Natalie D. Eddington, PhD ’89, FAAPS, FCP
School of Pharmacy
Natalie Eddington, a University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) alumna, has dedicated her career to the school, serving as professor of pharmaceutical sciences, chair of the department, and dean. In 2025, she was honored at her retirement with the title of Dean Emerita.
Over her nearly 16-year tenure as dean, Dr. Eddington demonstrated visionary leadership grounded in strategic growth, innovation, and collaboration, as well as an unwavering commitment to student and faculty success. Her leadership positioned the school for continued excellence and national prominence.
She is an expert in drug delivery and pharmacokinetics whose research has led to key breakthroughs in how drugs traverse the blood-brain-barrier, particularly in medications used to treat cancer, epilepsy, arthritis, and drugs of abuse. Her work has improved public health outcomes and strengthened the bridge between academic research and regulatory policy.
Under Dr. Eddington’s leadership, UMSOP established transformative programs and centers that enhanced research, practice, and community engagement. Examples include the PATIENTS Program, Bio- and Nano-Technology Center, Center for Translational Medicine, Mass Spectrometry Center, Metallotherapeutics Research Center, and Maryland Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation.
She oversaw the launch of the school’s Pharmapreneurship initiative, which provides students and faculty with the skills, knowledge, and tools to achieve their career aspirations and address the nation’s health care, research, policy, and societal needs. She also expanded the school’s global reach by designing and delivering international regulatory science courses for clinicians and scientists from South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, and Japan.
Dr. Eddington’s leadership also was instrumental in expanding UMSOP’s physical and academic footprint. She oversaw the opening of the 126,000-square-foot Pharmacy Hall Addition in 2010, creating modern learning and research environments that foster collaboration and discovery. And, during her tenure, UMSOP’s academic offerings grew to include the Doctor of Pharmacy program, three PhD programs, and six Master of Science programs.