanisms underlying GPCR biology.
Dr. Tsvetanova’s research applies cell biology and quantitative approaches to understand the biochemical and spatial organization of GPCR signaling pathways. One of Dr. Tsvetanova’s key contributions to the field is the demonstration that the cell can exploit the subcellular localization of active receptors as a strategy to diversify the functional outcomes from GPCR signaling. This new paradigm, referred to interchangeably as ‘location bias’, ‘spatial bias’ or ‘spatial encoding’ of GPCR signaling, has important implications for physiology and therapeutics. Another significant contribution is the application of multi-omics tools to understand GPCR biology. Through these approaches, Dr. Tsvetanova’s group is carrying out unbiased systematic manipulations and readouts of the pathways to elucidate novel regulatory networks and global cellular outputs.
The award will be presented by the Division for Molecular Pharmacology on April 5, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Tsvetanova has been invited to give a lecture on her work as part of the annual meeting.
Division for Neuropharmacology Early Career Award
Leon Coleman, MD, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Leon Coleman, MD, PhD from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, the 2025 Division for Neuropharmacology Early Career Award. The ASPET Division for Neuropharmacology established this award to recognize and honor a young independent investigator working in neuropharmacology.
Dr. Coleman is receiving this award in recognition of his publication quality, research originality, teaching and funding record, patents, and contribution to pharmacology.
Dr. Coleman has a history of making pioneering discoveries in the field of neuropharmacology, particularly Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research. Recently, he has focused on finding novel regulators of immune pathology for alcohol abuse, Alzheimer's disease, and severe burn injury. Dr. Coleman has found that heavy alcohol use promotes Alzheimer’s pathology through persistent activation of microglia leading to the disruption of neuronal lipid metabolism. He identified the loss of neuronal lysosomal acid lipase as a fundamental feature of the progression of Alzheimer’s disease that is enhanced by heavy alcohol use and midlife obesity. This has resulted in a US patent, and the development of novel PET ligands for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. His work has identified extracellular vesicles are fundamental drivers of immune dysfunction in AUD and burn injury. The targeted removal of these detrimental vesicles is now under investigation as a novel immunotherapy approach.
The award will be presented by the Division for Neuropharmacology on April 5, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Coleman has been invited to give a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Division for Neuropharmacology DEI Recognition Award
Kevin S. Jones, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Kevin S. Jones, PhD from The University of Michigan, the 2025 Division for Neuropharmacology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Recognition Award. This award recognizes members who have made important contributions to the enhancement and promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of neuropharmacology.
Dr. Jones is receiving this award in recognition of his dedication to mentoring students from underrepresented communities and advocacy for inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility within the larger neuropharmacology community.
Kevin S. Jones, PhD is a Clincal Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School. The Jones laboratory studies hypoglutamatergic models of schizophrenia. The lab uses genetic and pharmacological models to understand how disrupting NMDAR activity impairs cellular and network functions in mice and an emerging animal model, the zebrafish. Dr. Jones is actively engaged in increasing research opportunities for underrepresented scientists and his research team is comprised of highly talented and diverse undergraduate and doctoral students, postbaccalaureate researchers and visiting scholars.
He has taught the zebrafish neuropharmacology laboratory at the Summer Program in Neuroscience, Ethics, and Success (SPINES) at the Marine Biological Laboratory for over a decade. Furthermore, Dr. Jones has served as the chair of the Diversity in Neuroscience Sub-Committee of the Society for Neuroscience Professional Development Committee and is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force within the Pharmacology Department. He obtained his PhD in Neuropharmacology from Duke University, with previous positions at Howard University, the Instituto Ramon y Cajal, and Johns Hopkins University Medical School.
The award will be presented by the Division for Neuropharmacology on April 5, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Jones has been invited to give a lecture on his work as part of the annual meeting.
Pharmacology Educators Award
The Division for Pharmacology Education is pleased to present the Pharmacology Educators Award. This award was established to promote participation in the ASPET Annual Meeting by pharmacology educators and foster career development in pharmacology education.
