Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
I am happy to announce that I am appointing Sudha Chakrapani, PhD to the position of chair of the Department of Pharmacology. She has served as the interim chair since November 2022, demonstrating the leadership, vision and commitment needed to lead the department and create an environment of innovation that will move discovery forward. Thank you to Tony Wynshaw Boris and members of the search committee for their time and commitment.
The department's overarching research focus is rooted in interdisciplinary science with a primary focus on basic discoveries that can lead to therapeutic development in the areas of vision, infectious disease, cancer biology, mitochondrial disease and structural biology. The department’s continued growth is a priority and integral to the success of our school in achieving our mission to improve global health by linking research to populations in a superb educational environment. I look forward to seeing the department expand upon its rich history of excellence in research, teaching and mentorship.
“I am excited and truly honored to take on this role,” said Chakrapani. “I am extremely fortunate to work with an outstanding group of faculty, trainees and staff who share a collaborative spirit and are deeply committed to the department’s growth and success.”
Dr. Chakrapani currently directs the Cryo-Electron Microscopy Core and the Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology. She joined the School of Medicine faculty in 2010, received her PhD from the University of Buffalo and completed her postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Chakrapani's research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanism of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. She is the recipient of an NIH R35 and has been instrumental in developing the Center for Membrane and Structural Biology.
“My vision for the department is to strengthen our research areas and initiate new directions that integrate with the department’s mission and campus-wide initiatives,” said Chakrapani. “Our goal for the next five years will be to recruit a diverse cohort of talented faculty, implement cutting-edge technologies toward therapeutic development, lead collaborative programs with our clinical colleagues, and create innovative teaching modalities. Our training programs at the Master’s level and our PhD programs have incredible track records, and our teaching of pharmacology in the medical school curriculum will remain cutting edge. Finally, I will encourage our faculty to develop high-impact research centers with membership across the university.”
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Chakrapani on her appointment as the chair of the Department of Pharmacology.
Sincerely,
Stan Gerson, MD
Dean and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University