A member of the UB faculty since 1968, Anderson previously served as professor of medicinal chemistry and associate chair of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry.

"Over a long and illustrious career he has distinguished himself as a teacher, scholar and administrator," said Headrick in making the appointment. "I have every confidence that he will continue the tradition of superb leadership that the deans of pharmacy have provided for the school and university."

Anderson, who also is director of UB's Pharmaceutical Sciences Training Grant Program and holds a joint appointment as professor of chemistry, is known for his research in the design, synthesis and development of anticancer and anti-HIV agents, and in the study of enzyme inhibitors.

In 1992, the National Cancer Institute awarded Anderson a five-year, $1 million grant for continuing fundamental molecular research on new cancer drugs. Through computerized molecular modeling and chemical synthesis in the lab, Anderson and his colleagues design and formulate hundreds of chemical compounds, searching for properties that are desirable in cancer treatment. Their goal is to find new drug candidates that have good activity against cancer, but also are selective, shrinking tumor cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

One of his drug developments, tetraplatin, is in phase II clinical trials as an anticancer agent, and three other anticancer drugs-IPP, silaplatin and carmethizole-are in preclinical development.

Anderson holds a number of patents, and conducts ongoing collaborative research with clinical and biological scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, with the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the National Cancer Institute and with several drug companies.

His research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for the past 24 years.

In addition to his research experience and leadership roles, Anderson has served as a regular member of the NIH Medicinal Chemistry Study Section, the Chemotherapy Panel of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command's Breast Cancer Program, and as an ad hoc member of numerous other NIH panels. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Sciences National Research Council Chemical Sciences Review Panel.

Anderson has published more than 100 manuscripts and has presented lectures locally, nationally and internationally.

He has also served as a member of the UB Faculty Senate Executive Committee, as secretary of the UB Faculty Senate and has chaired or served as a member of a number of university committees. He currently is a member of the President's Advisory Council and the UB Council on Research and Sponsored Programs.

In 1988, Anderson was named the Niagara Frontier Inventor of the Year. Other honors include a NYS/UUP Excellence Award in 1990 and a Buffalo Ambassador Award in 1993.

Anderson holds a B.Sc. in pharmacy and an M.Sc. in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Manitoba, and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.