Christopher McCurdy, Ph.D., R.Ph., FAAPS, has been selected as the 2025 Distinguished Service Award recipient by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, or AAPS. The annual award recognizes members for their lifetime of service to the organization and exemplifies the inclusive, collaborative volunteer leadership that AAPS encourages.
McCurdy’s service to the AAPS spans more than two decades. Currently, a professor of medicinal chemistry and the Frank A. Duckworth Eminent Scholar Chair in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, he led the association as president-elect, president and immediate past president from 2016-19 — overseeing a membership of more than 7,000 scientists worldwide. Beyond the presidential track, he has held positions as executive council member-at-large, chair of the 2013 annual meeting programming committee, chair of the publications committee and was a contributor in several editorial roles. In 2014, AAPS honored him with fellow status.
Among the many accolades McCurdy has earned throughout his career, he regards the AAPS Distinguished Service Award as the highest honor bestowed on him by a scientific organization.
“Being recognized with the AAPS Distinguished Service Award is very meaningful, because I have spent two decades in servant leadership roles within the organization, and it has helped me to develop as a professional, leader and pharmaceutical scientist,” said McCurdy, who also serves as associate dean for faculty development in the UF College of Pharmacy and director of the UF Translational Drug Development Core. “Over the years, my passion for AAPS and its mission has driven me to give back generously to the organization.”
McCurdy considers AAPS his “home” scientific association, as he has been involved since graduate school. He credits the late James T. Stewart, Ph.D., M.S., a former emeritus professor and chair of medicinal chemistry at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, with introducing him to AAPS and emphasizing the importance of joining professional organizations. McCurdy first attended the AAPS Annual Meeting as a graduate student and his involvement grew steadily, leading to leadership roles and ultimately, the presidency.
McCurdy is a broadly trained medicinal chemist, behavioral pharmacologist and pharmacist whose research focuses on the design, synthesis and development of drugs to treat pain and drug abuse. He is an internationally recognized expert on kratom, or mitragyna speciosa, that is under investigation for opioid withdrawal syndrome.
AAPS presented McCurdy with the 2025 Distinguished Service Award at the PharmSci 360 meeting held Nov. 9-12 in San Antonio.