Musser, Chiou honored with COM Excellence in Research Award

(COLLEGE STATION, TX) — Siegfried Musser, Ph.D., associate professor in molecular and cellular medicine, and George Chiou, Ph.D., professor in neuroscience and experimental therapeutics, were recognized Wednesday with the Excellence in Research Award by the Office of Research at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

Van Wilson, Ph.D., associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies, left, presents George Chiou, Ph.D. professor in neuroscience and experimental therapeutics, with the Excellence in Research Award at the Texas A&M health Science Center college of Medicine. Focusing on ocular medicine and treatment, Dr. Chiou’s major scientific breakthrough was the discovery of timolol, a medication for treating glaucoma.

Honoring excellence in scientific investigation, Drs. Musser and Chiou were recognized as junior and senior investigators of the year, respectively, in a ceremony at the Joe H. Reynolds Medical Building.

“Dr. Musser and Dr. Chiou and both outstanding scientists in their fields and are deserving of these awards,” said Van Wilson, Ph.D., associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies at HSC-COM. “If Dr. Musser’ s contributions are any indication, I think it is safe to say that he will continue to be a leader in his field for many years to come. In an era where translational research has become a buzzword, Dr. Chiou has been successfully doing translational research for more than 20 years. He serves as a tremendous role model to the rest of us.”

An HSC-COM faculty member since 2001, Dr. Musser’s research focuses on the direct monitoring of single-molecule translocation through nuclear pore complexes. His lab seeks to understand how large molecules are transported across biological membranes without leakage and the energetics driving the transport process.

Dr. Musser earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1990 and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1996. After postdoctoral work for three years at the University of California at Davis, he completed his postdoctoral work at Brandeis University from 1999 to 2001 before moving to Texas.

On the HSC-COM faculty since 1978, Dr. Chiou has served as head of the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology for 27 years and director of the Institute of Ocular Pharmacology for 22 years.

Along with Dr. Chiou, Siegfried Musser, Ph.D., associate professor in molecular and cellular medicine and treatment, was presented the Excellence in Research Award by Dr. Wilson. Dr. Musser’s research concentrates on the direct monitoring of single-molecule translocation through nuclear pore complexes.

Dr. Chiou’s primary research focuses on ocular medicine and treatment. His major scientific breakthrough was the discovery of timolol, a medication for treating glaucoma. Timolol was introduced in 1978 and since been used by more than 100 million glaucoma patients. He is currently working on treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Founder and chief editor of the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dr. Chiou has published a book and authored or co-authored more than 230 publications. He also holds 22 patents and was honored in 2005 with the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award by the School of Pharmacy and Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at National Taiwan University for his contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences and professional practice of pharmacy.

Dr. Chiou attended National Taiwan University from 1953-57, receiving a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. He received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Vanderbilt University in 1967 and completed his postdoctoral research in autonomic pharmacology at the University of Iowa Medical School.