Leslie Benet, a U-M alumnus scheduled to receive an honorary degree at Winter Commencement exercises Dec. 18, will speak about the myths and realities of the U.S. pharmaceutical enterprise and related issues in the inaugural 2011 Albert B. Prescott Distinguished Lecture at 2-3 p.m. Dec. 16 in Rackham Amphitheatre.
His lecture is titled “Drugs, Generics, Genetics, Herbs, Vitamins, and Supplements: Are You Safe?” Benet, a professor of biopharmaceutical sciences and pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco, has founded four pharmaceutical companies. He also holds 11 U.S. patents on pharmaceutical compounds, has received eight honorary doctorates, and has published more than 500 publications and seven books.
Benet’s research has established the foundation for much of what is now known about the rate at which drugs are metabolized in the body. He is known as one of the creators and disseminators of the concept known as clearance, which serves as the basis for calculating how much of a prescribed drug to give to a patient.
The lecture series is named for Prescott (1832-1905), who graduated from the Medical School in 1864, joined the faculty and became the College of Pharmacy’s first dean in 1876, and director of the U-M chemical laboratory in 1884. Prescott is credited with revolutionizing pharmaceutical education by abandoning the traditional apprenticeship model in favor of a curriculum focusing on basic sciences, advanced laboratory skills, evidence-based decision making and analytical reasoning.
During his career, Prescott was president of three of America’s most celebrated science organizations: the American Chemical Society (1886); the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1891); and the American Pharmacists Association (1900).
A reception follows the lecture, from 3-4 p.m. in the Alumni Center Founders Room.
