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P. David Rogers, College of Pharmacy Expert at

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Named Associate Dean for Translational Research

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Memphis, Tenn. (November 6, 2008) – University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) experts are accustomed to serving in several related capacities simultaneously, thus advancing their degree of expertise.  P. David Rogers, PharmD, PhD, FCCP, is such an expert who was recently appointed as the new associate dean for Translational Research in the College of Pharmacy.  Translational Research merges basic and clinical investigations into new therapies for use in the marketplace.  

As associate dean, Dr. Rogers will act as liaison between the College of Pharmacy and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).  CTIS is the system for transforming basic and clinical science into novel health care treatments in our communities.  He will focus on the design of a graduate program in translational and clinical research, and will evaluate both clinical and translational research initiatives.  Dr. Rogers will also evaluate educational efforts within the College of Pharmacy. 

In addition to acting as associate dean, Dr. Rogers will retain his current UTHSC responsibilities, all of which relate to Translational Research.  He is professor and vice chair of research for the College of Pharmacy’s Department of Clinical Pharmacy.  He also holds joint appointments in the College of Pharmacy’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the College of Medicine’s Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Sciences.  Dr. Rogers also holds the position as the First Tennessee Chair of Excellence in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacy, a prestigious research endowment by First Tennessee Bank that he was selected for in 2006.  The endowment supports Dr. Rogers’ studies on the safety and effectiveness of antifungal drugs. 

When asked how he will connect his current duties with his new role as associate dean for Translational Research, Dr. Rogers responds, “The profession of pharmacy has long embraced the tenets of clinical and translational research.  The Clinical and Translational Science Awards from the National Institutes of Health provide our profession, and more specifically, our college, a tremendous opportunity to achieve excellence in new areas of competitive science.  For my own research, I am fortunate to lead a talented team of investigators.  Likewise, we have an outstanding group of clinical and translational scientists among our College of Pharmacy faculty.  My role is to simply enable all of these individuals to achieve their full potential.” 

Dr. Rogers has authored more than 60 publications and 100 scientific abstracts.  In addition, he has been noted by his peers as one of the most promising pharmacy researchers in the nation.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, clinical care and public service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  UTHSC has additional College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy campuses in Knoxville, and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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