Dhiren Thacker Ph.D
Dr. Thakker is Founding President and CEO of Med Aditus International, a nonprofit corporation that he launched in December, 2019 to improve availability of affordable and good quality medicines to underserved populations. He is Professor Emeritus at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as a Distinguished Professor and administrator for nearly 24 years. Before retiring from the University on September 30, 2019, he served as interim dean of the School and interim director of the Eshelman Institute for Innovation (2017-2019), as associate dean for Global Engagement and Entrepreneurial Development (EDGE) (2009-2016), and as associate dean for Research and Graduate Education (1998-2008).
Prior to joining UNC in 1996, Dr. Thakker spent (i) eight years at Glaxo Inc. where he was director of Drug Metabolism Department, (ii) four years at the Center for Biologics, FDA, and (iii) eight years at the National Institutes of Health. He obtained Bachelor of Pharmacy from Bombay University, India, M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Columbia University, New York, and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Kansas at Lawrence.
Dr. Thakker has published over 170 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and book chapters, and co- edited two books in the following fields: (i) mechanisms of drug transport across intestine and mechanism-based design of intestinal absorption enhancers, (ii) novel intestinal absorption mechanism and pharmacology of metformin as anti-diabetic and anti-cancer drug, and (iii) optimizing pediatric dosing by study of drug metabolism and transport in children and adults, (iv) prodrug design, (v) oxidative/hydrolytic metabolism-induced carcinogenesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and stereo-selectivity of the oxidative enzymes, cytochrome P-450 (vi) enzymology of catechol O-methyl transferase, an enzyme involved in the homeostasis of catecholamine neurotransmitters.
Honors & Awards
- Inventor of the Year Award, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Distinguished Alumnus (Academic) Award, Institute of Chemical Technology (previously University Department of Chemical Technology), Mumbai, India.
- Sato Memorial Award, the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
- Fellow, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
Company Creation
- Med Aditus International (nonprofit) (founder)
- Qualyst (co-founder)
- Sphaera Pharma (co-founder)
- Analytical Solutions Inc
- Tergus Pharma
Professional Activities [current]
- Board of Directors
- Med Aditus International
- Sphaera Pharma-USA
August 2020
- Chesson Labs
- Global Leadership Council, UNC Global, UNC-Chapel Hill
Professional Activities [previous]
- Board of Directors
- Qualyst (previously ADMETech)
- Tergus Pharma
- Scientific Advisory Boards
- Qualyst (previously ADMETech)
- Sphaera Pharma
- Scios (subsidery of J & J) (Drug Development Advisory Board)
- Oread (Science & Technology Advisory Board)
- Navicyte
- Advisory Roles
- IntraHealth Advisory Council – IntraHealth International
- International Affairs Advisory Council, UNC Global, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill)
- Advisory Board, the Office of Economic and Business Development, UNC- Chapel Hill
- Advisory Board, the Office of Technology Development, UNC-Chapel Hill
- Basic Pharmacology Advisory Committee, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers’ Association (PhRMA) Foundation
- Special Emphasis Panel, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NI
- Special Emphasis Panel, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NI
- (Program Project Review, Biochemistry Department, Vanderbilt University
- External Review Committee, Graduate Program, School of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle, W
- Visiting Committee (External Review Committee), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore (2009)
- Chair, Visiting Committee (External Review Committee), Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore (2014)
- Chair, Drug Metabolism Focus Group (2010-2012), American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
- Drug Discovery Interface Task Force, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
- Founding Member, Steering Committee (1999-2002), Research Triangle Park Drug Metabolism Discussion Group
- Editorial board
- Drug Metabolism and Disposition
- Current Drug Metabolism
- J Pharm Sci
- Medicinal Research Reviews
- Co-editor, Medicinal Research Reviews