Duxin Sun Named Associate Dean for Research

The University of Michigan Board of Regents have approved the appointment of Duxin Sun, PhD’02, as the College’s associate dean for research, effective September 1, 2022.

Dr. Sun earned his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences from U-M in 2002. He worked in academia and industry before returning to the College in 2008 as an associate professor. He currently serves as the Charles R. Walgreen Jr. Professor of Pharmacy and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is a faculty associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry.

“I very much am looking forward to working with Dr. Sun in his role as our new associate dean for research,” says Vicki Ellingrod, PharmD, FCCP, FACNP, dean and John Gideon Searle Professor of Pharmacy. “His many scientific and mentoring accomplishments, diverse funding portfolio, and previous leadership within the broader U-M community makes his well-positioned for this role.”

Dr. Sun is a highly productive scientist with an international reputation in drug discovery, nanomedicines, and pharmacokinetics, focusing on cancer therapeutics. His group has developed a promising new anticancer nanomedicine design strategy, which they are currently using to design anticancer nanomedicines for immunotherapy of triple-negative breast cancer and pancreatic cancer to achieve long-term remission. He also established and continues to direct the Pharmacokinetics Core, serving the Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Drug Discovery, and others.

“As the associate dean for research, I will devote my efforts to four key areas set by Dean Ellingrod and the College leadership team: impact, innovation, collaboration, and outreach,” explains Dr. Sun.

“Working toward these priorities, we will utilize research outputs to impact practice in our three disciplines: medicinal chemistry, clinical pharmacy, and pharmaceutical sciences,” adds Dr.  Sun.  “We will invest in innovative research to transform our fields and promote collaborations in the College, across the University, and beyond. Our final pillar will be supported by reaching out to the broader research community and public to recognize our faculty’s research achievements.”

Dr. Sun has published more than 260 research articles, mentored 37 PhD students and 70 postdoctoral fellows/visiting scientists. He is a fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) and was chair of the Physical Pharmacy and Biopharmaceutics Section of AAPS, among many other service activities. Dr. Sun served on FDA Pharmaceutical Science and Clinical Pharmacology Advisory Committee (2017-2020). From 2020-2021, Dr. Sun served as the president of the University of Michigan Association of Chinese Professors (UM-ACP).