David Taft Appointed as Dean of the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College
of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Brooklyn Campus, Long Island University

Brooklyn, NY- ¬ Following a nationwide search, Dr Jeffrey Kane, Long Island University vice president of academic affairs, announced the appointment of David Taft as dean of the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, effective September 1, 2008. Professor Taft has been a member of the Long Island University faculty since 1994, when he was appointed assistant professor of pharmaceutics. He was promoted to associate professor, with tenure, in 2000. In addition to his title as dean, he will hold the rank of full professor. He most recently served as the director of the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, where he oversaw the Ph.D. program in pharmaceutics, the M.S. program in pharmaceutics and the M.S. program in pharmacology/toxicology. During his tenure at the University, he has chaired a number of college- and campus-wide committees, including the College’s ACPE Accreditation Self-Study Steering Committee (2006-2008, 2000-2002), the Faculty Review Committee (2005-2007, 2003-2004) and the Planning and Assessment Committee (2002-2005). He is a recipient of the University’s highest teaching award, the David Newton Award for Teaching Excellence (1997), as well as the College of Pharmacy Founders Award for Faculty (2002). He also completed the inaugural AACP Academic Leadership Fellows Program for future leaders in academic pharmacy (2004-2005).

Professor Taft’s research interests are in the area of pharmacokinetics with a focus on renal drug excretion. His laboratory has collaborated with various companies in preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutic entities, particularly nucleoside analogs, which are used in the treatment of HIV and cancer. His research aims to provide a better understanding of the pharmacokinetics of these drugs and to apply that knowledge to optimize therapeutic outcomes in HIV and cancer patients. Additionally, he has published more than 60 manuscripts and research abstracts, and has co-edited two books. He is on the editorial advisory boards of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. Professor Taft also is a past recipient of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) New Investigator Grant in Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism, an award that supports the research efforts of junior faculty members engaged in training graduate students and carrying out basic research in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and drug metabolism.

Professor Taft received his undergraduate degree in pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island in 1987 and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical science from the University of Connecticut in 1993, and was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina's School of Pharmacy from 1993-1994. He currently resides in Fair Haven, N.J., with his wife, Molly, and their three children, Bailey, Carter and Reilly. In his spare time, he enjoys being with his family, reading and sports. An avid runner, he has completed 13 marathons.

Posted: September 5, 2008

Contact Information:
Paola Curcio-Kleinman
Associate Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations
Long Island University
516-299-2402; 917-592-7862
paola.curcio-kleinman@liu.edu