New faculty spotlight: Daren Knoell, Pharm.D.

Daren Knoell, Pharm.D., is the new chair of the UNMC Department of Pharmacy Practice.

• Name: Daren Knoell, Pharm.D.
• Hometown: Fremont, Neb.
• Title and department at UNMC: Chair and Lewis & Antonia Harris Professor, UNMC Department of Pharmacy Practice, UNMC College of Pharmacy

Research/professional interests:
Dr. Knoell’s focus of study is to better understand the pathogenesis of lung disease that, in turn, will reveal new biological insight to prevent or mitigate disease. His laboratory was the first to discover that zinc and its metabolism, through a family of proteins known as zinc transporters, is critical in preventing lung injury and maintaining host defense against infection. Most recently, this line of investigation has focused on zinc metabolism in cell, animal and human studies that have revealed novel insight into zinc coordination over innate immune function through molecular control of an integral signaling pathways that impact lung function. Collectively, the major body of this work has resulted in numerous publications in leading journals, continuous NIH-supported research as a PI for more than 15 years, international engagement, and several noteworthy awards.

Previous positions:
Professor and chair, division of pharmacy practice and science at The Ohio State University

Education:

• Pharm.D., UNMC Class of 1989
• Post Professional PGY1, University of California-San Francisco
• Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-San Francisco

Honors:

• 2008 recipient of the UNMC College of Pharmacy Early Career Award
• Standing member, Federal Drug Administration Pulmonary and Allergy Drug Advisory Committee (PADAC) 2007-2011
• Member, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Asthma Clinical Research Network (AsthmaNET) Scientific Advisory Review Committee 2010 – current
• Recipient of the Merck & Co. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Pulmonary Biology 2004
• Recipient of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Career Development Award 2004
• Fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy 2002

Three things you don’t know about me:

• First-generation college graduate
• Distributed DeKalb seed corn with my father in the winter
• Avid foodie