Dr. James E. Wynn serves as Dean of the South University School of Pharmacy based in Savannah, GA. Dr. Wynn was named the Founding Dean of South University School of Pharmacy in December 2001.
Dr. Wynn joined the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy as an Assistant Professor in the fall 1969. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 1973 and to full Professor in 1977. Dr. Wynn served as coordinator of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry from 1973 through 1979. In the fall of 1982 he assumed the position of Professor (with tenure) and Chairman of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He served as Chairman until September 1, 1995 when he assumed the position of Assistant Dean for Research for the MUSC College of Pharmacy. He held the latter position until the Fall of 1998 when he returned full time to research and teaching. He continued to pursue academic and research interests as a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at MUSC.
Dr. Wynn has received more than 50 awards and recognitions related to his teaching effectiveness and was named the 1994-95 "Governor's Professor of the Year" for the State of South Carolina. He has an active interest in innovative approaches and techniques to teaching pharmacy students. His experience and association with the AACP has provided him unique insight into the future of pharmacy education. He is acutely aware of the dynamic state of existence in both professional pharmacy and in pharmacy education. He is knowledgeable of the educational methods that must be employed to provide pharmacy graduates that are problem solvers and life long learners.
Dr. Wynn is a strong advocate for research and graduate education in the pharmaceutical sciences. To this end he co-authored the joint Ph.D. program between the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina and assumed the responsibility for developing the new Ph.D. program at MUSC.
While maintaining an active research program, he was also responsible for the development of the resources that allowed the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at MUSC to develop into a viable program. He developed the College's Pharmacy Development Center, advertised as a valuable resource in efforts to bring pharmaceutical industry to the State, and a Drug Evaluation Program at MUSC which together generated over $25,000,000 in extramural funds from 1984 to 2000.
He is an innovator of an entirely new drug treatment for arthritis and acute back pain and is a co-inventor on over 40 U.S. and international patents for a product that is now in Phase 3 clinical trails. His research interests are primarily in the area of anticancer and anti-arthritic agents and on the methods of analysis of cocaine and its metabolites. He has published over 50 research papers, professional writings and abstracts.
In addition to his formal administrative responsibilities as Dean, Dr. Wynn has served on more than 130 university, college, state, regional, and national committees, chairing nearly half of these. He has worked with members of S.C state agencies and the legislature to effect positive changes in areas of alcohol and drug substance abuse and in the area of prescription drug abuse. He has an extensive community service record. His memberships include AACP (Chemistry Teachers Section) American Chemical Society (Section on Medicinal Chemistry), American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Natural Products/Medicinal Chemistry Section, Analytical Chemistry and Pharmacokinetics Sections), American Association for the Advancement of Science , American Pharmacists Association, Georgia Pharmacy Association, South Carolina Pharmaceutical Association, Georgia Pharmacy Association, Sigma Xi, Rho Chi Honor Society, Kappa Lambda Sigma, and Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity.
Dr. Wynn is recognized nationally as a leader in pharmacy education. He has served as the Chair of the Teachers of Chemistry Section and as Chair of the Council of Faculties of the AACP and a two year term as a member of the AACP Board of Directors. He has been nominated for the office of President of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.