Robert Newton appointed department head, Physiology and Pharmacology

The Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Robert Newton, PhD, as the department head for Physiology and Pharmacology, effective May 1, 2020.

Robert replaces previous department head, Dr. Wallace MacNaughton, PhD, and interim department head, Dr. Quentin Pittman, PhD. Thank you to Wally for his tremendous leadership over the years, and to Quentin for stepping in to help the department during the transition period.

In 2004, Robert joined the University of Calgary’s medical school as an associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, and was promoted to professor in 2012. Prior to this, Robert was a lecturer at Imperial College London from 1999 to 2001, and at the University of Warwick from 2001 to 2004, both located in the United Kingdom.  

As a member of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases and its Airways Inflammation Research Group, Robert’s primary research interests include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the treatments for these conditions. He has produced over 125 publications and has maintained consistent funding from local, national and international funding agencies. Robert holds an editorial role for two journals as the associate editor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and the assistant editor of Experimental Lung Research. He also extensively participates with grant, studentship and fellowship grant review, including memberships of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Respiratory Sciences and post-PhD awards, as well as The Lung Association’s studentship awards panels.

Robert is the technical director of the Snyder Molecular Core, a member of the Snyder Infrastructure Committee, and has sat on UCalgary’s General Faculties Council (GFC) and the GFC Executive Committee. He has served as an executive member of the Thoracic Network, Alberta & NWT, and is a current member of the Canadian Thoracic Society Membership and Communications Committee.  

Robert’s teaching, mentoring and research experience, coupled with the value he places on fairness and equity will be key in his new role.

Please join me in congratulating Robert on his new role within the CSM.

Sincerely,

Jon Meddings, MD
Dean, Cumming School of Medicine
University of Calgary