Tony Yaksh, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, University
of California, San Diego
Dr. Yaksh obtained his B.S. degree from Georgia Institute of Technology (1966), M.S. from University of Georgia (1968), and Ph.D. degree from Purdue University (1971). He served in the U.S. Army, (Biomedical Laboratory, Edgewood Arsenal,
MD, 1971-73). He was a research scientist in the School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin (1973-76) and an Associate Research Scientist in the Anatomy Department at University College London (1976-77). He worked at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, (1977 to 1988), reaching rank of Professor in Pharmacology and Neurosurgery. Dr. Yaksh joined UCSD in 1988 as Professor and Vice Chairman for Research in the Department of Anesthesiology and Professor of Pharmacology and became distinguished professor in the School of Medicine in 2007. The focus of Dr. Yaksh’s research has been in the area of the physiology and pharmacology pain processing. He has published over 700 papers. He has been a mentor to more than 100
post-graduate fellows and has been funded consistently by the NIH since 1977. He has twice been a Javitz award recipient. He has received several honors and awards, including: John J. Bonica Lecture -American Society of Regional Anesthesia, Boston, 1989; FWL Kerr award-American Pain Society (1991); American Society of Anesthesiology Award for Excellence in Research (1995); Joris De Castro Memorial Award-Belgian Society of Anaesthesia and Reanimation (1998) John Liebeskind Award for Pain Research-American Academy of Pain Management, 1999; Torsten Gordh Award-Swedish Society of Medicine/Swedish Society for Anesthesia and Intensive Care (2000); Rovenstine Award-NY Society of Anesthesiologists (2001); Seldon Memorial Award-IARS (2007); German Promotion Award for Pain Research(2007); and, John J. Bonica Award–IASP (2008).
of California, San Diego
Dr. Yaksh obtained his B.S. degree from Georgia Institute of Technology (1966), M.S. from University of Georgia (1968), and Ph.D. degree from Purdue University (1971). He served in the U.S. Army, (Biomedical Laboratory, Edgewood Arsenal,
MD, 1971-73). He was a research scientist in the School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin (1973-76) and an Associate Research Scientist in the Anatomy Department at University College London (1976-77). He worked at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, (1977 to 1988), reaching rank of Professor in Pharmacology and Neurosurgery. Dr. Yaksh joined UCSD in 1988 as Professor and Vice Chairman for Research in the Department of Anesthesiology and Professor of Pharmacology and became distinguished professor in the School of Medicine in 2007. The focus of Dr. Yaksh’s research has been in the area of the physiology and pharmacology pain processing. He has published over 700 papers. He has been a mentor to more than 100
post-graduate fellows and has been funded consistently by the NIH since 1977. He has twice been a Javitz award recipient. He has received several honors and awards, including: John J. Bonica Lecture -American Society of Regional Anesthesia, Boston, 1989; FWL Kerr award-American Pain Society (1991); American Society of Anesthesiology Award for Excellence in Research (1995); Joris De Castro Memorial Award-Belgian Society of Anaesthesia and Reanimation (1998) John Liebeskind Award for Pain Research-American Academy of Pain Management, 1999; Torsten Gordh Award-Swedish Society of Medicine/Swedish Society for Anesthesia and Intensive Care (2000); Rovenstine Award-NY Society of Anesthesiologists (2001); Seldon Memorial Award-IARS (2007); German Promotion Award for Pain Research(2007); and, John J. Bonica Award–IASP (2008).
Anil Karihaloo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Section Nephrology, Yale University School of Medicine
Dr. Karihaloo obtained his PhD in Life Sciences from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India in 1994. During that period, he established Schwann cell (the myelin-producing cells of peripheral nerves) model to study the effects of chronic hyperglycemia on myoinositol transport. Dr. Karihaloo conducted post-doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the Beth Israel Medical Center, Harvard Medical School and at Yale University School of Medicine. At Yale, he became interested and began to study kidney development and renal cell biology and related signal transduction. After being promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor in 2008, Dr. Karihaloo has continued to study certain aspects of kidney development and renal morphogenesis. He has developed expertise in the area of renal fibrosis during the past several years. In addition to his independent research, Dr. Karihaloo has been collaborating with Dr. Stefan Somlo (Chief of Nephrology) and Dr. Lloyd Cantley, to understand the role of macrophages in polycystic kidney disease. Dr. Karihaloo is the author or co-author of 21 peer-reviewed publications. He won
the 2007 Gottschalk Award of the American Society of Nephrology and the 2005 Victor MG Chatiel Young Investigator Award from the National Kidney Foundation. He serves as reviewer for journals such as: American Journal of Physiology, Journal of American Society of Nephrology, Journal of Biological Chemistry, EMBO (European journal), Journal of Cell Physiology, Differentiation, Stem cell and Development, Kidney International and Developmental Biology. He served as invited external reviewer for Irish Health Research Board and for the US-Israel Cooperative Developmental Research Program.
