image: DeLuca was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Perugia, Italy, on May 30. He is a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. view more
Credit: University of Kentucky
DeLuca is a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy who has spent the past 15 years building a strong professional relationship with faculty and students at the University of Perugia. He has visited on several occasions as a lecturer, and also has invited visiting students to work with him in his own lab at UK.
The University of Perugia is one of the oldest higher learning institutions in Europe and the tradition of granting honorary degrees is a rich and honored one; the first honorary doctorate given by the school was to Pope John XXII in 1311.
DeLuca received the prestigious Honorary Doctorate from the University of Perugia during a ceremony on May 30.
In the fall of 2004, DeLuca was notified that the University of Perugia's Faculty of Pharmacy had nominated him for this honor and last year, he learned that the University's Magnificent Rector had officially approved to confer the degree.
DeLuca, along with a group of 20 supporters from the United States, including family, friends and colleagues from UK, attended the formal ceremony where he gave a speech about his research in novel drug delivery systems for treating prostate cancer, endometriosis and schizophrenia and future challenges in this field of study.
DeLuca, a longtime UK faculty member, received his doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences from Temple University. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, AAPS Executive Council Member-at-Large, and editor of the AAPS PharmSciTech scientific journal. At UK, his primary teaching and research responsibilities and interests are in novel drug delivery, formulation and process development of proteins and peptides, and freeze-drying.
He is the author or co-author of 200 research articles and book chapters, and is the recipient of numerous research awards, including the first AAPS Research Achievement Award in Pharmaceutical Technology and the first AAPS Outstanding Educator Award. DeLuca serves on FDA's Advisory Committee for the Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The UK College of Pharmacy is consistently ranked among the top 10 in the nation. It continues to be an international leader in pharmacy education, clinical care and pharmaceutical research. For more than a century, the college has attracted the best and brightest students from the Commonwealth, the U.S. and the world to train as pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists and leaders in academia, health care and pharmaceutical and biotech industries. In an ever-changing health care setting, the college has evolved into an innovative leader in clinical training and clinical research. It also has set the standard for pharmaceutical research in drug design and drug delivery. Pharmaceutical research focuses on drug design and drug delivery, with expertise in oral, transdermal and parenteral formulation development; nano-particle formulations for cancer therapy and diagnosis; and novel therapeutic vaccines.