Wael Eldahshan, BPharm, MS, PhD
Wael Eldahshan, PhD from the Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) College of Pharmacy is receiving this award in recognition of his outstanding contributions as a pharmacology educator and scholar, advancing excellence in health professions education. He has developed robust pharmacology, toxicology and pathophysiology curricula that integrate innovative teaching and assessment methods. In addition, Dr. Eldahshan actively engages in education-focused research and contributes to the educational community through service to ASPET and IUPHAR-Ed.
Dr. Eldahshan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He is the instructor and course director of Pharmacology I, Pathophysiology I and Toxicology to second- and third-year pharmacy students. Before joining SWOSU, Dr. Eldahshan completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Eldahshan received his PhD in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics from the University of Georgia and has a broad research interest in vascular biology, behavioral neuroscience and education.
Brooks McPhail, PhD
Brooks McPhail, PhD from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine is receiving this award in recognition of her excellence in developing a pharmacology curriculum. She has also published abstracts and research publications that contribute towards furthering pharmacology education.
Dr. McPhail obtained her PhD in Toxicology from the University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences Interdisciplinary Toxicology program. She received her postdoctoral training in pharmacometric modeling from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry on the Computational Toxicology Team and from the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. She is currently an assistant professor at the newly formed Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Charlotte where she served as the Pharmacology Thread Director. It is her desire to become a master medical educator who can effectively teach pharmacology to students entering medical school.
Shankar Munusamy, PhD
Shankar Munusamy. PhD from the Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is receiving this award in recognition of his track record of publishing and creating innovative pharmacology instructional methods.
Dr. Munusamy is a Professor of Pharmacology and Director of Assessment at the Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He received his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and holds a bachelor's and master's degree in pharmacy from India. As a pharmacology educator, Dr. Munusamy is passionate about fostering a learner-centered classroom environment that enhances students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. He employs various instructional methods, including mnemonics, analogies, gamification, and formative assessments, and utilizes multiple collaborative and active learning methods in his pharmacology courses. His teaching methods have garnered students' appreciation and several awards, such as the "Excellence in Teaching Award" from the AACP Biological Sciences Section, the "Hartig Distinguished Professor Award," the "Teacher of the Year Award," and the "Mentor of the Year Award" from his institution. His educational research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of mnemonics and gamification in promoting knowledge retention and clinical application, and mindfulness exercises and wellness messages on students' well-being.
Katerina Venderova, PharmD, PhD
Katerina Venderova, PhD from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine is receiving this award in recognition of her track record of creating innovative pharmacology instructional methods.
Dr. Venderova is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Science at the newly established Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM) in Pasadena, California. She serves as a course co-director of the Scientific Basis of Healthcare in the Integrated Science course in the second year of the program. She is responsible for development, implementation, and instruction in KPSOM’s integrated case-based learning curriculum, particularly pharmacology. She has a successful track record of pharmacology research and clinical background in pharmacy. Her research interests include but are not limited to integration in medical education, innovation in assessment, competency-based medical education, and leadership development.
These awards will be presented by the Division for Pharmacology Education Town Hall on February 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET.
Division for Toxicology Career Award
Lawrence H. Lash, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Lawrence H. Lash, PhD from Wayne State University, the 2025 Division for Toxicology Career Award. The ASPET Division for Toxicology established this award to recognize outstanding original research contributions to toxicology by an established investigator.
Dr. Lash is receiving this award in recognition of his outstanding and extensive contributions to renal toxicology research, training and mentoring toxicologists, and service to the toxicology community.
Dr. Lash is an internationally-recognized renal toxicologist who has made many advancements in toxicology research, while also contributing toward the training of the next generation of toxicologists. His lab has made seminal findings toward understanding how glutathione is cleared from the kidney, which include the identification of a novel sodium-coupled transporter on the renal basolateral membrane. His lab also identified the mechanism by which trichloroethylene causes nephrotoxicity, which was found to be through a process in which mitochondria are targeted in proximal tubular cells. In addition, Dr. Lash has been very active in ASPET where he has served as an associate editor for The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and on the editorial board of Drug Metabolism and Disposition for the last 20 years. Dr. Lash has also served as the Editor-in-Chief of Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology since 2016 and as the founding Editor-in-Chief (2013 to 2017) and Editor-in-Chief (2022 to present) of Toxicology Reports. Overall, Dr. Lash was nominated for this award based on his many years of research, teaching and service for the toxicology community.
