Jason Karnes Appointed Department Head of Pharmacy Practice and Science
Jason Karnes, PharmD, PhD, has been appointed as the new John A. and Frances P. Ware Endowed Department Head of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy. Karnes began his career at the University of Arizona nine years ago as an assistant professor, and since then, he has distinguished himself through his dedication to teaching, research, and mentorship.
“Dr. Karnes is an excellent scientist,” says Dean Rick Schnellmann. “His experience as a highly accomplished NIH-funded researcher, along with his academic and clinical expertise, makes me confident that he will lead our department with a vision that is both comprehensive and impactful.”
“I am humbled to step into the role of Department Head for Pharmacy Practice and Science, especially after nine meaningful years with our incredible faculty and staff. I’m committed to working with our talented teams in Phoenix and Tucson to make a positive impact on the communities we serve and to elevate our pharmacy education, research, and patient care. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve in this position,” said Karnes who is also the director of the PharmD/PhD program and director of scientific programs for the All of Us research program.
Karnes is optimistic as he looks toward the future for the department of pharmacy practice and science and the Coit College of Pharmacy. In the short term, that includes updating resources, building efficiencies, and retaining faculty and staff. As for the big picture, that’s rising in the U.S. News and World Report rankings. “Changing perception by broadcasting the excellent work faculty are already doing and increasing clinically-focused scholarship in areas such as health disparities, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, and scholarship of teaching and learning,” says Karnes. “These are existing strengths we can build on to further our impact.”
Additionally, he sees the opportunity to expand the College of Pharmacy’s Phoenix campus and increase opportunities for those PharmD students and faculty. “Now with more than half of the incoming PharmD students located in Phoenix, it serves as a great opportunity to build a foundation of clinical partners and establish a network of research and clinical enterprises.”
Karnes completed his PharmD and PhD at the University of Florida, and his research fellowship, in the division of clinical pharmacology at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. With a primary research focus on cardiovascular pharmacogenomics, Karnes investigates the utility of genetic polymorphisms to predict the toxicities associated with cardiovascular drugs. In 2015 he launched the Karnes Laboratory, research dedicated to using genetics to improve drug therapy by enhancing efficacy and reducing adverse effects. Throughout his career, Karnes has authored over seventy peer-reviewed manuscripts and is active in several professional societies, including the Pharmacogenomics Research Network, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. To date, his research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Flinn Foundation, and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.