Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Joseph Balthasar is the David and Jane Chu Endowed Chair in Drug Discovery and Development and Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Balthasar received a BS in Pharmacy (1991) and PhD in Pharmaceutics (1996) from UB. He served as a clinical assistant professor of pharmaceutics at UB from 1996-1997 and, from 1997-1999, as an assistant professor of pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Utah. Balthasar rejoined UB as an assistant professor in 1999 and was promoted to associate professor in 2003 and full professor in 2008. Balthasar serves as the director of the Center for Protein Therapeutics. Research in the Balthasar lab, which is funded by NCI and the Center for Protein Therapeutics, focuses on the development of new platform strategies to improve the safety and efficacy of antibody-based treatments for cancer. 

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Jonathan Lovell, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He has pioneered new approaches in nanotechnology-based vaccines and delivery systems. His research spans a diverse range of areas, including light-activated drug delivery systems, cancer immunotherapy and optically responsive nanomaterials. His patented porphyrin-based nanovesicles have paved the way for novel cancer treatment modalities. Lovell holds 14 U.S. patents, showcasing his innovative approach to addressing biomedical challenges. Co-founder of POP Biotechnologies, he has seamlessly integrated academic research with entrepreneurial endeavors, ensuring his innovations lead to real-world applications. Many of the technologies developed through his company focus on drug delivery that, unlike chemotherapy treatments, limit potential harm to the body.