The award will be presented by the Division for Toxicology on April 6, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology Early Career Award
Tanecia Mitchell, PhD
ASPET is pleased to award Tanecia Mitchell, PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the 2025 Division for Toxicology Early Career Award. The ASPET Division for Toxicology established this award to recognize excellent original research by early career investigators in the area of toxicology.
Dr. Mitchell is receiving this award in recognition of her pioneering research on kidney disease, particularly her work on how diet impacts immune cell mitochondria and oxidative stress in kidney stone disease, and her studies on immune cell involvement in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Her innovative approach and dedication to improving kidney health and quality of life exemplify her promise as a leading researcher in pharmacology.
Dr. Mitchell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Urology at the Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She holds a BS degree in Biology with Honors from Alcorn State University and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, followed by postdoctoral training at UAB.
Dr. Mitchell research career centers on investigating metabolism and redox biology in kidney and urology-related disorders. Her NIH-funded research program explores the impact of diet and immune function on kidney stone disease, leveraging both experimental models and clinical trials. Additionally, she is investigating reagents that can reprogram immune function and signaling to prevent kidney stone formation.
Throughout her career, Dr. Mitchell has earned several prestigious awards, including the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Office of Diversity and Inclusion Professional Excellence Award and the Melanie McReynolds PhD Excellence in Biochemistry and Metabolism Award. She is an active scientist within several UAB research centers and has trained a number of students and postdoctoral fellows, fostering the development of emerging scientists. Dr. Mitchell is also a dedicated member of professional societies, contributing to committee service and editorial boards to advance renal and urological research. Dr. Mitchell’s ultimate goal is to provide valuable scientific insights to improve the understanding and treatment of urological disorders while inspiring the next generation of scientists through her mentorship.
The award will be presented by the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Mitchell has been invited to give a lecture on her work as part of the annual meeting.
Diane E. Peters, DVM, PhD
ASPET is please to award Diane E. Peters, PhD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine the 2025 Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology Early Career Award.
Dr. Peters is receiving this award in recognition of her translational research on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including her innovative work on developing glutamate carboxypeptidase (GCPII) inhibitors as a potential therapeutic strategy. Her lab’s approach, combining preclinical models and validation in human samples, exemplifies a commitment to advancing novel, mechanism-based treatments for IBD.
Dr. Peters is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery. She is dual-trained as a pharmacologist and a veterinarian, having received her PhD in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics from the Tufts University School of Medicine (2014) and her DVM from the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine (2016). In her postdoctoral research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, she studied a dysregulated membrane-associated enzyme, glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), as a therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease. Ultimately, this research yielded a novel, gut-restricted, oral GCPII inhibitor (S)-IBD3540, now being developed in partnership with the Baltimore-focused life science accelerator Blackbird Labs. The Peters’ laboratory continues to meld molecular pharmacology and comparative medicine approaches to interrogate IBD pathophysiology, with the ultimate goal of developing mechanistically novel drugs to treat IBD inflammation and pain. This research is supported by a K01 SERCA awarded by the NIH OD, a sponsored research agreement from Blackbird Labs, and an award from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. She has been a member of ASPET since 2022.
The award will be presented by the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. Additionally, Dr. Peters has been invited to give a lecture on her work as part of the annual meeting.
Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, PhD, FASPET
The ASPET Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology is pleased to announce Beverley Greenwood-Van Meerveld, PhD from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center as the recipient of the 2025 Ray Fuller Lecture Award.
Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld is receiving this award in recognition of her pioneering research in neurogastroenterology, focusing on brain-gut interactions, stress-induced gastrointestinal disorders, and sex differences in visceral pain. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, providing critical insights into mechanisms of GI pain and advancing therapies for functional GI disorders, earning her widespread recognition and leadership roles in the field.
Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld is currently Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Physiology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, OK. She received her undergraduate degree with special honors in Physiology from the University of Sheffield in 1983 and then gained post-doctoral training from the University of Calgary as an Alberta Heritage Foundation Scholar. In 1986, she moved to the Medical College of Wisconsin as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology. After gaining industrial research experience at Eli Lilly and Company (1990-1994), she moved to Oklahoma to become the Scientific Director of the Oklahoma Foundation for Digestive Research. In 2003 Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld was appointed the Director of the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience and the Presbyterian Health Foundation Endowed Chair in Neurosciences at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld was actively involved in research and the first grant that jump started her research career was from the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association Young Investigator program. Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld’s research expertise is the neuropharmacology of visceral pain of gastrointestinal origin. For most of her career her research focused on the central nervous system regulation of visceral pain with a strategic objective of using preclinical (in vivo and in vitro) rodent models and multiple state-of-the-art techniques, from molecular and cellular to behavioral, pharmacological and electrophysiological methods. She studied the neuroanatomical and neuropharmacological substrates involved in the interaction between visceral pain and anxiety. Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld’s laboratory has a long history of engaging pharma to identify novel drugs to treat visceral pain and GI disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and post-operative ileus. Her pharma-funded research has impacted the field significantly through multiple presentations at national meetings and high impact publications. During her career, Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld, was a highly productive researcher with over 170 peer-reviewed manuscripts, 26 invited reviews, 26 books/book chapters and 9 US patents. At the time of her retirement, Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld was serving as the principal investigator (PI) of an active NIH-R01, PI of a VA Merit grant and a grant from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) and PI of numerous industry pharma contracts. Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld’s international scientific reputation was recognized by her receipt of the 2004 Janssen Award for Basic Research in Digestive Diseases, the 2012 Oklahoma University Reagent Award for Superior Research and Creative Activity, a Reagents Presidential Professorship from 2017-2021. In 2020 she received a prestigious George Lynn Cross Research Professorship, then in 2022 she received the Research Mentor Award from the Neurogastroenterology and Motility section of the American Gastroenterological Society Institute. In 2023 she was the recipient of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS) Distinguished Investigator Award for Women in Neurogastroenterology, and in 2024 she received the Rome Foundation Academic Fellowship Award.
Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld has held key leadership positions locally and nationally; she served as the President of the ANMS from 2018-2020 (first female Ph.D. to have served in this position) and was Chair of the ANMS Institute (2020-2022). She was Chair of the Editorial Board of Neurogastroenterology & Motility until July 2021 and from 2021-2022 she was the Specialty Chief Editor for Frontiers in Abdominal and Pelvic Pain until she assumed the role as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET) – 2nd female to have held this position since the formation of JPET in 1909. Her term will be renewed in 2025. For over 17 years Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld led the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience and was involved in graduate student training, neuroscience research and community outreach. In 2014 her teaching and mentoring excellence was recognized when she was inducted into the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine Academy of Teaching Scholars. For most of her career, Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld was very active in the Department of Veterans Affairs and was the Chair of the local VA Animal Care and Use committee and Chair of the VA Research and Development committee. At the time of her retirement, she had reached the level of a Senior VA Career Scientist and served as the Chair of the Neurology P VA Merit Review Board and Chair of the Biomedical Laboratory and Clinical Science R&D Scientific VA Merit Review Board.
Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld has been a member of ASPET for many years and is currently an ASPET Emeritus member, FASPET and Editor in Chief of the JPET. During her career, she has served in multiple leadership roles in ASPET including her service as Chair of the Neuropharmacology Division of ASPET (2015-2017) as well as serving as an Associate Editor for the JPET from 2012 -2018. She continued her ASPET service as a member of the ASPET Board of Publications Trustees (BPT) from 2018-2020 and ASPET Publications Committee (2022-present). Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld also chaired, organized and served as a speaker at multiple ASPET symposia and workshops including Novel Approaches to treat Anxiety, Anaheim CA (2010), Future Therapies for Chronic pain, San Diego, CA (2014), Invited Speaker at the ASPET Journal Workshop Why Choose ASPET Journals, (2022 and 2023) and Co-Chaired the ASPET Workshop entitled Opening the Blinds on the Editorial Process in 2024. She was elected to represent ASPET in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's Faces of FASEB campaign in 2023. She was also very involved in the ASPET Postdoctoral Fellow Competition and in 2016 chaired the ASPET Postdoctoral Fellow Competition; San Diego CA. Dr. Greenwood-Van Meerveld is a Fellow of ASPET (2021).
The award lecture will be presented by the Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology on April 4, 2025, during the ASPET 2025 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore. The Fuller Lecture is a ticketed event. Space is limited. Please click here to register.