School of Pharmacy retirees announced

LAWRENCE - Four KU School of Pharmacy faculty members will retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year in May. Barbara Timmermann, Nancy Muma, Rick Dobrowsky, and Ronald Ragan have served as leaders, educators, and mentors to the School of Pharmacy, and their legacy will endure for many years to come. 

Barbara Timmermann

Dr. Timmermann retires following an extraordinary career as University Distinguished Professor and longtime Chair of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. An internationally recognized leader in natural products chemistry and drug discovery, her research advanced the identification and therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds from plant biodiversity, with major impact in cancer, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Dr. Timmermann provided visionary leadership at KU, including directing the NIH‑funded Center for Cancer Experimental Therapeutics and strengthening interdisciplinary research and core facilities that expanded the University’s national research profile. In addition to her scholarly achievements, Dr. Timmermann served the School and University with distinction as Interim Dean, providing steady leadership and guidance during a period of significant transition. Her decades of scholarship, sustained extramural funding, global collaborations, and dedicated mentorship of students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty leave a lasting legacy at KU and across the pharmaceutical sciences.

Ronald Ragan

Dr. Ragan retires after more than three decades of distinguished service as an educator, administrator, and leader in pharmacy education. During his career at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, he played a pivotal role in shaping PharmD education, including founding and directing KU’s Non‑Traditional PharmD program, which enabled more than 300 practicing pharmacists to advance their degrees while remaining in the workforce, and leading the development of the School’s innovative Standardized Client Assessment Program to better prepare students for advanced practice experiences. He also served as Founding Dean of the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy at High Point University, where he led all aspects of launching a new school, from accreditation and faculty recruitment to facilities planning and curriculum development, before returning to KU as Dean to guide the School through a period of growth and challenge. Dr. Ragan’s visionary leadership, commitment to student success, and lasting contributions to pharmacy education have left a profound and enduring legacy at KU and beyond.

Nancy Muma

Dr. Muma retires following an exceptional career as Professor and long serving Chair of the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology. An internationally recognized neuropharmacologist, her research advanced understanding of serotonin receptor signaling and drug discovery, with important implications for depression, schizophrenia, menopause associated mood disorders, and Huntington’s disease. As a dedicated scholar and mentor, Dr. Muma led a highly productive research program while training and supporting numerous students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty. Under her leadership, the department has recruited exceptional faculty including Liqin Zhao, Adam Smith, Jai Subramanian, Jesse Wiley and Zijun Wang who have grown the department’s research program. Furthermore, the department has added successful programs including two online MS degree programs and a “Beyond the Lab” guest speaker program that exposes trainees to careers outside of academics. Her research, leadership, service, and commitment to mentorship will have a lasting impact on KU and the broader biomedical research community.

Rick Dobrowsky

Dr. Dobrowsky retires after a distinguished career as Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology, where he made lasting contributions to research, teaching, and service. His pioneering work advanced understanding of lipid rafts, neurotrophin receptor signaling, and the molecular mechanisms underlying diabetic neuropathy, with influential studies spanning animal and cell culture models. Throughout his career, Dr. Dobrowsky maintained a strong record of scholarship and mentorship, guiding generations of students and trainees while building a nationally recognized research program. His scientific impact and dedication to education have left an enduring legacy at KU and within the broader pharmacology and neuroscience communities.

The retirees will be honored at an internal reception in May 2026, hosted by David Dietz, dean of the School of Pharmacy.