Each year Wayne State's Alpha Chi chapter of the Rho Chi Society confers the Roland T. Lakey Award on an individual who has made a significant impact on the profession of pharmacy. This year's recipient is Richard B. Silverman, PhD, John Evans professor of chemistry at Northwestern University, Chicago.

The Lakey Award Symposium is scheduled for 5 p.m., April 1 (Monday) in the auditorium of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. At that time, Silverman will present "Drug Discovery: Ingenuity or Serendipity?"

Silverman is the inventor of Lyrica, marketed by Pfizer for the treatment of neuropathic pain. His research is focused on the molecular mechanisms of action, rational design, and syntheses of potential medicinal agents, particularly for neurodegenerative diseases. Among his awards and honors include the 2009 Perkin Medal from the Society of Chemical Industry; 2011 E.B. Herschberg for medicinal chemistry from the American Chemical Society (ACS) and member of the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame. Silverman also has received numerous teaching awards from Northwestern University. He is the author of several critical books in medicinal chemistry and has close to 300 peer reviewed papers.

Rho Chi Society is an academic honor society in pharmacy. Its mission is to encourage and recognize excellence in intellectual achievement and foster fellowship among its members. The Society also encourages high standards of conduct and character and advocates critical inquiry in all aspects of pharmacy.

Roland T. Lakey, PhD, is the college's first dean, beginning in1924 and continuing for 28 years.

For additional information on the Lakey Award Symposium, please contact Steven Firestine, PhD, at 313-577-0455 or email: ay1872@wayne.edu or Latoya Rice, 313-577-5416 or email: ag4355@wayne.edu.

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, one of the founding colleges of Wayne State University, is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society through the preparation of highly skilled health care practitioners, and through research to improve health care practices and treatment from urban to global levels.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.

March 27, 2013

Contact: Kathleen J. Karas
Phone: 313-577-2312
Email: kkaras@wayne.ed