Dr Okezie I Aruoma of the American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) School of Pharmacy has been recognized for outstanding research and publication in pharmaceutical Sciences
Signal Hill, CA – – Okezie I. Aruoma Ph.D., D.Sc., Associate Dean of Research and Global Affairs and Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences for the School of Pharmacy, and Chair of the AUHS Institutional Review Board, at the American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) in Long Beach, California, was honored with the 2012 Research and Publication Achievement Award from the Association of Black Health-System Pharmacists for outstanding meritorious achievements in pharmaceutical sciences and his ongoing pursuit of excellence. Dr. Aruoma’s award-winning research focused on the development of promising portfolio of biomarkers and phytoceutical agents, most notably tea and papaya, that have the potential to provide early diagnostic and preventative treatment for diseases with overt inflammation including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
“The outcome of Dr. Aruoma’s recent clinical trials using tea and fermented papaya preparation may benefit persons at high risk of cardiovascular events and that this may augment drug therapy. We are extremely proud of Dr. Aruoma, as his work emulates the principles of academic excellence and caring for others that are at the foundation of this University” said Pastor Gregory Johnson, Founder.
The Association of Black-Health-Systems Pharmacists (ABHP) was founded in December 1978 and is the professional organization that represents black and minority health-system pharmacists. ABHP is dedicated to the growth and development of pharmacy practice in health care facilities and strives to support the goals of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Their Research and Publication Achievement Award is to recognize and encourage outstanding, meritorious achievements in basic pharmaceutical sciences, clinical pharmacy practice, and economic, social and administrative sciences.
Dr. Okezie Aruoma research is focused on food biofactors, oxidative stress mechanisms, antioxidant pharmacology and the pharmaceutical indications of food biofactors as prophylactic agents. Dr. Aruoma’s expertise is directed at developing promising portfolio of biomarkers, food/pharmaceutical safety and regulation and nutraceuticals/pharmaceutical agents that have the potential to provide early diagnostic and preventative treatment for acute and chronic diseases with overt inflammation.
At American University of Health Sciences, Dr. Aruoma is part of the leadership team developing the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the School of Pharmacy and serves as Chair of the Institution review Board and is the founding Chair of Global Pharmaceutical Education and Research for the School of Pharmacy. Prior to joining AUHS, Dr. Aruoma was part of the leadership team to develop an innovative Doctor of Pharmacy program at Touro College of Pharmacy, New York, and served as the first Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Aruoma has been an Adjunct Research Professor at the University of Mauritius, a Visiting Professor at Seoul National University in Korea, and a Senior Research Fellow at London South Bank University. He previously held senior research positions at Imperial College and King’s College in London. He was awarded the 3rd Goodman Fielder Orator award in Australia in 1997 for his lecture on “Food Antioxidants and International Health” and the Brain Pool Award for International Scientists from the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology to work as a Visiting Professor in Seoul, Korea.
Dr. Aruoma was awarded an MBA in business administration from the University of Warwick Business School, a PhD in biochemistry and MSc in Biopharmacy from King’s College London, a DSc (Doctor of Science) in medical biochemistry from the University of London, and a BSc in biochemistry from the University of Sussex. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and a Chartered Scientist (CSci) of the Science Council, UK.
