Dean Emeritus O'Donnell retires after more than a decade of service to UB pharmacy

“It has been a pleasure to be associated with the school and university. I’ve enjoyed my interactions with students, faculty and staff,” said O’Donnell.

O'Donnell joined UB in 2013 from West Virginia University, where he had served as associate dean for research in the School of Medicine and assistant vice president for health sciences research. He was appointed dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and led the school for seven years through a period of significant growth and national recognition.

During his deanship, the school established its first three endowed chairs, launched a master's degree in pharmacometrics and personalized pharmacotherapy — one of only a few such programs in the country — and recruited world-class faculty through SUNY's Empire Innovation Program and UB's Disciplinary Excellence initiative. The school also expanded interprofessional education programs, added micro-credential offerings, and established a research pharmacy in cooperation with UB's Clinical and Translational Science Institute to support clinical trials.

After stepping down as dean in 2021, O'Donnell remained an active member of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, where he continued to make meaningful contributions to teaching, research and university service. He served as a lecturer in PHM 527, Basic Pharmacological Principles of Pharmacotherapy, and took on a leadership role in the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program at UB as co-investigator and associate director. He also served as co-investigator on an NIH-funded grant investigating the role of PDE2A in mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and was a member of the President's Review Board for university faculty promotion and tenure.

"Jim's contributions to the school extended beyond his tenure as dean. His continued involvement in teaching, research and university service reflect a sustained commitment to the department and its mission. He will be missed,” said Donald E. Mager, PhD, professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences.

An internationally recognized expert in molecular and translational neuroscience, O'Donnell is a fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

“Jim’s impact leaves a lasting mark on our faculty, students and programs. We thank him for his years of dedication and wish him a well-deserved retirement,’ said Gary Pollack, PhD, dean of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

“I look forward to following the school in the future and anticipate continued growth and success,” said O’Donnell.