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Published December 10, 2020
Dhaval K. Shah, associate professor in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has been named the recipient of the 2020 North American New Investigator Award from the International Society for the Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX).
The award is presented to an ISSX member in North America who has made significant contributions to their field of study. The recognition is presented in honor of scholar James R. Gillette.
Shah’s work has significantly impacted the development of protein therapeutics, and many scientific principles and mathematical models developed by his lab are routinely used by pharmaceutical companies for drug development and regulatory submissions.
“Dr. Shah's cutting‐edge research in protein therapeutics and mechanistic modeling extensively supports advances in drug research and development,” says Marilyn Morris, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “He has established himself as a ‘star’ in the field of antibody‐drug conjugates and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of protein therapeutics.”
Shah joined the UB pharmacy faculty in 2013. His research focuses on development and evaluation of biologically based therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies and antibody‐drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer and metabolic, eye and central nervous system diseases.
His work has led to improved discovery and development of ADCs, especially their preclinical‐to‐clinical translation. Shah also established the first multiscale systems pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for ADCs, which is widely used in academia and the pharmaceutical industry.
He has performed several pioneering investigations, including developing the first brain microdialysis system for antibodies, inventing the biodistribution coefficient concept, and establishing a platform physiologically based pharmacokinetic model and quantitative structure‐pharmacokinetic relationships for biologics.
Shah’s many accomplishments include being the only two-time recipient of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) Outstanding Manuscript Award in Modeling and Simulation.
His has published more than 50 articles in academic journals, as well as six book chapters. He is also an editor for the Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and the AAPS Journal.
He earned a PhD from the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, a master’s degree from the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, and a bachelor’s degree from Gujarat University.