Dr. Karihaloo obtained his PhD in Life Sciences from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India in 1994. During that period, he established Schwann cell (the myelin-producing cells of peripheral nerves) model to study the effects of chronic hyperglycemia on myoinositol transport. Dr. Karihaloo conducted post-doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, the Beth Israel Medical Center, Harvard Medical School and at Yale University School of Medicine. At Yale, he became interested and began to study kidney development and renal cell biology and related signal transduction. After being promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor in 2008, Dr. Karihaloo has continued to study certain aspects of kidney development and renal morphogenesis. He has developed expertise in the area of renal fibrosis during the past several years. In addition to his independent research, Dr. Karihaloo has been collaborating with Dr. Stefan Somlo (Chief of Nephrology) and Dr. Lloyd Cantley, to understand the role of macrophages in polycystic kidney disease. Dr. Karihaloo is the author or co-author of 21 peer-reviewed publications. He won
the 2007 Gottschalk Award of the American Society of Nephrology and the 2005 Victor MG Chatiel Young Investigator Award from the National Kidney Foundation. He serves as reviewer for journals such as: American Journal of Physiology, Journal of American Society of Nephrology, Journal of Biological Chemistry, EMBO (European journal), Journal of Cell Physiology, Differentiation, Stem cell and Development, Kidney International and Developmental Biology. He served as invited external reviewer for Irish Health Research Board and for the US-Israel Cooperative Developmental Research Program.
John Schetz, Ph.D., Associate Professor - Pharmacology & Neuroscience, UNT Health Science Center, Texas
Dr. Schetz holds a baccalaureate degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia (1987) and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Florida College of Medicine (1994). He spent a year as a post-doctoral Research Fellow performing pharmacokinetic and metabolism studies (PK/ADME) with radiolabeled peptide and non-peptide drug candidates in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine before accepting an Intramural Research Training Awardship (IRTA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NINDS/Molecular Neuropharmacology Division) on the Bethesda campus (1995-1999). At NIH he applied molecular biology, cell culture and biochemical techniques to the mechanistic study of dopamine receptors and other G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR). He served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (2000-2003), before moving to the Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth where he is currently a tenured Associate Professor. Dr. Schetz’s neuropharmacology research has focused on a molecular mechanistic and structure-activity relationship understanding of ligand interactions with their receptor targets including GPCRs, such as dopamine and serotonin receptor subtypes, and sigma receptors, and the discovery and development of subtype-selective compounds and PET imaging ligands. Dr. Schetz has authored over forty peer-reviewed manuscripts, and four patent applications. He serves on national and international study sections, is a member of an NIH SBIR study section for Neuropharmacology/Drug Discovery for Aging, Neuropsychiatric and Neurological Disorders, is study section chair of Bioengineering of Neuroscience, and has been recently named an Medical Research Council International Expert Panel Member.
Dr. Schetz holds a baccalaureate degree in Chemistry from the University of Virginia (1987) and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Florida College of Medicine (1994). He spent a year as a post-doctoral Research Fellow performing pharmacokinetic and metabolism studies (PK/ADME) with radiolabeled peptide and non-peptide drug candidates in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine before accepting an Intramural Research Training Awardship (IRTA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NINDS/Molecular Neuropharmacology Division) on the Bethesda campus (1995-1999). At NIH he applied molecular biology, cell culture and biochemical techniques to the mechanistic study of dopamine receptors and other G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR). He served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and the National Center for Natural Products Research at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (2000-2003), before moving to the Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience in the Graduate School of Biomedical Science at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth where he is currently a tenured Associate Professor. Dr. Schetz’s neuropharmacology research has focused on a molecular mechanistic and structure-activity relationship understanding of ligand interactions with their receptor targets including GPCRs, such as dopamine and serotonin receptor subtypes, and sigma receptors, and the discovery and development of subtype-selective compounds and PET imaging ligands. Dr. Schetz has authored over forty peer-reviewed manuscripts, and four patent applications. He serves on national and international study sections, is a member of an NIH SBIR study section for Neuropharmacology/Drug Discovery for Aging, Neuropsychiatric and Neurological Disorders, is study section chair of Bioengineering of Neuroscience, and has been recently named an Medical Research Council International Expert Panel Member.
Sylvia B. Smith, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Georgia Regents University
Dr.Smith obtained her Ph.D. degree in Cell Biology and Anatomy from the University of South Alabama in 1987. She conducted post-doctoral studies at the NIH/NEI in Bethesda, MD, studying retinal cell biology. Dr. Smith is a highly respected researcher in ophthalmology and serves frequently on NIH study sections. She is a member of the Macular Degeneration Research Advisory Council of the American Health Assistance Foundation. She reviews for 20 journals including Experimental Eye Research and is a guest editorial board member for Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Current Eye Research and Molecular Vision. Dr. Smith has extensive experience concerning in vitro and in vivo biology as it relates to ophthalmology and has specific expertise with respect to diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Dr.Smith obtained her Ph.D. degree in Cell Biology and Anatomy from the University of South Alabama in 1987. She conducted post-doctoral studies at the NIH/NEI in Bethesda, MD, studying retinal cell biology. Dr. Smith is a highly respected researcher in ophthalmology and serves frequently on NIH study sections. She is a member of the Macular Degeneration Research Advisory Council of the American Health Assistance Foundation. She reviews for 20 journals including Experimental Eye Research and is a guest editorial board member for Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Current Eye Research and Molecular Vision. Dr. Smith has extensive experience concerning in vitro and in vivo biology as it relates to ophthalmology and has specific expertise with respect to diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.