History
Pharmacology and toxicology have been taught at the University of Louisville School of Medicine since its inception in 1837. Originally, pharmacology and toxicology were taught in the curriculum as "materia medica" or "medical chemistry" by professors who held the title of professor and/or chair of these disciplines.The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology was initiated in 1909. The independent Department of Pharmacology was approved in 1941 and the establishment of the graduate training program was approved in 1954. The department name and graduate program were changed to Pharmacology and Toxicology in the late 1970's. An NIEHS-funded predoctoral training program was initiated in 2004. Nearly 200 graduates have completed our program. Key historical dates and a listing of chairs beginning in 1837 and extending to the present is provided below. Since 1997, the Department has been chaired by David W. Hein.
Link to annual Department photos
Key Historical Dates
1798: Founding of the University of Louisville
1837: Founding of the School of Medicine;
pharmacology taught as "materia medica"
1909: Founding of the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology;
Henry A. Cottell, MD appointed Department Chair
1914: Virgil E. Simpson, MD appointed Department Chair
1923: Henry G. Barbour, MD appointed Department Chair
1933: George E. Wakerlin, MD appointed Department Chair
1941: Founding of a separate Department of Pharmacology
Peter K. Knoefel, MD appointed Department Chair
1954: Founding of the pharmacology graduate program
1958: First PhD in pharmacology awarded to James W. Fisher
1969: Thomas C. Darby, PhD appointed Department Chair
1974: Edward A. Carr, MD appointed Department Chair
1977: William J. Waddell, MD appointed Department Chair
1982: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology hosts the annual ASPET fall meeting
1997: David W. Hein, PhD appointed Department Chair
1998: University of Louisville bicentennial
2001: One hundredth graduate of the pharmacology and toxicology program
2004: NIH predoctoral training grant awarded in environmental health sciences
Pharmacology and Toxicology Chairs
|
Name |
Years |
Title |
|
Lunsford P. Yandell, Sr., MD |
1837-1849 |
Professor/Chair of Chemistry |
|
Charles W. Short, MD |
1838-1849 |
Professor of Materia Medica |
|
Benjamin Silliman Jr., MD |
1849-1854 |
Professor/Chair of Medicinal Chemistry & Toxicology |
|
Lewis Rogers, MD |
1852-1869 |
Professor of Materia Medica & Therapeutics |
|
J. Lawrence Smith, MD |
1854-1866 |
Professor/Chair of Chemical Physiology |
|
C. W. Wright, MD |
1866-1869 |
Professor/Chair of Medical & Physiological Chemistry |
|
James W. Holland, MD |
1869-1882 |
Professor/Chair of Medical Chemistry, Toxicology, & Materia Medica |
|
Henry A. Cottell, MD |
1884-1896 |
Professor/Chair of Medical Chemistry |
|
H. M. Goodman, MD |
1896-1909 |
Professor/Chair of Medical Chemistry |
|
Henry A. Cottell, MD |
1906-1914 |
Professor and Chair |
|
Virgil E. Simpson, MD |
1914-1921 |
Professor of Materia Medica, Therapeutics, & Pharmacology |
|
Henry G. Barbour, MD |
1923-1932 |
Professor and Chair |
|
George E. Wakerlin, MD, PhD |
1933-1939 |
Professor and Chair |
|
Peter K. Knoefel, MD |
1941-1966 |
Professor and Chair |
|
Thomas C. Darby, PhD |
1969-1973 |
Professor and Chair |
|
Edward A. Carr, MD |
1974-1976 |
Professor and Chair |
|
William J. Waddell, MD |
1977-1997 |
Professor and Chair |
|
1997- |
Peter K. Knoefel Professor and Chair |
