Musser, Chiou Receive Excellence in Research Awards
“Dr. Musser and Dr. Chiou are both outstanding scientists in their fields and are deserving of these awards” said Dr. Van Wilson, Associate Dean for Research. “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 buzz word, 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.”
Dr. Musser is an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine. A faculty member at the College of Medicine 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 bachelors degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1990 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1996. After doing postdoctoral work for three years at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Musser completed postdoctoral work at Brandeis University 1999 to 2001 before moving to Texas.
A member of the College of Medicine faculty since 1978, Dr. Chiou is a professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics. He served as the head of the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology for 27 years and has been the director of the Institute of Ocular Pharmacology for 22 years.
Dr. Chiou’s primary research focuses on ocular medicine and treatment. His major scientific breakthrough was the discovery of timolol, a medication for the treatment of glaucoma. Timolol was introduced to the market in 1978 and has since been used by more than 100 million glaucoma patients. Currently, Dr. Chiou is working on treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
The 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. Dr. Chiou 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 1953-1957 and received his 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.
Founded in 1977, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine is committed to educating, training and equipping physicians who are compassionate about their patients and dedicated to the communities in which they serve. Located on the Texas A&M University campus and at Scott & White Hospital in Temple, the college consists of approximately 700 basic scientists and clinicians who instruct students during the course of their medical education. The College of Medicine’s primary clinical affiliate, Scott & White, is ranked as one of the top 15 teaching hospitals in the nation.
