Peter Swaan Named Distinguished University Professor

Professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences receives highest appointment for University of Maryland, Baltimore faculty.

By Andrew Tie
May 18, 2022

University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce Jarrell, MD, FACS, announced on May 13 that Peter Swaan, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and associate dean for research and advanced graduate studies, has been awarded the designation of Distinguished University Professor, the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB.

“It is a recognition not just of excellence, but also of impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice,” President Jarrell said in his letter to the UMB community. “I’m extremely proud of the exceptional and transformational contributions each of these faculty members has made in support of UMB’s mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good. They are excellent examples of living the UMB core values, and it is my honor to call them colleagues.”

Dr. Swaan received his doctorate in biopharmaceutical sciences from Utrecht University in The Netherlands and served as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco before accepting his first faculty position at the Ohio State University. In 2003, he joined the faculty at the School of Pharmacy, where his research has focused on all aspects of transport proteins in drug targeting and delivery, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and innovative methods for drug delivery, with a special emphasis on nanotechnology platforms aimed at increasing oral drug bioavailability.

“As a prolific and well-respected faculty member at the School of Pharmacy, Dr. Swaan is most deserving of the distinguished university professor honor,” says Natalie D. Eddington, PhD, FAAPS, FCP, dean and professor of the School. “His 20-year tenure here is marked by outstanding scholarly, academic, and research contributions as a faculty member, administrator, and mentor to countless students, trainees, and fellows.”

Dr. Swaan is a fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) and currently serves as chair of the Board of Grants for the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education.

“I am extremely honored and proud to be being awarded the title of distinguished university professor,” Swaan said. “This is ultimately a sign that my colleagues across campus respect the contributions I have made to not just my research field, pharmacy profession and our School, but also to the campus and the university system as a whole. Over my years as associate dean for research, I have interacted and worked with many colleagues from all seven UMB schools and served on campus committees and cross-campus workforces with peers at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I have cherished these interactions and this expanded network has benefited our School’s visibility as a strong campus community partner. I’d like to thank all my current and former mentors, colleagues, and students, without whom this honor would not have been possible.”

Dr. Swaan and six other UMB faculty members will receive Distinguished University Professor medals at UMB’s first-ever convocation in the fall.

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