Dr. Ronald Worthington
Assistant Professor, Pharmacy

Research Focus:
Human genetic variation in drug response, genomics of antibacterial peptides

Recent Honors / Awards / Recognition:

Teacher of the Year in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2005 – 2006

NSF research grant, 2006 - 2009

Primary Courses Taught:

Biochemistry, Pharmacogenomics and Molecular Biology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

Education:

A.B., Washington University in St. Louis

How does SIUE support your professional growth or activity as a Teacher-Scholar?
"I have a very supportive department chair, who fully understands the challenges of balancing teaching with research activity, and who closely monitors the balance. The internal funding opportunities through the Gradate School are unusually numerous and substantial."

What is a unique aspect of your professional life that enhances your service to the academic or greater community?
"Working in research and development in both the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries has given me a real world perspective on the role of science in society that working in academia does not always provide."

How has one mentor or event shaped your career decision to become a university professor?
"I was a pre-med as an undergraduate, but I took a course from a classics and philosophy professor, the late William Sales, that changed my direction entirely. I began a scholarly analysis of  Heidegger’s Sein und Zeit with professor Sales, and that experience convinced me that scholarship was my true ambition. I ended up in life science scholarship, but my motivation was the process of working with a truly inspiring classics professor."