March 28, 2000 - Leslie Z. Benet, Ph.D., Professor of Biopharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California-San Francisco School of Pharmacy, founder of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, founder and editor of the Journal of Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics, and member of the Institute of Medicine, was awarded the highly prestigious Takeru Higuchi Research Prize on March 12, 2000 at the Annual Meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association (APhA) in Washington, DC.

In making the award, the APhA cited Dr. Benet's 30-year career as an accomplished pharmaceutical science faculty member and his internationally known research programs in biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Much of Dr. Benet's work concentrates on immunosuppressant, anti-cancer, and anti-anginal drugs, as well as drugs specifically related to women's health issues, and the immunotoxicity of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

In accepting his award, Dr. Benet announced he is donating his $10,000 cash award to AFPE to support the newly launched AFPE Endowed Pre-Doctoral Fellowships Campaign. This campaign seeks $6 million in gifts from corporation, foundations, and individuals to permanently endow the continued annual award of competitive Pre-Doctoral Fellowships in the Pharmaceutical Sciences to the most outstanding pharmaceutical science graduate students studying at US schools and colleges of pharmacy.

"Les Benet's contributions to pharmaceutical science both nationally and in the international arena have been and continue to be prolific and superb. Along with his academic skills and his research capabilities, Les has been a consistent supporter of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE). His efforts on behalf of AFPE are much appreciated and I congratulate him for this richly deserved recognition", said Ernest Mario, Ph.D., Chairman, AFPE.

Dr. Benet was the recipient of an AFPE Pre-Doctoral Fellowship in the Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1964 during his studies for the Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California-Berkeley. His career exemplifies the high level of career accomplishment that has been a hallmark of AFPE Pre-Doctoral Fellows since 1942. In addition to his academic and research activities at UCSF, Dr. Benet is Chairman of the Board of AvMax, Inc, a drug delivery-biotechnology company, serves on the Board of Directors of the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education, and has published nearly 340 scientific articles and book chapters.

As the nation's oldest and largest pharmacy foundation, AFPE has as its sole purpose the funding of the "very best and brightest" undergraduate, pre-doctoral, and pharmacy faculty pharmaceutical science researchers in preparation for distinguished careers in industry and teaching. Industry's decision to organize and fund AFPE has provided the maximum return on investment. AFPE Scholars, Fellows, and Pharmacy Faculty New Investigators contribute to the pharmaceutical business enterprise as basic science researchers, applied science researchers, and faculty educators/researchers working in drug development, marketing, outcomes research, drug utilization, patient education, and the teaching and training of new pharmacists and researchers. The long-term value and impact of AFPE's funding is evident in industry, academia, and in improvements in the public health.