UW School of Pharmacy will welcome new dean this autumn

Unpack your pharmaceuticals, because there’s going to be a new dean in town.

Starting Oct. 1, 2008, the UW School of Pharmacy will be led by Thomas Baillie, an internationally recognized scientist and former UW professor.

UW Provost Phyllis Wise recently announced the news, saying she was “extremely pleased” with the selection committee’s decision.

“[Baillie] has a combination of experience in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry that makes him extremely well qualified,” Wise said. “We’re really excited to have him.”

Baillie has been at Merck & Co., Inc, a global pharmaceutical company, since 1994. He was executive director of preclinical drug metabolism from 1994-1996, vice president of drug metabolism from 1996-2007 and, most recently, vice president and global head of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. In the latter role, he was head of an organization of 350 employees and reported to the senior vice president for worldwide preclinical development.

But Baillie’s new post won’t be the first time he’s been employed at the UW. Before moving to Merck, he was a professor of medicinal chemistry here from 1988 to 1994. However, Baillie says he is looking forward to returning, knowing students and faculty members alike will be “keeping him on his toes.”

“It’s a unique opportunity to lead one of the best schools of pharmacy anywhere,” Baillie said. “I’m also looking forward to interacting with the other health sciences schools, especially because UW is renowned for its strengths in those fields. Students are known to be well-trained and frequently do well in the pharmacy industry.”

U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the UW School of Pharmacy fifth among pharmacy schools around the country. The school’s current dean, Sid Nelson, is stepping down after leading the department for 13 years. He has been a faculty member for 31 years.

“I want to finish my career teaching and doing research,” Nelson said. “And I felt it was time for a change.”

After announcing that he would retire from deanship last summer, the school mounted an extensive search to replace Nelson. After narrowing the field to four candidates, Baillie was eventually selected by Wise and President Emmert. According to Nelson, Baillie was the right choice.

“Dr. Baillie managed to do original research and publish peer-reviewed articles, even though he moved from academia to the industry,” he said. “And he’s not only a good researcher, he’s a good teacher and good administrator. Faculty and students will appreciate him.”

For some students, however, Nelson’s decision to step down was bittersweet.

“He is well loved by students,” said Jason Furbush, 31, a second-year grad student in the PharmD program. “Someone had buttons made that had a little heart on it that said ‘I love Sid.’ Most of us are wearing them around school. We’re sad to see him go.”

Still, Baillie seems excited with the prospect of returning to the Pacific Northwest.

“It’s great for my hobby,” he said. “I’ve got my own aircraft. And flying in Seattle, with all the beautiful scenery around, is fabulous.”

Robert Roseth from Uweek.org contributed to this report.

[Reach reporter Clark J. Fredricksen at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]