Photo of Piersen, Colleen

Colleen Piersen

Assistant Head for Administration and Research Assistant Professor

Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy

Contact

Building & Room:

321 PHARM, MC 781

Office Phone:

(312) 413-9299

Related Sites:

About

Colleen Piersen, PhD, MBA currently holds the position of Assistant Head for Administration and Research Assistant Professor of Pharmacognosy in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She also serves in the role of Director of Research Services at the College level. Dr. Piersen has over twenty years of experience as a researcher, faculty member, or academic professional at four major research universities and one biotechnology company. Her biomedical background is broad having conducted and/or managed basic through translational research in the fields of G-protein coupled receptors, DNA repair, reproductive health, and botanical dietary supplements. Colleen currently serves as the principal staff administrator in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences with her responsibilities spanning research, finance, academic/faculty affairs, space, and human resources management.  She also provides key administrative support for two, Board of Trustees-approved centers: the UICentre for Drug Discovery and the Pharmacognosy Institute.

From 2015-2017, Dr. Piersen held the elected role of Chair of the UIC Academic Professional Advisory Committee (APAC). She concurrently served as Chair of the University [of Illinois] System Professional Personnel Advisory Committee (UPPAC) from 2015-2016. More recently, she was selected to participate in the 2018-2019 UI Academic Professional Leadership Program.

Dr. Piersen holds a BA in Chemistry from Carleton College, a PhD in Pharmacology from Vanderbilt University, and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Alaska Pacific University.